One Piece teases Vivi's reunion with the Straw Hats via latest disappearances

Modified Sep 13, 2024 10:54 GMT

One Piece teases Vivi's reunion with the Straw Hats via latest disappearances (Image via Toei Animation)

Through the latest One Piece spoilers, fans seemingly saw the Elbaf arc all but officially begin via a focus on new characters and events not pertaining to the Egghead arc. Blackbeard’s return to Hachinosu Island and Shanks and Bartolomeo’s fight both suggest that the series is finally moving past the Egghead Incident.

However, the most shocking aspect of the latest One Piece spoilers was the alleged disappearance of the Straw Hat crew’s first six members at the issue’s end. Monkey D. Luffy, Roronoa Zoro, Nami, Usopp, Sanji, and Tony Tony Chopper all disappear without a trace, as well as the Thousand Sunny. Nico Robin, Franky, Brook, and Jinbe were all on the Giant Warrior Pirates’ ship at the time of the disappearance.

While it’s unknown how they disappeared, the answer for why they disappeared may be answered by something the six have in common with each other specifically. They are, of course, the Straw Hats who sailed with and fought alongside their friend Nefertari D. Vivi during the events of One Piece’s Alabasta arc, and this disappearance could set up their reunion.

One Piece may finally be setting up the payoff to one of its oldest and most beloved plotlines

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One of the biggest reasons why this seems likely is the fact that One Piece mangaka Eiichiro Oda has been building up to the pair’s reunion since the end of the Alabasta arc. As the Straw Hats sailed away and left Vivi behind, Vivi asked them if they’d still call her their shipmate if they ever saw each other again. The crew then silently held up the X marks, which symbolically represented their friendship as a group in response, unable to speak with Marines nearby.

This is also the last time Vivi has seen the Straw Hats, leaving their journey together off on an extremely satisfying note, but also clearly setting up an eventual reunion. The phrasing of Vivi’s question clearly suggests this, emphasizing that they would call her their “shipmate” once again if they met.

It implies that she’ll eventually become part of the crew, which would necessitate reuniting with them at some point in the future. Likewise, it makes the most sense for Luffy, Zoro, Nami, Usopp, Sanji, and Chopper to be the ones to reunite with and welcome her to the crew since they are who she’s friends with.

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Nefertari D. Cobra’s death and her subsequent kidnapping also give her the push needed to join the Straw Hats despite her royal title. Vivi is also likely to be motivated to go against the World Government after listening to Dr. Vegapunk’s message and realizing that the world will sink unless she finds the One Piece. While Vivi declined to join the Straw Hats when asked due to loving her kingdom too much, she’ll now ask them if she can join out of love for Alabasta.

There’s also the fact that Vivi has been keeping up with the Straw Hats’ exploits while in Big News Morgans’ headquarters. She’s likewise aware that Luffy is a Yonko, has three Road Poneglyphs, and is in the New World, steadily making his way towards Lodestar Island, Laugh Tale, and the series’ titular treasure. Given all of this, it’s almost certain that Luffy and co’s disappearance is the start of this reunion, even if how it’ll all play out is still unclear currently.