This article contains spoilers from One Piece's Elbaf Arc.
Key conclusions
- Elbaf worships the Sun God Nick, creating important plot points in One Piece.
- The identity of the new Sun god in Elbaf may be related to Norse mythology, possibly Hel.
- More deities from Norse mythology, such as Loki and Odin, may be featured in the Elbaf arc.
One Piece marked a brilliant start to the Elbaf Arc, and fans are incredibly excited to see what direction Oda will take in this story arc. Elbaf is the arc that fans have been waiting for for years. In fact, this is an arc that was set up in the story before Wano was even hinted at, and in many ways the arc could potentially be even bigger. It is possibly the largest arch in the world One Piecewhich means that Oda will introduce some of the most important characters here, while others who have already been introduced in the story, such as Shanks, will play a very important role.
Of course, when it comes to the new characters, those from Elbaf will likely be inspired by Norse mythology. Fans know for sure that Elbaf has roots deep in Norse mythology, and many of the gods that fans know about, such as Loki, will appear in the story at some point. Oda recently introduced fans to one such God, and it's setting up even better things to come One Piece.
The Sun God who was revealed in the Arch of Elbaf
- Elbaf worships the Sun God
- The new Sun God is finally introduced in one part
Although Elbaf has many godly entities such as Loki, none have been confirmed as gods. Loki is just a giant that exists in Elbaf and he is the prince of the Kingdom. Fans don't know if Loki really holds a godly position or if he's even called a God. It depends on what Oda wants to do with the story and how he describes the culture of Elbaf. Perhaps in the Land of Elbaf, people hold important positions with the title of God, similar to Skypia. Maybe it's not, and Loki, among other giants inspired by the gods, are just regular giants with great power. Fans don't know much about it yet.
We must immediately report this incident to the Sun God!
But, there is an exception. There is a certain God in Elbaf that everyone worships. This is the Sun God, also known as Niko. Fans know that the story of the Sun God Nick actually originates from the land of Elbaf, as confirmed by Vegapunk himself in the Egghead Island Arc. Fans know for a fact that tales of the sun god Nick of Elbaf predate even Joy Boy, who existed 800 years ago in One Piece the world Niko existed as a legend from Elbaf, and no one really knows if this God was real or not. Fans know for a fact that Elbaf worships Nick as the true God, and to this day, this particular man is the only God that fans know exists in the country.
Fans now know that the title of Sun God belongs to none other than Luffy. He ate the Gomu Gomu no Mi and gained Niki's power with it. However, a new character was recently introduced with the title of Sun God. This character was seen in the fake Elbaf that the Straw Hat Pirates found themselves in. This character was recently revealed in One Piece chapter 1128, and it's safe to say that they will play an incredibly exciting role in the future of One Piece. Of course, the legitimacy of the Sun God title held by this character is still a matter of debate. Given that Luffy is a Sun God, it's very likely that this person isn't actually a Sun God at all and is just pretending to be a Sun God, just as they seem to enjoy being the ruler of a world of their own making.
What is the true identity of the Sun God?
The true identity of the Sun God may be Hel
Obviously a character that fans have seen One Piece section 1128 is not the true Sun God. There can only be one Sun God, and that person is Niko. Nick's fruit powers belonged to Joy Boy a long time ago, and now they belong to Luffy. If anyone is a Sun God, it's Luffy, and whoever that other person is is clearly not a Sun God and just likes to play God. But this raises the question of who this person really is. The fans do not know the true identity of this person in the current state.
However, what is clear is that they may indeed come from a deity that exists in Norse mythology. Looking at this character's design, fans can tell that they are something special compared to the regular Giants. They are not bulky and carry a bit of unique charisma. This character wears a fur jacket and a deer skull with giant antlers on top. In one hand they hold a shield with the symbol of the sun, and in the other a staff with the symbol of the sun.
I will not let you escape! – God of the Sun
Obviously, this character really thinks he's a sun god, or at least likes to pretend to be a sun god. This suggests that they admire the Sun God and may become allies of the Straw Hat Pirates down the road.
As for the Sun God's identity, however, fans can only guess from their appearance. Interestingly, Norse mythology has a goddess who looks a lot like this character. This goddess is known as Hel. Hel is a very intriguing goddess, seen with a deer-like skull and even wearing a down jacket. The staff is also something Hel shares with this particular character. Overall, the character design that Oda presented for the Sun God in the previous chapter fits Hel very well. For those who don't know who Hel is, she is the daughter of Loki and a very dangerous figure in Norse mythology.
Hel is considered the goddess of death and at the same time the ruler of the underworld. The fact that the serpent Hilmungandr was under Hel's command is also good evidence that this character might actually be Hel. At the same time, fans were also able to see the thin stature of this man, reminiscent of how Oda paints women in general. Hel could be a woman, and Oda could potentially confirm this in later chapters of the story.
Even if that character isn't Hel, fans know that Oda is definitely going to introduce a lot of gods in the Elbaf arc. Loki has already been confirmed, and given that fans know he's the Prince of the Kingdom, his father, who will likely be Odin, could also appear in the story. Fans also know that Thor is a character that could potentially appear in this arc, and that's something they absolutely can't wait to see. Elbaf's arc has just begun, and things are only going to get more exciting ahead.
One Piece is available to read through Viz Media. Fans can read the series officially and for free on the Shonen Jump app and Manga Plus. The next One Piece chapter, One Piece 1128, is scheduled for release on October 6, 2024.
