Why does Big Mom hate Lola in One Piece? Explained

Modified Oct 31, 2024 01:59 GMT

Why does Big Mom hate Lola in One Piece? Explained (Image via Toei Animation)

One of the most highly celebrated aspects of One Piece’s Whole Cake Island Arc was the insight it gave, not just into Big Mom the pirate, but also into Charlotte Linlin— the woman and her family. It was certainly not the main focus of the arc, but fans nevertheless got some exciting insight into Charlotte's family dynamics. Despite this being a secondary focus, it led to characters like Katakuri and Pudding becoming some of the biggest fan-favorites.

However, it also offered some answers to previously introduced plotlines. The answer to the question of “why does Big Mom hate Lola in One Piece” is one of the most notable, if only for how long ago it was introduced. Big Mom’s hatred for Lola stems from the latter’s refusal to marry Prince Loki of Elbaph, which also ruined her mother’s plans for Totto Land and claiming the titular treasure.

The effects of Lola’s refusal, explained

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More specifically, One Piece’s Whole Cake Island Arc elaborated that Lola ran away from Totto Land, Big Mom’s territory, to escape the arranged political marriage with Loki. This act of defiance soured Big Mom’s already sketchy relationship with the Giants of Elbaph, which was significant for several reasons.

The first and arguably most important is that she planned to use the Giants’ might to secure the series’ titular treasure. Linlin believed that, with her Big Mom Pirates backed by Elbaph’s Giants, she would be an essentially invincible force that could steamroll her way to becoming the Pirate King.

This also explains the lengths she went to in response, branding Lola a treasonous criminal of Totto Land who would be executed upon her return. Given that this was a political marriage, this isn’t necessarily an overreaction on Big Mom’s part.

The second, but less important, consequence of Lola’s refusal is Big Mom’s inability to achieve her dream for Totto Land. This dream is to have at least one member of every race in the series’ world live in the country.

However, the country noticeably lacks Giants, which Lola’s marriage to Loki could’ve changed. These are the most significant factors in answering the question of why Big Mom hates Lola in One Piece.

Big Mom’s relationship with One Piece’s Giants, explained

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An understandable question that might arise from the explanation above is why Big Mom needed a political marriage to repair her relationship with Elbaph’s Giants anyway. The answer lies in her origins in Elbaph, being raised by Mother Carmel.

While this may shock some fans to learn, Big Mom is actually a human and not a Giant herself. This is why her birth parents abandoned her on Elbaph, since she was of comparable size to them.

After being abandoned on Elbaph and taken in by Mother Carmel, Big Mom began to develop a negative reputation for herself. This was due to her inability to control both her behavior and her strength, causing destruction everywhere she went. This culminated in the Winter Solstice festival where, during a 12-day fast, she went on a rampage where she injured multiple Giants and killed Jorul, a hero of Elbaph.

The wrath of the Giants was so bad that Mother Caramel had to move the entire orphanage, including Big Mom and the other children, to a completely different island. The Giants’ wrath and anger over the situation persevered to contemporary events, explaining her current relationship with them.

In summation

Prince Loki's marriage proposal is at the center of explaining Big Mom and Lola's relationship (Image via Toei Animation)

The answer to the question of “why does Big Mom hate Lola in One Piece” is that Lola ran away from an arranged political marriage, which was key to achieving Big Mom’s dreams. This includes both her dream of having one member of every race living in Totto Land, and of becoming the King of the Pirates.