Loki's parallel to a key One Piece character teases him as an ally

Modified Nov 04, 2024 09:30 GMT

One Piece chapter 1131 revealed many things, including the alleged antagonist of the ongoing Elbaf arc, Prince Loki. Although the latter parts of the chapter focused on unveiling Loki and the scale of Elbaf in comparison to the Straw Hats, Loki's backstory— revealed by the giants— along with recurring patterns throughout the series, has already suggested a believable blueprint for the current arc.

It has already been established that many arcs follow a repeated structure throughout the story, with the Alabasta arc serving as the essential blueprint for every arc centered around a captured country.

Similar to the beginning of the Alabasta arc, Loki's introduction might mirror Vivi's, as someone initially covered in misunderstanding. Vivi was introduced as an antagonist, only to become a key character in the Alabasta arc. Given the tendency for arcs to mirror each other, it is possible that Loki may end up becoming an ally as well.

Disclaimer- This article contains spoilers for the One Piece series.

One Piece: The Alabasta arc's structure might've revealed Elbaf's story

Nefertari D. Vivi as shown in the anime (Image via Toei Animation)

One Piece has over thirty individual arcs, many of which are entirely unique, with different structures and conflicts, such as the Whole Cake Island arc. However, the Alabasta arc, which serves as one of the series' most important and major arcs, has a special position, as it established the mold for arcs in which the Straw Hats overthrow a corrupt regime.

The main plot of the Alabasta arc had considerable buildup, starting from the Reverse Mountain arc, which introduced Nefertari D. Vivi, the princess of the Alabasta Kingdom.

Although Vivi later became an integral member and ally of the Straw Hats, she was first introduced as an antagonist, simply masquerading as a villain to overthrow Crocodile, who was controlling the Alabasta Kingdom from the shadows. The Straw Hats ultimately defeated Crocodile and reinstated Vivi and the Nefertari family as the rulers of Alabasta.

Crocodile as shown in the anime (Image via Toei Animation)

The arc followed a specific structure, beginning with the introduction of an integral character directly descended from the royal family of the involved kingdom. This character is later revealed to be a victim of the actual antagonist, who controls the kingdom from the shadows and is ultimately defeated by the Straw Hats.

This pattern remains consistent in the Dressrosa and Wano arcs, albeit with some minor deviations. The template began with the Alabasta arc, with Vivi being the first royal family member introduced in the series.

Given that Elbaf is almost guaranteed to be the final kingdom in the Straw Hats' journey, it is entirely possible that Loki's story will mirror that of Vivi. Loki's status as the disgrace of Elbaf, his imprisonment, and his alleged crimes might just be fabrications by the actual antagonist of the arc, who has remained hidden until now.

Final thoughts

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One Piece chapter 1131 will be released on November 10, 2024, and will depict Luffy's interactions with Loki and the Straw Hat crew's next course of action after entering Elbaf illegally.