One Piece mangaka Eiichiro Oda's announcement earlier in the year that the series' next saga would be its last came as bittersweet news for fans. On one hand, the author's declaration that he would streamline the story's final act came as some relief to readers who felt the bloat of recent mega-arcs such as ''Dressrosa'', ''Whole Cake Island'' and ''Wano''.
On the other hand, fans were worried this meant previously planned arcs would wind up being skipped. In particular, Elbaf -- the island of the giants -- had been teased as a potential destination for the Straw Hats ever since the ''Little Garden Arc'' over 20 years ago and was seen as a major candidate for the chopping block. However, this may not be the case any longer.
Why Was Elbaf Seen as Skippable?
Each New World location has tied into One Piece's overarching plot to fight the Emperors and find the four Road Poneglyphs, and while Egghead Island -- the subject of the current arc -- fits neither bill, it still plays host to a number of important revelations regarding the series' lore and the mysterious Ancient Kingdom.
Elbaf, meanwhile, seemed less and less relevant as the Straw Hats' adventures in the New World persisted. While the island has been teased as important for Usopp's character arc, it otherwise had no bearing on potential endgame revelations. Big Mom, the only Emperor with any explicit ties to Elbaf, seemingly getting killed off in Wano led to some fans worrying that Oda plans to skip the island altogether. With Laugh Tale looming ever closer, many readers feared One Piece would never reach the giants' homeland.
However, One Piece Chapter 1066 has put those concerns to bed. Over the course of the chapter, Dr. Vegapunk reveals to Nico Robin some truths about her home island, Ohara, which was razed by the World Government in an attempt to silence Ohara's research into the Void Century. The scientist explains to Robin that the archeologists of Ohara spent their final moments ensuring the survival of their research, throwing all their books into a great lake at the center of the island. When Vegapunk came to visit the island's ruins, he found the books being excavated by a crew of giants, captained by one covered in bandages.
Elbaf Is Now Essential for Robin's Character
Vegapunk goes on to explain that the giants took the Oharans' surviving research back to their homeland of Elbaf. When Robin asks the identity of the bandaged giant, Vegapunk confirms the man in question is Jaguar D. Saul -- a former Marine Vice Admiral who befriended Robin and seemingly sacrificed himself to ensure her escape from the burning Ohara 24 years prior.
With these revelations, One Piece has changed the Straw Hats' visit to Elbaf from a possibility to an inevitability. Former concerns that the arc wouldn't be relevant to the endgame have now been quelled, given that the island is now home to essential information about the Void Century that the Straw Hats will need to complete their quest and discover the truth of the world.
Furthermore, the island is no longer just a destination of import for Usopp, but for Robin too -- a reunion with Saul is essential for her character arc. The giant's parting words assured her that she would find friends out on the sea, and her finally getting to show him that she made good on that promise would surely make for one of One Piece's most touching scenes.
There's also the matter of ''the man with the burn scar'', a figure Kid and Killer noted was of importance to finding the One Piece. Ever since he was mentioned at the end of the ''Wano" arc, the man's identity has been a huge source of speculation among the One Piece community.
Could Saul Be the ''Man With the Burn Scar''?
Common names who have been suggested among the fandom include Aokiji, Sabo or Scopper Gaban, but with the revelation of Saul's survival, the giant has emerged as a major contender for the title. After all, he was last seen left in the flaming wreckage of Ohara, and Vegapunk notes that the incident left him in bandages.
What's more, when Kid first mentions the man, the three characters who react with confusion to his mention are Luffy, Law and Robin. While Luffy and Law's responses being shown make sense as Kid's pirate rivals, Robin's sticks out as an anomaly, suggesting the man in question might be important to her. That fact lends further credence to Saul being the man Kid is looking for, thus making Elbaf an even more essential stop.
With the Straw Hats now aware of Elbaf's importance, it's likely they'll be aiming to go there next. Whether that means Egghead is a prelude arc preceding a bigger visit to Elbaf, or will serve as a major arc in its own right, remains to be seen. Either way, it's reassuring that despite One Piece sprinting to the finish line, Elbaf is still on the docket, and the series won't be fast-forwarding past a destination readers have been anticipating for over two decades.