The following contains spoilers for One Piece Chapter 1063, “The Only Family I’ve Got”, by Eiichiro Oda, Stephen Paul and Vanessa Satone, available in English from Viz Media.
Tales of kingdoms, epic quests, and daring heroics are some of the oldest stories told in different cultures around the world. Romantic tales are told in all forms of media, and the grandiose shonen adventure, One Piece, is the perfect example of the genre.
Of course, a romantic adventure has to include princesses, a character archetype that has appeared more than a few times throughout the story. Whether it’s Vivi of the Alabasta Kingdom, or Shirahoshi of Ryugu Kingdom, the Straw Hats have run into many princesses throughout the course of their journey, and Jewelry Bonney is the newest addition to this line-up.
Bonney is Another Princess the Straw Hats Have Saved
Bonney’s addition to the current story arc was certainly an unexpected one. Having just left the Japanese-themed island kingdom of Wano, the Straw Hats followed their Log Pose to the closest island, a feat that hasn’t been achieved by them in over a decade. They stumbled across Bonney seemingly in the middle of nowhere, rescuing her from a storm in the middle of the ocean.
The crew was almost immediately separated afterwards, leaving Bonney with Luffy, Jimbe, and Chopper as they explore the island of Egghead. Here they encountered all kinds of strange, futuristic contraptions, but chief among them was a Pacifista, an android modeled after Bartholomew Kuma, revealed to be Bonney’s father.
Kuma was first seen all the way back in the Thriller Bark Arc, encountering the Straw Hats after their harrowing battle with Gecko Moria and his army of shadows. His arrival was as intense as it was enigmatic, and led to Zoro’s most iconic moment in the series.
Bartholomew Kuma is Still a Mysterious Figure
What’s known about Kuma at this point doesn’t amount to much, but his past allegiances can paint a picture. He’s a former Shichibukai, a government mule for experimentation, and former ruler of the Sorbet Kingdom, the latter of which directly makes Bonney a princess. Fan speculation was first ignited surrounding Bonney’s true identity during One Piece’s Levelry Arc, where all the royalty in the world gathered to discuss the state of affairs across the globe. During this arc, Bonney disguised herself as Queen “Conney” of the Sorbet Kingdom.
Because Bonney possesses a still-unnamed devil fruit that allows her to change the age of anyone she touches, fans thought that perhaps Bonney was actually an old woman, and that Conney was her true form. Bonney has since confirmed that her normal appearance is her true age, and it can be reasoned that Conney is most likely her grandmother. There have been so many princesses in One Piece that fans often joke about certain characters being the “princess” of particular story arcs, when none are present in the story at the moment. With the conclusion of One Piece Chapter 1063, it’s possible that Princess Law might be the next one that needs saving.
