Recaps

Gern confronted Big Mom, defeated her, and obtained Totto Land’s Road Poneglyph rubbing after learning of Blackbeard’s attempt to secure it. Back at Marine headquarters, he assessed Admiral candidates and welcomed Issho as Admiral Fujitora Issho.

• Gern accepted command of the Grand Line’s first half from an independent G-2 headquarters, then left G-10 for Big Mom’s tea party and abandoned Sengoku a mountain of paperwork.
• Gern visited Sphinx Island, learned from Marco about the Whitebeard Pirates’ defeat and collapse, and mourned at the graves of Ace, Whitebeard, and Golden Lion.
• Gern confronted Perospero on Candy Island, learned that Blackbeard had met with Big Mom, and dragged the unconscious Perospero to Whole Cake Chateau.
• Gern fought Big Mom, learned Blackbeard had sought her Road Poneglyph rubbing, and defeated her with Sky Rend after she rejected his demands and attacked him.
• Katakuri offered Gern Totto Land’s Road Poneglyph rubbing in exchange for sparing his family, while Whole Cake Chateau and the island lay devastated.
• As Blackbeard became an Emperor and the World Government launched a military draft, Gern and Kizaru discussed the Marines’ shortages and Gern’s burdensome responsibilities.
• Gern arrived at New Marineford with Kizaru, Mihawk, and Bullet to assess Issho and Aramaki for vacant Admiral positions, and Mihawk tested Issho’s swordsmanship.
• Gern urged Issho to uphold compassionate justice, and Issho accepted the Admiral role so he could protect the weak alongside Gern.

Gern learned more about Rocks and God Valley, strengthened his hold over the Navy, and seized Vegapunk’s cooperation over the Mother Flame. He arrived in Dressrosa amid Luo’s plan against Doflamingo, where the fight left Luo gravely wounded and Kin’emon under attack.

• Gern defeated Aramaki, named him Ryokugyu, and sent him back to the Holy Land under Sakazuki’s control while assigning Kizaru to watch Vegapunk.
• Garp told Gern how an unkillable being had corrupted Rocks at God Valley, and Gern suspected Imu had manipulated him.
• Gern and Sengoku issued sweeping Marine reforms, prompting the Five Elders to recognize they could not directly control or eliminate Gern.
• Gern confronted Vegapunk over the Road Poneglyph, the Mother Flame, and the Seraphim Authority Chip, then learned York had secretly sent some of the Mother Flame to the World Government.
• Gern ordered the Mother Flame moved to G-10, learned Doflamingo was supposedly giving up his Shichibukai title, and went to Dressrosa after discussing Luo’s plan with Kuzan.
• Gern revealed himself aboard the Thousand Sunny, confronted Doflamingo on Green Bit, and agreed to let him fight Luffy in exchange for information and the surrender of his newspaper business if he lost.
• The Thousand Sunny reached Dressrosa as Luo fled from Doflamingo, who shot the gravely wounded Luo before Zoro and Kin’emon intervened.

Gern crushed Sabo and Luffy’s resistance in Dressrosa, then killed Momonosuke and turned toward Wano while the World Government launched a campaign for the Mother Flame. After defeating Nusjuro and rejecting Imu’s offer of power and immortality, Gern faced Imu directly as its body began to regenerate.

• Enel stopped Doflamingo from attacking Luo, while Gern freed Sabo from the Colosseum and defeated him after Sabo accused him of letting Ace die.
• Luffy fought Enel alone under Gern’s agreement, but Enel overwhelmed him as Gern left Sabo’s fate to Luffy and presented Momonosuke with a choice.
• Momonosuke kicked Luffy and chose Gern’s help, but Luffy vowed to defeat Kaido for Wano’s people and carried Sabo toward the Royal Palace.
• Kin'emon revealed that Momonosuke was Oden and Toki’s son from the future, but Gern killed Momonosuke and ordered his forces to move after learning the World Government wanted the Mother Flame.
• Lucci, Kaku, and Maha confronted Tesoro and Toritoma at G-10, while Kuma, Lipo, and Bullet fought Ryokugyu, Sommers, and Shamrock near the Mother Flame.
• Gern defeated Nusjuro with his vibration powers and Haki, but Imu appeared, restored Nusjuro, and offered Gern immortality, greater strength, and command of the Navy in exchange for the Mother Flame.
• Gern rejected Imu’s offer, beheaded it with Heavenquake: Divine Mind Slash, and watched its head and body begin to regenerate.

Gern led the independent Marines through political upheaval, challenged the World Government, and set his sights on Elbaf. Meanwhile, Garp rescued Koby from Hachinosu but was left missing after destroying the island’s skull mountain.

• Imu attacked Gern with tendrils that drained his life and memories, but Gern’s buried Spark awakened, freed him, and let him wound Imu before Imu fled toward the Red Line.
• After recovering, Gern learned the outcome of the battles at Mary Geoise and ordered an account that said Nusjuro had attacked him and been driven back.
• Sengoku handed Gern the Fleet Admiral’s coat, and Gern declared the Marines independent, ended Celestial Dragon immunity in Marine territory, and began reorganizing the Navy.
• Imu told the Five Elders that Gern’s golden-red fire had wounded it, then ordered Gunko to find Davy’s descendant, and meanwhile, Kuzan joined Blackbeard after freezing Hachinosu and negotiating with him.
• Garp left to confront Kuzan, while Gern approved Enel and Bullet as Admirals, managed tensions with the Revolutionary Army, and ordered Koby’s rescue after Blackbeard captured him.
• Gern rejected Warcury’s demands to restore tribute escorts and Celestial Dragon privileges, imposed a Navy tax, and gave the World Government one month to free documented civilian slaves.
• After Shanks attacked G-14 and demanded a meeting, Gern focused on investigating Harald and Elbaf, while Fish-Man Island pledged its support to the independent Marines.
• Garp and SWORD invaded Hachinosu and freed Koby, but Shiryu stabbed Garp as he shielded Koby, and Garp then destroyed the skull mountain to help SWORD escape, and his fate remained uncertain.