Recaps

Gern spared the Straw Hats after testing them, then recruited Golden Lion Shiki to help him pursue Trafalgar Law and build a new order. At Sabaody, Kuma and Enel prepared to use Shalria’s actions as a reason to intervene just as the Worst Generation arrived.

• The Five Elders resolved to counterbalance Gern after recognizing that his growing power and possible promotion could weaken the World Government.
• Whitebeard acknowledged Gern’s supremacy, ordered his crew to stay within their territory, and Teach began plotting to take Whitebeard’s Devil Fruit instead of challenging Gern.
• Gern welcomed Akainu to G-10, accepted his apology, and later set out with Mihawk to meet the Straw Hats at Thriller Bark.
• Gern tested the Straw Hats, defeated Zoro with a single kick, then spared the crew after Mihawk intervened and warned them about the New World.
• Kuma agreed to Dragon’s request to teach Luffy and his crew a harsh lesson, while Enel forced his way into their plan.
• Gern confronted Shiki, offered him a place at his side, and promised to help him obtain the Op-Op Fruit and regain his strength.
• Shiki joined Gern’s Calamity, and the pair set out to capture Trafalgar Law while Shiki’s crew landed Merveille and carried on without him.
• At Sabaody, Enel defied Shalria, but Kuma teleported him away and persuaded him to wait for a chance to intervene when Luffy clashed with her, and days later, the Worst Generation arrived.

Gern and his allies crushed the Straw Hats and other pirates at Sabaody while Gern maneuvered around the Marines’ coming leadership struggle. After Ace’s capture and execution order, Gern prepared for Marineford and faced Garp’s grief as Whitebeard set out to rescue his son.

• Luffy struck Shalria to save Camie, and Enel killed Shalria before beginning a purge across Sabaody with Kuma’s help.
• Enel and Kuma defeated the Supernovas and overwhelmed the Straw Hats and Law, while Kuma sent the Straw Hats away and Rayleigh fought Enel.
• Gern arrived at Sabaody, took charge of Enel and Kuma’s actions, and brought Golden Lion Shiki into G-10’s orbit as Law sought Shiki’s aid against Doflamingo.
• Gern discussed the Fleet Admiral succession with Kizaru and planned to exploit the coming leadership change, while Law restored Shiki’s legs and later helped remove the wheel from his head.
• After Blackbeard defeated Ace and secured a Shichibukai title, the World Government ordered Ace’s public execution, and Sengoku warned Garp that the order would bring war with Whitebeard.
• Gern negotiated with Sengoku, arranged distractions for New World powers, and traveled to Impel Down with Garp to tell Ace about the execution plan.
• Garp wept after seeing Ace, and Gern remembered Sengoku’s order to restrain or kill Garp if he tried to rescue him.
• The World Government announced Ace’s execution for one month later, and Whitebeard took up Murakumogiri and vowed to bring his son back.

Gern helped turn the Marineford war into a confrontation with Whitebeard at his restored prime, then fought Shiki and faced Blackbeard as the old legends fell. Whitebeard and Shiki died, Blackbeard escaped with his crew, and Gern was left to define the path ahead.

• Gern arranged for Whitebeard’s fleet to pass through G-10, then escorted Ace to Marineford and prepared to use the war to claim the Fleet Admiral’s authority.
• Whitebeard arrived to rescue Ace, and Gern intercepted him as the Marines and pirates began fighting across Marineford.
• Shiki joined the battle, while Tesoro raised a golden stage and Gern used Ain’s power to restore Whitebeard to his prime for their duel.
• Gern and Whitebeard fought with their full strength until Whitebeard returned to his aged state, urged Gern not to lose against the world, and died after hearing Ace call him a good father.
• Shiki attacked Gern after Whitebeard’s death, but Gern defeated him despite his own injuries, then refused to stop Blackbeard from covering Whitebeard’s body.
• Gern connected warnings about the ancient “World” to the fall of the Rocks Pirates and resolved to investigate its secrets as Ace and the other pirates tried to retreat.
• Shiki confronted Blackbeard for desecrating Whitebeard’s body, struck him down with his final attack, and died beside Whitebeard.
• Doc Q and Kronos treated the barely living Teach as the Blackbeard Pirates fled, while Gern realized the old era had ended and lay exhausted among Marineford’s ruins.

After Ace’s death, Gern turned the World Government’s attempt to bind him with honors into a path to command the Navy’s New World forces and relocate Marine Headquarters to G-10. As Akainu defeated Aokiji and the old era of four Admirals ended, Gern sought to place Akainu in charge of defending Paradise.

• Ace took Akainu’s magma strike to save Luffy, and Garp struck Akainu down before being restrained as he grieved for Ace.
• Shanks arrived and asked Sengoku to end the war, then withdrew after Koby interrupted the standoff, while Gern rebuked Koby and rallied the Marines.
• The Five Elders tried to contain Gern with public honors, but Gern rejected the medal, secured authority over New World operations, and proposed moving Marine Headquarters to G-10.
• Gern consolidated Whitebeard’s territory and ordered campaigns across the New World while Sengoku secured resources for the Navy’s relocation and rebuilding.
• The Five Elders tried to recruit Akainu against Gern, but Akainu defended Gern’s justice and rejected their attempt to control him.
• Sakazuki and Kuzan fought to the death on Punk Hazard, and Gern stopped Sakazuki from killing the defeated Kuzan.
• Kuzan resigned from the Marines after acknowledging that Gern should lead the Navy, while Koby plotted at Rocky Port and Buggy founded Buggy’s Delivery.
• Gern visited the recovering Akainu and urged him to command G-2 at the old Marineford site to defend Paradise.