Latest One Piece revelation about Gecko Moria gives more insight into Thriller Bark's origin

Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece has always been a series thriving on long-term storytelling, shocking reveals, and subtle foreshadowing that often pays off years, sometimes even decades, after a character first appears. The latest revelation surrounding Gecko Moria, one of the series’ earliest Warlords of the Sea, is a perfect example of this tradition.

As per recent spoilers from Chapter 1158, Gecko Moria has been revealed to possess Kozuki blood, making him a potential relative of Kozuki Oden and, by extension, the uncle of Momonosuke and Hiyori. This shocking twist doesn’t just reshape Moria’s personal legacy; it also sheds light on the origin of Thriller Bark and why his story has always been intertwined with the shadow of Kaido.

When Gecko Moria first appeared in the Thriller Bark arc, he was portrayed as a grotesque, lazy Warlord obsessed with shadows and zombies. At the time, he seemed like the weakest of the Warlords, beaten rather decisively by Luffy despite wielding the dangerous Shadow-Shadow Fruit. But this characterization was deliberate misdirection.

Oda framed Moria as a man who had once been great but lost his drive after a catastrophic defeat by Kaido. His entire obsession with shadows and zombies was born from this failure. Moria wanted to create an immortal army, ensuring he would never suffer the same crushing defeat again. For years, fans took this at face value.

Now, however, with the Kozuki reveal, it is becoming clear that Moria’s ambitions may have been far more noble than we realized. Thriller Bark may not just have been a grotesque playground of corpses, but rather a desperate attempt to amass enough power to challenge Kaido once more, and perhaps even to liberate Wano.

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Thriller Bark revisited: A fortress born of Wano’s shadows

Thriller Bark always stood out in the story as an oddity. However, with the new revelations, Thriller Bark begins to make more sense. If Moria was truly a Kozuki, then Thriller Bark may have been modeled after Wano’s history with the dead.

Wano has always been deeply connected to graves, tombs, and shrines, the Kuri gravesite, the snowy land of Ringo, and the preservation of its fallen samurai. This cultural heritage could have influenced Moria’s fixation on corpses.

Moreover, Thriller Bark’s true purpose in One Piece may not have been random piracy. Instead, it may have been Moria’s staging ground for an eventual return to Wano. By amassing an undead army, he was preparing for the day he could challenge Kaido again and fulfill his family’s duty to protect the land.

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Why did the World Government want Moria dead in One Piece?

Another longstanding mystery in One Piece is why the World Government ordered Moria’s execution after the Marineford War. Doflamingo was sent to either kill or recruit him, with the excuse being that Moria was “too weak” to remain a Warlord. But this reasoning never made sense; several other Warlords had worse track records yet were not targeted.

With the Kozuki reveal, however, the truth becomes clearer. If Moria in One Piece truly carried Kozuki blood, then he was a potential threat to the World Government’s control of history. His knowledge of Poneglyphs, or even its possibility, would make him too dangerous to leave alive.

Some fan theories even suggest that Imu’s shadowy powers might be tied to the Shadow-Shadow Fruit itself, meaning Moria’s existence could directly threaten Imu’s secrets. This might explain why both Blackbeard and the Government showed such interest in him; his Devil Fruit and bloodline make him uniquely important to the final war.

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Cross Guild’s missing piece: Why Moria matters now?

The formation of the Cross Guild, Buggy, Crocodile, and Mihawk was one of the most shocking twists in the New World. A pirate organization combining brute strength, reputation, and cunning, it has already positioned itself as a major rival to the Yonko. But the group still has one critical weakness: They cannot read Poneglyphs.

This is where Moria comes in. If he truly is a Kozuki in One Piece, then his knowledge could fill the single greatest gap in the Cross Guild’s arsenal. Mihawk provides unmatched combat strength, Crocodile offers strategy and ambition, Buggy commands influence through fear and reputation, and Moria could give them the ability to navigate the path to Laugh Tale.

In many ways, Moria could be the most important member of the Cross Guild. His inclusion would transform them from a group of opportunists into legitimate contenders for the One Piece itself.

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Final thoughts

As the story of One Piece races toward its end, Gecko Moria might emerge as the very key to unlocking the final mysteries of the world. And if he truly joins the Cross Guild, then for the first time since his debut, Gecko Moria might finally live up to the potential Oda hinted at from the very beginning.