WARNING: SPOILERS FOR ONE PIECE MANGA CHAPTER #1188One Piece‘s final arcs have introduced several powerful and arguably broken abilities and weapons, but the battle between Luffy and the King of the World has introduced a sword so strong that it may outclass every one of Zoro’s blades and every other sword the series has shown so far. Since the long-running series earliest arcs, special care has been made to illustrate a fascinating ranking system for One Piece‘s greatest swords, and it’s no surprise that the best ones are being hoarded by the World Government’s highest-ranking officials.
Characters like Tashigi and Zoro have made several notable references to how much respect and care they hold for swords. Zoro has vowed to honor his late friend Kuinia’s dream of becoming the World’s Greatest Swordsman while using her family’s sword during his adventures. While at the same time, Tashigi has vowed to collect the world’s rarest blades from bad people who use them for evil. However, chapter #1188 introduced a blade that she’ll likely never be able to claim, and one that would make Zoro extremely jealous.
Now that Luffy’s biggest fight ever in One Piece has officially begun against the World Government’s secret ruler, Saint Nerona Imu, he’s come face to face with a foe he knows almost nothing about. That lack of knowledge has left the Straw Hat captain woefully unprepared against Imu’s mysterious skill set, especially when he unsheathed a legendary blade capable of powers that no sword has shown before.
The King of the World’s Blade Meets Their Reputation
What seems like the ultimate battle of the Elbaph arc continued to escalate in One Piece chapter #1188. Luffy unlocked a new Gear 5 form, but it was incredibly short-lived against Imu’s devastating arsenal of attacks. However, it seemed like mere child’s play compared to the moment when the World Government leader brandished the “Blade of Nothingness–Vohu”, a blade with so much demonic aura that it literally absorbed the life energy of every tree around it. And unfortunately, Luffy got an extremely close look at Imu’s terrifying weapon, maybe too close.
After Imu brandished his intimidating sword from his mysterious Omen powers, every tree around him instantly wilted, leaving him a clear line of sight to his opponent. The next second saw Gear 5 Luffy impaled in the belly, marking the first huge loss for the once overpowered form. If the sword is also able to drain the Straw Hat captain’s life energy, the battle may come to an end faster than anyone anticipated, leaving the rest of his crew in an increasingly tough spot. It’s also not the first time a blade has displayed special abilities.
One Piece’s Greatest Swords Are Proving To Be So Much More
At this point in the story, it’s unclear if Imu’s sword is capable of such frightening feats because of a Devil Fruit or not, but another katana has proven capable of draining energy. When Zoro was first gifted Enma, the sword that once belonged to Wano’s legendary warrior Oden, it nearly drained the Straw Hat pirate of all of his life force. And so far, Elbaph has continued to introduce swords of the highest quality that have allowed their users to do attacks that seem more in line with Bleach‘s Soul Reapers than traditional swordsmen.
Near the beginning of the Elbaph arc, Holy Knight Shamrock unleashed his blade against the imprisoned Loki, which exuded a dark aura that solidified into a colossal demonic Cerberus. Now that Imu’s Blade of Nothingness has continued the trend of showcasing weapons capable of unique feats, it may only be a matter of time before Zoro’s cherished blades are able to unlock new attacks or transformations of their own. But one thing is for certain, One Piece‘s final arc has effectively laid the groundwork for legendary blades showcasing remarkable attacks that I can’t wait to see in action.
- First Film
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One Piece: The Movie
- Cast
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Kazuya Nakai, Akemi Okamura, Kappei Yamaguchi, Hiroaki Hirata, Ikue Ôtani, Yuriko Yamaguchi
- Created by
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Eiichiro Oda
- Character(s)
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Monkey D. Luffy, Roronora Zoro, Nami (One Piece), Nico Robin, Usopp (One Piece), Vinsmoke Sanji, Tony Tony Chopper, Franky (One Piece), Jimbei (One Piece)