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One Piece chapter #1138 is by far one of the most intriguing and game-changing in the entire franchise. The information revealed during this latest entry has helped fans further understand not only the world of the series but also the enigmatic events of the Void Century. After years of waiting, readers have been gifted a chapter full of lore and foreshadowing, becoming the most pivotal entry in the series’ history.
After its release, many fans noticed that Eiichiro Oda, the creator of the manga, had once again proven his outstanding skills as a writer, by linking chapter #1338 with one of the series’ most underrated arcs. Elbaph’s Harley Texts, the sacred book kept by the Giants, confirmed one of the most important theories from Skypiea, confirming how important this portion of the story is for the future.
Skypiea’s Gods Have Finally Been Confirmed
These Deities Have Played Key Roles in the Past
The Skypiea arc is the thirteenth entry in the One Piece franchise, which saw the Straw Hat Crew visiting the titular floating island to learn more about the story of their world. This arc used to be considered unimportant to the main story, with many fans stating that it could even feel like filler. Nonetheless, with the recent release of chapter #1138, this perception is subject to change, as the adventures of Luffy in the sky island have become more important than ever to the story. This is all thanks to the Harley Texts, Elbaph’s sacred book.
As Robin reads from this ancient tome to his Giant friends, a somber truth about the world of the series becomes apparent, one that is directly linked to Skypiea. The archeologist revealed that before the current world, there used to be two more, each destroyed by a battle involving what are described as gods or divine forces. While this might seem like a new concept for fans who decided to skip Skypiea, this is not the first time they have been mentioned.
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In chapter #287 of the manga, one of the most important in the sky island adventure, Noland has a flashback of a girl being taken to a ceremonial temple to be sacrificed to the Sun god. As she is being transported, four deities are mentioned, revealing that they are the cornerstone of Skypiea’s religion: the Sun god, the Earth god, the Rain god, and the Forest god. This once-unimportant detail has now become vital for the future of the series, as these gods are also mentioned in the Harley text (even if the Rain god becomes the Sea god).
Skypiea’s Lunar Origin Has Also Become Relevant
The Ancient Civilization of Birka Has Ties to the Second World
Birka is an ancient city found on the moon of One Piece’s world, said to have been the home to an advanced civilization. The inhabitants of this satellite abandoned their homes after their resources were depleted, forcing them to return to the planet and establish themselves there. These ancient tribes would go on to become the inhabitants of the sky islands, separating themselves into the Skypieans, Shandorians, and Birkans. As with most revelations contained in the Skypiea arc, fans used to believe that the origins of the Winged Races were only a fun fact included by Oda.
After chapter #1138, the city of Birka has become more important than ever, as its citizens are heavily suggested to be related to the first and second world of the series. Inside the Harley Texts, Robin found information about the beings who inhabited the planet following its first destruction, the people of the moon and the half-moon. While the book does not directly state this, the only species who have inhabited the moon in One Piece are those who live in Skypiea.
As such, it is not hard to imagine that the citizens of the sky island are among the most knowledgeable about the past of the world, as well as the Void Century. The civilization of Skypiea is once again presented as the most important in terms of understanding the world of the series. Fans who have not given this unappreciated arc a chance might want to reconsider their decision, as its story might soon prove to be vital to understanding the origins of the series' world.
Oda Once Again Proved His Genius
Skypiea Was Released More Than 20 Years Ago
The One Piece manga is loved by fans for its complex, intriguing, and congruent story. As he has worked on the series, Oda has tried to make sure that each of his arcs has a purpose, no matter how much time passes. Skypiea is the most recent and impressive example of the author’s dedication to his work. The chapters of this narrative arc were published between 2002 and 2003, making them more than two decades old.
Despite this, Oda has found a way to connect them to his main story, and in a way that makes them crucial for the future. The creator has once again proven how much love and care goes into his masterpiece, while also teaching fans that even the most innocuous of chapters can be more important than imagined. It was a masterful move, one that will go down as one of the best foreshadowings in the franchise's history.
Luffy’s adventure in the Land of the Giants will only continue getting more exciting as it develops. One Piece is seemingly no longer slowing down, and fans should brace themselves for more huge revelations about the world and its characters.
One Piece
Release Date October 20, 1999
Network Fuji TV
Directors Hiroaki Miyamoto, Konosuke Uda, Junji Shimizu, Satoshi Itō, Munehisa Sakai, Katsumi Tokoro, Yutaka Nakajima, Yoshihiro Ueda, Kenichi Takeshita, Yoko Ikeda, Ryota Nakamura, Hiroyuki Kakudou, Takahiro Imamura, Toshihiro Maeya, Yûji Endô, Nozomu Shishido, Hidehiko Kadota, Sumio Watanabe, Harume Kosaka, Yasuhiro Tanabe, Yukihiko Nakao, Keisuke Onishi, Junichi Fujise, Hiroyuki Satou
Writers Jin Tanaka, Akiko Inoue, Junki Takegami, Shinzo Fujita, Shouji Yonemura, Yoshiyuki Suga, Atsuhiro Tomioka, Hirohiko Uesaka, Michiru Shimada, Isao Murayama, Takuya Masumoto, Yoichi Takahashi, Momoka Toyoda
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Mayumi Tanaka
Monkey D. Luffy (voice)
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Kazuya Nakai
Roronoa Zoro (voice)
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English (US) ·