Why did Bartholomew Kuma become a human weapon for the navy in ‘One Piece?’

The following article contains spoilers for the One Piece Egghead arc.

It was only a matter of time until Bartholomew Kuma’s backstory was unveiled in One Piece, but after nearly 1000 chapters since his introduction, our hopes were running thin.

But in Eiichiro Oda we trust, and in the latest One Piece chapter – chapter 1100 – Kuma’s backstory was revealed at long last. Throughout the entire Egghead arc, Kuma has been one of the characters whose past is intricately explored through flashbacks (à la Oda). I probably don’t need to tell you how long we’ve waited for this, but I will anyway: 22 years. It’s been 22 years since Kuma’s debut in the story. Absolutely bananas.

Regardless of the considerable length of time – which, as we’ve established, was very long – the reasoning behind Kuma, a rebel, joining the World Government’s siege was finallt revealed. We all knew there had to be a big reason, and big it was, so let’s get to it.

How did Kuma become a Warlord of the Sea?

Kuma joined the Warlords of the Sea to save Jewelry Bonney’s life. If you haven’t caught up with the manga, this revelation will be shocking, but Kuma adopted Bonney when she was a baby. Her mother and Kuma’s best friend, Ginny, passed away after being kidnapped and abused by a Celestial Dragon, ultimately leading to Bonney’s birth. This prompted Kuma to take Bonney under his care, treating her as his own child.

Unfortunately, Bonney contracted the same deadly illness that claimed her mother’s life, and jewels appeared on her body every time she was exposed to the sun. After years of searching for a cure, Kuma finally discovered a potential savior: Dr. Vegapunk. Upon learning of Vegapunk’s whereabouts, Kuma sought him out, and although an extremely expensive treatment was possible, it came with a hefty price: Kuma’s own life.

While Vegapunk’s only request was to base the Pacifista on Kuma’s fascinating body, the five elder Saturn came forward with a much more restrictive demand: Bonney’s life would only be spared if Kuma surrendered to the World Government, allowing his body to be transformed into a human weapon aside from becoming one the seven Warlords of the Sea. He had to relinquish his free will and sense of individuality – and Kuma didn’t hesitate.

In fact, Kuma shed tears not because he would never experience his humanity again, but because his daughter would be saved at long last – regardless of the cost. Ultimately, in a world filled with absent fathers, Kuma was the perfect dad for Bonney, even if they weren’t related by blood. And even if it meant he would never exist again, only materialized by his body used as a weapon.