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With chapter 1096, One Piece fans were treated to a fascinating issue. Through Bartholomew Kuma's flashback, the latest installment of Eiichiro Oda's enthralling series continued unveiling the dynamics of the God Valley Incident, an event that took place 38 years before the present narration, involving some of the biggest names in the One Piece world.
Fans are justifiably eager to know as much as possible about the developments triggered by the cruel tournament organized by the Celestial Dragons and then interrupted by Roger and Xebec's pirate crews, leading to the further entanglement of the Navy.
What no one expected is in a chapter featuring Whitebeard, Garp, Big Mom, Kaido, Rayleigh, Roger, Xebec, Saturn, and Garling, an astonishing assortment of legends was overshadowed by three brats. Kuma, Ivankov, and Ginny, not even teenagers yet, ended up stealing the show to escape the Celestial Dragon's sadistic malice and earn the right to survive.
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Disclaimer: This article contains major spoilers from the One Piece manga up to chapter 1096. The opinions expressed are solely those of the author. Individual opinions may vary.
An in-depth analysis of One Piece 1096 exposes the chapter as a true gem on Eiichiro Oda's part
There's a reason why One Piece is considered one of the most successful manga ever
One Piece is renowned by fans for being among the most excellent Shounen adventures ever written. A combination of action, comedy, and drama, Oda's story catapults its readers and viewers, depending on whether the manga or the anime, into an intricate worldbuilding that creates one of the most detailed lore ever seen in fiction.
Ranging from the main protagonists to their allies and enemies, island after island, the story features countless characters, each deepening their background, goal, and affiliation. Characters are defined by what they seek and are often distinguished by a trademark quirk that makes them unique and memorable.
They interact with one another to form a coherent whole, making the globe a truly living world in constant turmoil. Even after many years of serialization, the story has so much to tell, as it's only getting grand in scale, with decades-old mysteries and iconic characters only beginning to reveal themselves, while the protagonists' journey is far from over.
There's no clearly defined good vs evil, as the story is based on the value of freedom and fighting the odds for what one feels right. Depending on the moment, several topics are touched, ranging from abstract ones like destiny, determination, and honor to real-life issues such as slavery, racism, censorship, and hatred.
Fans might see One Piece as a grand tale of romance and adventure set in a fictional world where the story progresses through conflicts and their resolution. Still, Oda's work reaches an even higher level, as it consistently builds such a compelling and detailed narration that it becomes addictive due to the emotions it creates.
Beyond the epic moments, the thrilling fights, and the captivating lore, Oda's masterwork does far more than entertain. With that said, it isn't surprising that chapter 1096 only showed a glimpse of the legendary contenders that confronted themselves in God Valley.
The full explanation of the significant incident is, understandably, postponed to the right moment, as the ongoing flashback is Bartholomew Kuma's. Thus, it's limited to showing things from his perspective.
Flashbacks are one of One Piece's most appreciated features, as Eiichiro Oda uses them to show the backstories of certain characters so that fans can better understand their actions in the present. Even in a few chapters, the author can perfectly depict unforgettable vicissitudes carved in the readers' hearts after years.
Kuma's flashback is no different, as in a very brief span, it is acquiring significant narrative depth. Struck with the "banality of evil" generated by the rotten system of the World Government and the Celestial Dragons, Kuma had his life changed forever as he and his parents were enslaved.
In a sad escalation, Kuma's mother died of hardships, and his father was killed in cold blood by a Celestial Dragon. Completely brutalized at such a young age, Kuma no longer found any meaning in life.
To make things worse, wherever possible, he became one of the targets for the human hunting tournament that the Celestial Dragons organized in God Valley. Still, it is precisely in that absurd context that he would meet two people who will change his life, finally, for the better.
With a masterful touch, Oda had a strayed Kuma encounter two other enslaved children, Emporio Ivankov, who in the years to come will become his comrade in the Revolutionary Army, and Ginny, a character never seen or mentioned before in the series.
Ivankov, Kuma, and Ginny's struggle to survive
On the background of the epic confrontation between Rocks Pirates, Roger Pirates, the Marines led by Monkey D. Garp, and Saint Figarland Garling's Holy Knights, the storytelling focuses on three young enslaved people, little more than children, who refuse to lose their lives in the sadistic game arranged by the Celestial Dragons.
If this isn't one of the highest points of the One Piece series, that's just because the narrative standards of Eiichiro Oda's masterwork are mind-bogglingly high.
As seen when Luffy met him in Impel Down, many years after the God Valley Incident, Ivankov thinks that only those who never give up can hope for a miracle. For this reason, he showed great respect for those who make their utmost effort and despises people who instead wait for others to save them.
This energetic spirit was present in him since childhood, considering how he started pushing and encouraging his fellow slaves to fight back instead of clinging to false hopes. With a rebellious temperament and without mincing words, Ivankov bluntly forced his companions to face the reality of their situation.
Ginny showed exceptional cunning, especially considering her young age. It could be said that the little girl is the person who started the God Valley Incident, as her smart move triggered the entire event.
Knowing that the Celestial Dragons would set some Devil Fruits as the prizes for the manhunt's winners, Ginny used a Transponder Snail to reveal the news. Her idea was that someone strong, attracted by the idea of seizing the Devil Fruits, would come to God Valley and wreak havoc.
Meanwhile, Ginny, Ivankov, Kuma, and the others would take advantage of the ensuing chaos to steal the Paw-Paw Fruit and the Fish-Fish Fruit Model: Azure Dragon, whose powers would have guaranteed them the possibility to escape from God Valley easily.
The message transmitted by Ginny caused the arrival of no less than the Rocks Pirates and the Roger Pirates, which means that the little girl factually manipulated some of the most powerful people in the One Piece world.
While the plan was only half successful, as they only managed to get their hands on the Paw-Paw Fruit, which Kuma ate, they still managed to leave the island alive.
Remembering when his father Clapp narrated to him the story of Nika, the "Sun God" who would free the oppressed, Kuma decided that he would use his newfound Devil Fruit powers to free as many people as possible.
Ivankov encouraged his friend, claiming that Kuma's hands, which saved many innocent lives during the God Valley Incident, were "Hands of Liberation," tools capable of bringing freedom to people.
Before the one that took place in God Valley, human hunting games had been conducted every three years for who knows how long, with entire populations massacred with not even a single survivor. Thus, what Kuma, Ivankov, and Ginny did can be a victory.
It must be noted that One Piece chapter 1096 didn't show directly how the three escaped from God Valley. Their getaway occurred off-screen as the scene instantly shifted from the island to the Sorbet Kingdom. However, it's heavily implied that it was due to Kuma's Paw-Paw Fruit abilities.
The young Kuma seen at the end of the chapter looks nothing like the character One Piece fans have come to know throughout most of the series, which only raises the curiosity to know what happened to him and Ginny in the following years.
At this point, it seems pretty clear that Ginny will become Jewelry Bonney's mother. However, the former has never been shown or even mentioned before the flashback, which is another question Eiichiro Oda has to answer.
Probably, the coming chapters will show how Kuma became the monarch of Sorbet, why people started calling him "Tyrant," and how he became a Warlord and, later, a seemingly mindless cyborg at the service of the World Government.
Regardless, One Piece 1096 remains a veritable gem, centered around the tale of three enslaved kids who, through a mix of craftiness and resolve, managed to survive a genocide - all against the backdrop of one of the most legendary events in the entire story.
Perhaps the most touching moment in the chapter was seeing Kuma and Ginny, two children who had been enslaved since they were four years old, bursting into tears of joy just by enjoying food and shelter, as well as each other's friendly companionship.
Seeing them enjoying their freedom most spontaneously and giving it proper value based on the horrific hardships they've been through was genuinely heartwarming. Admittedly, even in a world like the fictional universe of One Piece, where literally anything can happen, true happiness lies in the simplest things of life.
Keep up with One Piece manga, anime, and live-action as 2023 progresses.
