Will the upcoming Elbaf Arc finally shed light on one of the Void Century’s most influential figures?

For quite some time, since the end of the Raid of Onigashima in the Wano Country Arc, Eiichiro Oda has been teasing the secrets behind one of the most important individuals in the world of One Piece. As a legendary figure from the Void Century, Joy Boy has ties to virtually every facet of the lore of One Piece, from the Ancient Kingdom and the Poneglyphs, to the Will of the D., and the many people from all over the world who bear this initial in their names.

Joy Boy’s identity, appearance, allegiances, and beliefs all remain a mystery, but it is certain that he had a monumental influence on the world, with connections to Wano Country, Zou, Fish-Man Island, Skypiea, and the Buccaneers. Following the debut of Gear 5 and the disclosure of the hidden truth about the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika, Joy Boy’s presence in the story has grown more prominent, especially in the Egghead Arc. Now that the Straw Hat Pirates may be headed to the home of the giants on Elbaf, the odds of Joy Boy’s story coming to light are growing more and more likely, and here’s why.

What’s In Store In Elbaf?

If the Straw Hat Pirates and Vegapunk manage to escape the tense standoff with the Marines, Admiral Kizaru, and Saint Jaygarcia Saturn on Egghead Island, they will almost certainly be pursued by the combined might of the World Government for the remainder of the story. As stated earlier in the Egghead Arc, the details of the incident which will take place during the arc’s conclusion is expected to send ripples of shock across the world and possibly deal a mighty blow to the authority of the Marines.

As such, the Straw Hat Pirates may find themselves in grave peril if they attempt to travel towards any nation allied with the World Government. Since it is unlikely that Elbaf is a member of the government’s ranks, they might be able to find a safe haven on the island for a time. However, the Marines and the Five Elders will not take their escape from Egghead lightly, especially if they manage to save Vegapunk from his death sentence. Under these circumstances, there are a lot of matters for Luffy and his allies to solve on the island of the giants, but they may not have enough time to address all of them.

To start with, Elbaf is now home to the salvaged archives of the Library of Ohara, which was destroyed by the World Government by a Buster Call. If the Straw Hats’ archaeologist, Nico Robin, is given the chance to work alongside Vegapunk to decipher the information they contain, it could have a huge impact on the crew’s voyage to Laugh Tale. Moreover, there are also long-awaited reunions between Luffy and Shanks as well as Jaguar D. Saul and Robin, which could take place on Elbaf. The outcome of these meetings will certainly affect the future of the Straw Hats’ journey, in regard to how they can take down the World Government.

The Giants’ Connection To Joy Boy Might Be Revealed

Even if there has been no explicit confirmation about Joy Boy’s true race from Eiichiro Oda himself, there have been a number of clues littered throughout the story which point to him having a connection to the giants of Elbaf. Beginning with the massive frozen straw hat under Mary Geoise, the links between Joy Boy and the giants have been a well-concealed thread that has run through the Straw Hat Pirates’ altercations with two of the Four Emperors.

Mary Geoise’s straw hat may have particular significance regarding the identity of Joy Boy, given that Imu, the secret ruler of the world, was shown paying it a visit while clutching Luffy’s wanted poster. Since Luffy was identified by Zunesha as the second coming of Joy Boy, it may be safe to say that the original figure from the Void Century was either a user of the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika, or perhaps even Sun God Nika himself. The size of the straw hat is also important to note, as it was far too large to be worn by a normal-sized human, and only a Lunarian, a Buccaneer, or perhaps a giant could have actually worn it.

Recent revelations about Bartholomew Kuma’s past also explained how the Buccaneer race had an especially close connection to Nika. Legends about his deeds have been passed down over generations since the Void Century, and have persisted even till Kuma’s time. In addition, the fact that Saint Jaygarcia Saturn spoke of the Buccaneers as having committed a great crime against the World Government, suggests that Joy Boy may have been either a member or an ally of their race. Naturally, due to the Buccaneers’ connection to the giants, this opens up many more possibilities about who Joy Boy could have been.

Will Elbaf Reveal The Void Century’s Secrets?

While it is certain that there will be more lore uncovered during the Straw Hats’ journey to Elbaf, there is one noteworthy trait of the island’s inhabitants, which could play a huge role in how much information will be unveiled in this arc. As the expected lifespan of a giant is more than three times that of most other races in One Piece, it means that the current residents of Elbaf may only be two or three generations away from their ancestors who lived during the Void Century.

As such, it is fairly likely that more information about this forgotten period of history has been passed down by the giants, and this opens up the chance of them having knowledge about Joy Boy’s identity and ideals. While they may not recall every detail about the true history of the Void Century, there may be enough information for Vegapunk, Nico Robin, and the rest of the crew to piece together, with the help of the recovered texts from the Library of Ohara.

Lastly, Shanks’ presence on the island could also play a part in this exploration of the Void Century’s lore, due to how he may know what his former captain, Gol D. Roger uncovered on his legendary journey. This could not come at a more critical time, as the Final Saga inches closer to the climactic battle against the World Government, and the race to reach Laugh Tale heats up.