Summary
The Straw Hats fromOne Pieceare one of the most iconic teams across the entire anime industry. From the very first chapter of the series, Luffy expressed the desire to make a pirate crew that would function like a family, with each of the most important roles on the ship being filled by these people. All these years later, these positions have been filled up, and the Straw Hats are now one of the strongest crews in the world.
One of the biggest identifying factors ofOne Piece, which is a criticism to many, is the fact that there are too few character deaths, which leads to the stakes of an arc ultimately being low, most of all for the Straw Hats. However, this may have all been a set-up for there to eventually be adeath within this pirate crew, so let’s look at who the most likely candidate is and why Elbaf is the perfect arc for this to happen.
Story Arc
Syrup Village Arc
When it comes to breaking down the likelihood of a Straw Hat dying, it can be stated that each of their deaths could be worked into the story somehow. However, narratively, no one’s death would make as much sense or work quite as wellinto the franchise as Usopp’s, other than perhaps Luffy himself. But, the latter’s death would only make sense if it happens at the very end of the story once all the evil forces of the world have been defeated.
Usopp has always been defined by his cowardice, which has led to some of the most hilarious gags in the entireOne Pieceseries. However, there is much more to his character than just this, which can be seen best of all in the Enies Lobby arc, where his greatest development took place. Upon seeing how the rest of the crew was willing to abandon the Going Merry once it had served its purpose, Usopp felt that he would be the next to be discarded due to being the weakest member who didn’t have a specified role in the crew at the time.
He eventually learned to overcome this insecurity, realizing that Luffy and the others weren’t like that and taking up the position of the official sniper for the Straw Hats. Usopp’s entire journey was made clear even earlier in the Little Garden arc, where he met the Giants of Elbaf, Dorry and Brogy, for the first time, which instilled in him thegoal of becoming a Brave Warrior of the Sea. One could argue that Usopp has already become this, due to his many heroic acts throughout the series after the events of Little Garden, where he has often faced opponents far stronger than himself, which is about the bravest thing one could do.
However, it still isn’t something that he has reconciled within himself, since the title of Brave Warrior of the Sea is something that he wishes to attain above all else. Because of this, many believe that Elbaf will be the arc where he finally achieves his dream due to the land’s connection to the character, which was first hinted at over 1000 chapters before the arc even started.
Protecting what we cherish most as men is the reason why we formed this pirate crew!
But how does this ensure that Usopp will be the Straw Hat to meet his demise here? The truth here is that, despite his continual cowardice at seeing an enemy for the first time inalmost every arc post-Enies Lobby, Usopp has undoubtedly become a brave and noble man. The key is that he must believe this himself, since despite committing many acts of bravery, he still doesn’t consider himself to have reached his dream, which may just prompt a single, powerful act that will finally reassure him that he actually is a brave warrior.
Due to his relationship with the rest of the crew and the power disparity between him and Luffy, in particular, many fans believe that Usopp will, at some point during the Elbaf arc, sacrifice his life to save Luffy. This would be perhaps the most important and poignant moment for not only him, but in the series in general, since Usopp will finally consider himself a Brave Warrior of the Sea by committing an act of unparalleled bravery to save the man he knows will change the world, doing so in a place that has such significance to him and the Giants themselves.
Usopp’s Alternative Fate During The Elbaf Arc
What Else Could Be In Store For Him?
Currently, fans are split between two camps regarding Usopp’s arc in Elbaf. While his death would be one of the most heartbreaking and significant moments in the entireOne Pieceseries, many other fans believe that to become a Brave Warrior of the Sea, Usopp will get anincredible power-up in the Elbaf arc, which will work perfectly with his character and the importance of the land of the Giants to him.
In Dressrosa, Usopp briefly unlocked Observation Haki, so there will likely be further development in that area. However, more interestingly, many fans believe that Usopp will finally get a Devil Fruit power, which is likely going to be the Mythical Zoan; Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Giant. Usopp getting the ability to become a Giant like his idols from Elbaf would be the perfect next step for the character and may be just as important in instilling the belief of being a Brave Warrior of the Sea within the character.
One Piececan be streamed onCrunchyroll.
One Piece
One Piece is a Japanese manga written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda. The series follows protagonist Monkey D. Luffy and his Straw Hat Pirate crew as they explore the Grand Line to find the King of the Pirates' ultimate treasure, the One Piece, to become the next king. The manga’s popularity helped it spin off into a larger media franchise, including an anime with more than 1,000 episodes.
