One Piece's Man Marked by Flames may be behind Luffy and co's disappearance, and it makes perfect sense

Modified Sep 12, 2024 06:36 GMT

The latest One Piece spoilers have brought major shock, seeing the Thousand Sunny and several Straw Hats suddenly disappear in the night without a trace. Unfortunately, there are not many details known currently, with the only other information being Nami awakening inside a house made of Lego pieces while wearing a Viking warrior outfit. She’s also carrying a sword on her back.

The One Piece spoilers specifically mentioning Nami wearing a Viking outfit have led many to believe that she, Luffy, Zoro, Usopp, Sanji, and Chopper were just whisked off to Elbaf. However, there’s a more likely answer involving the Man Marked by Flames which could set up Luffy’s acquisition of the final Road Poneglyph, and with it, the beginning of the end of his adventure.

One Piece’s latest disappearance can be explained by Man Marked by Flames, and it’s the right move

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The Man Marked by Flames, also known as Hinokizu, has become a central topic of discussion concerning One Piece’s final saga, since being introduced at the Wano arc’s end.

After first being mentioned by Eustass Kid, it’s later revealed by Laffitte and other Blackbeard Pirates that he’s rumored to be in possession of the last Road Poneglyph. It’s said that he travels on a pitch-black ship, and that whirlpools suddenly appear and swallow anyone who gets close.

It’s also rumored that this is the result of a Devil Fruit, which would make sense if the whirlpools truly do appear every single time. Likewise, a whirlpool would also perfectly explain how Luffy and the other Straw Hats on the Thousand Sunny disappeared without a trace in the middle of the night.

This would also explain why no commotion was heard, as everyone was fast asleep following a full day of drinking and celebrating.

Hinokizu may also have reasons for specifically targeting those members of One Piece’s Straw Hat crew who were present on the Thousand Sunny. For one, Nami is an extremely skilled cartographer and will undoubtedly need to make a map out of the four Road Poneglyphs.

Likewise, she and the others should have access to the three Road Poneglyph rubbings in their possession, assuming the Thousand Sunny is also safe and sound.

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He may even specifically want Nami to make a map using the information present in the Road Poneglyphs, by giving her and Luffy the fourth and final one. Luffy may also be a reason why Hinokizu stole them away in the night, especially if he is a former member of Gol D. Roger’s crew as fans theorize.

Many from Roger’s era have shown their approval of Luffy as the next King of the Pirates, and Hinokizu could’ve abducted him to give him the final piece he needs.

One argument against this theory could be that Nico Robin wasn’t on the Thousand Sunny, and this isn’t present to translate the Road Poneglyph. However, she doesn’t necessarily need to be present as long as Luffy and co. can make a rubbing of the fourth and final Road Poneglyph.

There’s also the fact that Hinokizu himself may also be able to read the fourth Road Poneglyph, explaining both why he’s guarding it and why Robin wasn’t brought along with the others.

However, this is all speculative as of this article’s writing, with nothing known regarding the Thousand Sunny’s disappearance beyond Nami’s awakening at chapter 1126’s end.

That being said, it seems more likely than not that Hinokizu is somehow involved in this latest incident, especially as the series progresses further through its final saga.