The eccentric yet caring grandfather of One Piece’s main protagonist Monkey D. Luffy, Monkey D. Garp is often regarded as the strongest Marine officer in history. During his prime, Garp was powerful enough to challenge the Pirate King Gol D. Roger, even cornering him multiple times. Despite receiving offers for the rank of Marine Admiral on several occasions, Garp consistently declined the promotion.
Exuberant and free-spirited, Garp refused to be under the thumb of the Celestial Dragons, whom he detested. Consequently, he chose to remain a Vice Admiral, even though his strength far exceeded that of the Admirals. Now at 78 years old, Garp stormed Hachinosu Island to rescue his beloved disciple Koby.
In spite of his age, he took on former Admiral Kuzan “Aokiji,” the dangerous Shiryu, and several other formidable members of the Blackbeard Pirates. Ultimately, Garp sacrifices himself to ensure Koby and the others can escape. This left fans speculating about his fate until One Piece chapter 1126 confirmed that he is still alive but has been captured by Blackbeard, leading to various intriguing narrative possibilities.
Disclaimer: This article contains major spoilers from the One Piece manga up to chapter 1126.
One Piece chapter 1126 confirms that Garp is alive, but what will Blackbeard do with him?
The 78-year-old Garp’s heroic last stand
Upon learning about the Blackbeard Pirates kidnapping Koby, Garp assembled a group of young Marine officers from the SWORD organization and set off for Hachinosu. His arrival was spectacular, as he leapt from his ship, causing widespread destruction with a tremendous punch enhanced by both Armament and Conqueror’s Haki.
Confronting his former disciple and ally Kuzan, Garp insisted he return to the Navy. When Kuzan refused, they engaged in battle, and Garp quickly outmaneuvered Kuzan, showcasing impressive skill for his age, especially considering that Kuzan had previously held his own against Sakazuki “Akainu” for ten days.
Garp then easily overpowered Sanjuan Wolf and Vasco Shot. However, Shiryu soon used Koby as bait to stab Garp with his Armament Haki-powered sword, severely wounding him as he shielded Koby.
Though weakened, Garp still managed to contend with Kuzan. Ultimately, he prioritized Koby and the other young officers’ safety over his own. After sending Kuzan flying with a punch, Garp leaped toward Hachinosu’s massive skull-shaped rock, which Pizarro was manipulating with his Devil Fruit abilities to attack the ship Koby’s comrades were using to escape.
Garp concentrated his Haki and split the skull-shaped rock in half, severely injuring Pizarro in the process. Shortly thereafter, Koby unleashed his hidden strength to destroy Pizarro’s stone arm. While Koby and the remaining Marines reached safety on their ship, Garp remained behind to cover their retreat.
In the end, Garp succumbed to his injuries but not before smiling and laughing as he used a Radio Snail to remind Koby and the others that they represented the future of the Navy. He was shown lying on the ground, surrounded by the Blackbeard Pirates, with his chest pierced by Kuzan’s ice.
Garp willingly risked his life to protect the young Marines of SWORD, urging Koby to reach his full potential.
Garp’s fate is revealed in One Piece chapter 1126
In Garp’s last appearance in the One Piece manga, chapter 1088, his situation looked dire after receiving two severe stab wounds from Shiryu and Kuzan, with the latter preparing to freeze him completely with the Ice-Ice Fruit.
One Piece often depicts characters with the “D.” initial as being unafraid of death, accepting their fate with a smile. Garp, one of the few to bear this initial, was last seen smiling, embracing whatever fate awaited him.
While this suggested a grim outcome, chapter 1126 confirmed Garp’s survival. Although he is not at his best, Garp is alive. Following his battle with Trafalgar Law, Marshall D. Teach “Blackbeard” returned to Hachinosu, congratulating his crew for capturing Garp.
Blackbeard remarked that not many could defeat Garp, while Kuzan noted that their victory was a collaborative effort against the old Marine. Garp is depicted inside a dark cell, covered in bandages and shackled, a scene reminiscent of his foster nephew Portgas D. Ace before the Paramount War.
Garp is the most valuable hostage Blackbeard could ask for
Even at his advanced age, Garp is among the strongest characters in One Piece, showcasing his power during the Hachinosu encounter. He either overpowered or matched Kuzan during their clashes, demonstrating remarkable strength even after being weakened by Shiryu’s assault.
This achievement is particularly noteworthy since Garp was primarily focused on clearing the way for Koby and the others rather than defeating Kuzan. Throughout their encounters, Garp adopted a defensive stance, utilizing counterattacks rather than aggressive moves.
It’s possible Kuzan did not completely abandon his ideals despite defying Garp during their fight. Perhaps, he joined Teach to observe his actions closely, as opposed to betraying Garp. If this is the case, his confrontation with Garp could signify a move to gain the trust of the Blackbeard Pirates before executing his true plan.
Regardless of Kuzan’s intentions, Garp may become an unwilling pawn in Marshall D. Teach’s larger scheme. With Koby’s fame as the hero of the Rocky Port Incident, Blackbeard aims to leverage his life to blackmail the World Government for recognition of Hachinosu as a sovereign nation.
Teach may not have Koby anymore, but securing Garp as a hostage adds an even more valuable bargaining chip. Garp’s status as a living legend would compel the World Government and the Navy to accede to Blackbeard’s demands.
Blackbeard can use Pudding to read Garp’s memories
Additionally, Teach captured Charlotte Pudding, user of the Memo-Memo Fruit. Garp’s extensive knowledge, given his relationships with influential figures and long tenure as a high-ranking Navy member, provides a significant reservoir of information.
By forcing Pudding to extract Garp’s memories, Teach could uncover secrets about the God Valley Incident, a pivotal event in which Garp and Roger battled against Rocks D. Xebec. The outcome was the defeat of the Rocks Pirates.
Eiichiro Oda could utilize this to finally reveal the details surrounding God Valley. Blackbeard’s keen interest in Rocks-related matters is evident; he named his flagship “Saber of Xebec.”
During the God Valley incident, Xebec’s crew stole many potent Devil Fruits. If Blackbeard accesses Garp’s memories, he could learn about these fruits and their takers. Notably, Blackbeard has the ability to consume multiple Devil Fruits and wield their powers.
He possesses the Dark-Dark Fruit and the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, two of the most powerful abilities in their classifications. This suggests he may be seeking a rare Mythical Zoan linked to the God Valley events.
Another theory suggests that Blackbeard intends to utilize Pudding to read Garp’s memories to locate Xebec’s remains. This could lead to a plan utilizing Gecko Moria’s Shadow-Shadow Fruit to resurrect Xebec by placing Garp’s shadow into his corpse, explains Blackbeard’s earlier displeasure upon learning of Moria’s escape from Hachinosu.
Moreover, prior to current events, Blackbeard encountered “Dark King”Silvers Rayleigh. Acknowledged as Roger’s right-hand man, Rayleigh visited Laughtale, where he discovered the One Piece treasure and invaluable world secrets. In contrast, Blackbeard did not attempt to subdue Rayleigh to extract his memories; rather, he retreated when Rayleigh appeared, showcasing an awe of Rayleigh’s power.
Importantly, Pudding’s Memo-Memo Fruit allows her to not only extract memories but also remove specific ones, replacing them with new, fabricated ones. This ability could serve Teach’s interests by transforming Garp into a mindless fighter for the Blackbeard Pirates.
The thought of Garp, a dedicated Navy member, controlled by Blackbeard against Luffy is a heartbreaking prospect. Nevertheless, given his weakened state, Garp might struggle to resist Pudding’s influence, intensifying Luffy’s motivation to confront Blackbeard.
- One Piece Chapter 1126: Release Date and Time, Where to Read, and More
- One Piece confirms Laffitte’s mission, and it’s not what fans had expected
- One Piece: Is Blackbeard the son of Rocks D. Xebec? Theory explored
- One Piece set up Shanks vs Bartolomeo long ago, and it’s in the cover story
- 10 facts about Monkey D. Garp everyone should know, as of One Piece 1080
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