Ch. 181I Sold This Thing, Part Five
Plot points and events
- Crocodile and Doflamingo stop bidding when Rogge drives the price beyond what they can pay. The contest narrows to Queen of the Beasts Pirates and Katakuri of the Big Mom Pirates.
- Queen taunts Katakuri with a nickname, provoking a near-fight. Rogge intervenes and reminds them that the auction should be settled by bids, not violence. The Underworld bosses back him up, and the two sit down.
- Katakuri wins the Poneglyph for 800 million Beli. Rogge explains that Poneglyphs are difficult to sell for high prices because only powerful crews can safely keep them.
- After the auction, Katakuri sells rubbings of the Poneglyph to Queen, Crocodile, and Doflamingo for 200 million Beli each, promising to limit the number of copies.
- Rogge declines to buy one, revealing that he was the person who sold the Poneglyph in the first place.
Character developments
- Rogge shows that he can defuse conflict through negotiation, but remains unconcerned with the Poneglyph’s value or importance.
- Katakuri demonstrates both pride and pragmatism: he nearly fights Queen, then turns his purchase into a profitable deal by selling rubbings.
- Queen is quick to take offense at Katakuri’s nickname, though he ultimately accepts Rogge’s intervention and buys a rubbing.
- Crocodile and Doflamingo recognize the limits of their available funds and later purchase copies from Katakuri.
Significant themes
- Power and money: The bidding stalls once the contest comes down to the richest parties, but Rogge’s wealth gives him a decisive advantage.
- Pride versus restraint: Queen and Katakuri are ready to fight, yet political and commercial interests persuade them to stand down.
- Knowledge as a commodity: Katakuri profits from the Poneglyph by selling limited copies, while Rogge treats it as something he no longer needs.
- The changing pirate era: Rogge reflects on Whitebeard’s age, the meaning of his eventual death, and the possibility that it would reignite belief in the Great Pirate Era.
Character interactions
- Queen and Katakuri’s teasing escalates into a confrontation, which Rogge and the Underworld bosses prevent.
- Rogge’s relationships with both pirate crews give him credibility as mediator.
- Katakuri’s sale of rubbings brings him into business with Queen, Crocodile, and Doflamingo; Rogge’s final revelation surprises all four.