Chapter 229

**Why-Man** (WHYMAN (ホワイマン) , *Howaiman*) is the two hundred and twenty-ninth chapter of the *Dr. Stone* manga.

## Summary

The petrification devices known as Why-man explain why they petrified all the humans on Earth. They begin by saying they find planets with regular electromagnetic waves, indicating intelligent life. Next, they chose a random species, in this case the swallows, to petrify in order to see which beings react to this change and start discussing the phenomenon over the electromagnetic waves. They established that this was humanity.

The next step was to petrify humanity, in order to filter through the individuals most likely to help the devices survive: ones that were thinkers, that could see the allure of eternal life. Despite the global petrification, those on the ISS survived and created a new society on Treasure Island.

3,000 years later, the devices began picking up new radio signals from Earth, made by the people of the Petrification Kingdom polishing stones and having the sparks amplified by their outfits. Having established that there were survivors, the devices put their next step into action: showing the humans how to use the petrification devices.

Several of the devices dropped to Earth over Treasure Island, and soon enough someone picked one up, and was told of the command. Fights broke out, and Matsukaze and his master destroyed all but one device. Because of the result, the devices began to have doubts over whether humanity was the correct species to parasitize. As they were, humans didn't have the technology or skills required to cultivate them.

The devices thought they had the wrong species, until one day Senku turned on the high-powered radio tower, proving that humanity was in fact capable, but was uninterested in the eternal life the devices had to offer, thus their repeating message of "why?".

## Characters in Order of Appearance

* Why-man
* Senku Ishigami
* Taiju Oki *(Flashback)*
* Yuzuriha Ogawa *(Flashback)*
* Stanley Snyder *(Pictured)*
* Kohaku *(Pictured)*
* Xeno Houston Wingfield *(Pictured)*
* Chrome *(Pictured)*
* Gen Asagiri
* Chelsea Childe
* Byakuya Ishigami *(Flashback)*
* Lillian Weinberg *(Flashback)*
* Yakov Nikitin *(Flashback)*
* Matsukaze *(Flashback)*
* Maya Biggs *(Flashback)*
* Ibara *(Flashback)*
* Head of Petrification Kingdom *(Shadow)*
* Magma *(Flashback)*
* Ukyo Saionji *(Flashback)*
* Ryusui Nanami *(Flashback)*

## Chapter Notes

* Why-man reveals the truth of the global petrification 3,700 years prior, from the beginning until their first contact with Senku.
	+ They found humanity based on the regular electromagnetic signals coming from the planet.
	+ The swallows were petrified to see which species on Earth was the intelligent one.
	+ Treasure Island was given the devices in the hopes that they'd understand the gift and begin cultivating the petrification devices.
	+ The devices grew annoyed that humanity appeared to have the skills to fix them, but showed no interest in doing so, which prompted the "why".
* The warring events on Treasure Island during Matsukaze's time occurred ~700 years prior to his de-petrification.
* The devices shot themselves in the metaphorical foot; not getting that petrifying the entire planet would negate the very deal they wanted.