Recaps

Ace and Sabo fought Bullet, and Ace demonstrated Conqueror’s Haki Infusion before declining to use Bullet’s Eternal Pose to find Laugh Tale. Meanwhile, Thatch obtained a legendary cookbook about Doflamingo’s culinary teachings during a Whitebeard Pirates raid.

• Ace and Sabo attacked Bullet, but he transformed with his Combine-Combine Fruit and emerged uninjured after blocking Ace’s Flame Emperor.
• Bullet praised Ace’s Conqueror’s Haki Infusion and told him he had the qualifications to seek the Final Island.
• Ace destroyed the Eternal Pose Bullet had given him, saying he wanted to find Laugh Tale on his own, and the pirates celebrated at a feast.
• The Whitebeard Pirates were described as growing stronger, with Teach and Thatch reaching First Mate-level strength.
• Thatch opened a treasure chest and ignored its valuables to claim a legendary cookbook compiled from Doflamingo’s recipes and cooking techniques.

Doflamingo took the Dark-Dark Fruit from the sleeping Thatch and erased the ship’s memories of it, then went to reclaim the Soul Fragment he had given Blackbeard Teach. After extracting it from Teach, Doflamingo recovered power comparable to several years of training.

• Doflamingo used Dream Traverse to take the Dark-Dark Fruit from Thatch and erased everyone aboard’s memories of it.
• Doflamingo improved Thatch’s cookbook before leaving, calling it compensation.
• Blackbeard Teach grew stronger through relentless training and battles along the Whitebeard Pirates’ borders.
• Doflamingo used his Soul Fragment connection to ambush Teach aboard his ship.
• Doflamingo used Auswählen to extract the Soul Fragment from Teach and recover a substantial amount of power.

Doflamingo left Blackbeard mentally disabled, gave his body and the Dark-Dark Fruit to Judge, and headed to Germa 66 to prepare the next stage of his plans. Reiju told him that Judge’s technology had advanced using materials and research from the Beasts Pirates.

• Doflamingo decided to target Charlotte Linlin and take the Soul-Soul Fruit, then flew away with Blackbeard’s body on a cloud he created.
• Doflamingo delivered the disabled Teach and the Dark-Dark Fruit to Judge, intending for Judge to enhance Teach’s heart with technology.
• More than a month later, Doflamingo arrived secretly at Germa 66’s base in the Calm Belt and praised Reiju’s technological progress.
• Reiju explained that Judge had acquired technological achievements from the Beasts Pirates, including work connected to Caesar and new materials obtained through a deal with the World Government.

Doflamingo received a second heart from Blackbeard and adapted to fighting with it while Judge developed the Dark-Dark Fruit. After Judge succeeded, Doflamingo prepared to use Hancock’s Kuja Pirates to approach Charlotte Linlin without raising suspicion.

• Sanji worked as head chef at Doflamingo’s Golden City East Blue branch, while Doflamingo visited the laboratory where Law had finished strengthening Blackbeard’s heart.
• Law removed one of Blackbeard’s hearts and implanted it in Doflamingo, who began adapting to its increased blood-supplying capacity.
• Doflamingo kept Blackbeard alive as a potential source of another heart and waited for Judge to finish developing the Dark-Dark Fruit.
• More than three months later, Judge succeeded in making the Dark-Dark Fruit attract Devil Fruit power, and Hancock arrived to join the operation against Charlotte Linlin.
• Doflamingo told Hancock to stop provoking Judge and planned for himself and Judge to hide among the Kuja Pirates as they approached Charlotte Linlin.

Charlotte Linlin trained her strongest children as she worried about her aging strength and Boa Hancock’s continued growth. When the Kuja Pirates attacked Totto Land, she prepared to fight, suspecting the Dragon Hunting Pirates might be involved.

• Charlotte Linlin sparred with Katakuri, Perospero, and Smoothie, then ended their training after sending Katakuri flying.
• Charlotte Linlin regretted giving Katakuri the Mochi-Mochi Fruit and worried that her children could not match Boa Hancock’s growing power.
• Katakuri concluded that only life-or-death battles could help him master Conqueror’s Haki Infusion.
• Homies warned Charlotte Linlin that the Kuja Pirates had arrived at Totto Land, and Katakuri suspected the Dragon Hunting Pirates were involved.
• Charlotte Linlin picked up her greatsword and prepared to fight, believing the Kuja Pirates and the Dragon Hunting Pirates’ officers posed no threat without Doflamingo.

Hancock led the Kuja Pirates into Totto Land and attacked Charlotte Linlin, while Judge intervened with the Dark-Dark Fruit to turn Big Mom’s own attacks against her. Big Mom was left furious and disheveled as the battle began.

• Hancock’s Kuja Pirates sailed through Totto Land’s juice sea, leaving petrified ships and Homies in their wake.
• Charlotte Linlin arrived with her children and clashed Conqueror’s Haki with Hancock, who attacked her with Slave Arrows.
• Charlotte Linlin blocked Hancock’s arrows to protect her children, then launched a Flying Slash at the Kuja ship.
• Judge opened a Dark Hole to absorb and return the Flying Slash, and Katakuri shattered it before it hit Big Mom.
• Judge’s children joined him on deck, and he used the Dark-Dark Fruit to absorb and return Big Mom’s Elbaf Spear, sending her tumbling.

Katakuri recognized that Judge’s Dark-Dark Fruit shield made the long-range battle difficult, so Judge turned the sea into a crystal battlefield. Doflamingo emerged to confront Charlotte Linlin, who prepared to fight while expecting Kaido to arrive within half a day.

• Katakuri urged Charlotte Linlin to have her forces attack from multiple directions, and the Big Mom Pirates overwhelmed the Kuja Pirates in the long-range exchange.
• Judge used Crystal Canister No. 23 to solidify the sea into a vast crystal battlefield.
• Charlotte Linlin threatened to erase the Kuja Pirates, but Doflamingo emerged from the cabin and challenged her.
• Doflamingo guessed that Charlotte Linlin had allied with Kaido, and she silently prepared to fight while waiting for Kaido to arrive.
• Charlotte Linlin swung her blade and sent a gigantic slash at Doflamingo and Hancock.

Doflamingo overwhelmed Charlotte Linlin with his Haki and trapped her in Tenbu Hōrin and an illusion. Charlotte Linlin stopped attacking, but Katakuri was badly injured protecting his siblings while Doflamingo remained in control.

• Doflamingo blocked Charlotte Linlin’s Ikoku Spear with his Haki, leaving fingerprints in her weapon and revealing that his Haki surpassed hers.
• Doflamingo used Tenbu Hōrin to deprive Charlotte Linlin of her senses, and her strange scream injured her children until Katakuri and the allied crews countered it.
• Doflamingo used Illusion to make Charlotte Linlin mistake Katakuri for him, causing her to strike her son whenever she tried to attack.
• Katakuri used Future Sight to protect his siblings as Charlotte Linlin repeatedly wounded him and smashed his spear, Earth Dragon.
• Charlotte Linlin finally stopped attacking and defended herself blindly, while Katakuri despaired at her condition and Doflamingo’s advantage.

Doflamingo trapped Charlotte Linlin and Katakuri inside his strengthened Innate Barrier, where Linlin recognized she had little chance of winning. Katakuri realized he could not help his mother, while Linlin prepared to fight Doflamingo regardless.

• Katakuri stepped forward to protect the Charlotte Family despite knowing he could not defeat Doflamingo.
• Doflamingo expanded his Innate Barrier, pulling himself, Charlotte Linlin, and Katakuri into its Illusion Space.
• Charlotte Linlin regained her senses and acknowledged that Doflamingo had already beaten her.
• Linlin raised her weapon and challenged Doflamingo to take her head, while Katakuri realized he was no match for him.
• Linlin focused on making Doflamingo pay, no longer seeking victory or escape.

Big Mom burned her soul and lifespan to fight Doflamingo, but he summoned the moon and sent it crashing toward the ground. Big Mom’s final attack barely marked it, and the moon shattered the Innate Barrier on impact.

• Big Mom sacrificed her remaining lifespan to raise her power and attacked Doflamingo with a relentless barrage, forcing him to fight without his illusion abilities.
• Doflamingo vanished from Big Mom’s sight, then appeared beneath the seven-colored sky as the moon emerged and began falling.
• Big Mom laughed at the spectacle, then launched herself at the moon with an attack that consumed everything she had.
• Big Mom’s strike carved a gorge in the moon but failed to stop its descent, and she fell back to the ground shriveled like a skeleton.
• The moon hit the ground, and the Innate Barrier shattered completely.

After Doflamingo’s Moonfall crushed Charlotte Linlin, he accepted the Charlotte Family’s surrender and prepared to absorb them into the Dragon Hunting Pirates. Kaido learned of Linlin’s death while heading to Totto Land and turned back, grieving the loss of an old ally.

• Katakuri survived Moonfall with severe injuries, while Judge extracted Charlotte Linlin’s Devil Fruit from her remains.
• Katakuri surrendered the Charlotte Family to Doflamingo, who accepted and decided their members were more valuable alive.
• Kaido received news that Charlotte Linlin had been killed and halted his journey to Totto Land.
• Kaido told King they would not continue to Totto Land and reacted grimly to the death of his old friend.

Doflamingo used the Soul-Soul Fruit to revive Totto Land’s Homies and took control of the islands after Charlotte Linlin’s death. He left the Charlotte Family in place, abolished Linlin’s soul tax, and planned to send Yamato to help deter Kaido.

• Doflamingo drew on the sea of souls to generate power through the Soul-Soul Fruit.
• Doflamingo revived the dead Homies across Cake Island, and Katakuri and the Charlotte Family realized he had targeted Linlin’s Devil Fruit.
• Doflamingo decided to preserve Totto Land’s existing rule and abolish the soul tax.
• Doflamingo declared that Totto Land would fly the Dragon Hunting Pirates’ flag and said Yamato could come to help guard it against Kaido.
• Katakuri accepted Doflamingo’s control, knowing Totto Land could not oppose his strength.

Doflamingo returned to his base and began planning to build an army of powerful Homies while saving strength for two trump cards. At Navy Headquarters, Sengoku and Vice Admiral Tsuru discussed the Navy's divisions and the danger of challenging the World Government, until an urgent report announced Charlotte Linlin's death.

• Doflamingo admired his five powerful Homies and decided to build part of a Homie army on the moon, while reserving soul power for two trump cards.
• Sengoku and Vice Admiral Tsuru discussed how the Navy had split between Kuzan's followers and Sakazuki's, as fewer recruits joined the Navy.
• Sengoku questioned whether maintaining the World Government's order still had meaning, while worrying that overthrowing it could destroy the world.
• Sengoku received an urgent call from a Navy base in the New World reporting that Charlotte Linlin was dead.

After Charlotte Linlin's death, Doflamingo let the Navy reclaim several outlying territories while his influence kept him informed of its plans. He considered the missing Fish-Man Island Red Poneglyph and the heavily altered Straw Hat Crew, and left their future uncertain.

• After Charlotte Linlin died, the Navy expanded into the New World, and Doflamingo ceded several remote countries without concern.
• Doflamingo reviewed the Red Poneglyphs he had collected and noted that the one from Fish-Man Island was still missing.
• Doflamingo considered how much stronger Robin and Nami had become and how other Straw Hat Crew members' lives had changed.
• Doflamingo recalled that Kuina had survived, Chopper was studying medicine under Doctorine, and the Straw Hat Crew might never form as expected.
• Doflamingo decided he mainly wanted to borrow Luffy's luck and might train the crew himself if necessary.

Luffy set sail in a small boat but quickly lost it, prompting Doflamingo to send soul power into his dream and create Oceanus to protect him. Oceanus carried Luffy’s barrel toward Rare Animal Island, where Zoro and Kuina were stranded after wrecking their ship.

• Luffy set out from Foosha Village in a small boat provided with help from Sabo and Ace.
• Doflamingo noticed that Luffy had lost his boat and sent soul power into his dream to protect him.
• Oceanus awakened as a giant made of seawater, startling Luffy and carrying his barrel toward the nearest island.
• Zoro and Kuina argued on Rare Animal Island after their ship was wrecked, and Kuina told Zoro to stay put while she searched for food.

Zoro and Kuina encountered Oceanus and the rescued Luffy after Oceanus swept them ashore. Luffy asked Zoro and Kuina to join his crew, while Oceanus considered how to fulfill his mission to join the Straw Hat Crew.

• Zoro tried to cut down Oceanus’s enormous seawater dragon, but Oceanus swept him into the current and spat him onto the beach with Luffy.
• Oceanus claimed to be a Logia Sea Fruit user, and Luffy immediately invited him to become his companion.
• Luffy grabbed Zoro and asked him to sail together, but Kuina arrived and attacked Luffy, mistaking him for a monster.
• After Kuina realized her mistake, she apologized, and Zoro complained until she hit him with a bump on the head.
• While eating roasted boar, Luffy praised Kuina’s swordsmanship and asked her to become his companion.

Luffy, Zoro, Kuina, and Oceanus built a raft, bonded during their journey, and reached Syrup Village after Zoro and Kuina agreed to join Luffy’s crew. Luffy and Zoro began their duel on the island while Usopp mistook them for a real pirate threat and went to warn the village.

• Luffy’s group built a raft and, after a week of adventures together, Zoro and Kuina agreed to join his crew, with Zoro insisting that only the strongest could be Captain.
• Oceanus guided the group to Syrup Village, where Zoro challenged Luffy to a duel.
• Usopp saw the raft’s pirate flag and hid with his three underlings before witnessing Luffy and Zoro’s destructive fight.
• Usopp led his underlings toward the village to warn Kaya and the villagers that real pirates had arrived.
• Luffy proved stronger in the duel after developing Gear Three, while Zoro had not yet mastered Iron Cutting through real battles.

Luffy formed the Straw Hat Crew with Kuina, Zoro, and Oceanus after defeating Zoro in a fight. When villagers confronted them, Oceanus warned that Kuro of a Hundred Plans and the remnants of the Joker Party were hiding in Syrup Village, then drove the villagers away with his water powers.

• Luffy activated Gear Two and Gear Three, defeated Zoro, and declared that the Straw Hat Crew had formed.
• The villagers arrived with weapons, and Usopp tried to drive the crew away by claiming he had 8,000 subordinates.
• Oceanus told the crew that Kuro of a Hundred Plans and the remnants of the Joker Party were the real pirates threatening the village.
• Oceanus approached the villagers and flicked the terrified Usopp unconscious.
• Oceanus swept Usopp's three young followers into a water tornado, and the frightened villagers fled.

Kuro, enhanced by Joker and disguised as Kaya’s butler Klahadore, revealed his true nature and threatened the Straw Hat Crew with Kaya’s life. Luffy and his companions set out to rescue her while fighting Joker Party guards.

• Kuro surrendered to Joker, who enhanced him with Joker Poison, changed his face, and sent him back to Syrup Village.
• Kuro revealed himself to the villagers and attacked them after learning pirates had arrived.
• Oceanus told Luffy and the others that Klahadore was Kuro, a Joker Party remnant involved in smuggling and weapons deals.
• Kuro appeared through a projection Den Den Mushi, showed Kaya tied up with a bomb, and gave the group ten minutes to save her.
• Usopp joined Luffy, Zoro, and Kuina, and they headed toward Kuro while preparing to fight.
• The group battled Joker Party guards enhanced by Joker Poison, several of whom had awakened Haki, while Oceanus held back.

Doflamingo watched the Straw Hat Crew defeat Kuro and planned stronger opponents for their future journey. Meanwhile, Joker left Impel Down after handing control of the prison to Little Sadie, intent on joining the action himself.

• Luffy and the Straw Hat Crew defeated the enhanced Kuro after Usopp stopped the timed bombs and saved Kaya and the villagers.
• Doflamingo decided to send the Straw Hat Crew toward the Golden City and planned to pit them against strengthened enemies, including CP9 agents, Sand Crocodile, and Gecko Moria.
• Joker told Little Sadie he was leaving Impel Down and gave her control of the prison as his breakup fee.
• Joker walked out of Impel Down, declaring that the world’s game could not leave out its most charming villain.

Over a month after entering the Grand Line, the Straw Hat Crew reached Alabasta after recruiting Sanji and Chopper, while Robin prepared to investigate Luffy and the crew’s connection to the Final Island. Vivi and Robin believed there was little time left before a coming disaster and that the crew might be essential to the new era.

• With Oceanus's help, the Straw Hat Crew crossed Reverse Mountain, met Laboon, and promised to sail around the Grand Line.
• The crew endured the Grand Line’s weather, visited Drum Island, recruited Chopper, and arrived in Alabasta.
• Robin told Vivi and Baccarat that she planned to investigate the Straw Hat Crew because Doflamingo believed Luffy would find the Poneglyphs and the Final Island.
• Baccarat said Usopp’s luck grew stronger as his circumstances worsened, and Robin argued the Straw Hats might need her to reach the Final Island.
• Vivi said only two years remained before the coming disaster and believed her connection to Pluton and Shirahoshi’s power as Poseidon signaled a new era.

The Straw Hat Crew arrived in Alabasta and met Robin, Baccarat, and Princess Vivi at the docks. After Robin invited them to the Golden City and mentioned that Doflamingo had spoken about Luffy, the crew eagerly set off for the Dragon Hunting Pirates’ headquarters.

• The Straw Hat Crew excitedly arrived at Alabasta, where Usopp asked Sanji about the Golden City headquarters.
• Robin and Baccarat greeted the crew alongside Vivi, and Baccarat kicked Sanji after he flirted with the women.
• Sanji and Zoro brawled until Kuina recognized Vivi as Alabasta’s princess, prompting Luffy and Chopper to marvel at her.
• Sanji rushed to flirt with Vivi, but she kicked him and sent him sprawling.
• Robin said she and Baccarat had something to discuss and invited the crew to the Golden City, adding that Doflamingo had mentioned Luffy.
• Luffy and the crew eagerly agreed to head for the Golden City after learning Doflamingo was there.

Doflamingo met with Nami in the Golden City while awaiting the Straw Hat Crew, whom he hoped would find the Final Island and grow strong enough for the coming battle. The Straw Hats arrived and were impressed by the city’s diverse people and powerful security forces.

• Nami teased Doflamingo for rarely visiting the Golden City, and he said he had been busy preparing for the approaching battle.
• Nami detected the Straw Hat Crew nearing the city and questioned Doflamingo’s faith that they would find the Final Island.
• Doflamingo explained that strength was not everything and reflected on how he had failed to locate Laugh Tale despite searching the area marked by its three known coordinates.
• The Straw Hat Crew entered the Golden City, where Usopp marveled at its people and Zoro noticed the strength of its security personnel.
• Baccarat said the Golden City was unusually powerful even for the New World, and Robin noticed that Usopp’s Observation Haki seemed unusual.

Doflamingo met the Straw Hat Crew in the Golden City and told Luffy that Robin was essential to finding the Final Island because she could read Poneglyphs. He warned the crew that protecting Robin would bring danger from the World Government, and Robin ended the meeting by revealing her closeness to Doflamingo.

• Luffy greeted Doflamingo, who told him that Ace and Sabo had already reached the New World.
• Doflamingo explained that Luffy would need a skilled Navigator and someone who could read Poneglyphs to find the Final Island.
• Doflamingo identified Robin as the only scholar able to read ancient Poneglyph text, and Luffy briefly despaired before renewing his resolve to become the One Piece.
• Doflamingo offered to lend Robin to Luffy so she could search for the final Red Poneglyph, then warned that World Government agents would continue targeting her.
• Luffy promised Robin would be safe, while Zoro and Sanji vowed to protect her.
• Robin said she was not single and wrapped her arms around Doflamingo, leaving Sanji devastated.

At the banquet, Doflamingo challenged Zoro and Kuina to test their swordsmanship and give them guidance. He left them with lessons about their weaknesses and what they needed to improve.

• Doflamingo invited Zoro and Kuina to attack him together, provoking them by saying they were not strong enough to catch his eye.
• Zoro charged first, but Doflamingo wounded him with a Finger Pistol—Finger-Flick Sword Aura before he could complete his move.
• Doflamingo explained that Zoro had left himself unguarded and advised him not to use attacks that left no room to retreat against stronger opponents.
• Kuina fought Doflamingo with Wado Ichimonji, but he forced her back and knocked her sword from her hand.
• Doflamingo told Kuina that her rigorous swordsmanship lacked the ferocity to risk everything for victory, and she bowed to him, visibly shaken.