The final saga is about to kick off in One Piece’s anime, and there is a LOT to know going into it. To think that this journey that started as a rubber boy with a straw hat setting off in a barrel would now see him as an Emperor is wild. So, what’s essential to know going into the final saga of One Piece, and how exactly did things get to here?
Warning that there are spoilers for the One Piece anime through the Wano arc. The entire series is available to stream from Crunchyroll, and new episodes drop weekly at 10 PM Eastern Time on Saturdays.
Is One Piece Ending?
While One Piece won’t be ending in the next couple of years, creator Eiichiro Oda has given an approximate time of four to five years until the Straw Hats finish their journey. It’s certainly been a long one, with a twenty-six-year history since the story began serialization. That said, it’s laid the groundwork for a lot of things to come in the Final Saga, which Oda says starts after the Wano arc ends.
This means that a lot of very important plot points are going to need a wrap-up in those few years. Considering the number of questions that have been built up, there are going to be quite a few lengthy explanations and flashbacks in store once the Straw Hats reach Laughtale. So, here’s a primer on how Luffy got there, and those questions that everyone still has.
The Straw Hat Pirates
Although Luffy sets out alone in a barely seaworthy dinghy at the beginning, he soon gathers a loyal crew. With Zoro, Nami, Usopp, Sanji, Chopper, Robbin, Franky, Brook, and Jimbei now by his side, Luffy knows he can take on anything the Grand Line throws at him. They’ve been through everything together, from victory to defeat, and know the price they’ll pay if they ever lose again. The Straw Hats are more than just a crew, they’re a family, and they’ll protect each other at all costs.
Through their time as a crew, they’ve come up against Warlords and Emperors, as well as Marine Admirals. The Straw Hats are no stranger to danger, and Luffy often runs toward it head-on. No matter what the world may throw at them, Luffy and his crew are determined in their dreams to help each other and the people they meet, fighting their way through.
Emperor Straw Hat Luffy
Not content to just be an infamous pirate, Luffy soon takes on the status of Emperor of the Sea after he returns to the New World. Even though he wasn’t exactly aiming for the role, it’s hard not to see a young pirate terrorize two Emperors back to back immediately after toppling a Warlord as a threat. The Gorosei immediately declared him as an Emperor along with Buggy the Clown, leader of Cross Guild.
As an Emperor now, Luffy has certain power and influence that other pirates don’t have. Instead of being able to go after him now, nobody in the Navy can engage Luffy without Admiral approval thanks to their standing. Anything otherwise could end up in a national incident. That’s going to play into the next arc, as Luffy is now on an equal standing with an Admiral level threat from the Navy, and it’s going to show when they clash.
The Marines Fracture
This will play a huge part in the Final Saga, as the Marines have been experiencing a schism for quite some time now. The initial clash starts after Marineford when everyone gets a good look at Akainu’s bloodthirsty justice. This is the same kind of thinking he showed back at Ohara as well when he bombed a ship of Ohara civilians out of the water. All in the name of ‘absolute justice’ as he calls it. The fight between him and Kuzan on the island of Punk Hazard leads to the ultimate fracture, as it leads to Kuzan’s defection to the Blackbeard Pirates in turn.
Then there’s the matter of Sword, who operates both within and outside of the Navy off the books like Cipher Pol for the World Government. This organization includes soldiers like X Drake, Garp, Koby, and formerly others like Corazon. They definitely don’t agree with Akainu’s sense of justice, and absolutely are horrified by what the Celestial Dragons stand for. They’re the most likely ones to side with the Straw Hat Grand Fleet before the Final Saga is over.
The World Government is Evil
Yeah, that was probably apparent from early on since the obliteration of Ohara, but it just gets worse. Ohara isn’t the first or the last incident they cover up like this, and definitely won’t be the most bloody and tragic. They’ve committed numerous acts of evil, including genocide and assassination, all for covering their asses. Celestial Dragons still maintain a culture of slavery, kidnapping anyone they want with no repercussions.
It gets even worse when they reveal the Celestial Dragons have total impunity from everything, even murder. If they so choose they can murder a man in the street and take his wife for their own against her will. Nobody can question or interfere, lest they risk death too by their pistols. Every Celestial Dragon save for Donquixote Myosgard has proven to be an evil piece of garbage, and it only gets worse. The reveal that everything in Marijoa, even the moving pathways, are operated by hundreds of slaves is just tragically evil.
Secrets of the Void Century
The Void Century is still the greatest mystery of One Piece, and everything about the journey of the Straw Hats stems from this. From the One Piece itself to the origin of Imu, everything stems from this gap in history from eight hundred years in the past. Secrets abound, including who the mysterious Joyboy really is, as well as what the World Government is trying to cover up. So far as everyone knows, the twenty royal families came together eight hundred years ago to form the World Government, and that’s where history begins.
The Ancient Weapons are the other great mystery, as well as the origin of Devil Fruits. From the reveal of the Human-Human Fruit, Model: Nika in Wano, there’s also the information that Zoan Devil Fruits have a will of their own. Does this mean that the real forces behind the War of the Void Century could still be running it today through the Devil Fruits?
The Inherited Wills
One Piece has always had a big fascination with inheriting the will of others, whether through the Will of D or Devil Fruits. The Will of D, while still not entirely clear, is something shared by those with the initial tying them together as ‘enemies of the gods’. The gods in this case are the Celestial Dragons, who those with the Will of D usually make a lot of trouble for. That trouble can be good or bad for those below the Red Line though, as Luffy helps while Blackbeard destroys. They both help to bring others freedom, though the kind that Blackbeard leaves usually leaves things in squalor.
Then there are the other Will of D inheritors like Trafalgar D Water Law and Portgas D Ace, both with other roles. Ace, much like his parents, inherited the will to enable the future Pirate King to his goal. Law does much the same, both saving Luffy’s life after Marineford and helping in the Raid on Onigashima. Everyone with the inherited Will of D in some way enables Luffy on his journey and pushes everything toward the final prophecy Roger finds at Laughtale.
Xebec’s Legacy
Xebec’s inherited will is a whole other issue entirely, as it’s been taken on wholesale by Blackbeard. He thinks himself the reincarnation of Xebec, living out his dream after the fall at God Valley. That dream, of establishing a Pirate Nation that would have to stand as a member of the Reverie, definitely has an ulterior motive though. The moment a pirate is allowed in the Reverie (a known one anyway) is the day the Celestial Dragons crumble. It definitely won’t be pretty either.
Considering the power Rocks held, the final battle with Blackbeard will be a bloodbath. The Straw Hats and Navy will likely suffer heavy losses, and it may barely be enough to defeat them still. No doubt they’ll need as much backup as they can get, especially with Blackbeard’s crew showing off their acquisition of multiple Devil Fruits over the past few weeks. Xebec still lives on, even after his supposed death at God Valley, and it’s going to be the inherited will of others that carry Garp and Roger’s part in all that.
Revolution Everywhere!
The Straw Hats aren’t the only ones causing havoc across the Grand Line, as the other members of Luffy’s family destabilize the World Government’s control. Monkey D Dragon, leader of the Revolutionaries as well as the father of Monkey D Luffy, has been working at this goal for decades now, even longer than Luffy has been alive, and he wants to bring the World Government crashing down. Now he has someone to inherit his place though, as Luffy’s brother Sabo steps into the fold.
Sabo is making his name throughout the New World, inciting Revolution and helping native lands overthrow their World Government leaders. They have no sympathy for tyranny, but Sabo also knows that the long-reigning monarchies in most countries aren’t the ones to blame. He means to strike at the top of the ivory tower and depose the greatest power in all the seas to bring freedom to all.
The Nefertari Family
One of the monarchies in question, and one with a massive power in the Grand Line’s first half. Vivi was able to stop the Arabastan Revolution with the Straw Hat Pirates’ help thanks to Luffy’s friendship and fortitude. Most recently at the Reverie, she included the resolution to abolish the Warlord of the Sea system. It passes nearly unanimously, and the Gorosei have to figure out another way to maintain the balance. Everything begins to tumble now that one of the Three Great Powers is gone.
King Cobra will have quite a few things to do in the Final Saga. Vivi will no doubt play into it as well if the manga is anything to go by. The Nefertari family has a long history going back to the Celestial Dragons. The Nefertari family even gives up being Celestial Dragons in the beginning. It seems that they’ll also be one of the families to help end the rule of the Celestial Dragons. Someone will definitely be taking them down from the Red Line.
What Are the Ancient Weapons?
Still one of the greater mysteries without any answer, nobody knows what the Ancient Weapons are really for. The great ship Pluton is one, and those blueprints are memorized by Franky, existing only in his mind. Poseidon is the mermaid princess Shirahoshi. She has the innate ability to talk to the Neptunians throughout the Grand Line and Calm Belts. The third is Uranus, which is still the most mysterious but is revealed to be located underneath Wano.
The intentions of the Ancient Weapons are the biggest mystery. Some theories posit that they’re weapons used in Joyboy’s war on the World Government. That’s likely true, and many believe that Uranus can bring down the Red Line if it’s used. This could lead to uniting all four seas and the Grand Line. They’ll play into the Final Saga, as a confrontation between pirates and Gorosei is going down sooner than most think.
Who is Imu?
The other great mystery of One Piece that was only revealed in the recent arcs. Imu is a being of mystery, only ever seen in silhouette, and not much is known about them. The Gorosei serve them with no questions asked, with a reverent fear of them at most times. The ruler possesses a power beyond comprehension, gathered assumedly from the eight hundred years they’ve been alive. Everything points to them living since the Void Century, but of course, nothing is confirmed.
The theory is that Imu was the ultimate enemy of Joyboy. They found the Celestial Dragons as a cover for themselves. This allows them to truly pull the strings without worrying about backlash and constantly ensures others take the fall. It’s absolutely sinister. Something they did during the Void Century is too atrocious to allow others to know or even study.
The Race for the One Piece
Everything is coming to a head as the pirates get closer to the final island of Laughtale. The Straw Hats have the three Road Poneglyphs, but so do the Law and Kid Pirates now. They’re going to be in a tight race when they part ways after Wano. It’s tense, and they’re not the only ones in that race. Expect to see faces new and old in the running after the Straw Hats, and Shanks finally seeing some action. That’s not even to mention the issues arising during the Grand Line while the Straw Hats have been stuck inside the borders of Wano. Big News Morgans Is going to be following everything closely from now on though.
Discovering Secrets
There are still a lot of secrets to find out about. Especially regarding the World Government and what they’re up to. The Revery arc gave a close look at how things in Marijoa work. Unfortunately it’s nowhere near the true amount of horror up there. The Celestial Dragons are truly vile, and the reveal that they’re using Kuma as a rent-a-slave is terrifying to see. Even more so, the mystery of why Jewelry Bonney is running around Marijoa comes into play. Especially since she was last seen captured by the Blackbeard Pirates.
The Blackbeard Pirates
If anyone hasn’t slacked off during the two years the Straw Hat Pirates were training, it’s the Blackbeard Pirates. During the Wano arc, they get a check-in as Gecko Moria arrives at Fullalead. Then comes the reveal that they’ve been busy stealing Devil Fruits is shocking. Even knowing they stole the Clear-Clear Fruit from Absalom, killing him, and that they now have Gecko Moria and the Shadow-Shadow Fruit in hand is terrifying. Blackbeard is building an army of powerful Devil Fruits, and he won’t hesitate until he has everyone he can.
That’s just the start of what’s happening in the world of One Piece, as things are quickly converging. A lot of players are on the board, and a few more are about to come into play. So many pieces are in place for the Final Saga, and without any spoilers, the first arc is kicking off in the highest gear possible. So, One Piece has plenty of surprises in store, it’s just a matter of what the Straw Hats will do!
