One Piece Officially Sets Up the Successors of Void Century Legends — And the Elbaph Arc Is Connecting Every Dot
One Piece has always been a story about inherited will. From the very first chapter, Eiichiro Oda planted the idea that dreams, ambitions, and even curses can echo across centuries. But nothing in the series’ 28-year history has hammered that point home quite like the Elbaph arc, which is now officially setting up modern characters as direct successors to the legendary figures of the Void Century.
If you thought the Giant Warrior Pirates flashback was just backstory, think again. Every revelation Oda drops in Elbaph feels like a piece of a puzzle that has been assembling itself for over two decades — and the picture it’s forming points to something massive.
The Ancient Kingdom vs. The 20 Kingdoms: A War That Never Really Ended
For readers who have followed the series closely, the Void Century has always been One Piece’s greatest mystery. Roughly 800 years ago, a powerful Ancient Kingdom led by a figure now known as Joy Boy clashed with an alliance of 20 kingdoms. The 20 kingdoms won — and then erased history, rewriting the narrative so thoroughly that the World Government still maintains control today.
But Oda is now showing us something we should have seen coming: the war didn’t end. It just changed players.
Recent chapters have made it increasingly clear that the conflict between Joy Boy’s faction and the ancient enemy — now identified as Nerona Imu, the secret ruler of the World Government — is being replayed in the present day. And the Straw Hat crew, particularly Luffy, is positioned as the direct successor to Joy Boy’s legacy.
Luffy Is Not Just Inheriting Joy Boy’s Will — He’s Becoming His Successor
When Luffy awakened his Devil Fruit and revealed it to be the Mythical Zoan Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika, the Sun God, it wasn’t just a power-up. It was a declaration. The World Government had been hunting this fruit for 800 years, renaming it the Gomu Gomu no Mi to hide its true identity. The fact that Luffy inherited it wasn’t coincidence — it was destiny.
But the Elbaph arc is taking this connection even further. The giants of Elbaph, who were among the most loyal allies of the Ancient Kingdom, recognize something in Luffy that they haven’t seen since Joy Boy. Their reverence for him isn’t just respect — it’s the recognition of a successor.
Consider the parallels: Joy Boy was a figure of liberation who made promises he couldn’t keep. Luffy is actively fulfilling those broken promises, from freeing the slaves of Mary Geoise to uniting the giant tribes of Elbaph. The parallels are deliberate, and Oda is making sure we don’t miss them. As we discussed in our breakdown of the God Devil Fruit theory and Elbaph’s setup for the final Straw Hat, every piece of this arc is building toward the same conclusion.
Imu’s Return: The Ancient Enemy Reborn in the Modern Era
If Luffy is Joy Boy’s successor, then Imu is the successor of the ancient force that destroyed the Ancient Kingdom. Recent chapters have placed Imu directly on the battlefield in Elbaph — not watching from afar, but actively engaging in combat with Loki and the giants.
This is unprecedented. Imu has operated from the shadows of Mary Geoise for the entire series, pulling strings through the Five Elders and Cipher Pol. The fact that Imu has now stepped onto the front lines signals that the final war has already begun, and it’s happening in Elbaph, not at Marineford or Marine headquarters as most fans predicted.
The implications are staggering — especially after our recent analysis of how Loki’s clash with Imu could trigger the ancient war that destroys the World Government. The Elbaph arc is essentially a microcosm of the Void Century war: giants loyal to Joy Boy’s legacy defending their homeland against the forces of the World Government, led by the same ancient enemy that destroyed the Ancient Kingdom 800 years ago.
The Mural in Elbaph: Oda’s Map to the Final War
One of the most significant reveals in the Elbaph arc has been the ancient mural depicting the history of the Void Century. This mural isn’t just exposition — it’s a roadmap. It shows the key players, their allegiances, and possibly the outcome of the original war.
What makes this mural so important is that it establishes who the successors are. The figures shown in the mural have clear parallels to characters in the present day:
- Joy Boy → Luffy: Both liberators with the power of Nika, both connected to the giants, both driven by an unwavering commitment to freedom.
- The Ancient Kingdom’s allies → The Straw Hat Grand Fleet: Just as Joy Boy had allies across the world, Luffy has built an alliance of kingdoms, pirate crews, and warrior tribes.
- The 20 Kingdoms → The World Government: The same coalition that won 800 years ago still rules, but its cracks are showing with every arc.
- Imu’s predecessor → Imu: The same entity, or at least the same position of power, still commanding the forces that destroyed the Ancient Kingdom.
The mural is Oda’s way of telling us: this is the same war. These are the same sides. And the outcome this time will be different.
Brook’s Role: The Last Witness to the Void Century
While Luffy and Imu represent the primary successors, Brook’s expanded backstory in the latest chapters adds a fascinating dimension. As someone connected to the Void Century through his own mysterious past — including his ties to Candelle and Shuri — Brook may be the only living person who can bridge the gap between the ancient past and the present.
The implications are staggering. If Brook’s connection to the Void Century is confirmed, he could be the key to unlocking the final Poneglyph, revealing the true history of the world, and giving Luffy the information he needs to finish what Joy Boy started 800 years ago. We recently explored Brook’s potential link to the Void Century and how it could rewrite everything we know about Imu — and the pieces are only getting more compelling.
Why This Changes Everything About the Final War
For years, fans theorized that the final war would be a straightforward battle between Luffy and the World Government. The Elbaph arc is telling a more nuanced story: this is a war between inherited wills, between the successors of ancient figures who are still fighting their original battle through modern proxies.
Every Straw Hat member is being positioned as the successor to someone or something from the Void Century. Every enemy they face has roots in that ancient conflict. Oda isn’t just writing a pirate adventure — he’s writing a story about how the past never truly dies, and how the choices of people 800 years ago are still shaping the world today.
And that might be the most terrifying and beautiful thing about One Piece: the idea that your actions matter not just for today, but for centuries to come.
What Comes Next?
With the Elbaph arc accelerating toward its climax and Imu now on the battlefield, the question isn’t if the final war will happen — it’s when it will spread beyond Elbaph to engulf the entire world. The successors have been identified. The sides are clear. And for the first time in 800 years, Joy Boy’s heir is fighting back.
Do you think Luffy will succeed where Joy Boy failed? Which Straw Hat member do you believe is the successor to the most important Void Century figure? Drop your theories below — the community is buzzing, and the next chapter could change everything we think we know.
