This One Piece character may have been involved in Loki's murder of King Harald (& it makes perfect sense)

One Piece has presented numerous mysteries, but few are as fascinating as King Harald's murder. Loki, the prince of Elbaph, is widely suspected to have assassinated his father. However, his latest confession indicates a darker reality concerning the murder. If there was more to Harald's death, then who else might have been a part of this act?

A shocking idea emerges when taking a look at a central figure that is relevant to both history and science. This theory involves the hidden activity of a certain One Piece character in Loki choosing to murder his father and why their involvement is entirely logical.

Disclaimer: This article is a speculative theory and reflects the writer's opinion.

How Vegapunk may have been involved in Loki's murder of King Harald in One Piece, explained

Vegapunk as seen in anime (Image via Toei Animation)

In the latest chapter of One Piece, Loki admits to murdering his father, but his statement implies that there is more to it. The real reason for Harald's death appears to be connected to the power of the Celestial Dragons.

Dr. Vegapunk is another major character, who might have had a secret hand in this incident. His past with Elbaf, his affiliation with the World Government, and his experiments on giants make him a top candidate for the bigger conspiracy that caused King Harald's tragic end.

King Harald's manipulation started way before Loki in One Piece. Big Mom's flashback showed that as early as 63 years ago, Harald was being manipulated by people such as Mother Caramel. The Elbaf Giants were referred to as the world's strongest warriors and thus a good target for the World Government to control.

King Harald as seen in manga (Image via Shueisha)

Throughout history, strong organizations have attempted to change warrior cultures, just as Christian forces once converted the Vikings. Oda has woven these elements into Elbaf's history, hinting at a cultural transformation. References to crucifixion, an unfamiliar punishment in Viking traditions, fit the religious symbolism that underlies the World Government's governance.

King Harald's ambition was to expand Elbaf’s trade. To do this, he had to ally with the World Government, accessing more than 170 countries. This membership would have been conditional. The Celestial Dragons would have taken advantage of this bargaining power to manipulate Harald, making him submit to their will.

Five Elders as seen in anime (Image via Toei Animation)

However, the important piece of this puzzle lies in Vegapunk’s involvement. Twenty years ago, he went to Elbaf—six years before Harald's demise. Something important occurred during this period that sealed the king's destiny.

Vegapunk's experiments on giants have been a long-standing mystery in One Piece. The frozen giants on Punk Hazard show that he had access to test subjects. If they were not abducted from Impel Down, then where did they come from?

Having his roots in Elbaf, it is most likely that a few giants were abducted straight from their native land. Vegapunk, much like Mother Caramel, was an agent of the World Government. If he dictated to Harald, it would not be the first time he dictated a ruler to conform to the will of the Celestials.

Frozen Giants on Punk Hazard (Image via Toei Animation)

Harald and Vegapunk share striking similarities in One Piece. Both were visionaries who wanted to build a better world, but their aspirations made them vulnerable to the World Government's manipulation. Harald's ambitions for the expansion of trade caused him to make a deal that compromised Elbaf's independence.

Vegapunk, with all his genius, wound up working for the very individuals he originally fought against. In One Piece, Oda's narration frequently incorporates visual hints, and the consistent reuse of a certain pose for Harald and Vegapunk is perhaps not coincidental. Perhaps it is a quiet reference to their common destiny.

Vegapunk's clone (Image via Toei Animation)

The recent revelation of the clone of Vegapunk might be key to understanding this mystery. This clone went to Elbaf 20 years ago, and his role in the events that led up to the death of Harald will prove to be significant. If this clone has memories of actions performed in the past, then it might be key to the conspiracy behind influencing Elbaf's king.

Harald had been in World Government influence for at least 63 years. If Loki really stood against his father's decisions, why did he take so long to do anything? The answer likely lies in a revelation that changed everything.

Vegapunk and Five Elders (Image via Shueisha)

Though Harald's alliance with the World Government may have been controversial, it was not sufficient to lead Loki to kill. But if Loki learned that Harald permitted his nation to be seized for experimentation, this would have been the last thing for him to endure.

Mother Caramel's actual work as a World Government agent was human trafficking. Most of her victims were probably sent for scientific tests. If Harald knowingly allowed his people to be kidnapped, then he had betrayed all that Elbaf represented.

This would have been the biggest scandal in the history of the kingdom—a king known for his power, voluntarily surrendering his own soldiers to be used by the World Government's agenda.

Young Mother Caramel (Image via Toei Animation)

This is a familiar pattern in One Piece. Harald's role is the same as that of innumerable leaders throughout the ages, trapped into submission by the World Government's tight grip. The evidence points out that Vegapunk was directly involved in all of this. He persuaded Harald to comply with the Celestial Dragons, gaining entrance to Elbaf's population as test subjects for his gigantification experiments.

Harald must have at some point in time realized that he was in a trap. His ambition of strengthening Elbaf had been twisted into something much more sinister. By the time he knew the depth of his error, there was only one option left—his demise. That is why Loki did not assassinate him out of envy or malice. Harald himself told him to.

Loki’s words in the latest One Piece chapter now make sense. He said he did not kill his father in cold blood, and that Hajrudin was missing the bigger picture. The bigger picture is that Harald knew he had been manipulated. He understood his continued existence would only further the Celestial Dragons’ control over Elbaf. By dying, he hoped to free his people from their influence.

Vegapunk is the central figure in this conspiracy. His actions, either intentional or not, brought down Harald. If this theory is correct, Vegapunk is not a hero or a villain but a man who, like Harald, was caught up in the World Government's plans. Whether he meant to or not, his involvement in Harald's destiny cannot be overlooked.

Loki’s murder of his father was not a simple act of betrayal. It was the final step in a plan that Harald set in motion—a desperate attempt to undo the damage caused by years of manipulation. The true story of Elbaf’s greatest king is not one of ambition but of sacrifice. And at the heart of it all stands the enigmatic scientist whose experiments may have set these events into motion.

Final thoughts

Oda using the same pose for King Harald and Vegapunk (Images via Shueisha)

King Harald's death in One Piece was not a political struggle but a tragic sacrifice. The confession of Loki in the recent chapter implies a conspiracy greater than this, with Vegapunk being involved. Harald's greed made him a pawn in the hands of the Celestial Dragons, turning Elbaf into a tool for experimentation.

Having discovered his mistake too late, he allowed Loki to end his rule so that they could free their people. Vegapunk's actions, intentional or not, shaped this outcome. This theory redefines Harald's story—not of power, but of loss and redemption.

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Edited by Bharath S