Summary:
About 50 years ago, the Rumbar Pirates left young Laboon in the care of Crocus at the ascent of Reverse Mountain. Brook, the crew’s musician at the time, promised the whale that they would sail around the world and come back for him.
Some time later, the wreckage of Brook’s ship floats aimlessly in the Florian Triangle. Resurrected by his Yomi Yomi no Mi Devil Fruit powers, but not before his body disintegrates into a skeleton, Brook gathers the remains of the rest of his crew. The last skeleton he keeps in the hold is that of Mizuta Madaisuki. They place all the skulls in a separate casket. He remembers an earlier day when they had to deal with particularly nasty weather, including water spouts. They regrouped in the galley where Brook prepared to play the violin to cheer up the crew. Brook is startled as he walks past the mirror and confirms that he has indeed revived his skeleton. He recalls a situation where Yorki punished two crewmen who were arguing over what was almost friendly fire during a battle. Yorki punches a crewman who is almost shot, telling him that the pain is a reminder that he is still alive. During one night, Brook wonders how Laboon is doing and Yorki chides him for being overly sentimental. Later, they celebrate a victory over the Marines, which earns Yorki another increase in his bounty.
Brook’s wandering leads him to the steering wheel. While humming “Binks’ Sake” under her breath, she spins the wheel. It shows that the broken rudder does not move. In another flashback, it is revealed that the crew is worried about Yorki’s illness. It turns out he contracted an infectious disease on a recent jungle island and infected ten other crew members. The ship’s doctor says he doesn’t know the disease and it could kill the crew if Yorki and the other infected aren’t evacuated. They land on another island, where Yorki orders the able-bodied crew to abandon the original ship and get a new one. He and the other sick crew members would then attempt to return to West Blue via the Tranquil Belt. Brook is the last to leave Yorki’s side. Yorki takes Brook’s hand and asks for the ship to be sent to their favorite song.
Ten years after he originally joined the Grand Line, Brook is doing his best to have fun. He rolls up and down the deck of the ship, working on his “45 degree” trick. As he sleeps, he dreams that he is back on the ship, with the entire crew, including Yorki. But when he falls flat on his face, he snaps out of his dream and returns to his lonely reality of being stranded as a skeleton on a wrecked ship in the Florian Triangle. He looks through the broken kitchen and sees his piano. He remembers the day he wondered if Yorki had made it safely through the Belt of Tranquility. As their journey continues, Brook eventually gets a reward for himself. Of course, they sing wherever they go, no matter what situation they are in. The scene returns to Thriller Bark in the present, where Brook plays for the Thriller Bark Victims Association and the Straw Pirates.
Brook stops playing and takes a moment to remove the bandage from his head. Opening his skull, shocking Usopp and Sanji, he pulls out a tone dial and sets it to the piano. He says it’s very rare, but Luffy says they found out about the Dials on Skypiea. Brook says he has the Tone Dial in his body at all times and plans to play it for Laboon when he completes his journey. He tells Usopp that the Tone Dial carries a song, a message to Laboon that the crew was happy until the end of their journey. Brook asks if he can play the Tone Dial and Luffy says he should. Brook reaches for the tone dial.
In another flashback, Brook’s ship is destroyed. The Rumbar Pirates have been decimated by an unknown enemy in the Florian Triangle. The crew discovers that the enemy has used poisoned weapons against them; those still alive will not be around for long. The crew is worried about Laboon and one crew member questions Brook’s Yomi Yomi no Mi abilities. Brook says he’s never died yet, but he suddenly gets an idea. He finds the Tone Dial the crew bought. He suggests that if they die, why not die happy? He says they should sing one last time and record it on the Tone Dial. If Yomi Yomi no Mi works and he is revived, he will find a way to deliver the Tone Dial to Laboon.
As the song is recorded in the past, it is played in the present. Lola gets everyone singing and dancing again. Brook plays the piano to the tune as he hears the Rumbar Pirates sing “Binks’ Sake”. In the present, the crowd gathered at Thriller Bark is singing a song. A scene in the past is shown where the Rumbar Pirates play a song for the Laboons who even chirp along to the song. Another flashback shows Brook singing it alone during his solitude after his awakening. As they record it, the Rumbar Pirates die one by one, but they all sing to their last breath and die smiling. Brook tearfully counts down the last four in musical terms until he’s the last one left. “What’s going on? Now it’s just a quartet… a trio… a duet… a solo. Why? Only the accompaniment remains…” But as he plays the piano alone until his death, he remembers the original mission from Rumbar Pirates , bringing joy to children through their music and the promise he made to Laboon. He has a smile on his face when he finally succumbs and dies.
Back in the present, entertaining the Straw Hats and Thriller Bark, Brook decides to finally keep his promise to Laboon and return to him.