One Piece Author Oda Is Repeating the Sabaody Tragedy In Elbaf Arc

One Piece’s Elbaf arc took a shocking turn with chapter 1178, as Luffy and Loki’s battle against Imu finally began. While most fans expected this battle to span across multiple chapters, it ended in just one. With Gunko being dealt with, the real Imu is now headed to Elbaf, which can only result in absolute disaster for Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates. As such, One Piece is set to repeat the Sabaody Archipelago tragedy for the Straw Hat Pirates, with the crew set to face its inevitable first defeat in many, many years.

How The Straw Hat Pirates Were Destroyed Before The Two-Year Timeskip

The Sabaody Archipelago arc is one of the most painful arcs for any fan of One Piece, and this is because Luffy and the crew got absolutely decimated in it. After Luffy struck a Celestial Dragon, an Admiral was sent to Sabaody, and one by one, he picked apart the 11 Supernovas. Had Kizaru been allowed to run amok, the Straw Hat Pirates would have faced certain death on this island.

Thanks to Kuma, the crew was saved, but back then, it was almost as if they were destroyed. After spending time as a family on the seas for a very long time, Kuma’s separation of the crew felt horrifying to the fans. To this day, it remains to be one of the most painful things that Luffy has had to deal with, and the fans have had to witness. Now, this tragedy might end up repeating in the Elbaf arc with the arrival of Imu.

Why Imu’s Arrival In Elbaf Spells The Doom Of The Straw Hats

Imu’s arrival on Elbaf spells certain doom for the Straw Hat Pirates for a plethora of reasons, but the only reason that matters is that Imu is the final villain of the entire story and has made a premature move. Most fans expected Luffy vs Imu to happen towards the end of the story, but the sovereign of the world has made an early move. Whenever a villain makes a premature move and shows themselves long before the end, it almost certainly means that the protagonist is going to lose. Imu cannot be defeated in Elbaf, and their powers are too great for them to fall here, which means this is the end of the road for the Straw Hat Pirates, temporarily, at least.

On top of that, there is no one strong enough to defend the Straw Hat Pirates from the threat of Imu in the country. Taking all things into consideration, there is absolutely no chance for the Straw Hat Pirates to win here, and the only outcome is the utter destruction of the crew once again, two years after Sabaody Archipelago.

Higher Stakes Mean Luffy Must Be Defeated In Elbaf

While One Piece chapter 1178 essentially sealed the fate of the crew, with Imu now heading to Elbaf, what’s more exciting is that this development raises the stakes in the story even further. Up until now, the Straw Hat Pirates have been rolling over every threat in their path. Even the threat of a Yonko in Kaido was not enough to stop them, and Admiral Kizaru and his biggest fleet of the Navy seen in the entirety of One Piece did not prove to be enough either. In the land of Elbaf, the Holy Knights were completely crushed, but Imu is different.

One Piece’s final villain is here, and as they defeat and crush the Straw Hat Pirates, it goes without saying that the stakes will shoot through the roof, and the tension of the story will rise. For the very first time in a long time, the Straw Hats will feel fear, and the fans will be on the edge of their seats, which can only be brilliant for the story.

Why The Crew Could Split Up Soon

One Piece’s Elbaf arc is taking a turn for the worse, and this could mean trouble for Luffy and the crew. When Imu shows themselves in Elbaf, it goes without saying that their primary targets will be Luffy and Loki. It is entirely possible that both Luffy and Loki are abducted here and taken to the Holy Land of Marijoa, marked for execution. It is also possible that a major death is going to take place here in Elbaf. The Straw Hat Pirates might even face certain destruction, and in that case, the crew could very well be split by Imu.

It is a known fact that the pre-timeskip of One Piece always mirrors the post-time skip, and this could very well be the point where Luffy and the crew face their post-time skip version of Sabaody Archipelago, splitting apart and heading towards an even bigger war that mirrors the Paramount War.

One Piece chapter 1179 will be available to read on Manga Plus on April 5, 2026.