The Captain and The Lord: What One Piece Teaches Us About Following Jesus (Franky)

Franky: Forgiveness that Frees Us from our Shame

Water 7 and Enies Lobby were already a wealth of character growth in the world of One Piece. Usopp faced his deepest fears and found restoration with his friends. Robin learned how she could put real faith and trust in others. But there was one more character whose journey unfolded during this storyline: Straw Hat #8, “Cyborg” Franky.

Like Robin, Franky was alive during the time of the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger. Unlike Robin, who was raised outside the Grand Line in Ohara, Franky grew up in Water 7, where Roger passed through on his final voyage. Known then as “Cutty Flam,” Franky’s deepest desire was to build a “Dream Ship” that could traverse any sea and reach the end of the Grand Line. He was mentored by Tom, the shipwright of Roger’s Oro Jackson—the only ship to ever reach that final island. Tom would become a father to Franky and to his fellow apprentice, Iceberg.

Franky loved building ships. As a teenager he constructed his “Battle Franky” vessels, heavily armed creations meant to hunt Sea Kings. He delighted in arming his battleships—but that same passion would lead to decades of shame when the evil of the world perverted his creations.

Perversion of the Creative Spirit

Spandam, the architect of Robin’s capture, sought power through the ancient battleship Pluton. Its sole blueprints had been safeguarded in Water 7 for centuries—passed down so that, if the original resurfaced, another could be built to counter it. Tom was their current protector.

Tom stood trial for building the Oro Jackson. To save his life and bless his city, he proposed the Sea Train—a railway with tracks that could float on the water and connect neighboring islands, including Enies Lobby. With viable travel and trade, Water 7 could recover from its financial slump, and for ten years his sentence was suspended so he, Franky, and the other workers could create the Puffing Tom.

But Spandam was crafty. Leading Cipher Pol 5, he stole Franky’s ships and used them to sink a government vessel, framing Franky—and by extension Tom—for treason. Rather than allow Spandam to win, Tom used the pardon he earned to take responsibility for the Battle Frankies attack, reinstating his original sentence.

Distraught, Franky disowned his creations, claiming they were no longer his. Tom broke free long enough to strike him—the only time he had ever struck Franky—and impart one final lesson before being taken away. For Christians, it is a strong reflection of how our Creator views us, even when we stumble and fail:

“I don’t care what kind of ships you choose to build, but even if those ships are built to hurt someone, or even if they destroy the world, at least the one who created them must love them!”

Tom was taken away aboard the Puffing Tom itself. Franky tried to stop it with brute strength, but was run over by the train. Surviving by rebuilding himself as a cyborg, he lived on—but under the weight of shame. He quit building ships, suppressing the gift he once loved, and would not touch a hammer for eight years.

A Slave to Shame

Returning to Water 7 and officially adopting the name “Franky,” he gathered society’s castoffs just as Tom had once taken him in. The Franky Family became a found family of former criminals who protected the city as bounty hunters. Franky became their adored “big brother.”

Iceberg—now city mayor—discovered Franky was alive. Though still angered by the past, he ultimately entrusted him with the Pluton blueprints. In time, that anger gave way to relief that his friend had survived.

Eight years later, Spandam—now leading CP9—captured Franky alongside Nico Robin. Once again Pluton was within reach.

During the battle at Enies Lobby, Franky saw Luffy’s determination to save Robin. Learning she had no desire to resurrect the ancient weapons for evil, he revealed the blueprints hidden within his cyborg body. Taunting Spandam that eight years of effort were about to amount to nothing, Franky burned the plans in front of him.

“If the Straw Hats win, you’ll be left with nothing at all.”

He made a bet of faith—that with Luffy protecting Robin, that dark future would never come to pass.

After the Straw Hats’ victory, Franky revealed he had spent their stolen treasure to purchase Adam Wood, the strongest timber in the world. In an effort to make things right, he offered to build them his final ship—the “Dream Ship” he had promised Tom he would one day create—a vessel capable of conquering the Grand Line. He would entrust both his ship and dream to them.

The shipwrights of the world-famous Galley-La came to assist in the construction. Even Iceberg came out of his shipwright retirement to help. They created a glorious ship with a lion figurehead per Franky’s design. He was annoyed when everyone mistook its mane for the sun—but the name fit either way: Thousand Sunny. Fitting for a crew who would one day inherit the will of those seeking to “bring the dawn” to the world’s darkness.

In Franky’s mind, the debt was paid. The promise to Tom was fulfilled. He would return to Water 7. The Straw Hats would sail away.

But The Captain did not just want a ship.

He wanted the shipwright.

Turning Shame into Praise

The Captain was fully accepting of the ship—but he saw more in Franky. He wanted him as well, not just his craftsmanship, and would do everything he could to convince Franky to join.

Franky believed his place was in Water 7—protecting the Franky Family, atoning for Tom’s death. Though he built the Sunny, he claimed it would be the last ship he ever made and denied that he was even a shipwright.

But Iceberg saw through him. He remembered the day Franky spoke of his Dream Ship. It was never just about building it—it was about sailing it, caring for it, and seeing it reach the end of its voyage. Iceberg understood what truly kept Franky in Water 7.

“Everything you’re doing on this island right now is atonement. You’re still regretting that Tom was taken that day because of you.

But Tom had already forgiven you… You quit building ships, which was your favorite thing to do, and have lived suppressing yourself.

Isn’t it about time for you to forgive yourself, Franky? Isn’t it about time for you to start living for your own dream?”

This scene reminds us how powerful forgiveness is for healing. As Christians, Jesus offers forgiveness for whatever defined our past lives and invites us into fresh starts each day. Yet sometimes, like Franky, it is hard to accept that forgiveness.

The apostle Peter struggled with this after Jesus was resurrected. He had not forgotten the night when—just as Franky denied being the builder of his Battle Frankies—Peter denied even knowing Jesus three times. He heard the rooster crow and met Jesus’ eyes, and shame drove him away.

One of Jesus’ first acts after the resurrection was restoring Peter publicly. Three times He asked:

“Do you love me? … Feed my sheep.”

And then:

“When you were younger, you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old… someone else will lead you where you do not want to go.” … Then he said to him, “Follow me!”
(John 21:18–19)

Peter was forgiven. But forgiveness was not the end. He was called forward—led where he did not want to go.

So too Luffy called Franky away from safety, away from penance, away from Water 7.

“Now, come on board, Franky!”

Franky would live out his calling from that day on, waiting to bring the ship he had made to its final destination. Free of shame, he finally had the chance to finish his race and trust that this ship would not carry pain—but would bring the sun wherever it sailed.

Part 9: Brook: A Covenant Brought to Fulfillment, Thanks to The Captain’s Strength