If sneakiness had a name, it would be Eiichiro Oda. While Luffy’s fight against the Gorosei has distracted the fandom, the author is dropping easter eggs in places where no one would notice. The latest One Piece chapter showed the strength of the Gorosei, which alarmed Luffy into admitting they are immortal. But did you catch the slight hint that was present in the cover art of chapter 1111?
It is a cute cover art, just like the rest, which shows the Straw Hats playing with jellyfish underwater. But on careful observation, it’s not just the pirate crew, two more people are also present in the scenario, and it’s none other than Bonney and Kuma.
So, is it just a normal illustration with no external meaning to it? If you are a true One Piece fan, then you know from years of experience that underestimating Oda can only result in biting your nails later in frustration.
Will the Straw Hats get a new member by the end of Egghead Island arc?
At the beginning of One Piece, when Luffy began recruiting his crew, he claimed that he needed at least ten Straw Hats with abilities necessary for his goal. So far, there are nine Straw Hats pirates, excluding Luffy, so we know that there is at least one more vacancy in the crew.
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Given that One Piece is heading towards its finale, the Egghead Island arc is the prime time for Luffy to scout his last member. Both Bonney and Kuma are Straw Hat materials, and what role they could fulfill on the Thousand Sunny is yet to be seen.
While one might counter-argue that there are already 10 pirates including Luffy, we never know what Eiichiro Oda might throw at us next.
Will Bonney join the Straw Hats in One Piece?
Bonney, like most of the Straw Hats, has experienced an extremely traumatizing childhood. She is just 12 and has no way of experiencing peace and joy due to the live target on her back. If she steps on the Sunny to accompany Luffy, the crew’s childish behavior might make her smile and give her cherished moments.
Aside from that, she has the highest authority over all the Pacifistas that carry the face of Kuma. Vegapunk made sure that she never had to face her father’s silhouette in a fight, and her command overrode even the Gorosei. Thus, the World Government needs her at all costs, and she will not have a moment of peace in her life, just like Robin. The Thousand Sunny is the only place where she can feel safe as a strong team of stupidly loyal nakamas will protect her back at all costs.
Vegapunk entrusted Bonney to Luffy for the exact reason and it is only a matter of time till she sets foot on the Thousand Sunny. But whether it will be a short ride till she reaches safety or the journey of a nakama for life is yet to be known.
Will Kuma join the Straw Hats in One Piece?
Kuma has been present in the One Piece manga/anime for a long time. He debuted in the manga in chapter 233 and has made several puzzling appearances, which helped the Straw Hats. So, he is already connected to the crew and sympathizes with them. Not only did he protect the crew on Sabaody, but also took care of the Sunny during the timeskip. He is also familiar with Sabo and Luffy’s father, Dragon.
If the Straw Hats do require a new member, it would be someone phenomenally strong like Kuma. The crew itself is so strong that a new member needs to match their abilities. Kuma is no teenager who needs time to perfect his abilities. In fact, his previous feats of saving the members already make him far more than eligible.
So who will it be? The father or the daughter? Or will both of them be welcomed to the Thousand Sunny? Alternatively, Luffy might choose to leave the duo in peace after their long separation.
You can watch the One Piece anime on Netflix, Crunchyroll, Pluto TV, Hoopla, and Hulu. The One Piece movies are mostly available on Netflix.
