Back after two weeks for the Elbaph kick-off, let’s go! The mythology and characters of the island continue to slowly build and offer possibilities of what could be coming without committing the story too hard in any one direction.

It’s still way too soon to make any definitive statements about where Elbaph is going and who to expect to be a hero or a villain. The standard setup for a One Piece arc is for the Strawhats to arrive right as the final act of the locals’ story gets in motion – the critical day of uprising for the resistance or the last stand against tyranny, or the trap they’re about to blunder into – a story that would have ended in tragedy without the Strawhats’ inclusion as the Deus ex Machina to what had been building. Usually the bad guys start with the upper hand, poised to win. If Loki is our villain, that is obviously not the case here. There’s a suggestion of some kind of succession issue, but none of the friendly giants we’ve seen show much concern about it.

This mission to steal the key to Loki’s shackles could be a last resort for his followers if Loki is to be an ally, but it could also have just finished being set up with all the contingencies and escape routes it needs to go fast and smooth if he’s going to be freed to become the villain of the arc.

I enjoyed the casualness of Luffy and Loki’s chat for most of the chapter, with Luffy climbing and reclining on the giants’ leg. Loki has a lot going on that would obviously pique Luffy’s interest despite moments of anger from both sides, so I think we’re in for an interesting dynamic between the two would-be sun gods as the story plays out. Well, it makes sense there’d be some personality crossover if they’re meant to embody the same deity, right? But I wonder if the Nika lore is different on and off Elbaph. Is the Sun God version of him mythologised by the giants distinct from the Warrior of Liberation one that’s spread through prisons and slave camps in any key ways, as would happen to real religions as they spread? And will Luffy be able to please believers of both?

The reveal of the Treasure Tree Adam is exciting, following up on its mention from so many years ago. And in the reveal panel we can see the top of the tree, confirming there are no more tiers above what was shown in the last chapter, and (unfortunately) that it doesn’t go all the way to the moon or anywhere else ridiculous.

It’s been noted that the animals guarding the mountains are almost all species originally designed for the Strong World movie. But whether this is mean to hint at a connection or just be an Easter egg is anyone’s guess. The outlier seems to be the wolf that shows up with the koma-animal flaming mane and tail commonly seen on Wano. Were the two nations connected in some way far in the past for crossbreeding to occur? Whatever the case, I really enjoyed Luffy instantly taming them.

I’m very curious about Loki’s followers. Not because there seems to be anything unique about this particular group – it’s obvious they’ve been around for a while – but for the idea that they’re where humans who fight Elbaph and lose end up. So if they start talking about any new recruits…

I’m not the biggest fan of Luffy getting so aggro about Loki badmouthing Shanks. It’s not the first time, but it’s weird how it’s a maturity barrier he still hasn’t crossed. I’m not a believer in any kind of evil Shanks theory, but I can’t help wondering if this extreme hero worship is setup for disillusionment and conflict when the two finally do cross paths.

The scene with the rest of the Elbaph Strawhats feels like setup for a gag rather than a real set piece. I think Goldberg is carrying the ship either to reunite the crew with it or to take it to show Hadjurdin (who looks like he’s doing well for himself).

And we go out on Robin’s haircut. She looks so much younger with the bangs back, and so happy to have that reunion on the horizon… only for Oda to float the idea of it all being stolen away at the last moment. Come on, that would be too cruel. I don’t expect him to follow through, but it might result in just enough delay that the meeting comes at the end of the arc instead of the start. Such is the art of making drama and cliffhangers for a serialised story.