One Piece has just dropped another spectacular chapter, keeping up its streak of amazing back-to-back chapters in the Elbaf Arc so far. From big lore revelations like the Elbaf mural to introducing a whole new set of antagonists in the form of the Holy Knights, the latest arc has continued to surprise fans at every turn, and its newest shocking reveal actually has to do with a major villain whose fate has finally been confirmed. Considering her backstory and existing ties to Elbaf, many fans already expected Big Mom to be a major part of the arc and its discussions from the get-go, and true to this belief, the latest chapter may have just settled a huge debate about the former Emperor.
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In Chapter 1145 of One Piece, Goldberg reveals that his shield is, in fact, a homie brought to life by the Soul-Soul Fruit. However, Goldberg states that the shield was brought to life many years ago when his father set out on the expedition to defeat Big Mom. This most likely refers to the time when Big Mom was five years old and went on a semla-starved rampage on Elbaf, which means that it was Mother Carmel who brought the shield to life instead of Big Mom, who at the time hadn’t yet acquired the Soul-Soul Fruit. With Mother Carmel being positively dead for quite some time, the fact that Goldberg’s shield is still just as animated means that Big Mom may very well be dead as well, despite Zeus still being around.
One Piece’s Wano Arc Left Big Mom and Kaido’s Fate Unanswered
Despite the Wano Arc having long ended, as well as another entire arc after it, the question of Big Mom and Kaido’s deaths has been left hanging, with even the latest chapter only giving fans indirect confirmation. Despite falling into lava, fans have had a tough time accepting that the two former Emperors could truly be dead, largely due to One Piece’s longstanding problem with fakeout deaths. In Big Mom’s case, a huge reason why fans believed she may still be alive is due to Zeus’s existence. Since Zeus was created using a part of Big Mom’s soul, the fact that he was still around led many to believe that Big Mom might still have survived the final battle at Onigashima.
The main reasoning behind this argument is that devil fruit abilities typically cease to take effect after the user’s death, after which the fruit inevitably respawns. A great example of this is how the effect of Corazon’s Calm-Calm Fruit was deactivated soon after his death, no longer suppressing young Law’s cries. However, Chapter 1145 suggests this rule may not apply to the Soul-Soul Fruit. As such, the fact that Zeus is still alive can no longer be used to justify Big Mom being alive as well.
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One Piece’s Elbaf Arc Finally Confirms Big Mom’s Death
Although Big Mom has likely had contact with the Giants since the incident 63 years ago, such as when setting up the marriage between Lola and Loki, Goldberg’s words suggest his shield was brought to life many years ago rather than more recently. The expedition to defeat Big Mom in question would also have to have been the Winter Solstice Festival incident from Chapter 866 as this is the most infamous clash involving Big Mom, known all throughout Elbaf as it led to the destruction of an entire village as well as the death of Jorul, the other hero of the Giants alongside Jarul.
This incident not only permanently soured relations between Elbaf and Big Mom but also gave rise to a huge grudge held against her to this day. The timeline also perfectly lines up, as it was only after Big Mom’s infamous semla-fueled crashout that Mother Carmel and the House of Lambs left Elbaf, and Big Mom inadvertently ate Mother Carmel and the rest of the children on her birthday, thus gaining the Soul-Soul Fruit. On a more positive note, besides putting the final nail in Big Mom’s coffin, this revelation means that Nami can keep Zeus after all, keeping a very powerful companion by her side as One Piece’s Final Saga rolls around.
One Piece is available from Manga Plus and Viz Media.
