The following article contains spoilers for One Piece chapter 1100.
One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda isn’t one for concocting special chapters to celebrate manga milestones, choosing instead to focus on telling the story to the best of his ability. That isn’t to say One Piece chapter 1100 isn’t special; the milestone chapter reveals key information about Kuma’s backstory, while referencing events from early in One Piece.
Prior to chapter 1100’s release, earlier chapters in the Egghead arc have delved into Kuma’s tragic backstory as a buccaneer and the decisions that propelled him to give up his autonomy in order to become the ultimate weapon for the World Government.
Backstories are common in One Piece — the Wano arc in particular used this plot device often— but Kuma’s is particularly involved. Kuma’s story sees him interacting with all sorts of familiar characters and explores his history in the Revolutionary Army and as a Warlord of the sea as he endeavors to find a cure for Bonney.
By chapter 1100, Kuma’s story is taking place about two years before the Egghead arc. As such, we’re treated to panels of familiar characters from the time period reacting to news about Kuma. One such character, Crocodile, references a ship from as far back as chapter 212.
What is the ship Crocodile mentions in chapter 1100?
The ship Crocodile is referring to is none other than a Baroque Works “rainmaking” ship. This ship used controversial Dance Powder to create artificial rain in Arabasta as a means of further controlling the country’s population.
Crocodile had gained control over the country by first building up a reputation as a hero and then destabilizing Arabasta with an artificially created drought. Dance Powder created an artificial rain to temporarily relieve a drought but would ultimately make it worse, thus forcing Arabasta’s citizens to further rely on Crocodile.
By chapter 212, the rainmaking ship had been discovered and Crocodile’s cruel reign ended. In chapter 1100 though, it seems the ship had not been found yet as Crocodile asks Nico Robin if she’s “taken care of” some people who had seen the ship.
Crocodile’s concerns were well-founded. If the Arabasta citizens found out it was him supplying the Dance Powder and not King Cobra as they were led to believe, they likely would’ve rallied around Vivi and threatened his rule long before the Straw Hats disrupted it.
Chapter 212 was published in Dec. 2001 and it’s always cool to see Oda call back to earlier arcs, especially one as loved as the Arabasta arc. As new chapters of One Piece‘s Final Saga continue to come out, we’re sure to see more tie-ins like this.