'One Piece' Latest Chapter Teases A Forgotten Character

The popular manga One Piece by Eiichiro Oda released the latest Chapter 1054 on July 24, 2022, with an appearance from Shanks. However, the twist in the tale is he doesn’t plan on meeting Luffy, for whom he has been a mentor for a long. That wasn’t the only character reference in the manga that came as a surprise for the fans. Who was it? Read on to find out more.

Shanks Heads Over To Find The One Who Burned His Flag

One Piece Chapter 1054, titled ‘Flame Emperor,’ saw Shanks changing his plans to attend an urgent business in their territory. Apparently, this urgent business was to track down someone who had burned down one of their flags. This person then replaced them with the ones that represent Luffy’s domain.

[Source: YouTube]

As per the manga, the flag was burned and replaced by Bartolomeo from the Dressrosa Arc. However, one thing that has fans in circles is the fact that Bartolomeo has been absent from the manga for quite some time. Moreover, it is unclear as to what he was doing in Shanks’ territory to begin with. The last time he appeared in the manga was when he dropped off Luffy and co. on Zou. Although his presence was covered in One Piece, it isn’t in situations that most fans would remember.

**When Did Bartolomeo Last Appear In The One Piece Manga?**

Bartolomeo’s story wasn’t shown in the manga properly but rather via cover images that appeared between Chapters 869 and 875. The story was actually a separate anthology titled ‘The Stories of the Self-Proclaimed Straw Hat Grand Fleet.’ This miniseries told stories from key members of the Straw Hat Grand Fleet, such as Hajrudin and Cavendish. In the story’s The Bartolomeo arc chapter, the character starts creating trouble in Shanks’ territory.

[Source: YouTube]

Each cover picture narrated a different section of the story. In Chapter 869, titled ‘Castling,’ the cover showed the Going Luffy-senpai, the Barto Club’s ship arriving at an unnamed island. As per CBR.com, they even announced their intent to initiate a ruckus.

In One Piece Chapter 870, titled ‘Parting,’ the character was seen standing over the baddest member in the port and burning down a building. In the same chapter, other gangsters in the area raised a white flag to surrender after Bartolomeo’s attack.

[Source: YouTube]

Next, he was seen distributing Straw Hat merchandise to the gangsters he had just conquered. In the following chapters, Bartolomeo realizes that the town he wishes to conquer is under Shanks’ protection. This was when he burned down the flag, much to the townspeople’s horror.

**Will Bartolomeo Be A Part Of The Upcoming One Piece Episodes?**

It is probably this arc that has been discussed in the latest One Piece chapter. As Shanks heads to confront Bartolomeo after he burnt down his flag, it is unclear how their interaction will follow through in the upcoming episodes. As is evident from Bartolomeo’s actions, he isn’t aware of the connection between Luffy and Shanks. To him, it is just an act of disrespecting another emperor, but this might call for unnecessary violence.

[Source: YouTube]

It isn’t a surprise that fans do not remember Bartolomeo at this point in the story. His story arc premiered way back in 2017 and hasn’t ever appeared again until now in Chapter 1054.

Do you think fans would see more of Bartolomeo in Episode 1055? Do you think Shanks will put Bartolomeo in his place and retain his dominance? And finally, do not forget to watch One Piece‘s anime adaptation on Netflix. Share your thoughts in the comments!