We are at the beginning of the end of the Wano arc; it is already one of the longest and juiciest arcs Oda has given us, but I’m sure it’s nothing compared to what is still to come.
Luffy vs. Kaido is bound to be the next big fight after Zoro vs. King, but what after that?
There are already some pretty confident speculations about what the next arc will be – and who/what it will revolve around.
Is Elbaf the next arc after Wano? Who will the Elbaf arc be about?
The next arc after Wano will be the Elbaf arc, and it will be about Usopp. Usopp has admired the giants for a long while now, and Elbaf, the kingdom of the giants, is one of the final New World islands before Laugh Tale/Raftel, the destination of the One Piece.
We are in the midst of the Four Emperor Saga and it’s likely that the next saga will be the last. If we consider the Wano arc to be the third act, the next will be the fourth and the penultimate one before we move on to either Lode Star or God Valley, before the final saga.
We have already had arcs for most of the Straw Hat Pirates. Nami got Arlong arc, Robin, Water 7, and Chopper, the Drum arc. Whole Cake Island arc was Sanji-dominated, where we got his backstory about the Vinsmoke family.
The current Wano arc belongs to Zoro, with him triumphing over King, and his relation to the enigmatic Ushimaru. (Even if Admiral Ryogukyu has nothing to do with it, and Ushimaru is not Zoro’s father, I can bet that Zoro is a Shimotsuki.)
Elbaf belongs to Usopp. The guy has been going on about it since the beginning and it’s been his desired destination ever since the island was mentioned in the Little Garden arc.
Luffy was almost as excited about Elbaf and its giants as Usopp but it’s more likely that the Laugh Tale arc will belong to Luffy.
What will Happen to Usopp During Elbaf?
Elbaf will be the arc when Usopp finally becomes the “brave warrior of the sea” he always wanted to be. He will meet his father Yasopp and become the world’s greatest sniper. It is also possible that he leads an army of giants after defeating Loki and ends the feud with Big Mom.
Usopp has always been one of the most important characters in One Piece. It is because of “God” Usopp aka the Sniper King’s action that the war against the World Government was ignited in the first place.
He’s often considered comic relief and is thrashed around by everyone and is known to be cowardly and insecure. Usopp is afraid of anything and everything but Elbaf is the place he will conquer his fears, perhaps awakening his Conqueror’s Haki.
Usopp will surpass Yasopp’s glory and become a pirate worthy of respect and honor. We already know Usopp has this streak – he always manages to convert his cowardice to courage and stay and fight even though he is terrified.
His whole journey as Sogeking and after, when he displays true self-confidence and accepts himself, proves that Usopp is indeed worthy of his “God” status.
I know some people consider this as just a gag, but Hajrudin, the new gen giant warrior, also declares Usopp as a god.
There is another connection that binds Usopp to Elbaf. Elbaf is “fable” spelled backward, and Usopp is the biggest fable-master on the show. Another known teller of lies and tales was Noland, the dwarf-hero celebrated by the Tontatta Kingdom.
Usopp actually pretends to be a descendant of Noland to protect himself and Robin from the Tontattas. It’s plausible that Usopp might actually be related to Noland, because this would tie in well with Usopp possibly defeating Loki, the current giant king, following a David and Goliath kind of narrative.
In the myth, David defeats the giant Goliath with a – wait for it – sling! We all know Usopp’s weapon of choice is a slingshot.
With the giants on his side, it’s possible that Usopp is able to overcome Big Mom’s crew. Big Mom has always wanted to recruit the giants as part of her dream project.
If Usopp defeats Loki and gains the support of the giants, the Straw Hats will probably defeat the Big Mom Pirates, before they meet the Red Haired Pirates and go on to fight against Blackbeard.
What do we know about Elbaf? Is Elbaf Shanks’s territory?
Elbaf is where the giants live. It might not be Shanks’s territory since the giants seem quite independent, but it might be the location of Shanks and his crew.
Shanks will either have allies among the giants or some other association with Elbaf, something to do with the Viking motif.
Elbaf is inspired by Scandinavian myths. We know that the prince of Elbaf is Loki, so there might even be a Thor and an Odin. Now, red hair has been culturally affiliated to the Irish and the Scottish. Shanks and his Red Hair Pirates do seem to have that Viking connection.
It is on the island of Elbaf that the Straw Hats will most probably meet Shanks, acquire the last Road Poneglyph, possibly recruit another member into the Straw Hats, and find out more about the Will of D.
It’s been almost 2 arcs since we heard from Shanks; in the Levely arc, there is a brief appearance from Shanks: he is impressed by Luffy’s exploits in Big Mom’s Totto Land, and says it is almost time for Luffy to meet him.
I believe that Shanks, previously a member of the Roger Pirates, holds the last Road Poneglyph, which is why Luffy needs to meet him next. Shanks might be working with the giants to protect the last Poneglyph.
The Straw Hats need all 4 Road Poneglyphs to lead them to the location of Laugh Tale. Luffy has already acquired 2 of the Road Poneglyphs, one from Zou, and one from the Yonko, Big Mom.
It’s likely he will defeat Kaido and get the third Road Poneglyph from him. Luffy will find the final Road Poneglyph in Elbaf with the help of Shanks and/or the giants.
He will also probably face off with Big Mom again, since we know she’s connected to Elbaf. This will also be the arc where we are shown what or who Shanks spoke to the Five Elders in Reverie about – it’s possible it was Luffy … or, the Will of D.
The giants are as old as time; Elbaf definitely has some giants that were present during the Void Century, or at least have some more information about it.
When Robin asked Rayleigh about the Will of D. he brought up the Void Century at the same time, so we know they are interconnected.
Also, in Robin’s flashback, we see that she meets a giant with the initial D. This just strengthens the connection between the giants, the Will of D. and the final Poneglyph.
Luffy will defeat Kaido, his exact antithesis, in Wano. It only makes sense that next, he will finally meet the much hyped up Shanks, who is his idol, before he goes up against Blackbeard.
And where there is Shanks, there is Yasopp, who is the father of Ussop, who, in turn, has always been fascinated with Elbaf and its giants. See how it all ties together?
Conclusion
If Wano was about war, Elbaf will be about bonds. The bond between Yassop and Ussop, Ussop and Luffy, Luffy and Shanks.
This is where we will get a lot of answers, the calm before the storm of the final battles against Blackbeard, and then against the World Government!
About One Piece
One Piece is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda. It has been serialized in Shueisha’s Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine since July 22, 1997.
The man who had acquired everything in this world, the Pirate King, is Gol D. Roger. The final words he said at the execution tower were “My treasures? If you want it, I’ll let you have it. Look for it; I left all of it at that place.” These words sent many to the seas, chasing their dreams, headed toward the Grand Line, in search of One Piece. Thus began a new age!
Seeking to be the greatest pirate in the world, young Monkey D. Luffy also heads toward the Grand Line in search of One Piece. His diverse crew is joining him along the way, consisting of a swordsman, marksman, navigator, cook, doctor, archaeologist, and cyborg-shipwright, this will be one memorable adventure.
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