One Piece just hinted at Brook's mysterious royal past and his secret bond with Gunko
New twist in Chapter 1149 connects the Straw Hats' musician to a tragic princess from the past
As any One Piece fan will tell you, no one is impervious to surprise character bait, shocking reveal, and tragic origin story. Chapter 1149 of the manga series just knocked us all out cold with a killer twist that links one of the Straw Hat Pirates, Brook, to a royal figure called Gunko.
Brook, the crew's living skeleton and musician, might get a more in-depth origin story involving a forgotten kingdom, a princess, and a battle against the World Government.
Let's break down what Oda just hinted at and why it has the potential to completely change everything we thought we knew about Brook.
Brook's royal connection confirmed in Elbaf arc
Gunko turns out to be a lost princess—and Brook may have once protected her
One Piece Chapter 1149 was the first time fans ever saw Gunko's hidden memories and found out that she used to be a princess who was kidnapped by the Celestial Dragons.
While her memories had been imprisoned by neuroconditioning, once Colon screamed for assistance, these sad recollections began returning to her consciousness.
In a wonderful meta moment, Gunko then dramatically reveals that he just figured out who Brook is and shouts his name:
"Brook? You're Brook, right?"
This single line confirmed what many fans had suspected—Brook and Gunko knew each other long before the story began, likely during a time when Brook served a mysterious kingdom as a battle convoy leader.
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Brook's hidden life before the rumbar pirates
He was more than just a pirate—Brook was a trained soldier with a noble mission
Before joining the Rumbar Pirates and eventually sailing to Laboon, Brook had been a soldier for an unknown kingdom. Though he was later remembered as a simple soldier, as a leader of a treasure convoy to support the royal family, he would have definitely been well-connected to the royal family.
Brook has already hinted at this in previous arcs, as he said on one occasion,
'Long ago, I served as the leader of the battle convoy of a certain kingdom.'
Gunko was the former princess of said kingdom, and Brook likely her bodyguard or court musician. This would explain both her nostalgia for him crooning and her original calling to be a pirate.
Gunko was taken by the celestial dragons
Her kingdom may have been destroyed—and Brook might have failed to save her
Gunko's flashbacks show her crying out for her father as she's dragged away—likely by the Celestial Dragons themselves or their agents. One whole kingdom decimated and maybe even entirely eradicated, this lends credence to the theory that her whole kingdom was massacred and driven to Brook, or at least, to few enough remaining to pass fable as folklore.
It's this heartbreaking experience that likely compelled Brook to leave his home country and eventually come on board with the Rumbar Pirates. Then he died, was resurrected with the power of the Yomi Yomi no Mi, and that all changed. He's lost nearly everything that once made him, him. Though resuscitation may have knocked his memory awake, if the needless death of his earthly form resuscitated it, the magnificent bond between him and Gunko is intact.
What happens next? Brook may face Gunko under Imu's control
Gunko is still brainwashed—and Luffy's crew must save her before it's too late
Gunko is indeed ultimately under the control of Imu, the shadowy figure that's been implied to be the ultimate wielder of power in the World Government. Brook's reunion with her is as heart wrenchingly tragic, because she can't fully escape the mind control just … Read more
Because Brook's music can heal the hearts and souls of lost children, perhaps only this healing gift can restore Gunko's lost, full memories and liberate her from Imu's malevolent control.
Luffy and the gang have to fight their way back to the surface and regroup.
When does One Piece chapter 1150 release?
The Elbaf arc seems set to begin in earnest in the One Piece chapter 1096 spoilers, and hopefully we'll continue to learn more about Brook and Gunko's connection. Here's when you can expect to see it, INDYCAR fans — can't wait to see you there!
Forthcoming in 2025 Official release date: June 1, 2025
Released in English on Manga Plus on May 31 (US/UK) early!
Japan Local Time : 12 AM JST Monday
Legally, you can read the entire chapter for free on Manga Plus.
Brook's backstory is bigger than we ever knew
With this last reveal, Brook finally changes from comic relief to tragic hero.
A warrior who once valiantly defended a kingdom, lost everything, and possibly in this new existence finally has a chance to rescue someone from his history.
Outside of that, this potential arc has all the makings of being one of the most emotional, and thus most powerful, components of the final One Piece saga, and anime fans can't help but be excited to see how Oda builds off this moment in the chapters to come.
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