Summary
In just a single chapter ofOne Piece, Eiichiro Oda managed to turn the situation on Egghead Island from one of assureddefeat for the Straw Hat Pirates, to a scenario where they may even emerge triumphant. Where they were once outnumbered and outgunned by the World Government’s forces while facing the threat of an island destroying Buster Call on a scale never seen before, it seems as if fortune has smiled kindly upon Luffy and his crew, setting the stage for the next story arc to commence.
The Straw Hat Pirates have come a long way since their defeat on the Sabaody Archipelago, where they were given a rude awakening about how unprepared they were to face the challenges of the New World inOne Piece. Since then, Luffy has gone on to attain thestatus of an Emperor of the Seaafter defeating Kaido, and he currently leads one of the most feared pirate crews in the Grand Line. With the situation now tilting towards an advantage for the Straw Hats, is there a chance they could score an emphatic win over the Marines, CP0, Admiral Kizaru, and Saint Jaygarcia Saturn?
The Factors In The Straw Hats' Favor
One of the most important new developments in Chapter 1106 ofOne Piecewas the revelation of the Pacifista’s true command hierarchy. While it was earlier assumed that theFive Elders could supersede everyone elsein taking control of the Pacifista, Vegapunk shared that he had actually programmed Jewelry Bonney as the only person who could override even their commands, placing her at the very apex of this order. This means that Bonney is now in command of all the Pacifista on Egghead, effectively controlling the tide of the battle on her own.
Secondly, the arrival of Dorry and Brogy, the original commanders of the Giant Warrior Pirates, is another advantage for the Straw Hats, due to their overwhelming strength as seen in their exploitsagainst the Kid Pirates on Elbaf. Furthermore, there is also the possibility of more of their crew having accompanied them to Egghead, along with a slim chance of Shanks being aboard their ship, which would all but ensure victory for the Straw Hats, given the ridiculous amount of firepower they would have at their disposal.
Luffy’s return tofull power and reactivation of Gear 5, could be the final ace in the hole for the Straw Hats to finally take down the World Government’s strongest and consolidate their place among the Four Emperors. Additionally, there is also another wild card in the form of the Iron Giant from the Void Century, which has been roused from its slumber by the Drums of Liberation. However, it remains to be seen how this enigmatic relic from a forgotten period of history will influence the tense situation on Egghead Island, with so many unknown factors in the mix.
An Unknown Variable In Saint Jaygarcia Saturn
Currently, the most obvious barrier preventing the Straw Hats' escape from Egghead is Saint Jaygarcia Saturn, whose mysterious powers of regeneration and teleportation, along withhis demonic Awakened Zoan transformation, have not yet been explained in full. This makes him an anomaly that cannot be accounted for as per the present state of affairs on Egghead Island, especially since he is also being protected by Kizaru.
Since the Admiral has been shown fighting nearly on par with Luffy’s Gear 5 form, there is no one else on the island who could subdue Saturn if Luffy is kept occupied, save for the supposedly empty shell of Bartholomew Kuma’s cyborg form. The regenerative abilities possessed by Saturn are another issue the Straw Hats will have to contend with, although Bonney’s command over the Pacifista may provide a viable solution to this problem, since they are equippedwith the power to fire lasers just like Kizaru. If the only way to defeat Saturn is to wipe out every last cell in his body, the Pacifista are the obvious avenue through which this could be realized.
Beyond these concerns, there is also a lingering question surrounding Saturn’s ability to hold his own in combat, since he fell victim to surprise attacks from Bonney, Kuma, andFranky, without putting up too muchresistance. Whether his nonchalance is the product of overconfidence in his regeneration, or a lack of real combat experience remains to be seen, and the act of either defeating or incapacitating him will be vital to the result of the conflict. If even one of these outcomes does occur, there will be an even more pertinent question on the minds of everyOne Piecefan, since the story is now firmly in its Final Saga.
Could This Be The Start Of The World Government’s Fall?
For quite some time, there has been much debate about whether the final antagonist of the series will be Blackbeard and his crew, or the World Government itself.Since the Egghead Arc has firmly setup the act of taking down the World Government as the key to unraveling the true history of the world, it appears as if the latter scenario might be the course the story will take. Till date, there has been no recorded instance where a Buster Call on an island has failed, but there is a first time for everything, and Egghead may prove to be just that turning point.
As such, the cataclysmic event that will shake the planet at the end of the Egghead Incident may just be the defeat of a Marine Admiral and one of the Five Elders, which could have major ramifications on the larger world ofOne Piece. In essence, this could be the first step in the Straw Hats' final push to confront Imu and the Five Elders, in order to bring the World Government’s tyranny to an end. This sort of resolution to the Egghead Incident would also put an even bigger target on their backs, setting up a grand, earth-shattering finalefor the crew’s epic journey to Laugh Tale.
