One Piece SBS 113: Oda Confirms Major Theory About Franky and Queen
Eiichiro Oda, the genius behind One Piece, is well-known for hiding some of the most intriguing details of his world in the SBS (Shitsumon o Boshū Suru?, or “I’m Taking Questions”) and official data books. However, with the release of Volume 113 of the SBS, Oda surpassed himself, turning a bold yet popular fan theory into a semi-official confirmation, all while maintaining his signature humor.
In response to a fan’s direct question, “Are Franky and Queen father and son?” Oda’s reply was almost comedic in its surprise: “Eh…!!! (Oh no… They must have seen it in the One Piece Encyclopedia – Vivre Card: the year Queen’s son was born corresponds to the year Franky was born! And the year Queen abandoned his son matches the year Franky was adopted by Tom!! It would be strange if the readers know something that the characters themselves don’t know… I need to come up with an excuse…!) N… No, they aren’t…!!!”
This clumsy bluff only serves to confirm what astute fans had already suspected: Queen, the brilliant (and grotesque) commander of Kaido’s crew, is almost certainly Franky’s biological father, the shipwright of the Straw Hat Pirates, whose real name is Cutty Flam.
The Overwhelming Evidence: A Chronological and Scientific Puzzle
The connection between the towering sauropod cyborg and the brilliant shipbuilder of the Thousand Sunny isn’t based solely on physical similarities (though there are some, especially in their eccentric poses), but rather on a perfect chronological overlap revealed by the Vivre Card data books and emphasized by Oda himself. To break it down: thirty-six years before the current storyline, Queen had a son, and Franky, now thirty-six years old, fits this timeline perfectly.
When Franky was ten years old, his parents abandoned him in Water Seven, where he was later taken in by Tom. At the same time, about twenty-six years before the events we are following, Queen abandoned his son to join Kaido’s crew. Coincidences? Not for Oda. But the similarities don’t stop with the timeline. The past of MADS, the criminal scientific group to which Queen was a founding member, alongside giants of science like Vegapunk and Vinsmoke Judge, and their obsession with cyborg technology, all add layers to this connection.
Despite the compelling evidence, Oda’s playful confirmation keeps one critical element intact: the two characters haven’t recognized (or admitted) their familial connection during the Wano arc, where they even fought indirectly. This can be explained in several ways, such as Franky’s extreme cybernetic modifications that made him unrecognizable, Franky’s strong rejection of his biological parents, and Queen’s apparent indifference, as revealed by his actions, indicating he is a neglectful father.
The Revelation: Deepening Franky’s Backstory
This revelation, linking a member of Luffy’s crew to one of Wano’s major antagonists, and indirectly connecting him to the world’s elite scientific community (MADS), adds incredible depth to Franky’s backstory. He is not just an orphaned shipwright but the son of one of the most dangerous scientific minds. This heritage provides a clearer explanation of his “super” talent for technology and his destined role in the world of One Piece.
