One Piece’s Elbaph arc is deepening its lore with massive reveals about the land of the giants and its prominent residents. While this arc has delivered major revelations, it has been missing the level of action fans expected. Considering Elbaph is known as the land of warriors, many anticipated more battles than in previous arcs. With the release ofOne PieceChapter #1142, it seems fans' wishes have finally been fulfilled, as the most anticipated figure of this arc, Loki, is almost set free and ready to wreak havoc on Elbaph Island.
Though Loki’s release alone was enough to push the narrative of Elbaph toward action, the latest chapter adds an unexpected twist, driving the arc even deeper into chaos. With giant monsters and Loki intent on destroying the land of the giants, it’s thrilling to imagine how the Straw Hats will be involved. Considering they are partially responsible for freeing Loki, the Elbaph arc is heading into a wild storyline few fans could have seen coming.
One Piece’s Elbaph Arc Unleashes Monsters From Children’s Nightmares, Ready to Destroy Elbaph Island
The Monsters Appear to Be the Powers of the Newly Arrived God’s Knights
One PieceChapter #1142, titled “What I’m Afraid Of,” features gigantic monsters emerging from the forests, creatures so massive they appear gigantic even to the giants, seemingly ready to destroy Elbaph. While the giants at the school speculate about where these monsters came from, Miss Ange, the children’s teacher, reveals that she recognizes the monsters. She explains that these are the very monsters the children had drawn earlier in class as representations of what they fear most.
Miss Ange’s claim seems ridiculous to the giants, and it might feel the same to readers. However, before the chapter ends, it’s heavily hinted that the sleepwalking of the giant children and the appearance of monsters from their nightmares are somehow connected to the powers ofOne Piece’snewly arrived God’s Knights. Killingham, one of God’s Knights, is revealed to have the ability to put the children to sleep. It’s strongly suggested in the chapter that Killingham possesses this power as another God’s Knight, Sommers, compliments Killingham for doing so.
There’s also a deeper hint about how Killingham might possess this power, tied to his inspiration from the Japanese folklore creature, Kirin. In folklore, the Kirin is considered a sign of a good omen if it appears in one’s dreams. There is a possibility that Killingham ate a Mythical Zoan-type Devil Fruit associated with this creature, granting him the ability to put others to sleep. With Killingham already having the power to induce sleep, it seems likely that the ability to manifest monsters from children’s nightmares could belong to Sommers.
One Piece Creator Confirms Elbaph Theory, Revealing Loki’s True Age
In the last chapter of One Piece, Oda confirms how Giants age in comparison to humans and solidifies just how old Loki is to the Straw Hat Pirates.
This is strongly implied as Sommers thanks Killingham for putting the children to sleep and later asks Gunko about her fears, suggesting that Sommers may have the power to bring others' fears to life. It would make sense why Sommers and Killingham were chosen for this mission, as their abilities complement each other perfectly and make it easy to manipulate others under their rule. While thislatest twist inOne Piecemay seem like an unexpected turn, there are subtle details in the monsters that suggest the series is once again drawing inspiration from Norse lore.
One Piece’s Latest Twist May Be Inspired by Norse Lore
Elbaph Might Be Facing Ragnarök
It is no secret thatOne Piece’s latest arc, Elbaph, has been drawing inspirationfrom Norse lore, with its most recent influence clearly seen in Loki’s weapon. Incorporating a weapon similar to Thor’s Mjolnir into Elbaph solidifies the arc’s connection to Norse mythology. However,this mythology also includes one final event that signals its end: Ragnarök. Often referred to in Norse lore as “the beginning of the end,” Ragnarök also seems to be woven into Elbaph’s story as monsters descend upon the island and Loki declares his ambition to destroy it.
One Piece May Have Just Revealed Loki’s Power, and It’s Exactly What Elbaph Was Missing
One Piece Chapter #1141 finally sees Loki break free, potentially also revealing his immeasurable power.
This strongly suggests that Ragnarök is being used as a symbol to mark the end of the current Elbaph. This theory gains even more weight when examining the monsters that have just emerged from the forests, many of which appear inspired by Norse mythological creatures. Clear references can be seen in the wolf, resembling Fenrir; the Draugr, representing undead beings; the wyrm, seemingly inspired by Níðhöggr; and the bear, echoing Bjorn.
With these elements in play and the arc’s repeated hints at the “end of the world”, it feels inevitable that Elbaph will feature its own version of Ragnarök, bringing the island to an end. However, by emphasizing Ragnarök’s true meaning as a new dawn rising from the end,One Piece’s latest twist might not be so unexpected, as while Elbaph appears to be heading toward destruction, it is likely being prepared for a new beginning, one that will be shaped by the Straw Hats.
