“The Three-Headed Baskerville.” is the court president and chief justice from the judicial island of Enies Lobby. Although Baskerville officially appears as a single entity, it is actually three individuals: Bas (バス, Basu), the right head of Baskerville, Kerville (カビル, Kabiru), the left head of Baskerville, and And (アンド, Ando) in the middle, who also refers to himself as “Freeway” (フリーウェイ, Furīwei) and “Princess” (お姫さま, Ohime-sama). Under their joint command are the special forces of Enie’s Lobby, the Mounted Judicial Guard, the Eleven Jurors, and the two Giant Gatekeepers, Oimo and Kashii. As the supreme power of justice on Enie’s Lobby, the three are overridden only by Supreme Commander Spandam and the World Government.
Contents
Appearance
And is an older man with a full white beard, whose legs seem oversized compared to the rest of his body. Just like his two colleagues, he wears a hat with a feather, a dark blue shirt, beige pants, brown gloves and boots. And acts as the centerpiece and legs of Baskerville. On his strong thighs sit Bas and Kerville, whose right and left arms respectively are disproportionate to the rest of their bodies and whose legs give a stunted impression.
Bas is a younger man with orange curly hair who takes over as Baskerville’s right head and arm. His counterpart, Kerville, is a man of advanced age with dark gray hair, a three-day beard, and sunglasses who acts as Baskerville’s left head and arm. Together they wear a royal blue overcoat with armored shoulder panels, a light purple collar, and gold trim, with the symbol of the World Government emblazoned large on the front, which is meant to disguise the fact that they are in fact three people.
Personality
Although Baskerville appears as a single person, all three heads have very different legal views and personalities. Bas, for example, tends to immediately declare all defendants guilty, while Kerville acquits them. Because of this opposing stance, it is And’s job to find a “middle ground,” which is usually to sentence the defendants directly to death. This compromise is always agreed to by both Bas and the moderate Kerville in the end, after a brief argument, which turns the entire court tribunal into a farce.
And additionally has the habit of dressing up as a beautiful “princess” (お姫さま, Ohime-sama) or “Medium Alone Line” (中央本線一人旅, Chūō-honsen Hitori-tabi), which usually gets him a head butt from Bas and Kerville. When Paulie asked why the three of them were squeezing into a costume, they replied that they were good friends.
Skills and tasks
As court president of Enies Lobby, Baskerville is subordinate to some 10,000 men, including marines, government officials, the Judicial Guard, the Eleven Jurors, and the two giant gatekeepers of the main island, Oimo and Kashii. When Spandam is unavailable, he assumes supreme command of the island.
Although Baskerville, as the chief judge, passes sentence on the defendants, the Eleven Jurors have the final say. But since both Baskerville and the jurors have found all the defendants of the last decades guilty without exception, it is only a sham court, headed by Baskerville as a puppet of the world government.
Baskerville fights with a large saber, which is carried by Kerville and used ambidextrously with Bas in battle. Baskerville’s strength far exceeds that of a normal soldier from Enie’s lobby. He even managed to keep Franky’s Right Hand Zambai and other members of the Franky Family at bay at once. In battle, however, he was no match for the Straw Hats and the Galley-La Company’s foremen.
Present
After the Straw Hat Pirates, the Franky Family, and the Galley-La Company foremen invaded the main island of Enies Lobby by sea train, Baskerville was roused from sleep by his subordinates awaiting further orders. Because they could not reach Commander-in-Chief Spandam in the Tower of Justice, Baskerville unceremoniously took command and ordered one hundred elite horsemen of the Justice Guard to the main gate as reinforcements to halt the pirate invasion. Baskerville himself, meanwhile, took up position in the courthouse.
His plan did not work, however, and the Justice Guard was soundly defeated by the two King Bulls, Sodom and Gomorrah, and the foremen of the Galley-La Company. Baskerville was greatly incensed at this news and thereupon ordered the release of his last trump card, the Eleven Jury. These managed to defeat the King Bull Gomorrha, the Sumo Frog Yokuzuna, and several members of the Franky Family, but they didn’t stand a chance against Zoro, Sanji, and the two giants Oimo and Kashii. Spandam then radioed Baskerville and demanded an immediate situation report from the main island. Baskerville replied that the pirates were already at the courthouse, whereupon Spandam threatened to have him cut three heads short for his failure.
In the courthouse, Baskerville briefly fought Chopper, Zoro, Nami, as well as Zambai and other members of the Franky Family. Eventually, however, he was defeated by a joint attack from Paulie and Zambai, and his true identity was revealed. In a final attempt to prevent the invaders from reaching the Justice Tower, he ordered his men to bomb the drawbridge. What became of Baskerville after the Buster Call on Enie’s lobby is unknown.
Miscellaneous
- Judge Baskerville’s appearance and character traits are very reminiscent of the three-headed knight (view image) from Monty Python Monty Python and the Holy Grail. In this film, the knight acts as the guardian of the dark woods of Juin and judges all those who wish to pass through the forest. In both cases, the heads disagree and argue about the punishment at first. While in One Piece Bas, the right head, tends to want to punish defendants immediately with all severity, Kerville, the left head, is much more lenient and calls for release. Middle Head And, by his own admission, represents the middle ground. In the end, however, it is that they agree on the death penalty. This contradictory behavior is also shown by the three-headed knight.
- The name Baskerville is most likely a reference to Arthur Conan Doyle ‘s third Sherlock Holmes The Hound of the Baskervilles.
- The three judges’ favorite dishes are left beef ribs (Bas), chicken liver (And) and right cheek tuna.
