Summary:
While Doflamingo continues to control Riku Doldo III, his subordinates manage to take control of the castle with the help of an inside spy who has also taken Princess Viola hostage. King Riku begs for death because people trust him to pieces and his spirit is broken. Doflamingo then appears with his strongest subordinates and defeats the king and his army, setting the stage for his takeover of the island.
After telling the Straw Pirates about the tragedies of the past, Thunder Soldier explains that the King is still alive because Viola promised her service to Doflamingo in exchange for the King’s life. He also explained that although the Dressrosa toys were once people who despised Doflamingo, they still remember who they were, but not each other, and that the desire for revolution is still within them.
In the underground chamber, almost all the warriors except for Riku and Chinjao were transformed, with the latter mysteriously forgetting that he had grandchildren.
At the Colosseum, Luffy meets Zoro and Kin’emon with the help of Bartolomeo, although he was nowhere to be seen.
Long summary
The citizens of Dressrosa plead with their king to stop attacking his own people, saying that the least he can do is spare their lives after they so willingly gave him all their money. The officers in the palace are at a loss as to what to do. One of them states that the king looked strange when he left the palace, but he never imagined that he would do something so terrible. Another officer believes the problem is no longer an internal matter and orders the Marines to be called. He is told that Captain Vergo is on his way as Dold’s daughter looks on nervously. She then notices that it is snowing and asks Monet what she is doing when she opened the palace door without permission. Addressing the woman as Princess Viola, Monet just laughs and says that if the princess knew how to use her Senrigan properly, she would know that by opening the gate, Monet was welcoming the new royal family. The guards report a fire in the east tower and claim that pirates have invaded the palace and that Viola has been captured. Monet is then seen holding Viola hostage as several prominent members of the Donquixote Pirates’ ship sail through the gate. The guards try to stop them and order Monet to let the princess go. Giolla simply jokes that he’ll have something to do for them, while Lao G says more bluntly that they need to clean up the palace.
Meanwhile, King Riku’s rampage continues. The king laments the atrocities he is committing and begs someone to kill him. Citizens and guards alike are in tears over the acts committed. People wonder why the king is doing this now when he has always been such a benevolent ruler. The people then start cursing Riku’s name, calling their king human trash. The army rushes through the streets towards a man on the ground tending to a wounded woman. Another man yells at him to run, but the first man just calls out for help. Just before the guards can get to him, three large feet appear and kick them away. Someone asks who they are and Donquijote Doflamingo, sitting on top of Diamante, Trebol and Pica, states that they are there to save the earth and then introduces himself. The people are shocked that the pirates of all people come to save them even though they defeated Riku’s army. Doflamingo secretly wishes people would accept the ongoing violence. After kicking Riku off his horse, Doflamingo orders Trebolo, Diamante, and Pico to get rid of the people that make this land so toxic. People start cheering for Doflamingo as Thunder Soldier ends the flashback and explains how Doflamingo took over in a single night.
Usopp comments that the story is something only seen in nightmares. Robin comments on how cunning Doflamingo really is, while a crying Franky calls his actions unforgivable. Gancho sadly admits that at the time the dwarves believed Riku was evil as well, saying how ashamed he was for doubting the king. Usopp then concludes that Riku was probably framed for his war crimes and executed, but the Thunder Soldier tells him that in fact the king is still alive. He explains that Doflamingo really liked Viola’s ability, which Viola used to her advantage and made a deal with him. She will follow his orders until he kills her father. She now serves as Doflamingo’s subordinate, working on his executive staff under the name Violet. The soldier adds that the king is still alive somewhere in the country thanks to her. But no one can know the suffering she and her father went through. He adds that the same goes for the loyalist soldiers involved. Robin asks if they were executed, and Thunder Soldier replies that some were, while others now and then declared their loyalty to Doflamingo and became his bodyguard. The Franks are angry with the soldiers for their disloyalty. A brief flashback shows Doflamingo freeing the soldiers, saying they were under orders from the king, and asking the people if he could accept them as subordinates. Thunder Soldier adds that he also made a tough decision. He explains that those who were killed and those who defected make up only a small part of the country’s military.
The soldier goes on to say that he too should have lost his memories, asking Franky if he remembered what he saw in the city and recalling their conversation with the Milo toy. He explains that while the toys retain their memories, everyone around them completely forgets their existence. The soldier declares it Dressrosa’s greatest tragedy, and it’s even worse for those who are toys. Robin asks if that means some of the toys have forgotten who they are. And the soldier tells her that she is right. He goes on to say that all who become toys remember their hatred for Doflamingo. Doflamingo might put those with rebellious ideas in the shadows, but for the same reason, he also prepares a powder keg ready to explode. Key to the dwarves’ strategy is the number of tragedies caused by Doflamingo. Franky realizes that the plan is to tip the battle in their favor by having every toy rebel and fight them. Usopp interrupts and reminds them that their goal is to destroy the factory, after which they can banish Doflamingo from the country. Usopp tries to win Robin over, but she declares Doflamingo’s actions unforgivable.
Leo begins to rally the troops and says that what happened this morning can only be seen as a call for war, adding that it cannot be a coincidence that “Usoland” arrived when it did and it is a sign from above that now they fought Upon further investigation, Usopp learns that the event from this morning that Leo is talking about is Doflamingo’s fake resignation. The army saw it as a miracle, only to find that the newspaper had carried a false report that dashed their hopes. It was then that they decided to end their oppression on this day. Usopp, Robin, and Franky look at them in shock, all mentally apologizing for their actions.
Moving to the scrapyard below the Colosseum, Riku talks to Chinjao and says he heard the pirate left, but he’s still in charge of his fleet. Chinjao replies that he needs someone to inherit the Happo Navy as he has no grandchildren. Riku notes that no one has it easy these days, thinking to himself that there was something uncomfortable about Chinjao’s statement as he remembered the same feeling ten years ago. While they are talking to each other, Boo, Abdullah and Jeet are all transformed into toys. Outside the building, Luffy calls out and laughs at Zoro and Kin’emon through the window.