This trio in One Piece's Elbaph Arc may hold the most significance (& it's not the Monster Trio)

The One Piece manga is currently developing the Elbaph arc, and there are a lot of theories regarding how it could proceed, with others also considering the role of several members of the Straw Hat crew. In that regard, there is an X user named @ToraTetsuya who has pointed out that the trio of Tony Tony Chopper, Franky, and Nico Robin could hold a major role in this arc.

A major aspect involving these three characters in One Piece has been their focus on the past (Robin), the present (Chopper), and the future (Franky), hence why it would make sense given the nature of Elbaph and all the information and resources they can find there. All in all, it is also a great chance for these three characters to have a major role in the story after a long time of being sidelined for the most part.

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

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Explaining how Franky, Robin, and Chopper could be key players in the Elbaph arc in One Piece

As mentioned, a common pattern between these three characters is that Nico Robin wants to discover the past, hence her love for history, Chopper wants to save people's lives as a doctor in the present, and Franky's inventions push humanity to the future. This element comes in full force in the current Elbaph arc since these three traits could come to fruition.

A good example of this is Franky discovering the mural that tells a good percentage of the world's history, and also the fact that the Treasure Tree Adam is there, meaning that it has material to come up with new inventions. This is also evident in the character of Robin, as she gradually becomes more aware of past events and reunites with Saul, a significant figure from her backstory.

The same can be said of Chopper, who is discovering more elements of the world of this series, especially when it comes to such a unique land like Elbaph. There is also the fact that these characters have already enjoyed some decent moments in this arc, so there is potential for them to have more of the spotlight in the coming chapters.

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The importance of the Elbaph arc

Franky, Chopper, and Robin at Elbaph as seen in the manga (Image via Shueisha).

The Elbaph arc is very important since it features the first time that the Holy Knights get to act in One Piece while also confirming some key pieces of lore, such as the fact that Shanks has a twin brother who hails from Mary Geoise and the mural telling the history of the world. Furthermore, it also presents a major turning point since it is part of the Final Saga of the manga, with author Eiichiro Oda heading to the grand finale of the story.

Within that context, it makes a lot of sense that the likes of Chopper, Robin, and Franky could be very important since it is time to tie up their roles in the story. That is, making sure that their goals are fulfilled, which is bound to happen with several members of the Straw Hat as they reach Laugh Tale in the future.

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Final thoughts

There is a lot of thematic importance in the current One Piece arc for the likes of Robin, Chopper, and Franky, especially with the elements of lore that Elbaph has at its disposal. Therefore, it would make a lot of sense for Oda to give them their time in the spotlight, which they have been lacking in recent arcs.

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