Gloriosa

Elder Nyon (ニョン婆様) is one of the former Empresses for the Kuja tribe before Hancock took over. Hancock refers to her as the former-former-former empress Gloriosa (グロリオーサ).

Appearance
In her first appearance, in the opening "Share the World", her color scheme is completely different. Namely that the alternate casual top of the Kuja, which appears to be evening wear, that she wears is blue instead of the pink-bordered burgundy seen in the anime.

Additionally, her Snake Weapon is colored navy blue, as opposed to the white color seen in the "Share the World" opening.

In either case, she's remarkably diminutive in height. She also wears some kind of sea-green bubble belt apparently meant to hold up the spotted-print short skirt that all Kuja wear. Her hair is white and she wears a pink flower on her left side of her head.

Personality
Elder Nyon seems to be designed around the concept of a wise old woman, as made apparent by her concerns for Amazon Lily itself and expressing knowledge that her fellow Kuja had no idea of. She also asks the Kuja pirates for books, and has a crystal ball, both things that would further this image. However, since she believed some of Hancock's lies about considering the World Governments' terms for war, this proved that she was still gullible towards people's intent. Although she is not immune to many of Hancock's emotional manipulations designed to make people follow her, Nyon can snap out of them much faster than many others, male or female.

Although she is no longer the Empress of Amazon Lily, she believes that she can still go anywhere (which Hancock proved otherwise), but chooses to live on the outskirts of the island because she's apparently considered to be a traitor. Though, during their conversation about the upcoming war, when Hancock accuses her of worrying about her own life, she simply states that she's already too old to be concerned about her own life, but expresses concern for the sake of others on the island.

She also says "Nyo" a lot, going so far as to incorporate it into a number of words whenever she talks.

Gorgon Sisters
Hancock, Sandersonia and Marigold were found by Elder Nyon, who had left Amazon Lily to escape her lovesickness, when they escaped from their masters within the ranks of the Tenryuubito. Elder Nyon considers them as owing her a debt they can never repay, which Hancock promptly dismisses at every opportunity and puts Nyon in her place.

Abilities and Powers
She is knowledgeable enough to know what a man is, unlike most of her fellow Kuja, and identified Luffy as a man. She is also able to throw off Hancock's charms faster than most men and women. Also, being a former Empress, Nyon was undoubtedly the strongest Kuja in her prime and, despite her advanced age, she was still able to not only survive being thrown out of a building, but also land on her feet unharmed.

Past
When she was younger, during her period ruling as the Kuja empress, Nyon left Amazon Lily and went to sea after being struck by love sickness, a thing that had killed many of her predecessors. She somehow managed to survive the ordeal, but the act of leaving the island did not go unnoticed.

Her own people considered her a traitor for her actions, but she learned many things about the outside world, including that of the opposite sex. During her journey, she happened to discover Boa Hancock and her sisters Sandersonia and Marigold, a trio of Kuja, who had previously disappeared, and had escaped Mariejois after four years of slavery at the hands of the Tenryuubito. Seeing these girls, who were her countrywomen, Nyon adopted them and kept them with her until she finally returned to Amazon Lily.

By the time she returned, she was given a pardon by the Empress that had replaced her, but she was nevertheless tainted by her abandonment. Nyon chose to live on the outskirts of the Kuja village, where she would no longer bother in the affairs of the people she once ruled.

Present
When Luffy was being washed in the stream on Amazon Lily, Nyon found her fellow Kuja baffled by an apparent Body Mushroom that wouldn't come off. She knew that it was Luffy's penis, a feature that only men have.

Soon afterwards, Boa Hancock and the Kuja Pirates returned to their island. Upon their return, Nyon went to ask if any books had been found in their raids. Instead of a book, she was handed a newspaper. Soon afterwards, Nyon visited Hancock to warn her about the consenquences of her actions, only to be tossed out for her trouble.

Later, observing the fight between Luffy and the younger Boa sisters, she remained in the stadium after Hancock orders the evacuation of the arena, in order to hide the mark on Sandersonia's back, which was only being covered by Luffy. As Luffy, without hesitation, accepted Hancock's offer of freeing the Amazonians who saved him earlier, from their petrified state, over obtaining a ship to leave the island.

Elder Nyon then notes how a man, with Haki of such a caliber, would willingly bow his head to save those who helped him; probably because of how uncommon both events would occur at once at all. She later enters Kuja Castle to reveal the truth of both Luffy's actions at the Saboady Archipelago and the Boa siblings' past as slaves. When Hancock falls ill, Nyon identifies the illness as the same one that killed many of her predecessors (which is love sickness). However, she is astounded that Hancock is able to stand on her own upon hearing Luffy's name, and wonders if Luffy might have overcome a mountain that no other could budge.

Due to the fact that even Hancock herself is shocked at the fact that she immediately agreed to escort Luffy to Impel Down without hesitation, Nyon tells her that going with him will ultimately be what saves her, as just about every other Empress was killed when they tried to suppress their feelings. She sees the two of them off at the bay, commenting on Hancock's obvious love for Luffy.

Trivia

 * Her former name comes from the flower Gloriosa.