The content within this article is speculative and has not been confirmed, only theorized.
Although it currently seems that the Elbaf arc is still quite far away from ending, most fans of One Piece are already including it in the list of the best arcs of the series, with some even outright calling it the greatest of them all. This is due to the incredible reveals, character moments, and general importance that this island has to not only the present, but to the future and past as well.
One of the most surprising aspects of this arc is the amazing flashback which delves into the previous era of One Piece, the time of legends such as Roger and Xebec. Among the incredible things that came from this flashback were the details of the God Valley Incident, which showed the beginning of the journeys of both Dragon and Shanks, promising the greatest team-up ever at the end of the arc. So, let’s take a look at why this is.
The God Valley Incident Reveals A Lot About These Two Characters
The Start Of Their Journeys
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Shanks’ First Appearance |
One Piece, Chapter 1, “Romance Dawn – The Dawn of Adventure” |
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Dragon’s First Appearance |
One Piece, Chapter 100, “The Legend Has Begun” |
Before going over why the end of the Elbaf arc promises to show the alliance of these two powerhouses, we must first look at how their journeys started and why they are intertwined. The God Valley Incident is perhaps the greatest and most significant event in the history of One Piece after the Void Century itself, as it was where the greatest forces of the time clashed in order to fulfill their own goals.
Among these forces were the Marines, where a young Monkey D. Dragon was a recruit. Here, he saw firsthand the despicable nature of the Celestial Dragons, awakening a great change within him to abandon this cause in order to save as many people as he could. The most significant of those he saved was none other than a baby Shanks, which already establishes another notable connection between the two.
The End Of The Elbaf Arc May Show These Powerhouses Teaming Up
The Most Elusive Heroes In The Story
- Dragon and Shanks could show up on Elbaf.
One Piece is a story all about context and the relationship between characters in the narrative. Oftentimes, many of the most important figures share an important link with one another that initially goes undetected, only to spring up much later as being crucial. Due to what fans have recently learned during the old era flashback, Dragon and Shanks do seem to share such a connection.
When the Native Hunting Competition began, all carnage unfolded on God Valley as the natives and the other captives of the Celestial Dragons started to get hunted down. Due to the kidnapping of Shakky to be given to the winner of the tournament, the strongest pirate crews of the time, being the Rocks and Roger Pirates, eventually made their way to the island, which in turn prompted Garp to lead his Marine contingent there as well. This led to total pandemonium, as the strongest figures in history battled it out for supremacy.
I’m not gonna stand by and watch while you dice up my troops like vegetables!
In all of this commotion, Dragon began to see the horror of what he was inadvertently supporting, which eventually became the catalyst for him to leave the Navy and form the Revolutionary Army. In his first act of rebellion, he stole Shanks and Shamrock away from the clutches of Garling and the Celestial Dragons and tried his best to keep them safe. Though more details are to be revealed, it seems that he was at least successful in helping Shanks this way, leading to both of their fates being inextricably linked through not only themselves, but Luffy as well.
At the current moment, Imu has invaded Elbaf with their forces and has proven to be so strong that none can stand up to them. Of course, Luffy is yet to join the fray with his Gear 5 state, but the common consensus is that, even with this legendary power, he is likely not going to be able to defeat the villain yet, who can also call in the Gods’ Knights and the Gorosei at a moment’s notice. Because of this, many believe Shanks and Dragon will join the fight on this island in the greatest alliance that the series has ever seen.
For Shanks, Elbaf is part of his territory and is directly his responsibility, so he would very likely go there to protect it anyway. As for Dragon, it seems that he has finally made his move against the World Government, so going to Elbaf to help his son against the world’s greatest threat is the perfect next step. Here, he will also reunite with Shanks, bringing the story full circle in a brilliant way, with the three most important enemies of the World Government uniting in an attempt to defeat it for good, though they will likely only end up delaying its advances.
With the strengths of Luffy, Dragon, and Shanks combined, the heroes will be more than a match for Imu, in their current state in Gunko’s body, the Gods’ Knights, and perhaps even the Gorosei. Plus, it’s greatly theorized that the Elbaf arc will be the one to usher in the Final War, and this outcome with Dragon and Shanks on the island serves as the perfect opportunity for the most influential factions to finally make their move in the series.
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