Brook has been one of One Piece‘s most beloved characters for nearly two decades, and fans have always known there was more to his past than the Rumbar Pirates and a broken promise to Laboon. Chapter 1184, released on May 31, is finally filling in the missing years.
The chapter arrives at a pivotal moment in the Elbaph arc, pulling readers away from the battlefield chaos and into a quieter, more devastating kind of storytelling.
Eiichiro Oda has centered chapter 1184 almost entirely on Brook’s life in Esperia before the formation of the Rumbar Pirates, establishing him as the leader of the Raider Squad and one of the strongest figures in the kingdom. For fans who’ve wanted to understand who Brook was before he became a skeleton drifting alone on the Grand Line, this is that chapter.
Brook’s Origin and the Kingdom That Shaped Him
Brook was born in a junkyard, miserable and full of hatred toward the king for his circumstances. At 21, he crossed paths with Prince Ruwen, who became his closest friend without revealing his royal identity. Later, Ruwen and Queen Candel pulled Brook out of Marine custody and brought him into the castle, an act of kindness that became the foundation of Brook’s lifelong loyalty to the crown.
Chapter 1183 had established both Brook and Candel as rivals connected through swordsmanship and music, and fans have long speculated whether Brook had a romantic connection before his time with the Rumbar Pirates. Candel may finally answer that mystery. Oda appears to be framing this as something more than a simple alliance between two powerful warriors of the same kingdom.
The betrayal, though, is the gut punch. Queen Candel escapes from Esperia disguised as an ambassador and attends a secret meeting with the Gorosei, shattering the foundation of everything Brook had devoted himself to. Her reasons are described as political, though the full details remain unknown. The parallels to other tragic One Piece backstories are hard to ignore.
Saturn’s Shadow Reaches 70 Years Back
The most chilling element of the chapter isn’t the betrayal itself. It’s who shows up alongside it.
Saturn appears in the chapter, placing him in a flashback set roughly 70 years ago. His presence serves as a reminder of how deeply the Gorosei’s influence has been rooted in the world of One Piece long before the main story began. This marks the third flashback in which Saturn has been connected to someone’s trauma, following Robin and Jewelry Bonney and Kuma, though Brook himself may not be directly involved in this particular encounter.
The broader picture is coming together: with Princess Shuri taken into the Celestial Dragons, Candel disappearing, and the King of Esperia reportedly killed, the pattern points toward an “Esperia Incident” that mirrors the God Valley tragedy in scope. Whatever happened to that kingdom is what left Brook with no one and nothing, eventually pushing him toward Yorkie and the Rumbar Pirates.
Fans who follow the release closely should note that a break follows chapter 1184, with One Piece chapter 1185 now expected on June 15, 2026.
You May Also Like: