One Piece is renowned for its superb foreshadowing, and a fan theory contends that the conclusion may have been kept a secret for more than 20 years.
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- A well-liked fan theory suggests that One Piece’s ending might be set up by the Long Ring Long Land arc.
- Luffy against Shanks could be based on the Davy Back Fight concept first presented in Long Ring Long Land.
- One Piece’s tone would be well served by a dramatic Davy Back Fight, which may pave the way for a more conventional epic finale.
It is inevitable for fans of any manga or anime to try to guess how it will conclude, but One Piece fans may be the most inclined to do so. One Piece’s lengthy runtime and painstakingly constructed plot have had fans wondering how the show would conclude for years.
Now that the Wano Country Saga has concluded and the series has entered its “final arc,” that question is more pertinent than before. Fans may already be aware of all the hints needed to deduce Luffy’s strategy for taking the One Piece and ascending to the position of Pirate King. Everything stems from one of the most underappreciated plotlines, which debuted more than 20 years ago.
Exploiting the Long Ring Long Land Arc's Potential
The Water 7 Saga began with the 14th arc of the One Piece manga, Long Ring Long Land, and continued throughout several lesser arcs. Long Ring Long Land is a breezy, low-stakes plot, in contrast to previous arcs’ intense emotional moments and heart-wrenching action. The idea is simple: once a year, as the tides recede, the Straw Hats discover a network of islands connected by bridges. While there, they wind up playing a series of ridiculous but dangerous games called “Davy Back Fights” with the Foxy Pirates, where crew members’ loyalty is at stake.
Even though the adversaries and the Davy Back Fight were a lot of fun throughout the storyline, fans have always lamented how completely unimportant everything felt. Although One Piece has a history of acting strangely for comedic effect, dedicating 19 chapters and 13 episodes to an arc that has no actual lasting effects seems a little odd. The two brief appearances of Doflamingo and the debut of Marine Admiral Aokiji were the only deviations from this rule, and they occurred solely at the start and finish of the arc. The characters didn’t develop significantly, the storyline didn’t move, and the few bits of trivia mentioned here have only made fleeting appearances in subsequent chapters.
But according to a notion that is gaining traction, the seemingly “pointless” aspect of Long Ring Long Land might really be one of series author Eiirchio Oda’s best uses of foreshadowing to date. One Piece is a story where almost nothing is wasted, as any fan would attest. Minor information can return out of nowhere dozens or even hundreds of chapters later, as in the case of Sanji’s casual reference about growing up in the North Blue foreshadowing the arrival of Germa 66 and his birth family or Lola giving Nami a greeting card that turned out to belong to Big Mom. In light of all of this, many have begun to wonder what feature of Long Ring Long Land would be able to make a similarly significant comeback. It would also have to be something significant after over 20 years.
A Davy Backfight Could Determine Who Will Become the Next Pirate King
Even though it would be funny if Captain Foxy appeared out of nowhere as a real threat in the New World, a well-liked fan theory predicts that the Davy Back Fight would reappear at the conclusion of One Piece’s main story. The Davy Back Fight was initially described as a pirate custom in which members of enemy crews are taken hostage. Additionally, there is a rule that states that the winning side is not really compelled to take crew members. Alternatively, they could take possession of the Jolly Roger held by their opponent.
Given this, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to suggest that, provided both parties are on board with the plan, other items may be on the table in a Davy Back Fight. Other things like treasure—the One Piece, for instance, the greatest treasure of all.
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Readers can reasonably expect that, as with every other action manga, the plot will culminate in a pivotal conflict between the protagonists and the main antagonist. However, One Piece differs from other action manga. Oda has always been upfront about One Piece’s dual nature as a fast-paced battle comic and a humorous adventure. To emphasise just what kind of story everyone has been reading, the island where the One Piece is kept has disclosed its name as “Laugh Tale.”
In a Davy back fight, Luffy could prove himself to Shanks.
After drinking, partying, and beating up Eustass Kid for so many years, Shanks eventually makes his reappearance with his crew at the end of the Wano Country Arc, announcing he’s ready to take the One Piece. This purposefully positions him alongside the likes of the World Government and the Blackbeard Pirates as an additional barrier standing in Luffy’s way of becoming the King of the Pirates.
Though it makes sense that the Straw Hats would clash with characters like Blackbeard or fellow Emperor Buggy, given how much Luffy and Shanks care for one another, it’s difficult to image them engaging in a death-defying combat. Any conclusion that demanded that Luffy kill Shanks or cause him great harm in order to obtain the One Piece would, at most, be melancholic. Alternatively, they could agree on a Davy Back Fight as a non-lethal means of resolving their differences.
It would guarantee that none of the characters that fans have grown to love and know over the years would have to die, and it would open up a tonne of possibilities for interaction and character development between the two crews that might not be there in a conventional battle arrangement. At last, Usopp could take on his father Yasopp in a gunfight to establish his mettle as a fearless marine warrior. Sanji and Lucky Roux could compete against one other, testing their speed and culinary skills. Zoro and Beckman might engage in a duel, which could serve as a justification for the latter to pull out the rifle he’s been keeping about for a while.
Ultimately, Luffy and Shanks might battle in the Battle game, just as Luffy and Foxy had all those years before in Long Ring Long Land. The guarantee that neither would have to perish would not take away from the spectacular and eagerly awaited combat between the two. After defeating Shanks in this manner, it would be the ideal way to wrap up their tale if Luffy eventually returned the straw hat—especially because they would undoubtedly get to celebrate together afterwards.
One Piece Might Still Engage in a Conventional Final Conflict
Even while a Davy Back Fight would be the ideal way to wrap up One Piece conceptually, some fans would surely feel betrayed if the series ended without at least one more significant fight. Fortunately, the manga would still have plenty of chances to have its cake and eat it, too.
The biggest dangers to the Straw Hats and everyone else are the Blackbeard Pirates and the enigmatic Imu, and it seems unlikely that they would quit being terrible if someone just asked sweetly. Like Arlong, Crocodile, Doflamingo, Kaido, and so many others before them, they will eventually have to be defeated.
It’s also very likely that Luffy and the gang will be able to accomplish that with the use of some sort of secret information or tool found in the One Piece. These two plot points would be complementary to one another if that proves to be the case. After taking down the Red Hair Pirates and winning the One Piece, the Straw Hats would ally with their comrades from every previous arc. Together, they would halt Blackbeard’s plans to rule the globe and overthrow Imu and the globe Nobles with the treasure found in the One Piece. When presented thus neatly, it almost seems excessively logical.
Oda’s recent remarks indicate that One Piece will conclude in the coming years. There’s still so much to discover about the plot, even this close to the end. Answers to some of its oldest questions are only now beginning to come in. Even if it’s practically hard to guess how such an oddball series will finish, it makes sense that it would do what it does best—have a great time being ridiculous.