One Piece: Was Silver Axe an undercover Marine infiltrating the Rocks Pirates? Explored

In One Piece, each revelation sparks new mysteries. The manga has just unveiled the appearance of Silver Axe, a prominent member of the all-powerful Rocks Pirates, yet this long-awaited disclosure invites more questions than it answers. First mentioned in One Piece chapter 957, Silver Axe was officially introduced in chapter 1156 during a flashback of the events preceding the God Valley Incident.

One Piece chapter 1156 revealed Silver Axe’s true name, Hyo, and hinted at his background, suggesting a violent past as a Yakuza member who competed with Shiki. Another former Yakuza who joined the Rocks Pirates, Shiki would become a rival to legendary figures like Gol D. Roger and Sengoku “The Buddha” after the crew’s disbandment.

The Rocks Pirates terrorized the seas for several years under the leadership of Rocks D. Xebec, a man who aimed to claim the whole world for himself. Kyo “Silver Axe” was among the crew’s mightiest members, but what’s even more intriguing, he may have played a double game.

In fact, there is reason to at least speculate that he was an undercover Marine officer, who only joined the crew to spy on their operations and undermine their plans from within.

Disclaimer: This article contains major spoilers from the One Piece manga up to chapter 1157.

Newest One Piece chapter may suggest Silver Axe as the Marine mole in the Rocks Pirates

Silver Axe finally appears in One Piece

Silver Axe arrives on Hachinosu (Image via Shueisha)

The theory that Kyo “Silver Axe” wasn’t a true pirate but a Marine officer in disguise is one of the many mysteries surrounding his character. In his first appearance in the One Piece manga, in a scene set about four decades before the present events, Kyo seemed to suddenly enlarge his body from one panel to the next.

This size increase occurred right after a pirate hit him, suggesting that Kyo may have wielded the same Paramecia-type Devil Fruit as Urouge of the Eleven Supernovas. This Devil Fruit converts damage into a power boost to enlarge the user’s body and muscles. In any case, what’s certain is that Kyo was introduced as a fearsome individual with commanding presence.

His large and muscular physique, emphasized by a tattoo on his chest, was complemented by short, light hair with sideburns and a broad chin marked by an X-shaped scar. His attire included dark sunglasses, a hooded cloak, and a dark kimono adorned with light axe-shaped motifs. He also carried a massive axe strapped to his back.

Looking forward to learn more about his combat abilities and overall power, it’s plausible to assume that Silver Axe was a fearsome weapon user, slaughtering his enemies with lethal axe strikes, as his epithet implies.

As Kyo declared his intent to join the Rocks Pirates, some henchmen recognized him as a Yakuza hitman known for being a rival to Shiki. Then, the narrator’s box introduced the character as Kyo, who would later be known as “Silver Axe”.

Pirates and Marines deceiving each other

A seaborne military force that serves the World Government by enforcing law and fighting pirates and other outlaws, the Marines operate in various ways. Their duties occasionally include undercover operations, where Marine officers infiltrate pirate crews to monitor their moves and gather intelligence.

These strategic missions are often carried out by the members of SWORD, a special Marine unit whose members formally resign from the Navy, but continue to serve it.

This unique arrangement grants them the freedom to operate as wild cards, unbound by orders. However, due to their nature as secret agents, the members of SWORD can’t rely on the Navy or World Government’s assistance if their cover is exposed.

There are several examples of Marines working undercover in One Piece. X-Drake, the captain of SWORD, pretended to quit the Navy and become a pirate, first earning infamy as one of the Eleven Supernovas of the Worst Generation, then joining the Beasts Pirates under false pretenses.

Rosinante infiltrated the crew of his brother, Donquixote Doflamingo, to monitor his activities on behalf of the Navy. Conversely, Doflamingo’s subordinate Vergo was a double agent for the Donquixote Pirates within the Marines.

Vergo used his position as a Vice Admiral and the commander of the G-5 Base to conceal Doflamingo’s illegal activities, until his true allegiance was revealed during the Punk Hazard Arc.

A number of intriguing coincidences

The Rocks Pirates in God Valley (Image via Shueisha)

Following Rocks D. Xebec’s infamous exploits, including his audacious assault on the Levely in Mary Geoise and even the slaying of a Marine Admiral, the Navy had every reason to be wary of him. So, the idea that the Marines planted a mole in Xebec’s crew is definitely not too far-fetched.

Kyo being a double agent for the Marines would also explain why Fleet Admiral Kong knew that the Rocks Pirates were heading to God Valley even before they actually approached the island.

Intriguingly, Kyo’s appearance bears a subtle resemblance to Diez Barrels and his son X-Drake. All three share the same prominent chin, with Kyo and Drake both sporting an X-shaped mark on it. Additionally, both favor axes as their weapons of choice.

It should also be noted that Barrels was a Marine officer who defected from the Navy to become a pirate, while Drake is a Marine officer who poses as a pirate. While these similarities could be coincidental, they are noteworthy.

Unlike the other members of the Rocks Pirates, Kyo sought Xebec (Image via Shueisha)

Another suspicious detail is the fact that Kyo “Silver Axe” deliberately sought out Xebec to join his crew, a stark contrast to the other members of the Rocks Pirates, who were mostly recruited against their will through Davy Back Fights.

An important parallel may emerge when Marshall D. Teach “Blackbeard”, Xebec’s son and metaphorical second coming, leads a crew whose ranks now include Kuzan, the former Marine Admiral Aokiji.

To this day, Kuzan has served the Blackbeard Pirates flawlessly, even fighting a fierce battle against his former Marine mentor, Monkey D. Garp. However, this may have been a calculated move, part of his effort to earn Teach’s complete trust. In fact, given Kuzan’s personality and ideals, he most likely joined Teach “Blackbeard” to keep an eye on his wicked activities.

If Kuzan is indeed bound to act against Teach sooner or later, considering the narrative parallel between Teach and his father Xebec, there’s the possibility that the latter’s crew also harbored a Marine double agent, namely Kyo “Silver Axe.”

Potential counterarguments to the theory

Sengoku mentioning Silver Axe in the One Piece manga (Image via Shueisha)

This engaging theory faces a strong counterargument as Sengoku explicitly identified Silver Axe as a pirate when recounting the history of the Rocks Pirates to a group of young Marine officers. Considering that Sengoku revealed much more shocking truths during his speech, he had no reason to lie about Silver Axe’s true allegiance.

Also, as a high-ranking Marine who served as Admiral and even Fleet Admiral, Sengoku would have likely known of any Marine working undercover, especially someone infiltrating a crew as notorious as the Rocks Pirates.

Further challenging the idea of Kyo “Silver Axe” being a Marine officer in disguise is his reputation as a violent Yakuza. As soon as he arrived on Hachinosu, the pirates on the shore immediately recognized him as a notorious Yakuza mobster, a status that clearly doesn’t align with a Marine affiliation.

Granted, this reputation probably isn’t enough to put Kyo on a similar level as his rival, “Golden Lion” Shiki, a man formidable enough to be a worthy rival for Sengoku and even Gol D. Roger. Shiki alone fought Sengoku and Monkey D. Garp, putting up a good fight before his inevitable defeat in the uneven battle against the two legendary Marines.

Shiki’s portrayal as the third strongest member of the Rocks Pirates, below only Edward Newgate “Whitebeard” and the captain, Rocks D. Xebec, as well as a worthy opponent to the likes of Roger, Garp, and Sengoku, probably cements his superiority over Silver Axe.

Shiki, Whitebeard, and the other members of the Rocks Pirates (Image via Toei Animation)

This is also reflected in their epithets designating Shiki as “gold” and Kyo “silver,” a subtle hint at how they compare to each other, much like the metal-based names of Gol D. Roger, Silvers Rayleigh, and Scopper Gaban hint at the trio’s internal hierarchy as captain, second-in-command, and third-in-command of the Roger Pirates.

However, Shiki and Silver Axe’s shared history as competing mobsters suggests that Silver Axe wasn’t a Marine, unless his undercover role began back then, during his Yakuza days, or even before them. Given his appearance and alleged background, Kyo “Silver Axe” seems to be a native of Wano, which was a closed country at that time, further complicating the potential Marine affiliation.

On the other hand, current Fleet Admiral Sakazuki "Akainu" sports a flower-and-flame tattoo reminiscent of those of the historical Yakuza, potentially reinforcing the unexpected connection between Yakuza, Marines, and Kyo.

Still, it's also possible that One Piece author Eiichiro Oda simply gave Akainu his tattoo to evoke his similarity with Bunta Sugawara, the iconic actor renowned for his roles in Yakuza movies. For now, this enigma remains unresolved, but future One Piece chapters may provide clarity for fans.