Gunko’s Real Age
The current flashback timeline, laid out: 63 years ago — Loki is born, Big Mom kills Yoruru. 56 years ago — Loki is forced to eat garbage by his mother’s brother. Somewhere in between — Rocks infiltrates the Flower Room, Harald encounters him in Mariejois. 48 years ago — Loki is 15 years old (roughly 5 in human terms), meets Rocks for the first time. That’s where the story is now.
The figure who appears to be Gunko in the Flower Room was serving Imu at least 50 years ago. Her childhood memories include meeting Brook when he was still with the Royal Knights — roughly 60-70 years ago. Her aging stopped at around 23, thanks to Imu’s power. That puts Gunko’s actual age at approximately 70-80 years old.
The Bloodline of Rocks
Rocks declares: “I will return here.” Read literally, this implies: Imu was the conqueror who took Mariejois; Rocks was the one who had it taken from him. In other words — was Mariejois originally the land Rocks’ family was meant to inhabit? The tale of the “God’s Country” above the Red Line — Rocks almost certainly told that story to Whitebeard.
Is the God’s Country distinct from “a certain great kingdom”? Perhaps. If Rocks is descended from the royal family of that God’s Country — a divine lineage — that explains what was said at Egghead. Recall the Devon-Saturn exchange:
Saturn: “I never imagined the elites of Level 6 would submit to someone.”
Devon: “Teach is special.”
Saturn: “So is his bloodline.”
The royal bloodline of Mariejois before the World Government seized it = Rocks’ lineage. His son Teach = a pure-blooded prince of that ancient dynasty. Elbaf is running the same parallel right now: Loki is pure blood, Hildulk is called tainted blood.
The Will of D
Does this mean every person with “D” in their name carries that royal bloodline? Almost certainly not. Nefertari D. Lily appears to have adopted “D” mid-journey, as a deliberate act — a mark of rebellion, the same way the Kozuki clan uses the reverse crescent moon, or the Alabasta arc used the X mark on the left arm. D is a declaration, not necessarily a birthright for all who bear it. Only Teach’s bloodline is genuinely royal — the sole surviving line from before Mariejois was conquered.
Oden Flashback Homage
Harald running through Mariejois engulfed in flames = a homage to Oden adventuring aboard Whitebeard’s ship. The force that set a giant’s body on fire must have been a Devil Fruit-using Admiral — almost certainly a Mera Mera no Mi user.
Harald and Rocks’ first meeting: both immediately clash with full Conqueror’s Haki, and the shockwave alone blows away everyone within a 5km radius — roughly Shinjuku Station to Shibuya Station. Then they fire it toward the town. That’s a different category of destructive power. And that Conqueror’s Haki clash = direct homage to Roger and Oden’s first meeting.
Rocks and Roger — Mirror Structures
Rocks’ sword technique looks remarkably similar to Roger’s. And the scene that follows their clash is structurally identical to Roger and Oden’s: sharing drinks and food, talking about the ambition to stand at the top of the world, then recruiting the other. Roger’s version: he didn’t recruit Oden directly — he requested to “borrow” him (for his ability to read Poneglyphs). Minor variation; same beat.
Rocks is Buggy’s Father
Rocks’ wanted poster is an almost exact match for Buggy’s poster from when he became a Yonko. That’s not subtle anymore — the parentage appears confirmed. The red nose must come from Buggy’s mother then. And just as Capone Bege loved Chiffon regardless of her appearance, it seems the great pirates love spirit above all.
Beyond the poster, Rocks and Buggy share structural parallels: Rocks seized a warship — Buggy did exactly the same escaping Impel Down. Rocks gave a grand speech about ruling the world and won over his listeners — Buggy roused escaped convicts with an almost identical declaration. And both were never properly treated as captain by their own crew. The implication: Buggy may yet awaken Conqueror’s Haki at Rocks-level intensity. Exciting prospect.
The Rocks Pirates — Early Members Revealed
For the first time, the initial members recruited through Davy Back Fight are shown. Miss Bakkin is among them — which means Rocks fought MADS in a Davy Back Fight? Rocks picking Miss Bakkin out of that lineup shows real judgment. Shiki is visually unmistakably Wano in origin, but Wano was a closed country. How did he leave? One possibility: he was aboard the same ship as those who founded Shimotski Village. Kozaburo departed Wano 55 years ago — the timeline fits.
Marlon’s origin is unclear, but his skeletal build resembles Gotti’s father. The later Rocks Pirates panel shows Whitebeard with a full beard, meaning considerable time passed between this early acquisition phase and when Whitebeard joined.
Wang Zhi and Gunzui
Wang Zhi’s alias: “Pirate Cult Leader” — meaning he was the captain and his crewmates were essentially his followers. Recruiting a cult leader by Davy Back Fight is a remarkable personnel move. Wang Zhi may be the father of Caribou and Coribou.
Smuggling pirate Gunzui: the name is likely derived from “gonzui” (a catfish relative), suggesting he’s a Fish-Man. If he’s someone’s parent, Jack is the most probable candidate given the Fish-Man connection.
Related Reading
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