During the 28 years of One Piece’s serialization, the manga has introduced countless new characters. Most of them don’t even appear for years, but still remain fan-favorites because of their roles in the story. Luffy has a knack for bringing out the best in people, no matter who they are. During the Alabasta Saga, he met Bentham, famously known as Bon Clay, who worked for the Warlord Crocodile. The first meeting between Bon Clay and the Straw Hat Pirates was hilarious and somewhat chaotic, but it didn’t take long for the truth to be revealed. They were only enemies for a brief period before Bon Clay sacrificed himself to save Luffy and the others.
Luffy reunites with his ally in the Impel Down Arc, and the two once again stand against the villains together. Again, Bon Clay doesn’t hesitate to sacrifice himself for the second time as long as Luffy can save his older brother, Portgas D. Ace, from execution. Even though he hasn’t appeared since then, he still holds a special place in the One Piece fandom for all he did to help the protagonist. August 15th is Bon Clay’s birthday, and the official X handle of the One Piece portal site shares a special art to hype up the character. In the visual, Bon Clay is donning his iconic swan outfit, which he used to wear during his time working as Mr. 2 in the Baroque Works.
What Happened to Bon Clay in One Piece?
Bon Clay stayed behind while disguised as Magellan, to help Luffy pass through the Gates of Justice. It was the only way for Luffy, Jinbe, and the others to escape, but it would also mean that Bon Clay wouldn’t be able to survive. Although he didn’t want Luffy to find out, Jinbe couldn’t keep silent knowing it was unfair to both of them. Jinbe also gave Luffy a baby Transponder Snail. On the other side of the line, Bon Clay was facing the real Magellan and awaiting justice at his hands. The friends bid a tearjerking farewell to each other before Bon Clay disappeared from the story, leaving his fate unknown.
However, about three years later since his disappearance, the cover story of One Piece Chapter 666 revealed that Bon Clay miraculously survived that day. He is now the new queen of Newkama Land in Impel Down, Level 5.5. He is seen dancing in front of his followers, wearing his swan outfit, instead of the one meant for the prisoners in Impel Down.
Chapter 666 was part of the manga’s 19th cover story, From the Decks of the World, where Eiichiro Oda draws short, serial narratives featured on the title pages of manga chapters, focusing on characters after their encounters with the Straw Hat Pirates. The cover featured one character in each installment, and only Chapter 666 was dedicated to Bon Clay. The character, despite his popularity, has yet to make an appearance in the manga again, even though it has been more than a decade.
H/T: @OPcom_info on X
