Bartholomew Kuma stands as one of the most tragic and layered characters in One Piece. Once feared as a Warlord of the Sea, he was also the former king of the Sorbet Kingdom and one of the founding members of the Revolutionary Army. Beneath his stoic exterior was a man who devoted his life to protecting others, no matter the cost. Here’s Kuma’s full back story.
Though first introduced as a villain, Kuma’s story reveals that his actions were always driven by a quiet, unwavering sense of justice. With the One Piece anime preparing to explore his heartbreaking past, here’s a complete breakdown of who Kuma is and everything he’s endured leading up to the events on Egghead Island.
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A Buccaneer by Blood
Bartholomew Kuma is the last known survivor of the nearly extinct Buccaneer race. He was born to a man named Clapp 47 years ago. The Buccaneers are said to have committed a great crime against the world in the past, for which, to this day, they are hunted and persecuted by the World Government.
As a child, Kuma was captured and forced into slavery by the Celestial Dragons, enduring years of cruelty and torture. Both of his parents were executed, leaving him broken and alone. But during the chaos of the God Valley Incident, Kuma found a glimmer of hope. He managed to steal and eat the Nikyu Nikyu no Mi Devil Fruit. He then used his power to teleport himself and 500 fellow slaves to freedom, who were being forced to take part in the Native Hunting Competition by the Celestial Dragons.
The Revolutionary Who Became King
After escaping from God Valley, Kuma returned to the Sorbet Kingdom with his fellow slaves Ginny and Emporio Ivankov. Not long after, he joined forces with Monkey D. Dragon and Ivankov to form the Revolutionary Army. During this time, Kuma also became the king of the Sorbet Kingdom.
Tragically, Kuma’s close friend and fellow revolutionary Ginny was once again captured and enslaved by the Celestial Dragons. During her captivity, she was forced to be the eighth wife to a World Noble and gave birth to Jewelry Bonney, but soon died from the fatal Sapphire Scales disease. Her daughter was also afflicted by the same condition. After Ginny’s death, Kuma adopted Bonney as his own and dedicated his life to finding a cure for her.
Sacrificing Humanity for Bonney
To cure Bonney of her deadly disease, Kuma struck a deal with Vegapunk and the World Government. In exchange for a cure, he agreed to become a test subject for the Pacifista program. Vegapunk, a genius scientist, transformed Kuma into a cyborg weapon under government orders. Once the Pacifista modifications were completed, Kuma completely lost his memory, free will, and personality. He was designated PX-0, the prototype of the Pacifista series.
Despite this, Kuma’s final act as a man with free will was to ask Vegapunk to program him to protect the Thousand Sunny, the Straw Hats’ ship. For two years, he guarded the ship while his mind and memories were gradually erased. As a punishment for what he did, Kuma was once again enslaved by the Celestial Dragons, with his servitude ending after his fellow revolutionaries rescued him during the recent Levely.
Tyrant by Reputation, Martyr by Choice
The World Government labelled Kuma a tyrant and falsely portrayed him as a cruel pirate. In reality, he was never the monster they claimed. He sailed the seas alone and committed no known atrocities. The “Tyrant” nickname was a smear tactic to justify his eventual transformation into a mindless weapon.
During the Sabaody Archipelago arc, Kuma appeared to be an enemy, using his powers to separate the Straw Hat crew, but in reality, he was saving them from the hands of Admiral Kizaru. He gave each of them a chance to grow stronger, and while they were away for two years, he protected the Thousand Sunny. Without Kuma, the Straw Hats might not have been able to survive in the New World.
Legacy and Redemption in Egghead
In the Egghead arc, Kuma finally begins to reclaim his free will. Though damaged and broken, he climbed the Red Line and returned to Bonney, driven by residual memories and love. His presence on Egghead is more than symbolic. It ties together the sins of the World Government, the experiments of Vegapunk, and the vengeance of the Revolutionaries.
Bonney’s journey to understand her father’s past has also revealed Kuma’s hidden memories, exposing the truth to the world and to Luffy’s crew. Kuma was never their enemy. He was a protector in disguise, a victim of injustice who chose to sacrifice his own freedom to secure a better future for others.
Kuma’s True Role in One Piece
Kuma’s story does not just add emotional weight to the series. It reveals the deepest cracks in the World Government’s lies. As a Buccaneer, a king who defied tyranny, and a test subject stripped of his will, Kuma represents a man who remained defiant through unimaginable suffering, always choosing to protect others over himself.
Now, as the final saga begins to uncover the truth behind the Void Century, Kuma’s sacrifice stands as a powerful reminder of what the world tried to erase. A father’s love, a persecuted race, and a legacy too dangerous to remember. With Nika finally returned, Kuma may have lived long enough to witness the rise of the very hero his people once prayed for.
