One Piece‘s final saga started with the Egghead arc which was a huge step-up for many fans, and the next arc promises to be even better. With the crew now on their way to Elbaf Island, a destination teased since the Little Garden arc years ago, the plot is about to intensify as the second arc of the final stretch is underway.
Elbaf is the home of the Giants and harbors one of the strongest armies, if not the strongest. While Luffy and the Straw Hats have allies on the island after befriending Dorry and Brogy, there are still unknown players who could be friends or foes, most notably Loki. There are also wildcards such as Shanks and Blackbeard, so the potential for this arc is sky-high.
10 The God Knights Are The Ultimate Defenders Of The Celestial Dragons
The Main Villains Of The Series Still Have An Ace In Their Sleeve
This new addition to the series has not been explored yet, but it is high time they are involved in the story given the series is racing to the final war. With Figarland officially joining the 5 Elders and the Celestial Dragon being starved by the Revolutionary Army’s blockade, it is the perfect time for the guardians of the Celestial Dragons to leap into action. Besides their leader, there isn’t any other known character from the group, but the story has already revealed their incredible strength and their showdown with their enemies is definitely one to look forward to.
9 The Navy Will Be Shaken Up
The Marines’ Reaction To The Truth Will Be Pivotal
After hearing the public message by Vegapunk, the Navy will undoubtedly make some moves under the leadership of Akainu, someone who has always had friction with the 5 Elders and the World Government. Furthermore, the capture of Garp, someone many marines look up to, will increase pressure on the Navy to start acting against the insurgence of the pirates. Out of the many things that could happen, the Navy’s reaction to the truth about the world is one of the most interesting ones and will change the course of the story.
8 The Revolutionaries Have Another Reason To Act
Dragon Is More Motivated Than Ever
While it is expected that the Revolutionary Army will become more relevant as the series nears its end, the organization now has a new goal besides simply taking down the evil Celestial Dragons. Vegapunk’s message truly had a lasting impact as Dragon now seems to want to find a solution to the world’s sinking before people start wars over safe land. This would indeed put pressure on him to act soon, as the embers of conflict are already sparking.
7 The Location Of The Final Road Poneglyph Could Be Elbaf
The Final Piece Of The Puzzle Should Be Near
After exploring Zou, Whole Cake Island, and Wano Country, the Straw Hats have to find one more Road Poneglyph if they want to find Laugh Tale and the One Piece. Unfortunately, the location of this last piece of information is unknown, but there is a chance it is in the islands of the Giants. While finding it would lead them to the final island, it could also put a target on their backs given how aggressive pirates have become following Vegapunk’s message.
The identity of the “man marked by flames”, who supposedly knows about the final Poneglyph location, should also be revealed during the Elbaf Arc.
6 Robin And Saul’s Reunion
A Highly Anticipated Interaction Is Imminent
While anything can happen, especially now that the series is heating up, Robin and Saul will very likely meet and give fans the heartwarming reunion of former friends. Robin’s backstory revealed how everyone she loved was killed, but she found out in Egghead that Saul was still alive and well, seeking refuge in Elbaf. After tearing up at the prospect of meeting the man who saved her life, Robin became happy and cheerful, and the two meetings could be one of the highlights of the Elbaf arc.
5 Big Mom and Kaido Could Make A Comeback
One Piece Is Notorious For Not Killing Characters
At the conclusion of the Wano arc, the fates of the two former Emperors, Kaido and Big Mom, remain uncertain. Although it’s highly likely that Kaido met his demise, the fate of Big Mom is more ambiguous. There’s a possibility for further exploration of her character, particularly at Elbaf, the land of the giants with whom she shares a significant history and where she spent her early years. Furthermore, Big Mom’s last words set the stage for her return, as “Don’t you dare assume that this’ll kill me” is a hint that her run isn’t over.
4 One Of The Biggest Fights Could Happen
An Unlikely Battle Has Been Confirmed
Ever since the beginning of the final saga, more important fights have occurred, such as Shanks vs Kid, Blackbeard vs Law, Garp vs Kuzan, and more, but this next could be one of the most exciting ones yet. While Oda’s message at Jump Festa didn’t confirm who this bout would be between, there is a very solid chance that Blackbeard and Shanks will go head-to-head, and as Oda put it, the results would be shocking. There is enough reason for the two to fight before, but now that they are racing to find the One Piece and Laugh Tale, it’s only a matter of time before they clash.
3 Loki Will Finally Be Revealed
The Mysterious Leader Of Elbaf
The Prince of the Giants is an unknown character, and it is highly likely he will appear in this arc. However, whether he will be presented as a friend of the Straw Hats given their friendship with the giants or an unknown antagonist is still unclear. Interestingly, the arc starts out with half the crew disappearing and Nami waking up in a strange room in a biking outfit, which could be brewing tension for Luffy and the gang. However, since Luffy clashed with Big Mom, a sworn enemy of Loki, it’s likely that the leader of Elbaf will become an ally.
Loki was Charlotte Lola’s (Big Mom’s 23rd daughter) arranged fiancé before she ran away, causing enmity with Big Mom.
2 Nika Lore Will Be Expanded On
The Origin Of The Legendary Liberator Is The Next Destination
As one of the biggest and most controversial additions to One Piece‘s storyline, there is little known about Nika, the mythical Sun God and liberator of slaves. One of the few pieces of information known about him is that he’s tied to Elbaf’s mythology, so it is to be expected that the existence of this ancient creature will be revealed in the place where there is the most information regarding him.
The Giant Pirates have already made a connection between Luffy’s Gear 5 form and Nika, and since Luffy is always confused when he is referred to as Nika, now would be the perfect opportunity for him to learn about his true powers and their origins.
1 Usopp’s Time To Shine Is Here
The Underrated Straw Hat’s Time Has Come
A major point of criticism for the series is Usopp’s lack of growth and development, making progress toward his goal of becoming a brave warrior of the sea and regressing into a coward shortly after. Fortunately, for fans of the character, his time to mature is almost here, and Elbaf is a great place for this to happen given his admiration of the giants’ bravery and courage.
The series asserted this possibility at the end of Egghead when Usopp exclaims his eagerness to go to Elbaf, the “land of my dreams”. He could improve in a few ways, such as establishing his Haki proficiency or overcoming impossible odds as he did in Dressrosa.
One Piece
Created by Eiichiro Oda, One Piece is a multimedia franchise that began as a manga series and follows the adventures of the Straw Hat Pirates as led by Monkey D. Luffy. Luffy, an enthusiastic pirate with a thirst for adventure, is afflicted by a mysterious curse that gives him various powers he uses to protect himself and his friends. The manga eventually gave way to the anime series, with the two being some of history’s longest-running anime and manga series. Along with over fifty video games made over the years, the series entered the live-action world with Netflix’s 2023 adaptation.