One Piece Just Dropped Its Cruelest Twist Ever With Major Straw Hat Reveal

WARNING: SPOILERS FOR ONE PIECE MANGA CHAPTER #1184

One Piece continues to deliver shocking surprises during the Elbaph arc, including the heartbreaking backstory of Brook and what he did to cause his homeland of Esperia to disappear. Several of One Piece‘s most tragic backstories can make sad stories in Naruto feel tame, but the most interesting ones cause repercussions that can be felt decades later.

Luffy’s courageous nature has infected millions of people in the real world and many in his own. Each member of the Straw Hat crew was inspired by the pirate king hopeful, even if they had lived through decades of soul-crushing events. The oldest member of Luffy’s crew is the Straw Hat’s musician and living skeleton who was born around 90 years before One Piece‘s current Elbaph arc. However, the arc exploring the giant’s homeland included a flashback covering Brook’s distant past and how one of his innocent mistakes led to the deaths of many innocents.

While Brook already seemed to have a tragic backstory that led up to the Straw Hat’s death, or at least the end of his flesh body, One Piece‘s latest chapters demonstrate that it was only one of the few hardships the joyful musician has lived through. Chapter #1184 provides a peek at the life of the 11-year-old Brook and his unlikely friendship with his kingdom’s prince. It would be a friendship that changed many lives and inspired the ire of the World Government.

The World’s Corruption Tried To Silence A Wrong Young Musician

Living in harsh conditions would be an understatement for the type of existence the extremely poor Brook endured throughout his childhood. Even though he had to live on eating garbage, bugs, and frogs, he still had the will and desire to play music. That ability to find joy in the roughest of situations attracted the attention of Prince Reuven, who lived as a high-class royal but lacked the joy he saw in the afroed street urchin. They formed a strong bond that would likely lead to the destruction of the kingdom of Esperia.

After receiving bad information, some heartless Marines captured the young Brook and tortured him to get information he did not have. Before they were about to execute the boy, Prince Reuven showed up to rescue his small friend. Even though he was warned against retaliation against the Marines and the World Government they worked for, Reuven charged through and saved Brook’s life. The story has already shown that the young boy grows up to be among One Piece‘s greatest swordsmen and an accomplished musician thanks to Reuven’s actions, but there is a good chance that that choice had dire consequences.

No Good Deed Against One Piece’s World Government Goes Unpunished

One Piece's five elders standing around the world of one piece with the empty throne in the background to the right and the island of lulusia being destroyed to the left — One Piece’s five elders standing around the world of one piece with the empty throne in the background to the right and the island of lulusia being destroyed to the left

Before One Piece chapter #1184, Brook was extremely vague about the fate of his homeland of Esperia, but he has told the Straw Hats that it no longer exists. Unfortunately, the terrible capability of wiping entire islands out has been proven by the World Government’s erasure of Lulusia, which is a fate that Esperia may replicate in the next few chapters. And tragically, Reuven’s rescue of Brook might have been the catalyst.

One Piece Confirms Another Straw Hat Swordsman Outclasses Zoro

A Straw Hat crew member’s past reveals sword skills that outmatch Zoro’s current abilities with techniques that could teach him a thing or two.

The reason that Brook has found the need to explain his past during the Elbaph arc is to inform his fellow Straw Hats (and the audience) about Esperia’s Princess Shuri, who is now acting as one of the One Piece‘s World Government’s highest-ranking Holy Knights. It is not yet clear how the young girl got to her current position, but author Eiichiro Oda may have already set up another heartbreaking betrayal that’ll change Brook and Shuri forever.

When Prince Reuven originally rescued Brook, he was assisted by his closest bodyguard and future wife, Candelle. One theory suggests that the Queen of Esperia could be a Holy Knight spy due to the design of her sword, costume, and lack of aging, traits that are all common with the highest-standing individuals of the World Government. For going against the Marines, Reuven may pay with his life, kingdom, and even his daughter’s freedom. If that turns out to be the case, the ending of One Piece’s Elbaph arc seems primed to deliver both heartbreak and joy if Brook can save Shuri.

First Film: One Piece: The Movie
Cast: Kazuya Nakai, Akemi Okamura, Kappei Yamaguchi, Hiroaki Hirata, Ikue Ôtani, Yuriko Yamaguchi
Created by: Eiichiro Oda
Character(s): Monkey D. Luffy, Roronora Zoro, Nami (One Piece), Nico Robin, Usopp (One Piece), Vinsmoke Sanji, Tony Tony Chopper, Franky (One Piece), Jimbei (One Piece)