One Piece’s Elbaf Arc Just Revealed It’s Main Star (And It Isn’t Usopp)

One Piece’s Elbaf Arc is an adventure that fans have been looking forward to for well over two decades, ever since Dorry and Brogy’s introduction on Little Garden, and ever since then, fans have believed that this would be Usopp’s big arc. It was on Little Garden that Usopp dedicated himself to becoming a brave warrior of the sea, and it seemed like, after all these years, he was going to achieve that goal at long last. That said, in true One Piece spirit, the Elbaf Arc has thrown one curveball after another, and as things stand, it doesn’t seem like Usopp is the main star of the arc anymore.

While Imu’s appearance on Elbaf has caused quite a stir, one interesting plotline that nearly got buried in the process is Gunko’s implied past connection with Brook, the Straw Hats’ musician. Chapter 1149 of One Piece even saw the Holy Knight recognize Brook at long last and rush to free him before being possessed by Imu, with the few glimpses of Gunko’s memories hinting at a tragic backstory waiting to be sprung on fans right when it’s sure to hurt the most. This hints that there’s much more to Brook’s past and backstory than revealed so far, and if so, the Straw Hat that steals the spotlight on Elbaf may very well end up being Brook instead of Usopp.

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One Piece’s Elbaf Arc Could Be One Other Straw Hat’s Big Arc Instead

Ever since Gunko made her debut on Elbaf, her quirky, noticeably pantsless design led fans to joke that she could be a fan of Brook, whose desire to see undergarments is as famous as he is. Surprisingly enough, not only did Gunko end up being a fan of Brook’s music, but Chapter 1149 even sets up Gunko for a potential redemption through a tragic backstory that somehow involves Brook. Little is known about Brook’s life before he became a pirate, other than the fact that he was the leader of a battle convoy of an unnamed kingdom, and perhaps the Elbaf Arc may finally answer these questions.

It’s unclear whether the Elbaf Arc has any character development in store for Brook in the present through this connection with Gunko or even any major power-ups, though the same can be said even of Usopp. It is quite disappointing that Usopp may end up being sidelined in terms of the story, though there is still perhaps room for him to walk away with some growth, especially in the Observation Haki department, with the Future Sight expert Scopper Gaban himself present on the island. That said, for Usopp to even get the chance to be trained by Gaban, Luffy and the Straw Hats will first have to deal with the situation at hand, and as things stand in One Piece, things don’t look too hopeful for Elbaf.

One Piece is available to read on Manga Plus and Viz Media.