Warning: Spoilers for One Piece Episode 939, "The Straw Hats Run! Save the Captive Tonoyasu!" now streaming on Crunchyroll and Funimation.
Ever since Tonoyasu, the enigmatic patriarch of Ebisu Town who no one seems to recognize, was captured for thievery, the people of Wano have turned their eyes toward the execution of the eternally smiling figure. While at first it appeared he was the legendary thief Ushimitsu Kozo, this was a total fabrication. Kozo is a Robin Hood-esque figure who steals from the rich and gives to the poor at night. While Tonoyasu does take care of the poor, eternally smiling people of Ebisu, his true identity is a little more tied in to Wano's history.
Why did he lie? Upon hearing he had the phantom thief in his possession, the Shogun Orochi decided to broadcast Tonoyasu's execution throughout all of Wano. Tonoyasu wanted the public's eye on him, because he had a few powerful statements to give before passing on. These statements already appear to be inspiring mass riots and open rebellion throughout Wano.
Who is Tonoyasu?
It turns out Tonoyasu is actually Yasuie Shimotsuki, a stern daimyo who ruled the port city of Hakumai. He apparently was a stern but widely respected figure, especially by fellow former Daimyo Oden Kozuki. This revelation startles several of the key figures of the rebellion who at first didn't recognize "Yasu the Hedgehog" due to his perpetual smile. After all, Yasu back in the old days was a stern, unsmiling figure.
To the people of Ebisu Town and the surrounding area, Yasu is just a beloved fixture of the town. To Toko, however, he was her father. The entire episode primarily consists of Zoro trying to keep Toko from sprinting to the execution spot on her hands and knees. Of course, this doesn't stop everyone from Ebisu Town from storming the Flower Capital to stop the execution, overwhelming the samurai guards blocking off their access.
Tonoyasu's Final Words
After being strung up in a crucified position high in the air and shot, Yasu begins to make a speech, using his public platform to reflect on Wano's history, and how all the beauty it holds was crafted by workers and those loyal to the old ways of life. He reflects how there used to be beautiful villages, forests and greenery before Orochi and Kaido corrupted the whole of Wano out of greedy impulse.
His words further resonate with the disenfranchised people of Wano Country, which can only further build open hostility toward the current Shogun. Considering Tonoyasu only became caught after promising to align himself with the growing rebellion against Kaido, it's clear Yasu is deliberately sacrificing himself to bolster the numbers of the rebellion. Everyone throughout Wano can see his sacrifice on full display, which will only serve to further position Orochi in a dangerous position and the rebellion in a more favorable one.
While he has yet to die, it seems clear from the preview for the next episode that he will perish. His death leaves a few open-ended questions: who is the phantom thief Ushimitsu Kozo? Why did Yasu become a perpetual smiler? Most importantly, will his death truly turn the common people of Wano against their Shogun, or will all the resistance his death could have summoned be suppressed by Kaido's draconic rage?