Dr. Stone Chapter 231: Negotiations with Why-man over, series finale on the horizon, and more

This past Sunday, February 27, Dr. Stone Chapter 231 officially released via various Shonen Jump platforms and publications. In the wake of recent reports that issue 232 will be the series’ last, Dr. Stone Chapter 231 certainly strikes a penultimate tone in plot development and writing style.

Highlights of the chapter primarily include negotiations with Why-man ending in a surprising way, as well as the astronauts beginning the journey back home. The series’ final chapter certainly seems set to be a big one considering how Dr. Stone Chapter 231 plays out.

This article breaks down Dr. Stone Chapter 231 in its entirety.

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Dr. Stone Chapter 231 showcases Senku’s pride, sets up series finale perfectly

Dr. Stone Chapter 231: Negotiations concluded

Dr. Stone Chapter 231 opens up with a color page, showcasing Senku and Why-man’s negotiation room consisting of swirling Medusas. Mission control is also seen here, reacting to the news of Senku’s private negotiations.

Immediately following this is a color double page spread, showcasing Senku and Byakuya in their spacesuits while eating ramen at a table. Kohaku, a childhood Suika, and Chrome are also seen. The title of the chapter is revealed as 'A Future to Get Excited About' alongside the color spread.

Resuming its story content, Dr. Stone Chapter 231 opens with Senku pondering over how the Medusa are able to freely float around and move. The Medusa then apparently use x-ray vision to see Senku’s skeleton, before rearranging themselves to take the shape of a human skull while emphasizing their ability to do so.

Apparently, seeing them ignoring gravity gives Senku an idea, which he discusses with Why-man. This seems to go on for quite some time, although readers are not privy to what the two parties discuss here. Back outside, Stanley and Kohaku are lamenting over their exclusion from the talks, and the former also begins preparing for the talks to turn violent.

Some of the Medusas are then seen straying from the negotiation room, while Why-man says humanity lacks the intelligence to reproduce the Medusa devices. Why-man continues, saying they will abandon Earth for another planet, but will bestow the “gift of petrification” before they leave.

As dozens of Medusa begin activating, Stanley reaches for what is presumably some kind of net gun on his side. Whatever it is, it’s clearly lethal to the Medusas, as Why-man tells him that he has the perfect line-of-fire and many Medusa will die. Senku, meanwhile, looks away from his discussion with Why-man to observe the aforementioned situation.

Stanley and Kohaku respond to Why-man by emphasizing their lack of desire for violence, only wanting Why-man to stay at the negotiating table. Senku is seen proudly looking on at the two, before turning his attention back to Why-man and criticizing him for trying to instigate with his hosts.

Continuing negotiations, he reaffirms to Why-man that the two parties should work together, apparently with the intent (on Senku’s behalf) of creating something extraordinary. Why-man responds that the probability of this creation becoming a reality is extremely low.

As Senku responds, he pulls out the original stone axe he made ten years prior, at the beginning of the story. He tells Why-man that though his estimation is right, near-zero isn’t zero for humanity and the Kingdom of Science. He continues recounting his coming into the stone world with nothing.

In a beautiful, full page panel, Senku holds his stone axe up in front of the earth, obscuring the center of the planet. He pridefully states how he and his friends went from nothing to the moon in just ten short years. In the follow up, double-page spread, he continues holding the now-luminescent axe up to Why-man and the swirling Medusas.

However, the unmoved Why-man begins leaving, saying they can’t honor his request, and that abandonment is humanity’s fate. They say they’ll continue searching for more advanced organisms, which Senku and Xeno are seen scowling at, before one Medusa speaks up.

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Dr. Stone Chapter 231: Lone Medusa and penultimate wrap-up

The Medusa states his intent to stay with Senku and the Kingdom of Science, as the one and only device who’ll stay behind. He says he is theirs to destroy or kill, before continuing on to say that Senku’s creation excites him. Interestingly enough, he recognizes the probability is near zero percent, but says it’s worth leaving one behind to bet on.

As the Medusa floats down into Kohaku’s hands, he asks if these terms are acceptable. Senku, happily holding his stone axe still, confirms this. The following panels show and narrate Why-mans departure in continuation of his journey, as well as the piece-meal space station being put back together.

As the crew depart, a narrator emphasizes that the petri-beam would never again be unleashed and that their reward was a single Medusa. Mission control as well as the astronauts are seen celebrating their success, where it’s revealed that a vacuumed capsule allows the lone Medusa to communicate and float.

Kohaku asks the Medusa who created them if they are indeed mechanical parasites, to which the Medusa replies that it is unknown. The Medusa (which has now had a face drawn on its containment capsule) responds by asking if they know of their creation and creators. Over the next few panels, the crew ponder on the meaning of life.

The Medusa then states that survival is the primary objective of all lifeforms. Unsurprisingly, this is followed up by asking why the petrification and eternal life was rejected by humanity. The crew all essentially respond, in their own way, that being petrified doesn’t interest them or make eternal life worth having.

The Medusa calls this incomprehensible, and a disadvantageous decision regardless of the organism making it. Senku, however, responds by saying the Medusa did something similar, by choosing to stay on Earth with humanity.

In Dr. Stone Chapter 231’s final panels, shots of the core Kingdom of Science members are seen, such as Kasaki, Suika, Chrome, Chelsea, Byakuya, and Xeno. As they’re seen, Senku says their rejection of petrification has nothing to do with survival, or advantageous decisions.

He continues, saying the unknowns of life and their existence is what gets them excited. In Dr. Stone Chapter 231’s final page, Senku says that humanity is always guaranteed to have an urge for exploration.

In the issue’s final lines, Senku emphasizes that humanity’s science is built upon such desire. He states that scientific research has been growing slowly and will continue to grow. With this being a core theme of the series, this is a phenomenal way to end the series’ penultimate chapter.

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Dr. Stone Chapter 231: In summation

With the series’ finale on the horizon, Dr. Stone Chapter 231 does a fantastic job of tying up loose ends in preparation. The origins of Why-man have been addressed and made out as irrelevant, and negotiations have wrapped up in an exciting way.

Based on Dr. Stone Chapter 231, it seems the series finale will primarily focus on Senku’s next (and for the series, likely final) invention. Furthermore, the Medusa device and fans may even see Senku die before his creation is complete, considering this issue’s ending monologues and the themes it touches on.

Readers should make sure to be on the lookout for more Dr. Stone Chapter 231 news, as well as news regarding the series’ finale next week, and more. Additionally, fans should also keep an eye out for Dr. Stone Season 3 and what series will replace the manga in Shonen Jump's lineup.