
2026 promises to be an exciting year for One Piece fans! We’ll see new anime seasons, continuing manga chapters, the second season of the live-action show, and potentially a new animated adaptation from Wit Studio. However, let’s not overlook how fantastic 2025 has already been for the series.
The Straw Hat Crew’s journey to Elbaf has been a highlight of the series, filled with unexpected twists, clues about how the story will end, and a detailed look back at key events and characters. With so much happening in the last year, and as 2025 comes to a close, these moments from One Piece stand out as the most memorable and significant.
The Treasure Tree Adam’s Ancient Mural Gives Us a Look at the Endgame
| Chapter | 1138, “The Harley” |
| Release Date | February 3 |
Everyone expected that when the Straw Hats arrived in Elbaf, we’d finally get some important answers. This land of giants holds a lot of secrets. A major reveal from the Elbaf arc in 2025 was the introduction of The Harley, along with a huge painting discovered on Elbaf’s Adam Tree.
The Harley, an ancient text in the world of One Piece, hints at previous wars and predicts a third major conflict in the present day. While exploring the Treasure Tree Adam with Ripley, Franky discovers a huge mural that depicts scenes from all three passages within the Harley – representing the First, Second, and Third Worlds. Though the verses themselves are somewhat mysterious, the mural Franky found has sparked many fan theories and given viewers a clearer understanding of the series’ past and future events. Could 2026 be the year these prophecies begin to unfold?
Shamrock’s Reveal Confirms Shanks’ Lineage
| Chapter | 1138, “The Harley” |
| Release Date | February 3 |
Fans of One Piece first saw a glimpse of Shamrock back in 2018 – a mysterious character who looked like Shanks and was seen speaking with the Five Elders about a specific pirate. It wasn’t until recently that the creator, Oda, revealed this character was actually Shanks’ twin brother. Despite their identical appearance, the two brothers have very different personalities.
The recent Shamrock reveal officially confirmed long-held suspicions: Shanks is of royal lineage and belongs to the Figarland Family. While One Piece Film: RED offered clues, the appearance of Shamrock and Gunko in Elbaf provided definitive proof. This connection to the World Nobles is becoming increasingly important to the story in the Elbaf Arc, explored through flashbacks. As the series moves towards its conclusion, it will be fascinating to see how this royal heritage impacts future events.
Gaban’s Haki Cuts Through Sommers
| Chapter | 1148 “Ronja” |
| Release Date | May 12 |
Scopper Gaban appeared briefly earlier in the story, but he’s become a more important character during the Elbaf Arc. We first saw hints of him in Buggy’s backstory and on a cover illustration featuring Crocus and Laboon. As a former member of Gol D. Roger’s crew, Gaban is a skilled pirate who’s been significantly involved in the events of the Elbaf Arc.
The most significant moment so far involved his brutal attack on Shepherd Sommers, where he used a Haki-enhanced axe to sever Sommers’ arm and then cut him in half. While Sommers’ immortality saved him, the attack revealed that Supreme King Haki could significantly hinder the regenerative powers of the Knights of God, slowing down his recovery. Gaban later confirmed to Luffy that the Knights of God aren’t actually immortal, and that Supreme King Haki – possessed by both Gaban and Zoro – could be a powerful weapon against them. As the situation on Elbaf becomes increasingly dangerous, this discovery will likely be crucial in the Straw Hats’ battle against Imu and his forces.
Imu’s Domi Reversi
| Chapter | 1150, “Domi Reversi” |
| Release Date | June 2 |
Imu has been a key player in the Elbaf Arc, offering fans a preview of the events leading to the end of One Piece. The World Government’s leader has proven to be incredibly powerful, and two abilities, in particular, have highlighted this: the ability to take control of powerful figures like the Knights of God and the Five Elders (such as Gunko and Saturn), and the use of the Domi Reversi technique.
Imu demonstrated control over Gunko and Saturn at Elbaf and God Valley, respectively, shifting events in his favor. However, his most significant ability in both locations appears to be his Domi Reversi technique, which transforms victims into puppets he can control. We’ve already seen this used on important characters like Dorry, Broggy, Rocks, and Harald, as well as several others. While we have some theories on how Luffy might counter this technique, it will likely be a difficult obstacle for him and the Straw Hat crew to overcome.
Rocks Breaks into the Room of Flowers
| Chapter | Chapter 1155, “The Rocks Pirates” |
| Release Date | July 21 |
Mary Geoise is the center of the World Government and the home of its most powerful figures – the Celestial Dragons, the Five Elders, the Knights of God, and even Imu. Because of all this power concentrated in one place, it’s extremely hard to get inside. However, the legendary Rocks Pirates managed to do just that.
In chapter 1155, we learn that Rocks D. Xebec once kidnapped five kings during an event on Mary Geoise, and even had a brief fight with Harald. However, his most daring act that day was infiltrating the Room of Flowers to confront Imu. Rocks boldly promised to return and surprisingly claimed to worship Davy Jones. This showed just how fearless Rocks was, making him stand out from other pirates we’ve seen. Even though we knew his ultimate fate before the flashback began, Rocks’ defiance made him a surprisingly likable character and easy to support.
Rocks’ True Lineage Revealed
| Chapter | Chapter 1154, “Can’t Even Die” & Chapter 1159, “The Island of Fate” |
| Release Date | July 14 & September 8 |
The Elbaf flashback has shown us a great deal about Rocks D. Xebec, his crew, and the world during his most powerful years. Two aspects of what we’ve learned have been particularly noteworthy.
Major revelations in chapters 1154 and 1159 significantly expanded the backstory of both Rocks and Blackbeard. We learned that Blackbeard is the son of Rocks, and that Rocks’ true name is Davy D. Xebec, connecting him to the Davy Clan and Davy Jones. These discoveries not only fleshed out Rocks’ character during the flashback arc but also laid important groundwork for Blackbeard’s future role in the story.
The God Valley Incident Brought to Light
| Chapter | Chapter 1160, “The God Valley Incident” |
| Release Date | September 15 |
The God Valley Incident is potentially the most important event in the history of One Piece. It had a huge impact on the world as it existed when Luffy began his adventure.
The recent eight-chapter flashback revealed a lot, including Shakky’s kidnapping by the World Government for a competition, the existence of the Davy Clan on the island, Dragon’s reasons for leaving the military, the separated birth of Shanks and Shamrock, Rocks’ desperate attempt to rescue his family, Kaido stealing a powerful Devil Fruit originally intended for Katakuri, Imu’s control over Saturn, the mysterious history of Rocks, and the alliance between Roger and Garp to defeat him.
Rayleigh Rescues Shakky
| Chapter | Chapter 1161, “A Song of Love Bound Under a Hail of Arrows” |
| Release Date | September 29 |
When Shakky was kidnapped, it drew the Roger Pirates into the conflict at God Valley, and the whole crew rushed to her rescue. Ultimately, it was Rayleigh who saved the day at the critical moment.
Shakky was meant to be the reward for the winner of the Native Hunting Competition, but she proved to be a handful for the World Government. Despite being outnumbered, she quickly defeated her marine guards. She nearly lost to Sommers, but Rayleigh intervened just in time, saving her and creating a touching moment amidst the overall turmoil on the island.
Garp and Roger Take on a Domi Reversi’d Rocks
| Chapter | Chapter 1165, “Reverberations” & Chapter 1166, “New Stories” |
| Release Date | November 10 & November 24 |
Everyone expected Rocks’s fate, but his death was still heartbreaking. He gained a lot of fans during the flashback, showing himself to be a compelling and complex character who helped explain some long-standing mysteries, while also creating new ones. However, after Imu defeated him, it became clear how his story would conclude.
Wow, Rocks was already an unbelievably powerful swordsman, considered one of the best ever! But when Imu started using Domi Reversi on him, he became practically invincible. It’s crazy to think even Garp and Roger had a really tough time fighting him! They finally managed to defeat him by pooling all their strength and massively boosting their Haki, landing a single, devastating blow that knocked him out and broke Imu’s control. It’s a real shame though, because Rocks was left completely helpless, and Figarland Garling took the opportunity to finish him off.
The Truth Behind Harald’s Death
| Chapter | Chapter 1169, “My Death Cannot Come Soon Enough” |
| Release Date | December 22 |
Although the circumstances surrounding King Harald’s death were unclear within the story, many fans had already guessed what happened to the leader of Elbaf. After Oda introduced Imu’s Domi Reversi ability, a lot of fans began to think that this power was responsible for Harald’s mysterious fate.
In recent chapters, Harald has become increasingly connected to the World Government, first as a Devoted Blade of God, and then as a Knight of God after meeting Imu and receiving a Depths Covenant. However, Imu’s influence began to overwhelm Harald, causing him to lose control. The latest chapter shows Harald’s final moments: he orders his guards to kill him, but his immortality prevents it, resulting in the guards’ deaths and Jarul being fatally wounded. This prompts Loki to seek out a Devil Fruit from Elbaf in an attempt to stop his father. The rest of this backstory will be revealed next year, but it’s likely Loki’s new abilities will ultimately defeat Harald, and Loki will wrongly be branded as the villain for it.
Found an error? Send it info@gamerant.com so it can be corrected.
Read More
- Jujutsu Zero Codes
- Top 8 UFC 5 Perks Every Fighter Should Use
- All Exploration Challenges & Rewards in Battlefield 6 Redsec
- Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo Chapter 16 Preview: Mahoraga’s Adaptation Vs Dabura Begins
- Gold Rate Forecast
- Discover the Top Isekai Anime Where Heroes Become Adventurers in Thrilling New Worlds!
- Roblox The Wild West Codes
- Upload Labs: Beginner Tips & Tricks
- Where to Find Prescription in Where Winds Meet (Raw Leaf Porridge Quest)
- Arise Ragnarok Codes (December 2025)
2025-12-30 15:40