Recent events on Egghead have set up an exciting confrontation that could mark the end of one of the series’ most tragic yet beloved characters.

In an astounding turn of events, Bartholomew Kuma arrived on Egghead Island in Chapter 1103 of One Piece, just in the nick of time to save his daughter Jewelry Bonney, from being murdered by Saint Jaygarcia Saturn. While Kuma’s past, motivations, and allegiances were made clear by the recent flashback about his past life, his current state of self-awareness is still uncertain, given that his personality was erased just prior to the time skip in One Piece.

Furthermore, now that his arrival on Egghead has changed the state of the standoff between the Straw Hat Pirates and the Marines altogether, it is quite likely that Kuma will sacrifice himself in order to allow Luffy, Bonney, Vegapunk, and their allies to escape. Considering Kuma’s relationship with all three of these individuals, as well as his lifelong fascination with the legendary figure of Sun God Nika, this could be an ideal situation for series creator Eiichiro Oda to give him the send-off he deserves.

A Life Filled With Sacrifice

Since his childhood, Kuma has suffered and pushed forward through the immense pain that was inflicted upon him by the Celestial Dragons. From losing his parents, to being a captive slave during the God Valley Incident, Kuma’s early years were filled with tragedy, but he never lost faith in himself or his idol, Nika, despite everything he endured. Eventually, Kuma did experience some level of stability and contentment while living with Ginny in the Sorbet Kingdom, but this happiness was short-lived.

The political turmoil in the Sorbet Kingdom led Kuma and Ginny to join the Revolutionary Army, but this eventually culminated in the latter being abducted by a World Noble and forced into marriage. Nearly two years later, Ginny finally managed to contact Kuma, but their reunion was short-lived as she succumbed to a terminal disease shortly before he arrived to meet her. Seeing this, Kuma pledged to dedicate his life to raising Ginny’s daughter Bonney, who was lying by her side when she passed on. Although Kuma’s early years with Bonney were quite pleasant, tragedy struck again when she was diagnosed with the same illness that had taken her mother.

While traveling the world in search of a cure, Kuma encountered Dr. Vegapunk, who noted that he could treat her disease. Just when Kuma believed that he had succeeded, Saint Jaygarcia Saturn of the Five Elders intervened, and strong-armed him into giving up his body and his right to see Bonney, forcing him to become a mindless cyborg in the service of the World Government. Even under these circumstances, Kuma willingly sacrificed his life and humanity to save Bonney, staying true to how selfless he had been throughout his life.

The Two People Who Embody His Legacy

Over the years, Kuma had a massive impact on the lives and journeys of two specific individuals, and he viewed their survival as the greatest legacy he could have left the world shortly prior to the erasure of his memory. The two people in question were his daughter Bonney, and Monkey D. Luffy, the son of his former Commander, Dragon. On one hand, Kuma’s relationship with Bonney was that of a parental figure who essentially saved her life to honor the memory of her mother, the woman he loved.

Alternatively, Kuma’s relationship with Luffy was as brief as it was important, as the pair never really had a proper conversation, but it was only because of Kuma that Luffy was able to make it so far in his journey along the Grand Line. Kuma was drawn to Luffy due to his unique rubber-based Devil Fruit powers which resembled the abilities that were supposedly wielded by his idol Nika.

On recognizing the true intent behind Luffy’s actions as a pirate, as well as the ways in which he fought for people and brought freedom to the nations he visited, Kuma realized that he was someone who could end the tyranny of the World Government once and for all. Now that both Bonney and Luffy are in grave danger on Egghead, this is the ideal set up for Kuma to go out honoring that very same legacy, by staying true to his nature, as one of the few truly benevolent individuals in the series as a whole.

A Fitting End To A True Hero

So far, Kuma’s life has been defined by sacrifice, suffering, and persistence, even as he was never given a chance to chase his own dreams by virtue of having given up everything to help those around him. From his treatment of the elderly residents of the Sorbet Kingdom — which he did at great cost to his own well-being — to his sacrifices for Bonney and Luffy, Kuma always prioritized the needs of others over his own.

Now that he has a chance to strike back against Saturn, the one who was responsible for so much of his suffering, Kuma may finally let out the anger towards the Celestial Dragons that had been building up within him all his life. In this vein, it is almost certain that Kuma will fight Saturn to his very last breath, to prevent him from killing Luffy and his allies. At present, the odds of Kuma and Luffy defeating Saturn outright are quite slim, and there is also the lingering question over Kuma’s self-destruct button. For these very reasons, it is quite probable that Kuma will not make it out of Egghead alive, but his death may not entirely be in vain.

The idea of “inherited will” is a very prominent theme throughout One Piece, and Kuma’s story may yet be the most touching example of how this can be depicted in the series. By sacrificing himself to allow Bonney and Luffy to escape along with Vegapunk, he is effectively entrusting his dream of being a hero of liberation like Nika to them, which is very fitting considering the Devil Fruit powers they both possess.

Moreover, the fact that Kuma was able to infuse Armament Haki into the punch he threw towards Saturn, hints that a final trace of his consciousness still remains within the shell of his cyborg body. Lastly, Kuma’s idolization of Nika is an especially potent theme in the upcoming battle, where he is now face-to-face with the vessel of Nika’s will in Luffy. Hence, Kuma sacrificing his life in service of Nika’s successor, may be the most fitting send off he could receive, living out the part of a true hero till the very end, just like his idol.