One Piece’s Elbaf Arc is one of the most highly anticipated story arcs from the series. The moving sands of Elbaf have been teased since the early goings of the story, and for good reason—the land of giants will finally be able to play their pivotal part in the unfolding of the story.
With the Straw Hat Pirates reaching their final stretch of journey, the Elbaf Arc promises to bring a number of key points together: rich culture inspired by Vikings among giants, some lore from the Void Century, and great character development.
Here’s a breakdown of the Elbar Arc One Piece theory, what we might experience, from major battles to long-awaited revelations.
The Culture Inspired by Vikings in Elbaf
Elbaf, the giant’s homeland, has been mentioned quite a number of times in the One Piece series, not to mention the characters Dorry and Brogy, the giant warriors from Little Garden.
Giants have related to a culture full of warriors and have taken inspiration from Norse mythology and traditions of the Vikings.
We are going to see Oda going more into detail also about the culture that exists in Elbaf, regarding honor, strength, and battle, just like the Viking sagas.
What we might see:
- Elbaf’s Royalty: Like other nations, Elbaf would have a royal family or a council of warriors ruling over it. One prominent figure here could be the King of Elbaf, who itself may be going through that political or military conflict of the arc.
- A Feast of Giants: Elbaf can have a grand feast or festival, celebrating their warrior traditions. This could also be a plot point whereby Luffy and crew bond with the giants.
- Epic Battles and Training: With the giant’s emphasis on strength and combat, we might see Luffy or other crew members fight against the giants or even get trained by them to improve their capabilities.
Development of Usopp and Elbaf connection
Usopp’s connection to Elbaf is one of the largest character ties to this arc: he gained a huge admiration for giants after having met Dorry and Brogy in Little Garden and promised to visit their homeland.
As a storyteller and dreamer, Elbaf was the perfect stage to grow on, be it as a warrior or as a leading figure.
What We May Witness:
- Usopp’s Moment of Glory: Usopp could turn out to be a crucial part in the union or inspiration of the giants. This could be the arc where, taking into consideration his character arc of wanting to be a ‘brave warrior of the sea’, Usopp finally proves himself to the giants and completes his long-cherished dream.
- A legendary Usopp Lie comes true: Oda goes with tradition anytime Usopp shoots out one of his tall tales into reality—mostly through downtrodden means—and one of those stories could really occur in Elbaf, to boot. Perhaps his tall tale of defeating giants or his becoming a heroic figure becomes very outspokenly real in most unexpected ways.
The Role of the Red-Haired Pirates and Shanks
It has been teased that Elbaf can potentially be the location where Luffy and Shanks will meet again.
Shanks is one of the Four Emperors of the Sea, and a relation with the giants was pretty immediate from the fact that giants like Hajrudin formed part of his crew; his flag often represented strength and valor in many ways.
The long-anticipated stage for Luffy’s reunion with his childhood hero might be presented by the Elbaf Arc.
What we might see:
- Luffy and Shanks’ Reunion: I know this one is very unlikely but still Elbaf can be the place Luffy finally meets Shanks again and makes that hype of a moment since the very beginning of the series happen. Their meeting could be in a celebratory or battle-oriented way, but then again, it will surely be emotional and hold great importance in Luffy’s character development.
- Shanks’ involvement in the coming war: In case Shanks would be involved in the Elbaf Arc, there would be more insight into his plans and how he is to be a part of the finale of events that are going to occur within the world of One Piece. He can also give some crucial information or guidance to Luffy regarding the real essence of the world and the last island, Laugh Tale.
The Ancient Arm Uranus and Void Century Revelations
One of the keys to unravel the mystery of the Void Century and, eventually, the secrets of the world may be hidden in Elbaf. There is even speculation that it could refer to the Ancient Weapon Uranus or the giants having crucial knowledge regarding the lost century.
Its warrior traditions, combined with its giant strength, hint at a strong possibility for Elbaf to have a significant role in the eventual fight against the World Government.
What we might see:
- Ancient Weapon Uranus: Another explanation could be that Ancient Weapon Uranus, the strong tool to control the sky, might be in Elbaf, weighing this arc down where many factions, such as the World Government, Blackbeard, and other parties, may try to secure it.
- Poneglyphs and Void Century Lore: Elbaf can store Poneglyphs or other ancient texts divulging more details about the Void Century and the Ancient Kingdom. Because giants have very long lifespans, they may have preserved certain knowledge passed down from times that would be considered almost prehistoric to most other people, thus providing critical pieces in the puzzle of true world history.
The Connection between Loki, Big Mom, and the Giants
Charlotte Linlin, or Big Mom, has a rather checkered past with the giants of Elbaf, attempting to set up a political marriage between her daughter Lola and the giant prince Loki.
That failed alliance created animosity between Big Mom and Elbaf. Given how the Big Mom Pirates were still active at the end of the Wano Arc, her past with Elbaf could be one point of focus.
What we may see:
- Prince Loki’s Appearance: Prince Loki was named on Whole Cake Island, and now he can appear. It would be important to begin his storyline in relation to his relationship with Big Mom and a potential leadership position in Elbaf, participating in the politics of an arc.
- Big Mom Plot for Revenge: As Big Mom decides to seek revenge or once again tries to forge a bond with Elbaf, that would be huge for an already-filled fight between giants, Straw Hats, and the Big Mom Pirates that could lead, in turn, to a closing plot in Big Mom’s storyline: it could be defeated or redeemed based on where her plot seems to go.
The Last Straw Hat Crew Member?
There was the constant speculation that the last member of the Straw Hat crew would join during the Elbaf Arc. Some fans speculate that a giant warrior could be the last one to join in Luffy’s crew, adding to their strength and fighting abilities for the final stretch on their way to Laugh Tale.
What we might see:
- A Giant Straw Hat: With Oda being a huge fan of symmetry, adding a giant to the crew would bring balance. Potential candidates for such include Hajrudin, who already allied with Luffy, and any other prominent giant that has been introduced on Elbaf.
- A New Female Crew Member: The last member included in the Straw Hat crew would be a female giant warrior, making the makeup and dynamic of the crew even more diverse. She would be a strong fighter, where the unique abilities held by her would contribute to the Straw Hats’ strength in the final battle.
Clash with the World Government and Marines
The might of Elbaf, combined with its potential connection to ancient history, might awaken the interest of the World Government.
Knowledge or resources the giants possess may be potentially hazardous for the domination led by the World Government; in this case, Imu and the Celestial Dragons may send an intervention force of Marines or even the SSG into confronting the Straw Hats in Elbaf.
What We Might See:
- Marine Invasion: The World Government might see Elbaf as a strategic location, which could raise the stakes to an all-out war between giants and Marines. Maybe it could be a prologue to the greater war looming across the horizon in the world of One Piece.
- Admirals and the SSG: Powerful figures, such as Admiral Kizaru, Green Bull, or Fujitora, and the new SSG guns would then be able to fight with incredible vigor. Elbaf is the land of warriors; thus, it provides the perfect stage for epic fights.
Conclusion: Mainland Stage of Elbaf
The Elbaf Arc is tinged with the potential to be one of the most crucial instances that will define the storyline of One Piece.
The Elbaf Arc shall involve long-awaited character development and reunion of Luffy and Shanks, major revelation about the Void Century, and probably a conflict with the World Government; Elbaf will surely be a grand saga full of emotional highs, epic battles, and crucial world-building.
Elbaf could give the final keys for the understanding of the One Piece treasure, Joyboy’s legacy, and the true nature of the world as the series is getting closer to its ending.
The arc is one of the most looked-forward-to arcs by fans, who have hopes it will live up to the expectation built over the years with speculation.
