Gecko Moria
Gecko Moria is a Shichibukai who resides under the main mast of Thriller Bark and commands an army of zombies created from stolen shadows. He serves as captain of the Thriller Bark Pirates with a former bounty of 320 million Beri and seeks strong shadows from wanted posters to build powerful obedient forces after losing living nakama. Moria is known for targeting warriors to animate zombies and for his ambition to become Pirate King using an army of the dead.
Moria initiates night attacks and greets intruders in the grand hall while directing Oz through shadow control. He distrusts other Shichibukai such as Kuma and discusses government matters including the replacement of Crocodile by Blackbeard. Later events show Moria escaping imprisonment and appearing at Beehive island to confront Teach over Absalom.
Appearance
Gecko Moria wears a tall wide-brimmed hat and long dark coat with visible buttons while holding a massive sword in his right hand and a large cannon-like gun in his left. His towering central silhouette dominates panels against a starry night sky with a dramatic low-angle composition that emphasizes his massive scale over tiny soldiers below.1
Moria appears in a checkered outfit with bat-wing collar and horned hat while raising oversized scissors overhead in the grand arched hall. His stitched face shows horns and a furious expression with motion lines during confrontations.2
Personality
Gecko Moria laughs with the sound kishi shishi-shishi when welcoming arrivals and states his motto to rely on others for personal objectives. He prefers undead forces after losing living nakama and vows to become Pirate King again using an army of the dead.34
Moria expresses distrust toward Kuma and accuses him of ominous plotting while questioning his government ties. He calls Kuma the only Shichibukai who danced for the government and reacts with recognition when learning the government has acknowledged Blackbeard.5
Abilities and powers
Gecko Moria possesses the Kage Kage no Mi Devil Fruit and is armed with both sword and gun. He extracts shadows such as Luffy's to use for special zombie creation and activates Shadow Revolution on Oz to reshape the body by altering the shadow.678
Moria uses Brick Bat as a defensive counter and commands shadows of Thriller Bark to become his strength. He absorbs all zombie shadows on the island and counts incoming shadows reaching one thousand while his body expands with gathered darkness.94
History
Thriller Bark arrival
Gecko Moria first appears before zombies at midnight on Thriller Bark where he resides under the main mast. He targets strong warriors for their shadows and collaborates with Doctor Hogback to create zombies using stolen shadows.106
Kuma meeting
Relationships
Doctor Hogback met Gecko Moria who became his master and joined Moria's ship specifically to revive Cindry as a zombie under his control. Hogback notes Moria cannot revive the dead but can animate zombies using shadows.123
Moria directs zombie horde against Luffy and plans to use Luffy's shadow on Oz while taunting about creating more zombies from battlefield deaths. Perona later learns from a newspaper that Gecko Moria is alive and cries out asking what happened to Moria-sama.1314
Moria meets Bartholomew Kuma inside Thriller Bark's ruined hall and snaps at him while demanding to know his business. Moria mocks Kuma as the only Shichibukai who danced for the government and distrusts his motives as ominous.15
Moria appears at Beehive island in the New World demanding to meet Teach and yells that his order was not heard. Absalom makes a public entrance calling for Moria while Shiryu confirms Gecko Moria's location and a man in a spotted hat warns Pizarro that Gecko Moria is a former Warlord present on the island.1617
Major battles
Gecko Moria stands before a massive frozen form in a grand chamber and initiates action in a ruined chamber with a giant zombie present. He binds Luffy's shadow and issues zombie contract commands while his subordinates react with visible fear and flee across the chamber floor during the breakout.1819
Moria meets Bartholomew Kuma inside Thriller Bark's ruined hall and expresses distrust toward Kuma's motives while discussing turning targets into zombies. Oz remains controlled by Moria from within as Moria stays inside Oz during the confrontation and his shadow stretches across the floor with dramatic shading.2021
Moria emerges from underground rubble and recognizes Straw Hat involvement while Luffy directly confronts him about the voyage obstruction. Moria claims the New World is unreachable for the crew and declares no need to wake him as he stands high on Oars's broken body.2223
Moria directs a zombie horde against Luffy and plans to use Luffy's shadow on Oars while taunting about creating more zombies from battlefield deaths. He laughs with the sound kishi shishi-shishi and orders his zombies to capture Strawhat.2425