ONE PIECE Analysis! – The True Identity of Man Marked by Flames (Burn Scar, Hinokizu)! Is His True Identity the Eyepatch Pirate? Is the Woman marked by Burn Scar Imu? A Descendant of Rocks? (Hinokizu, Burn Scar, marked by Flames)
“ONE PIECE” is known for being a manga filled with foreshadowing. Even now, more than 25 years after its serialization began, new foreshadowing elements continue to be introduced.
For example, in Chapter 1056 of ONE PIECE, a mysterious character referred to as the “Man marked by Flames” was introduced. Eustass Kid was the first to mention the term “Hinokizu (Burn Scar) no Otoko” (Man with the Burn Scar), and since this character had not appeared before, it has become a hot topic in the ONE PIECE community.
Therefore, this time, I will thoroughly analyze the “shocking identity of the Man marked by Flames.”
Is the “Man marked by Flames” the owner of the “Final Road Poneglyph”?
First, let’s consider the true identity of the “Man marked by Flames.” Why has this character garnered so much attention as we approach the end of “ONE PIECE”?
The “Man marked by Flame” is said to be the owner of the “Final Road Poneglyph.” The other Road Poneglyphs were held by “Wano Country,” “Big Mom,” and “Kaido,” but as of April 2023, only Luffy, Kid, and Law possess three of them.
ONE PIECE Eiichiro Oda / VIZ Media LLC
To reach Laugh Tale, where the ONE PIECE is hidden, one must find the point where the locations indicated by the four Road Poneglyphs intersect. In other words, without obtaining the final Road Poneglyph, no one can reach Laugh Tale.
Therefore, it is clear that the “Man with the Burn Scar” is a crucial character in the Egghead arc involving Vegapunk and beyond. Perhaps we should already refer to this as the Laugh Tale arc.
Why does the “Man marked by Flames” possess the final Road Poneglyph? And why does he not aim for Laugh Tale himself?
What are the characteristics of the “Man marked by Flames”?
Next, let’s analyze the characteristics of the “Man marked by Flames.”
The “Man marked by Flames” is said to ride a “jet-black ship,” as mentioned by Laffitte of the Blackbeard Pirates. Considering Shiryu’s comment about “suspecting he’s a government man,” it remains unclear whether this jet-black ship is a pirate ship or a Marines warship.
Additionally, from the description of “engulfing enemy ships in a giant whirlpool,” it is almost certain that the “Man marked by Flames” is a Devil Fruit user. If we assume he has the ability to manipulate seawater or wind, he might possess a Logia-type Devil Fruit.
ONE PIECE Eiichiro Oda / VIZ Media LLC
Furthermore, in a conversation with Kuzan, Vasco Shot remarked, “Your scar is still fresh!” This implies that the scars on the “Man marked by Flames” are old. If the scars were inflicted decades ago, the current age of the “Man marked by Flames” might be in his 60s or 70s.
ONE PIECE Eiichiro Oda / VIZ Media LLC
Reasons Why Shanks, Kuzan, and Sabo Are Not the “Man marked by Flames”
Initially, characters with facial scars like “Red-Haired Shanks,”“Kuzan (Aokiji),” and “Sabo” were speculated to be the “Man marked by Flames.” However, it has become clear that they do not meet most of the criteria and can be definitively excluded.
For instance, it is confirmed that “Kuzan” is not the “Man marked by Flames” based on conversations with the Blackbeard Pirates. As a former Admiral, he did not seem to have detailed knowledge about the Road Poneglyphs. Similarly, regarding the Void Century, it appears that information is more tightly controlled on the Marines side.
Additionally, Kuzan‘s friend “Jaguar D. Saul” is currently in Elbaf protecting the books from Ohara. However, he is unlikely to be a Devil Fruit user, which suggests he can also be excluded. Although it is possible that new information might be added later, if Saul were a Devil Fruit user, it is unclear why he couldn’t counter Kuzan.
Could the “Man marked by Flames” be Dragon?
Given his storm-related abilities, it is highly suspicious that the “Man marked by Flames” might be “Monkey D. Dragon” of the Revolutionary Army, who seeks to overthrow the World Government.
However, since the Revolutionary Army’s ship, the Viento Granma, is not painted black, it seems unlikely that Dragon is the “Man marked by Flames.” Although the figure version of the Viento Granma appears to be painted black, I am basing my judgment solely on information from the manga.
ONE PIECE Eiichiro Oda / VIZ Media LLC
The reason is that Oda does not necessarily oversee every detail in the figures or the anime. There are often many adjustments made later even in the manga. I highly doubt that Oda checks every minor depiction in the figures or the anime.
Moreover, the Revolutionary Army clashed with the Blackbeard Pirates at Baltigo and was defeated. If Dragon were the “Man marked by Flames,” it would be impossible for Teach and his crew not to notice. The final Road Poneglyph would likely be hidden in Baltigo, and if Dragon had the ability to easily sink ships, he wouldn’t have been outdone by the Blackbeard Pirates.
However, it is worth noting that a year ago, the Blackbeard Pirates and the Revolutionary Army had not yet clashed. So, it is just barely plausible that Kuzan did not know about Dragon’s existence in his flashback, but the condition of the black ship still raises doubts.
In other words, if Shanks were the “Man marked by Flames,” he would already have all four Road Poneglyphs. Considering Shanks‘ exceptional Haoshoku Haki, he might be able to turn the Red Force black using just his Haki, but he still seems unlikely to be the “Man marked by Flames.”
Therefore, narrowing down candidates based on age and the presence of old scars, it seems highly likely that the “Man marked by Flames” is a new character.
Who Gave the “Old Scars” and Who Confirmed Them?
There are some unnatural points to consider.
Firstly, despite no one having seen the face of the “Man marked by Flames,” Teach, Kid, and others already know about his “old scars,” which is visual information. The same goes for the black ship. This suggests that someone must have seen the “Man marked by Flames” and spread the rumor among pirates.
For instance, Trafalgar Law of the Worst Generation seemed to know about the “Man marked by Flames.” In contrast, the Straw Hat crew, including Nico Robin, seemed entirely unaware. Considering that even former Admirals did not know, it seems likely that the “Man marked by Flames” is on the pirate side.
ONE PIECE Eiichiro Oda / VIZ Media LLC
Does the “Man marked by Flames” Have a Connection with the Roger Pirates?
Moreover, it’s strange that there has not been any depiction of even his silhouette. For example, when Rocks D. Xebec, who held world dominance over 40 years ago, was introduced during the Reverie arc, his silhouette was shown from the start.
ONE PIECE Eiichiro Oda / VIZ Media LLC
Why is there no depiction of the “Man marked by Flames” at all?
This suggests that even if he is a new character, he might be closely connected to an existing character. If he were the grandson, son, or brother of Rocks, it would be immediately obvious, which could explain why his silhouette hasn’t been shown.
Considering that he has “old scars” because someone inflicted them, the question arises: who is that “someone”? It’s likely to be someone already introduced in “ONE PIECE,” rather than a new character.
Given that the Roger Pirates reached Laugh Tale, it’s plausible that Gol D. Roger or Silvers Rayleigh might know something about the “Man marked by Flames.” Perhaps the “Man marked by Flames” was entrusted with something by Roger and his crew?
Is the “Woman marked by Flames” Imu?
On the other hand, there are characters whose faces have not yet been revealed, which means they could have scars on their faces or bodies.
The most prominent example is “Imu,” who reigns as the ruler of the world. We only know about Imu’s distinctive eyes, and the rest of their body is hidden by a cloak, so their body shape and potential scars remain unknown. It wouldn’t be surprising if Imu had old scars somewhere on their body.
ONE PIECE Eiichiro Oda / VIZ Media LLC
Additionally, Imu is speculated to have “sea-related powers,” which adds to the possibility of being the “Man marked by Flames.” If the true identity were a pirate, they would likely be referred to as the “Pirate with the Burn Scar.” The term “Man marked by Flames” could indicate that this person is actually a high-ranking figure within the World Government.
There’s also the hypothesis that Imu might be female, which raises the possibility that the “Man marked by Flames” could actually be the “Woman marked by Flames.”
Could the “Man marked by Flames” be the Eyepatch Pirate?
Oda has previously mentioned that an “Eyepatch Pirate” would appear only once.
If the “Man marked by Flames” is this pirate, it would differ from my initial theories. If the eyepatch hides an old scar, it might imply that this person cannot withstand sunlight, hinting that “Sun God Nika” could have inflicted the scar on their eye.
Given that the eyepatch pirate is supposed to appear only once, Oda’s original plans might have evolved, making this hypothesis plausible. There’s also the hypothesis of Imu being an immortal Dracula-like figure, who avoids sunlight and stays confined to Pangaea Castle. However, the eyepatch pirate hypothesis seems more likely. It also raises the question of why Imu would possess only one Road Poneglyph.
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