One Punch Man could be setting up the arrival of its very own Ultron

Despite the current adaptation of the Ninjas Arc in the One Punch Man manga, the original webcomic is already far ahead and is currently in the midst of the Neo Heroes Uprising Arc. Recent developments in the arc suggest that future story arcs will heavily feature Dr. Bofoi, Child Emperor, and Drive Knight. This has led one fan to develop an intriguing theory that predicts the introduction of their own Ultron in the One Punch Man webcomic.

Ultron, a Marvel supervillain, was originally an artificial intelligence that evolved into a robot. With self-awareness, he developed a god complex and harbors resentment towards his creator, Hank Pym. Furthermore, he desired to annihilate humanity.

This article contains spoilers from the One Punch Man webcomic. Please be aware before reading.

Could Drive Knight be the New Ultron in One Punch Man Webcomic?

Upon closely analyzing the recent events in the Neo Heroes Uprising Arc, @aniFerdz, a devoted fan of One Punch Man on X, has formulated a theory suggesting that the manga may be foreshadowing the emergence of its own version of Ultron, similar to the one seen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Based on the theory, it is possible that Drive Knight is the equivalent of Ultron in the webcomic. In the series, it is revealed that Dr. Bofoi and Child Emperor had previously collaborated on an AI program, which they ultimately decided to abandon. The two characters were troubled for an extended period of time, unsure of what to do with the AI.

Ultimately, they opted to seal off the AI as its level was deemed too high. This was a preventative measure to avoid the AI potentially becoming uncontrollable and causing harm.

Wild Emperor as seen in the One Punch Man manga (Image via Shueisha)

It is likely that, like MCU’s Ultron, Drive Knight, a Class S Rank 7 hero, harbors resentment towards Dr. Bofoi, suggesting that he may also be an AI created by Bofoi who despises his creator.

It is also possible that Dr. Bofoi could be Drive Knight’s father, and that he utilized AI technology to rescue his son from a life-threatening situation. However, confirmation of this theory will have to wait until it is addressed in the webcomic.

Drive Knight as seen in the manga (Image via Shueisha)

This also suggests the possibility that Drive Knight may have lost his memories during the time he went on a rampage. The story states that the Rampaging Cyborg responsible for destroying Genos’ and Drive Knight’s villages was in fact the same cyborg. Therefore, if Drive Knight was indeed the Rampaging Cyborg, he would have no reason to hold a grudge against Dr. Bofoi.

Despite experiencing a potential loss of data, the information he collected was likely incomplete. As a result, he holds Dr. Bofoi accountable for the Rampaging Cyborg without realizing that Dr. Bofoi is the very entity he is pursuing.

Drive Knight watching fellow heroes get slaughtered (Image via Shueisha)

Child Emperor himself has previously commented on the consequences of integrating an AI program into one’s brain, noting that it would result in a loss of humanity. This lack of humanity is evident in various aspects of Drive Knight’s character throughout the series.

Despite being urged to join the battle, Drive Knight chose to withhold his assistance in order to thoroughly assess his opponents and ensure his triumph. Had he not suppressed his humanity, he would have been unable to remain idle as his fellow heroes fell in battle before him.

Targets that Dr. Bofoi keeps an eye on (Image via ONE)

Despite essentially abandoning Genos, Drive Knight left him in the care of other heroes which could suggest that he still held onto some of his human qualities. This could also indicate that Drive Knight’s AI recognized the importance of having Genos as part of its goal to defeat Dr. Bofoi, its creator.

This theory is further supported by the fact that Dr. Bofoi closely monitors Drive Knight, as depicted in One Punch Man webcomic chapter 135. It is hoped that fans will receive more information regarding this theory in the near future.