Summary
Ever since Chapter 1149 of theOne Piecemanga was released, the stakes of the Elbaf arc have gone through the roof. Things were already looking dire with the Gods' Knights due to the overpowered abilities of their Devil Fruits, but the introduction of Imu on the island has turned the tide even more so in the favor of the World Government’s forces. However, the Monster Trio has yet to make their appearance.
Many think that the inclusion of Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji on the battlefield, along with help from Loki and the New Giant Warrior Pirates, may give the heroes the edge here, but the answer may not be as clear-cut as that.With Imu’s incredible powers and their mysterious abilitiesto change their target’s allegiance, some fans believe that Elbaf may be one of the rareOne Piecearcs where the heroes lose, so let’s take a look at how this can be.
One Piece, Chapter 906, “The Holy and Mary Geoise”
Story Arc
Reverie
In the Wano arc, the truth regarding Luffy’s Devil Fruit was finally made. What was believed to bejust another Paramecia typewas eventually revealed as the legendary Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika, which gave Luffy the power of the mythical Sun God. Since the reveal, there had been no power in the entire setting that was greater than this fruit because of its limitless and reality-altering potential.
However, Chapter 1149 of the Elbaf arc changed that, since Imu finally made their long-awaited appearance and showcased their mysterious power, which likely comes from a Devil Fruit. Although its innate strength is largely a mystery, the most notable ability that it grants Imu is the ‘Demonic Pact’, which essentially converts any target of their choosing into a much larger, stronger, and evil version of themselves. The scariest part of this is the fact that this pact doesn’t have to be consensual, since Imu can turn their targets against their wills.
They did this to Dorry, Brogy, and a bunch of powerful Giants, making them far stronger than before. However, Imu’s devilish strength aside from this technique may be the greatest obstacle to overcome, since it narratively puts them as adirect challenge to Luffy’s Nika fruit. It’s implied that this may not even be their full power, since they are currently using Gunko as a conduit to come to the island, which may not allow them to use everything at their disposal.
Because of the terrifying abilities of Domi Reversi, Elbaf is in unparalleled danger at the current moment. The possibilities of how it’s used and who it is used on are almost endless, which, paired with the awesome powers of the Gods Knights and the ensuing chaos of Elbaf, may promise an eventual defeat for the heroes which would likely bleed directly into the Final War. This sense of urgency may spiral intoOne Piece’sultimate conflict.
Mu will show thee the dominion of God!
The most popular theory is a very likely eventuality in this arc that would change everything going forward. Many believe that, through using Domi Reversi, Imu may change the allegiance ofone or many Straw Hats, maybe even all except for the Monster Trio and Chopper. Not only would this be one of the greatest twists in the whole story, but it would add stakes to the series that would be greater than any before it.
Now this could transpire in several ways; either the Monster Trio will have to fight them to turn them back, or they may be kidnapped by Imu and held hostage, which could directly lead to the beginning of the Final War. Of course, all of this is speculation, but the nature of Imu’s Demonic Pact makes this a very likely and terrifying possibility, which could lead to the biggest surprise in the entire story. Fans can only wait to see what Oda has planned for this arc, but the likelihood of it ending in a defeat for the heroes grows with every new chapter.
Thematic Connections And Possible Outcomes Of This
How This May Have Been Foreshadowed
Eiichiro Oda is known as a master of using foreshadowing in his story, due to which fans have found striking parallels to earlier parts ofOne Piecethat may hint at how Elbaf ends.The Sabaody arc is one of the fewthat ends with the ‘defeat’ of the Straw Hats, prompting the beginning of the entire time skip to take place. Fans think that Oda may be gearing up for another potential time skip or the start of the Final War as the events of this arc come to a close.
One such way that this could happen is a potential turning and kidnapping of a Straw Hat, similar to Sabaody, which will lead to the remaining heroes going to save them, similar to what happened with Ace in the Marineford arc. If this happens, the opportunity for there to be a potential mirror to Marineford would definitely lead to the Final War, which has been one of the most prevalent theories within the community regarding the long-awaited Elbaf arc.
