The Final Arcs of One Piece will parallel the Last Pre-Timeskip Arcs
I was really thinking about what arcs we had left and what direction the story could go into and I remembered how since we began the second half of the series, how each Arc has essentially been a big symbolic parallel to previous arcs.
Fish-Man Island = East Blue
Pretty basic comparisons. East Blue’s biggest Arc was dealing with Arlong and the Fish-men. Fish-Man Island brings that conflict back and we essentially get a evolution/continuation of that conflict set up so many years ago.
Punk Hazard = Logue Town/Drum Kingdom
I see Punk Hazard as a mix of everything that we got from like Logue Town, Little Garden to Drum Kingdom. You got the snowy environment, you got Smoker and Tashigi return, instead of finding a doctor, the heroes are fighting a mad scientist, the set ups to Blackbeard but now we’re getting little hints and set-up to Kaido.
Dressrosa = Alabasta
Crocodile was the second Warlord Luffy and others encountered but the first they defeated. Domflamingo represents the last true Warlord they had to encounter and defeat. Crocodile, a warlord everyone loved but was secretly plotting and scheming vs Dom who too was loved by his so-called kingdom that he had manipulatively taken over from its rightful ruler. Alabasta ended with Luffy befriending one of the villains (Robin) and getting her to join his crew and this arc ended with Luffy befriending and working with the Gladitors and Campions and becoming part of his Grand Fleet.
Zou = Skypeia
The two tribes or two groups fighting amongst themselves. The crew having to go up to Skypeia and the crew having to climb up the elephant to get to Zou. While Skypeia didn’t deliver on massive revelations and was pretty self-contained, Zou on the other hand delivered on unexpected revelations.
Whole Cake Island = Water 7/Enies Lobby
Basic comparisons is Robin/Sanji having to be rescued.
Wano = Thriller Bark
A closed off area essentially ruled by a tyrant. People wanting to be free. Luffy getting an incredible power up. But most importantly, the first mentions of Wano were set up in Thriller Bark. Not to mention the addition of having to battle the reanimated corpse of a giant Oni and in Wano the final battle takes place in the Skull HQ of a dead oni.
So with that said, what logically are the next arcs?
Well we already have Egghead. And logically it represents sabaody.
Egghead = Sabaody
Sabaody was when we were introduced to the Supernova and Sentomaru and the Kuma clones. The heroes also couldn’t handle fighting said Kumas or an Admiral aka Kizaru who first appeared in that arc I believe too, not to mention the first appearance of the Celestial Dragons. Now though, Sentomaru is back and on the side of the heroes. Luffy has gone one on one with Kizura. One of the Main Leaders of the Celestial Dragons themselves has come to the island. The Kumas are back and we’re getting Kuma’s backstory. Kid and Law who managed to hold their own when escaping Sabaody have now gotten defeated when facing off against Shanks/Blackbeard. The parallels are very heaving with this arc.
Egghead will 100% end with the Crew holding their own this time against the might of the Elder, CP0, Admirals and Kumas and escape and not be separated this time.
So that leaves the future and the following paralleled arcs.
Amazon Lily
Impel Down
Marineford
What arcs will represent those logically and how will they likely go?
Elbaf = Amazon Lily
The Island of Women to the Island of Giants. I imagine a big parallel will be the obvious unconflict that the Straw Hats will face arriving there vs Luffy was who caged and chased and fought. I imagine the reunion with Robin and Saul will be a huge one. But I do see a gladiator style fight occurring similar to what happened with Luffy but it will be Usopp at the forefront as he finally mans up and most likely decides either purposely or by accident, taking on a giant, perhaps Prince Loki himself, to a face off/combat for all the warriors of the Island to witness.
Just like how Luffy by the end discovered his brother was in danger and had to figure out a way to get to Impel Down, the Heroes will learn the true location of the final road poneglype. So where is it?
Well Impel Down was Luffy literally going DOWN to HELL to try and save his brother. A race against time. What’s the opposite of Down and Hell?
The Moon = Impel Down
I’ve been saying it for the last few years now, we are going to get a Moon Arc. The Final Road Poneglyph will be revealed to be located on the moon. If Vegapunk has survived by this point, he, Franky and others will work on the Sunny and turn it into a Rocket Ship. The symbolism of always depicting the Sunny of flying in the Anime Openings will finally become a reality. The Straw Hats will go to the Moon to find the last Road Poneglyph and over the course of that journey encounter Enel. A old foe similar to how Luffy encountered and ran into old foes when he was going through Impel Down. Just like how we got a set up with Jinbe who ended up becoming the 9th Straw Hat member, I foresee the 10th and final member of the Straw Hats joining the crew during this arc. Who that will be, I don’t know. I’m personally betting on Vivi. But yes, the moon arc will happen, Enel will come back, Urouge the Monk will finally appear properly and play a role in it and we’ll finally learn a massive truth regarding the Celestial Dragons, which is that they invaded the One Piece World from the Moon. I’ve said it before, their suits are originally space suits wore by their ancestors.
Which then leads to the final parallel arc.
Laugh Tale = Marineford
The race to the One Piece will involve multiple parties. Shanks and Blackbeard will be at the forefront as will Buggy, Mikhawks, Crocodile. The final battle between the Four Emperors will begin and conclude here. But surely a big parallel will have to be a death or two right? I see Garp playing the role of Ace here IF Garp has been captured and is still alive. And I see Shanks dying and playing the role of Whitebeard. But Luffy will succeed in getting the One Piece with a twist I imagine. Which then leads to…
Post War Arc = Post Laugh Tale Arc?
The true final arc of the first half of One Piece was the flashback story between Luffy, Ace and Sabo. I imagine the same will be true here. We will get a big Flashback arc that will reveal EVERYTHING. Just like how Luffy had to come to grips with Ace being dead and realising he still had his friends and made the plans necessary to reunite in 2/3 years was it? The same will be true here. Luffy will come to an important realisation of what the One Piece truly represents and make the choice that define the very end of One Piece which leads to the obvious next phase…
THE UNKNOWN
There is no parallel to pull from here after. What happens next will be a true End as we get the Final Arc which will likely be an all out assault on the Holy Land with Luffy, Crew and Fleet vs Imu and the Five Elders and anyone else getting in the way. The Final Arc will serve as a true end and symbolic parallel to ALL the Arcs experienced from the Grand Line to the New World.
It’s just a matter of when this will occur. Because truth to God, I see at least another 20 volumes to get all this. That’s what? 5 to 6 more Years? Sounds about right no?
What do you all think?
*Theory by TaskMister2000
