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One Piece chapter 1073 scanlations were released on Friday, January 26, bringing with them an incredibly exciting issue full of confirmations and new revelations. Especially intriguing is the role Stussy plays in the chapter, confirming herself to be the mysterious ally whom Dr. Vegapunk had called several issues prior.
The closing moments of One Piece chapter 1073 intriguing as well, which see one of the Gorosei named for the first time in the series’ history. Even more exciting is that the gray-dreadlocked Gorosei with a scar on the left side of his face, now known as Saint Jegarcia Saturn, is seemingly on his way to Egghead Island to take control of the Seraphim.
The Egghead Island Arc continues to prove itself to be one of the best post-time-skip arcs despite having so few issues released, and this latest entry is no exception to the rule.
One Piece chapter 1073’s absence of Bonney and Dr. Vegapunk hardly noticeable amidst plethora of reveals and confirmations
Lines drawn
One Piece chapter 1073 begins with a cover page featuring Dr. Vegapunk and other MADS scientists -- Caesar Clown, Vinsmoke Judge, and Queen of the Beast Pirates. The cover page in question sees Dr. Vegapunk delighting in his invention of tanks that shoot flowers, while other MADS scientists are seemingly disgusted by this behavior.
One Piece chapter 1073 then begins its story content by focusing on Stussy’s situation with Rob Lucci. While Kaku is now fully unconscious, Lucci comments on how Stussy’s true allegiance is a bitter pill to swallow. She is then seen using her Paper Arts: Heartbreak After Image technique to sneak behind Lucci.
She teases him about how when he doesn’t understand something, his first instinct is to kill it. She further teases him, calling him "so wild," before breaking out a Sea Prism Stone lipstick tube and pressing it to Lucci’s body. This weakens him enough to allow Stussy to bite him and put him to sleep, as she did Kaku.
Stussy compliments them here by saying she knows how strong they are, and that fighting them fair and square would’ve been stupid. She asks for their forgiveness as Lucci collapses to the ground, prompting Brook to question why the CP0 agents are fighting one another. Zoro comments on how this is friendly fire, while Stussy radios into the Vegapunk Satellites and tells them of her success.
One Piece chapter 1073 sees the Satellites congratulate her efforts, while Usopp and Nami ask for an explanation. Shaka then explains that Lucci was taken by surprise, adding that Stussy’s loyalty to the Vegapunks was kept secret even after spending 20 years as an agent. He emphasizes that it wasn’t their intention for Stussy to join CP0, but that’s how it turned out.
The latter then reminds Shaka that her authority level is the same as Lucci’s, meaning she can’t order the Seraphim to stop their attack. This prompts Vegapunk Lilith and Vegapunk Edison to head outside and give the order, while Zoro and Brook also hop into action to stop the Seraphim’s attack. Brook comments on how the kids look familiar, prompting Zoro to single out one as specifically familiar to him.
One Piece chapter 1073 then sees Lilith and Edison enter the battlefield, calling out to the Seraphim from a hole on the side of the Lab Stratum building. However, S-Hawk sees her and begins targeting her, prompting Zoro to draw his swords and intervene. Zoro teases S-Hawk here, saying he’s not the same as Mihawk since the Seraphim actually has a spark of humanity.
As their clash ends, Zoro asks what he is regardless, while Edison successfully gives the order for the Seraphim to stop their fight. However, this is seemingly at the cost of his own life, with S-Shark launching a laser beam at him. Thankfully, Sanji appears in the nick of time, saving Edison and rendezvousing with Zoro and the others.
One Piece chapter 1073 then sees the Seraphim calmly gathering with the others, while Zoro asks for an explanation on what they are. Stussy then reports to Shaka that she bound Lucci and Kaku with Sea Prism Stone, effectively taking them out of the fight until reinforcements arrive. Shaka tells Stussy that she should come with them, prompting Usopp to say they can’t keep adding people.
Confirmations and revelations galore
The issue then sees Luffy and Chopper looking for Dr. Vegapunk and Jewelry Bonney, seemingly unable to find them. The narrator then calls this a “truly unexpected development,” saying that Dr. Vegapunk’s main “Stella” body has vanished. The chapter then shifts perspectives entirely to Sphinx Island, better known as the hometown of Whitebeard.
One Piece chapter 1073 then sees Marco, who recently returned to Sphinx Island, learning that the Marines attacked the village while he was away. He begins apologizing to the children who are informing him of these events, but they tell him that it’s not his fault, calling the Marines the worst and saying they were here for Whitebeard’s treasure, acting more like pirates than soldiers.
A Marine officer is then seen leading troops into the village, telling them that if they play nice they won’t get hurt and that they have no rights since Sphinx Island isn’t Government affiliated. The officer seems certain that Whitebeard hid his treasure here, adding that if they aren’t told where it is, they’ll consider it an act of defiance.
One Piece chapter 1073 even sees the despicable officer threatening to shoot the children one by one to get them to talk, prompting the children to swear there isn’t any treasure. An old woman is seen calling them monsters for treating them this way just because they can’t pay the World Government, prompting the officer to ask if it’s wise to be so defiant without Marco around.
The officer then sets up the old woman for an execution, with seemingly no one able to stop him. However, Edward Weevil then appears, driving back the officer (now named Captain Ratel) and his soldiers. The Marines are then seen leaving the island and calling for reinforcements before the issue returns to the present.
One Piece chapter 1073 sees the children say that if Weevil hadn’t shown up, the village would be done up with, prompting Marco to call him a hero and say he’s glad everyone’s safe. However, Weevil’s mother Miss Bakkin is then seen calling out to Marco, saying that isn’t the end of it and asking who he thinks came to the island as backup.
She further says that Admiral Ryokugyu came and captured Weevil, demanding that Marco get her son back and also hand over Whitebeard’s treasure. The narration here also excitingly confirms that Bakkin is indeed Miss Buckingham Stussy, also revealing her to be “MADS’ Resident Freeloader” and a “self-proclaimed scientist,” as well as being a former member of the Rocks Pirates.
With this reveal, One Piece chapter 1073 seemingly confirms that Bakkin is indeed the fifth female member of MADS seen in a cover story several issues prior. Bakkin then begins lamenting the tragedy of Weevil being sent to prison for protecting his father’s village, while Marco says he at least appreciates them for helping to protect the island.
The former then gets very defensive, claiming that she can hear it in his tone that he doubts that Weevil is Whitebeard’s son. She then claims that she knows someone who can prove it in the form of Dr. Vegapunk. This would seemingly further confirm her identity as the aforementioned fifth female member of MADS.
One Piece chapter 1073 then shifts perspectives for the final time, bringing readers to a group of World Government and Marine ships sailing on the sea. Admiral Kizaru is seen talking to a rank-and-file soldier about snacks and tea they’ve prepared for their guest. He asks them if they tested for poison, which the Marine confirms, prompting Kizaru to dismiss him.
Kizaru is then seen bringing snacks and tea to the guest while asking if he’s ever met Dr. Vegapunk before. The guest is then revealed to be a Gorosei, specifically the one with gray-haired dreadlocks and a scar on the left side of his face. As he says he once met Dr. Vegapunk a long time ago while calling current events “such a shame,” his name is revealed to be Saint Jay Garcia Saturn (pending an official translation) as the issue comes to an end.
In summation
One Piece chapter 1073 is, overall, an incredibly exciting and dense issue filled with plenty of information to pull out, pick apart, and dissect. Easily the most exciting aspect of the issue is one of the five Gorosei being named for the first time, as well as an apparent similarity in their naming scheme to that of the Ancient Weapons.
The implicit confirmation of Bakkin as the fifth female member of MADS is also incredibly exciting, as well as the explicit confirmation of her being Miss Buckingham Stussy. While hard work by several fans had all but confirmed her identity as such, it’s nice to see what should be an official confirmation come the chapter’s official release.
Be sure to keep up with all One Piece anime, manga, film, and live-action news as 2023 progresses.
