One Piece chapter 1155 has left fans buzzing thanks to its deep dive into the mysterious past of Rocks D. Xebec. Introduced during the Elbaph arc, the ongoing flashback is shaping up to be one of the series’ most revealing, shedding light not only on the formation of the infamous Rocks Pirates but also on Xebec’s cryptic mention of Davy Jones—a figure long thought to be legend, but now hinted to be real.

If Blackbeard was inspired by his father, Xebec, then who inspired Xebec? He greatly admired Davy Jones and brought up the name to Imu as if being associated with him meant something significant. While later in the chapter we see Xebec recruiting his crew through the Davy Back fights, his words to Imu seem to imply something more, as he proudly declared himself “a worshiper of Davy Jones.”

Xebec’s words to Imu imply that Davy Jones was a prolific figure, perhaps even a deity from a previous iteration of the world. Many fans speculate that Davy Jones was, in fact, a real person from the old world who grew into a legend in the present world. The “old world,” as referenced in the Harley text, points to two apocalyptic events that reshaped the One Piece world. The first came when it was burned by a “forbidden sun,” which later inspired Dr. Vegapunk’s creation of the infinite energy source known as the Mother Flame. The second occurred when the world was submerged under 200 meters of seawater, marking the beginning of the Void Century.

Image: Viz Media/Shueisha

What’s more, many believe Imu sank him during the second calamity alongside the rest of the world, like old Wano and Water 7. But why would he sink Davy Jones? The legend explained by Nico Robin in chapter 306 says he was a rotten pirate “who had been cursed by the Devil to live in the depths of the Sea Floor, where it is said he yet lives to this day.” Based on the satanic-like powers they possess as seen alongside their cartoonishly demonic design, as they possess Holy Knight Gunko in chapter 1150, it’s safe to speculate that the devil depicted in the legend and Elbaph’s ancient mural may refer to Imu.

While theories abound about these new connections and revelations, I have developed one of my own. I believe the unrevealed Man Marked By Flames, who is guarding the last Road Poneglyph, could be Davy Jones, cursed similarly to what happens to Dorry and Brogy in chapter TK by Imu to forever rule the seas and keep the government’s only remaining Poneglyph within their possession and safe from pirates. Laffitte mentions in chapter 1081 that the Man Marked by Flames probably has a Devil Fruit power he uses to create whirlpools to destroy ships that sail near. Legend has it that “Davy’s name is associated with possessing all that sinks, so pirates call stealing others from your enemy as ‘Davy Back”. In the next panel, Shiryu says that the Man Marked by Flames is probably in cahoots with the Marines and that they’re keeping the last undiscovered Road Poneglyph for themselves. This would prevent anyone from claiming it or uncovering the One Piece, which is speculated to be tied to the truth of the world, knowledge that the government wants to keep secret at all costs.

One Piece fans are losing it after a long awaited character finally appears
Image: TOEI animation via Polygon

But that still doesn’t explain why Imu would sink him and command him as a sentinel of the sea for the rest of his days. It’s possible Davy Jones was part of the D. clan, the natural enemies of the Gods, which many identify with the Celestial Dragons and the government. However, it is widely speculated within the fandom that two camps fall within the Will of D: ones that think like Luffy and others that align more towards Blackbeard.

All individuals who inherited the Will of D. strive to achieve freedom and topple subjugation wherever they see it. But where one camp looks to be King of the Pirates, the other looks to be King of the World. It’s a dichotomy seen through the generations: Roger and Xebec, Luffy and Blackbeard, and possibly Joyboy and Davy Jones.

Before dying, Roger said that three things cannot be stopped, and one of them is “inherited will.” This is a key concept in One Piece, where every major character inspires someone who takes on their will. And it’s very possible Davy Jones could be the thematic opposite of Joyboy: someone who inspired generations to strive for freedom, but ultimately became a slave. Roger and Joyboy are immortalized as legends, their names celebrated through history, while figures like Xebec and Davy Jones are remembered in infamy, even among pirates, as notorious villains. In true George Lucas fashion, Oda may be crafting a world where history doesn’t just repeat—it echoes. Like poetry, it rhymes.

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