One Piece's Elbaf arc starts with a good sign for Usopp's training, and his feline foe is the key

Modified Sep 19, 2024 23:30 GMT

One Piece: Ussop's arc brings back his oldest enemy (Image via Toei Animation)

One Piece chapter 1127 will mark the actual beginning of the Elbaf arc, which is highly anticipated by the fandom as the arc where Usopp finally becomes a true warrior through much-needed character development. Although chapter 1127 has not been officially released yet, spoilers have already surfaced.

The alleged spoilers primarily focus on Usopp and Nami as they face their first battle in Elbaf. While the battle may not seem significant at first glance, Usopp's confrontation with a cat could be a callback to his earliest enemy, Captain Kuro from the Syrup Village arc.

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

One piece: Ussop's development in Elbaf brings back his oldest enemy

Ussoop as shown in the One Piece anime (Image via Toei Animation)

Usopp is the fourth Straw Hat pirate to join the crew and is arguably one of the weakest members. He was introduced in the Syrup Village arc, where his character revolved around being a coward, a liar, and a victim of circumstances.

While his initial habit of lying about pirate attacks in Syrup Village stemmed from wanting to keep his mother’s spirits up, it later devolved into a habitual coping mechanism for dealing with the loss of his mother and Yasopp abandoning them both. Syrup Village later became the base of operations for the Black Cat Pirates and their leader, Captain Kuro, one of the first real antagonists in the series.

Luffy as shown in the One Piece anime (Image via Toei Animation)

Though Usopp uncovered Kuro’s true nature, his history of dishonorable conduct and constant lying caused no one to believe him. This led Usopp to rely on Luffy and the Straw Hats to drive out Captain Kuro and the Black Cat Pirates, who had threatened his village.

While Usopp fought the Black Cat Pirates, he did not face the captain directly, and his lack of strength was evident in his struggles against weaker opponents. His first encounter in Elbaf involved a battle with a giant cat, from which he fled instead of fighting, despite his growth in power and experience since the Syrup Village arc.

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Although Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji eventually defeated the cat, Usopp’s inability to do so might remind him of the Black Cat Pirates and his failure to face Captain Kuro. Usopp's lack of combat prowess and cowardly nature have been some of his greatest detriments. It is possible that he recalls his encounter with the Black Cat Pirates and aligns himself with the giants to become the courageous warrior he aspires to be.

Final Thoughts

One Piece chapter 1127 is set to be officially released on September 22, 2024, and will signal the start of the Elbaf arc. Usopp's character growth has been one of the most eagerly awaited developments in the series. While the earlier chapters of the arc will focus on introducing Elbaf, Usopp's growth will eventually become a central theme, as his dream of becoming a warrior aligns with the overall sentiment of the giants.