Every Norse mythology inspiration in One Piece's Elbaph Arc so far

Elbaph, the homeland of the Giants, has always been a highly anticipated destination on the Straw Hat crew’s journey across the One Piece world. This island—renowned as the mightiest nation—was first mentioned during the Little Garden Arc and now finally welcomes Monkey D. Luffy and his companions for a new, memorable adventure.

To develop Elbaph, One Piece author Eiichiro Oda took evident inspiration from Viking Age Scandinavia, blending Norse mythology with his own creative flair to forge a compelling narrative tapestry. As the Elbaph Arc unfolds, this thread will highlight the most notable Viking references incorporated into the story.

Disclaimer: This article contains major spoilers from the One Piece manga up to chapter 1142.

One Piece took inspiration from Viking folklore for many elements of the Elbaph Arc

The Giant Race’s appearance, society, and culture

One Piece's Giants look like Vikings (Image via Toei Animation)

Born with incredibly large bodies and formidable physical strength, the Giants inhabit a society rooted in honor and might, reflecting a romanticized image of Viking warriors. This was evident long before Elbaph itself appeared, with Dorry and Brogy’s century-long duel serving as an embodiment of Viking ideals.

Despite being good friends, the two Giants battled relentlessly for a hundred years over a trivial dispute. Their battles were driven by the unshakable will to uphold Elbaph’s sacred tradition of prideful honor.

It’s important to note that Elbaph boasts a rich history and mythology, particularly regarding the legend of Nika. This legendary figure – whose surreal powers now reside in Monkey D. Luffy – is revered in Elbaph as the “Sun God.” Likewise, the historical Vikings were known to worship deities like Thor, Odin, Freyja, and others.

The Viking vibes are undeniable (Image via Shueisha)

In addition, the Giants' clothes, weapons, and structures are steeped in Viking influence. They fully embody the conventional Viking archetype, wearing garments with fur capes and horned helmets, and wielding axes and shields as their signature weapons. Their wooden ships, adorned with metallic shields on the sides and dragon-like figureheads, resemble the drakkars used by Vikings, further underscoring this inspiration.

Locations such as Western Village, Aurust Castle, Sheep’s House, and Warrior’s Spring also evoke the spirit of Viking lore, with outlines that recall the iconic architecture of medieval Scandinavia.

Yggdrasil

Treasure Tree Adam dwarfing Elbaph itself (Image via Shueisha)

A colossal tree in the center of Elbaph towers over the entire island, its upper portion extending into the clouds while the lower part’s branches reach close to the shore. Known as Treasure Tree Adam, this legendary plant dwarfs Elbaph itself, dividing the island into three distinct regions: the Underworld, the Sun World, and the Heaven World.

The sheer size of the tree enables the Giants to live on its branches and even construct structures suitable for their large bodies. Conversely, the branches block sunlight from reaching the lower region. Needless to say, Elbaph’s Treasure Tree Adam is reminiscent of the sacred Yggdrasil from Norse mythology, a similarly massive tree that is said to link the nine worlds forming the cosmos.

According to the myth, all beings inhabit these nine interconnected worlds, with the gods residing in a celestial realm called Asgard and humans in the region of Midgard. The somber area of Helheim allows souls to find their final rest in the afterlife. The parallel with Elbaph’s Heaven World, Sun World, and Underworld is striking, offering an unmistakable similarity that hints at future intriguing developments in the One Piece manga.

Loki

Known as the “Accursed Prince," Loki is the son of Elbaph’s late monarch, King Harald. Loki is an all-powerful individual, easily the strongest warrior in all of Elbaph. He wreaked havoc uncontrollably until “Red-Haired” Shanks stopped and captured him six years before the current One Piece narrative.

Since then, Loki has languished in Elbaph’s Underworld, chained in seastone to Treasure Tree Adam, yearning for someone to free him. Driven by curiosity about Loki’s enigmatic nature, Luffy and Zoro ultimately resolved to unshackle him. However, this choice could spell trouble, given Loki’s savage, untamed might.

The character of Loki is clearly inspired by the Norse deity of the same name. Known as the “God of Mischief," the Loki from Nordic folklore is depicted as a cunning and mischievous trickster who uses his shapeshifting powers to sow chaos. Similarly, One Piece’s Loki is also infamous for his wicked deeds and penchant for tricking and manipulating others.

One Piece traced some striking parallels between Loki and Zoro (Image via Shueisha)

An ever-present eerie, sinister grin highlights his deceptive nature. The parallel deepens as One Piece’s Loki reportedly killed his father, Harald, to steal a coveted rare Devil Fruit, while Norse tales suggest that Loki orchestrated Baldur’s death. The God of Mischief used his shapeshifting abilities to trick Höðr—Baldur’s blind brother—into killing Baldur.

However, One Piece’s Loki is implied to have a compassionate side. As ferocious and violent as he is, the accusations of his evil nature may be exaggerated. In fact, Loki’s story closely resembles that of Roronoa Zoro. Their similar introductions and early interactions with Luffy align, suggesting that just as the green-haired swordsman wore his fearsome, demonic reputation like armor to conceal his deeper kindness, Loki has done the same to hide his underlying benevolence.

Ragnir

Loki’s signature weapon is Ragnir, a massive Warhammer that, according to the spoilers of One Piece chapter 1142, can unleash tremendous lightning. The manga has yet to reveal Ragnir’s exact powers, but Loki’s established reputation for strength and Hajrudin’s panicked reaction when Loki wielded this weapon speak volumes, portraying Ragnir as a harbinger of destruction.

The name “Ragnir" likely combines Ragnarok and Mjolnir. The former is a mythological event believed to reshape the world through chaos, while the latter refers to the hammer wielded by Thor, the Thunder God. Both elements, the prophesied world-shaking event and Thor’s fabled hammer, come from Norse mythology.

Thor was said to use Mjolnir both as a devastating throwing weapon and as a sacred tool to bestow divine blessings. Loki has already shown the ability to unleash lightning from his Ragnir. He claims to be the one who will bring about Ragnarok to end the world, making it intriguing to see how closely One Piece will align with Norse legends in this respect.

Bifrost

The Giants of Elbaph can use a special mineral known as “Sunstone” to generate rainbows that, despite their appearance as intangible constructs of light, take the form of liquid fluids. Much like the milky dials introduced in Skypiea that produced tangible pathways out of ethereal clouds, these tools can be used to turn the rainbows into pathways resilient enough to support giant ships filled with passengers.

Upon arriving in Elbaph, the Straw Hat Pirates stood captivated by the breathtaking magnificence of the rainbows. Their awe turned into jaw-dropping disbelief when they saw ships ascending the supposedly intangible rainbows as if they were riding sea waves.

Elbaph’s spectacular rainbows resemble the legendary Bifrost from Norse mythology, a fabled rainbow that connects Midgard's earthly realm to Asgard's heavenly domain.

Harley

The recent One Piece chapters have unveiled the Harley, an ancient religious text preserved in Elbaph’s Owl Library. Known as the original literary source for the island’s folklore, including the legend of “Sun God” Nika, the Harley is divided into three chapters, each describing conflicts from different ages of the world.

The text’s cryptic nature invites multiple interpretations, although some clues seem to be more clear. While the first chapter remains shrouded in mystery, the second appears to reference Joy Boy’s death and the global flooding during the Void Century. The third chapter is thought to represent the present time, with a mural depicting the three worlds through vivid imagery.

It’s safe to say that One Piece’s Harley draws inspiration from Norse mythology’s Poetic Edda, specifically the Völuspá, a poem narrating the story of the world’s origin, apocalyptic end, and subsequent rebirth.

Skoll and Hati

Norse myths tell the story of two wolf brothers, Skoll and Hati, who chase the Sun and the Moon until the apocalyptic Ragnarok begins. This Norse tale resonates in One Piece, as the manga recently revealed that Shanks has a twin brother, the Celestial Dragon Saint Figarland Shamrock.

While Shanks is known for his benevolence and humility, Shamrock is entirely different, characterized as a cold-blooded, classist man. As the current leader of the Holy Knights, Shamrock arrived on Elbaph to subjugate the island under the World Government’s rule.

Shanks, a sworn protector of Elbaph, is a good friend and ally to the Giants, making his connection to the island completely opposed to that of Shamrock. With their divergent ties to Elbaph and contrasting personalities, the two brothers, Shanks and Shamrock, emerge as compelling parallels to the wolf brothers Skoll and Hati, evoking the same duality between polar opposites.

The coincidence is astounding, as Skoll is said to chase the Sun—just like Shanks protected and mentored Luffy, the boy who became the reincarnation of the “Sun God” Nika—while Hati is said to chase the Moon, aligning with Shamrock's allegiance to his father, the wicked Saint Figarland Garling, a figure who radiates a malevolent aura.

Svalinn

In Norse mythology, Svalinn is a legendary shield said to stand before the Sun. One Piece echoed this tale through Dorry and Brogy, the two giants who combined their strength to perform a technique called "Sun Shield Svalinn." In this move, they raised their shields as one to parry an incoming attack from Saint Topman Warcury, one of the Five Elders.

With their combined move, Dorry and Brogy even managed to strike back at Warcury, sending him flying with a powerful blow. Warcury’s attack was aimed at Luffy, who has now become the embodiment of the "Sun God” Nika by wielding the powers of the Human-Human Fruit Model: Nika.

Thus, Svalinn is emphasized as the shield eternally bound to stand in front of the Sun, once again connecting the Viking tales with the One Piece manga.

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Edited by Shreya Das