Summary
Ever since he was first teased in the early days ofOne Piece, fans have been waiting with bated breaths for the eventual full reveal of the legendary Scopper Gaban. This character is one of the most important figures in the world, considered the left wing and equal to the Pirate King, as well as being among the most powerful pirates to have ever sailed the seas. Because of this, he’s one of the few surviving people who know the truth of the world.
Even before his official introduction toOne Piecein the Elbaf arc, everyone knew just how great of a character Scopper would be. As such, each chapter since his debuthas only cemented his legend further, culminating in Chapter 1148, where he finally faces off against St. Sommers of the Gods Knights. As expected, this encounter hinted at a shared history between these two, so let’s go over what this could be.
Story Arc
Orange Town
Scopper’s legend preceded him even before his official debut. Wano, and the subsequent arcs after it, built up his legend even more, cementing him as the Sanji-equivalent character for the Roger Pirates, who stood ashis late captain’s left wing alongside Rayleigh, who stood as his right. In his official debut in Elbaf, he was said to be someone who was equal to the Pirate King.
Because of this, it’s clear that Scopper has been present for some of the most important events in the history ofOne Piece, the most notable of which is the ever-mysterious God Valley Incident. When Monkey D. Dragon first mentioned the Gods Knights in the story, fans' ears immediately perked up, since it was also revealed that this is the premier fighting force of the Celestial Dragons, who are only under the 5 Elders in the chain of command of the World Government.
This place in the hierarchy very obviously puts them as some of the most important and powerful characters in the world, which is quite apparent since they, too, werepresent at the God Valley Incident. This mysterious event is still mired in uncertainty and theorization, but what is known is that the titular island was the epicenter of a battle between the most powerful forces in the world 38 years before the start of the main story. Here, the Rocks Pirates attacked the Celestial Dragons who were having their Native Hunting Competition on the island.
The fights that took place here were numerous, with each of the strongest characters taking on one another. This is also where Scopper and St. Sommers first met and battled, as could be implied by their recent interaction in Chapter 1148, where Scopper said that it had been a long time. Of course, it could be an entirely new and separate event that the two know each other from, but that’s highly unlikely.
Long time no see.
This is because the Celestial Dragons view anyone aside from themselves as trash that they want nothing to do with. Thisracist and xenophobic ideology is apparent in most World Nobles, due to which they would rather not spend any time on the surface world, believing everyone in it to be mere insects for them to play with as they please. Due to them spending very little time outside Marijoa, it’s unlikely that Sommers met Scopper anywhere other than the God Valley Incident.
At that point, Scopper was likely in his prime, and St. Sommers, who is now a much older man, may have been a newer member of the Gods Knights. So, since Sommers recognized Scopper immediately and the Mountain Eater even stated that it had been a long time, it strongly suggests that the two have met before, and the God Valley Incident is assuredly the place where this meeting took place.
The Future Of Their Battle On Elbaf May Be Unexpected
How Will Their Fight Play Out?
As of now, Scopper has officially made his entry in the battle against the Gods Knights, hitting Sommers with a powerful blow that somehow prevented the regeneration of his arm, which even took him by surprise. This shows that Scopper either has a previously unknown ability or amastered form of Haki that no one else knowsabout yet which allows him to deal such damage. However, despite having the upper hand now, he is unlikely to be the one to defeat St. Sommers.
The main reason for this is the way mostOne Piecearcs play out, and the fact that the Monster Trio is still missing from the fray suggests that they will eventually come in later and defeat the villains. However, some believe that the events of Elbaf will be over rather quickly, so there is more time to focus on the two main flashbacks that every fan simply can’t wait for; the God Valley Incident and Loki’s true backstory. Much of the Elbaf arc could be dedicated to these two flashbacks, which is a decision that everyone would love.
