Parallels Between Kuma and Merry
Re-reading the chapters where Kuma loses his self, I noticed: “Wait — this is exactly like the end of the Going Merry!”
…and a lot more similarities started adding up.
Could Oda have drawn these parallels intentionally? And if so, could Kuma be headed for a revival in miniature form — just like the Mini Merry?
Here are all the parallels I found.
Almost Dismantled
Kuma broke out of his dormant state in the revolutionary army’s dock and flew to Bonney’s side — only to arrive at Mariejois, where Akainu called him “practically a corpse” and nearly had him scrapped.
That echoes this scene:
“Beyond repair, just a pile of lumber waiting to die” — Franky assessing the Merry before beginning to dismantle her.
You might think this is an homage to Akainu vs. Whitebeard at Marineford, but it gains more weight when read alongside the next parallel.
A Wreck That Wants to Run
Kuma was running to save Bonney from danger — but Akainu, not knowing that, looked on and said:
“Where do you think you’re going… With no will… no heart… you’re nothing but a puppet…”
He pitied Kuma for running with no apparent purpose.
A nearly identical scene:
Merry asked Iceberg herself to patch her up just enough to run, all to save the Straw Hats from disaster.
And Iceberg, who had no idea, muttered:
“What am I doing… patching up a ship with no future…”
He pitied her too.
Akainu (magma → volcano) and Iceberg (iceberg) — two opposites voicing almost the same line. That level of mirroring from Oda is wild.
Rescuing the Entire Straw Hat Crew from Certain Death
The Straw Hats were completely outmatched, with no hope of even escaping — and Kuma showed up out of nowhere and scattered them all to safety.
The mirror scene:
No escape route in sight at Enies Lobby — and Merry appeared out of nowhere to carry everyone away.
Abstractly, Kuma and Merry are almost the same character.
A Life Spent Running
Just before losing his self entirely, a flashback shows the full arc of Kuma’s life as he runs one last time.
The mirror:
A spread showing the Going Merry’s entire career as a pirate ship, racing together with the crew.
These are clearly drawn to echo each other.
A Farewell of Gratitude to Loved Ones
Gratitude to Vegapunk for curing Bonney’s illness. A blessing for Bonney, who can now live a full life.
Kuma departed with a smile, leaving gentle words of thanks for his benefactor and his daughter until the very last moment.
The mirror:
Merry set sail for the ocean floor, leaving words of gratitude for her beloved crew — the companions she had adventured with.
This parallel is exact.
Kuma and Merry are drawn to overlap intentionally. Which means Kuma may well return in a different form:
Signs of a Revival
At the start of the Egghead Arc, it was revealed that Sauro is still alive.
In Chapter 1119 “Emeth,” a character named Moscato who had seemed dead also reappeared:
Moscato… (the final line is speculation on my part).
When the Straw Hats escaped from Whole Cake Island, Moscato appeared alive and well:
So bringing back both Sauro and Moscato feels like Oda signaling: even characters you thought were dead can return.
A Presence Like the Mini Merry
My conclusion: Kuma’s memories or consciousness will transfer into S-Bear, giving him a second life.
I see two possible mechanisms:
1. Emotions transmitted through lineage factor
Hancock’s love for Luffy has already been transmitted to S-Snake via lineage factor. If romantic feelings can transfer, familial love certainly can too.
S-Bear hasn’t met Bonney yet — their reaction to each other is something to look forward to.
In this scenario, the painful memories don’t need to be forcibly transplanted. Bonney and New Kuma can build fresh memories together.
2. A circuit-switching device
The other possibility: S-Bear already has Kuma’s memories installed as a backup, and a single switch is all it takes to flip his personality to one carrying Kuma’s full self.
Maybe this device built into S-Bear is the key:
Either way — whether his memories return or not — New Kuma can come back and go traveling with Bonney.
That’s the happy ending I’m hoping for.
A Revenge Homage of Parental Love
Toward the end of the Egghead Arc, self-referential homage to earlier arcs started standing out.
Parental love was the defining theme of three of those islands.
For the finale of Egghead, I want Oda to deliver a happy ending that tops all of those parent-child stories.
Kuma’s revival, of course — but I want Jinny back too.
And actually, a character who looks very much like Jinny is still around at the end, which makes me feel like a reunion of all three is coming:
Lilith is basically Jinny, right? The hair, the attitude, the rifle-wielding pose — it all lines up.
So once Bonney and the others escape Egghead, they lay low on Elbaf for a while — and then all three of them finally go on that trip together.
And that’s it for today. Until next week!