Warning: Contains spoilers for chapter #1117 of One Piece.
Summary
One Piecehas finally confirmed the survival of one unexpected character, and he could play a major role in the series very soon, especially as the final war rolls around. Even thoughVegapunk’s message was disappointingly cut short, the latest chapter ofOne Piececontinues showing characters' reactions from around the world including one surprising member of SWORD.
Chapter #1117 ofOne Piecereveals thatDrake has indeed survived the battle on Onigashimaand has reunited with the rest of SWORD. The chapter reveals Drake is currently at the G-5 Marine Base, specifically the hospital where Koby and the rest of the SWORD members who attacked Pirate Island are also being treated.
Drake is seemingly still recovering from his injuries despite it having been over a week since the end of Wano. Themanga did leave Drake’s fate rather ambiguousthe last time he was seen in chapter #1052 alongside Basil Hawkins, but the latest chapter finally confirms he will survive after all and might even cross paths with the Straw Hats again.
One Piece Confirms the Long-Awaited Return of an Early Character & Fans Are Going Crazy for It
One Piece has finally brought back the character fans have been waiting to see again for years, confirming he’s alive and could even run into Luffy.
One Piece Finally Confirms Drake Is Still Alive
Drake and Luffy May Team Up Again Against Blackbeard
As the captain,Drake’s survival means SWORD will maintain stabilitygoing into the Final Saga. Drake’s leadership and presence will be especially crucial now thatGarp has disappeared. More importantly, a transponder snail can be seen on the table by the window in Drake’s room, suggesting he has also been listening to Vegapunk’s message despite his request to be left alone. It will be interesting to see what conclusion SWORD comes to regarding the situation on Egghead, Vegapunk’s assassination, and the information revealed about the Void Century.
Though Drake did ally with Luffy at Wano, it is difficult to say whether the events of Wano could influence Drake’s opinion on the matter. However, as the captain of SWORD, his decision will likely hold great weight and there is no doubt that Koby will also defend Luffy as best as he can.
As things stand,SWORD and the Straw Hats may share a common enemy in Blackbeard, who is all butconfirmed to be Luffy’s final foe. The chances of Garp being alive are slim, but the members of SWORD will surely try and retrieve him if he is, and it would be odd for Luffy to leave his grandfather to die at the hands of the same man responsible for Ace’s capture and death. Luffy already has enough of a motive to avenge Ace and adding Garp into the equation could see Luffy and SWORD form an unlikely alliance.
SWORD Is Yet To Assert Its Significance in One Piece
Overall, SWORD is certainly an interesting concept, just like Cross Guild, and has the potential to turn the tide of the story quite easily depending on the route Eiichiro Oda chooses to take with the organization. The members ofSWORD are most likely to turn against the World Governmentif confronted with the truth about their wickedness as many of them share the same sense of reasonable justice. As such, bothSWORD and their captain, Drake,will no doubt enter the spotlight again soon inOne Piece.
One Pieceis available from Manga Plus and Viz Media.
One Piece
Created by Eiichiro Oda, One Piece is a multimedia franchise that began as a manga series and follows the adventures of the Straw Hat Pirates as led by Monkey D. Luffy. Luffy, an enthusiastic pirate with a thirst for adventure, is afflicted by a mysterious curse that gives him various powers he uses to protect himself and his friends. The manga eventually gave way to the anime series, with the two being some of history’s longest-running anime and manga series. Along with over fifty video games made over the years, the series entered the live-action world with Netflix’s 2023 adaptation.
