One Piece: Luffy's Newest Ally Packs Supernova Power Against Kaido

In One Piece Chapter #990, Luffy has gained another key ally as the battle in Onigashima rages on.

After the events of the previous chapter, it seemed like our favorite crew was still very much in control in their current, precarious situation. But this is an Emperor of the Sea and his pirate crew they're up against, and their confidence can't last forever. They're going to need some assistance, which is exactly what Chapter #990 gives them in the form of X Drake.

On the higher level of Onigashima's palace, as King and Queen watch the chaotic brawl between the Straw Hats and Beast Pirates, King decides to call all the Tobiroppo. The leather-clad pirate gives the Tobiroppo the supposedly simple mission of stopping the Straw Hats from reaching the rooftop where Kaido is, putting their internal contest of capturing Yamato on hold to deal with the invasion of pirates and samurai.

This is what interrupts a conversation between two of the Supernovas who allied with Kaido, Basil Hawkins and X Drake. X Drake points out to Hawkins that with the chaos of this coup, now would be the best time to betray Kaido. Hawkins brushes this off to do one of his fortune tellings instead, learning from it that a "certain man" only has one percent chance of surviving until tomorrow. When Who's Who, one of the Tobiroppo, arrives with what we believe is a proposition to murder Queen in the middle of the chaos, Drake shoots the offer down. Hawkins remains ominously silent. When we return to the three of them, though, Drake is fully aware that his intentions are in question, and he's a wanted man.

The Wano samurai, meanwhile, are attempting to carve a path for the Straw Hats to reach the roof but the Numbers are simply too powerful. One of the Numbers is about to smash the alliance, but Zoro cuts his club in two with a single slash. It's reminiscent of the crew's bout with the ancient giant Oars back in Thriller Bark. Then, it took all of them working together to barely beat him but they have grown a lot since then. Luffy changes to his Gear Fourth form, which reminds Hyogoro of a guardian deity.

Both he and Luffy perform attacks on two of the Numbers with relative ease, causing Drake to swallow his pride as he recalls his marine ally, Coby, telling him about how amazing Luffy is. And so, just like that, X Drake pleads to Luffy to allow him to fight by his side, which comes as a big surprise to even the Straw Hat captain, bringing the chapter to a close.


If Luffy agrees to let X Drake join his side -- and let's face it, of course Luffy will -- this will be the fourth Supernova that he's made an ally out of. The first was Trafalgar Law in Punk Hazard, which put the events currently taking place in motion. The next was on Whole Cake Island, the crew teamed up with Gang Bege and his crew to save Sanji and attempted to assassinate Big Mom. Then back in the prison camp, Kid joined forces with Luffy out of his hatred for Kaio, as well as Hawkins and Scratchman Apoo for betraying him.

It also harkens back to a quote from Hawkeye Mihawk during the Summit War in Marineford about Luffy. "It’s not a Devil Fruit or some cheap trick… One by one, he turns the people around him into his allies. More than anyone else sailing the seas… That man possesses the most terrifying power." It's a testament to Luffy's leadership quality and charisma, and what will eventually make him the King of the Pirates.