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Warning: Contains spoilers for chapter # of One Piece.
After plenty of twists and turns,One Piecehas finally concluded the Egghead Arc and the survival of one particular character hints that the Final Saga may mirror one of the best arcs in the series. Even after a thousand chapters, the Marineford Arc remains one ofOne Piece’s most popular arcs, and the Final Saga may already be starting to mirror it.
Chapter #1126 ofOne Piececonfirms that Garp is aliveand is being held captive by Blackbeard after his battle against Kuzan. Garp’s survival sets up a situation very similar to Marineford, albeit inversed with a Marine being captured by pirates instead of how Ace was held captive by the Navy.
With theEgghead Arc already mirroring Sabaodyquite noticeably, this only further strengthens the parallels between the Final Saga and the Summit War Saga. In fact, the Final Saga could very well surpass the Marineford Arc in every regard,repeating one ofOne Piece’s saddest stories.
One Piece’s Final Saga May Mirror the Marineford Arc
Both Ace and Garp Are in Similar Situations
One Piece’s Egghead Arc has brought back many key players from the Sabaody Arc, such as Kuma, and Kizaru, setting up a very similar situation wherein the Straw Hats' newfound strength is put to the test as they attempt to flee from the might of the Navy. Granted, the Egghead Arc takes things to a much grander scale with an entireBuster Call being summoned to Egghead, but the parallels are undeniable.
The panel of Garp being held captive with large chains crossed over his chest is alsoeerily similar to the way Ace was pictured at his executionwith two swords crossed in front of him like Roger. Garp being captured by Blackbeard also mirrors the way Blackbeard was essentially responsible for Ace’s death back during the Summit War.
Blackbeard used Ace as a bargaining chip to become a Warlord back then, and his plans for Garp are pretty much the same. As seen in chapter #1080, Blackbeard plans to turn Pirate Island into an official country, andcapturing Garp appears to have played in his favor.
Garp’s Capture Could Set off a Similar Chain of Events
If the Final Saga is indeed following the same pattern of events as the Summit War Saga, albeit in inverse, then what would have to follow is something similar to the Impel Down Arc, with either the members of SWORD or Luffy, or both attempting to infiltrate Fullalead and free Garp. Even though they have a strained relationship,Luffy does still care for his grandfatherand would not be able to ignore the threat to his life.
Moreover, Luffy already has a bone to pick with Blackbeard because of Marineford, and having yet another one of his family members being endangered by him is something Luffy likely won’t tolerate. Meanwhile, from the Navy’s perspective, Garp is one of the most respectable figures in the Navy, known as the legendary Hero of the Marines who defeated the Rocks Pirates.
As such, it would bedifficult for the Marines to ignore Garp’s captureespecially if Blackbeard ends up creating a public spectacle like Marineford that would sully the Navy’s authority and reputation. This would be especially unfortunate timing given that Cross Guild is already causing unrest within the ranks of the Marines.
Many fans have speculated that the Final Saga will see the Marines split up into two factions—one that sides with the Celestial Dragons and one that sides with SWORD, and Garp’s capture, depending on how it is handledcould be the factor that ignites this divide. It is unlikely that Garp’s capture alone could lead to a full-blown war larger than the scale of Marineford.
One Piece’s Ending Draws Near As Shanks Declares War On Luffy’s Straw Hat Fleet
Luffy’s mischievous Straw Hat Fleet has caused trouble, spurring a dramatic response from One Piece’s Pirate Emperor Shanks, which may ignite a war.
However, the roots of this conflict are already taking hold with the Revolutionaries cutting off food shipments to Mariejois amidst the famine. Shanks has also openly declared war against the Straw Hat Grand Fleet and Vegapunk’s message has invigorated the ratrace toward Laugh Tale.
One Piece’s Final Saga Will Surpass Marineford
Overall, it is becoming increasingly clear thatOne Piece’s Final Saga will indeed include a large-scale conflict just as fans have speculated for years. Moreover, this final war will likely surpass Marineford, and a comment by Oda from 2012 supports this idea. In the interview, Oda describes Marineford as a simple side trip that was unexpectedly popular among fans. Oda also notably states that the Final Saga will make the Marineford Arc pale in comparison, which is motivating Oda to draw the Final Saga.
One thing that motivates me to keep drawingOne Pieceis that I want to draw the final saga. The final saga will be so amazing that it makes the Marineford arc look like nothing. The Marineford arc was just a side trip to me. I didn’t expect it to be so popular.
— Eiichiro Oda, Sound & Recording Magazine, 2012.
This active storytelling is visible throughout the Egghead Arc which has not only maintained a tight pace but has also been packed with simultaneous developments all setting the stage for the epic Final Saga. It is yet to be seen what Garp’s fate will be but as things stand, Garp will surely play a major role in shapingOne Piece’s finale.
One Pieceis available from Manga Plus and Viz Media.
One Piece
Created by Eiichiro Oda, One Piece is a multimedia franchise that began as a manga series and follows the adventures of the Straw Hat Pirates as led by Monkey D. Luffy. Luffy, an enthusiastic pirate with a thirst for adventure, is afflicted by a mysterious curse that gives him various powers he uses to protect himself and his friends. The manga eventually gave way to the anime series, with the two being some of history’s longest-running anime and manga series. Along with over fifty video games made over the years, the series entered the live-action world with Netflix’s 2023 adaptation.
