Ragnarok is What’s Coming to ‘One Piece’

A fan’s argument of why the final war in One Piece could be called Ragnarok

If you’ve been keeping up with One Piece lately, you know that the long-running Shonen series is nearing its endgame. Luffy and the Straw Hat pirates are closing in on the titular treasure. The other strongest pirate crews in the world are mobilizing to do the same. The World Government is trying desperately to maintain control, only to keep failing. With Oda promising the finale will make Marineford look tame, fans know there’s a war coming that few can even comprehend. However, even the most eagle-eyed fans might not have realized just what this final war will decide. Thanks to Dr. Vegapunk, we now know that this coming war could be an apocalypse. An apocalypse that only has one word to describe itself: Ragnarok.

Where is this coming from?

To recap, during the climax of the Egghead Island Arc, Dr. Vegapunk was murdered by his old friend, Admiral Kizaru. However, his death led to the activation of a pre-recorded that he and his Satellites broadcast to the entire world. Thus, the world learned a horrifying truth: it had, for the past 800 years, been slowly sinking into the ocean. What’s more, this wouldn’t be the first time that it happened. 900 years ago, the world was covered in massive continents that were subsequently lost to the seas. The “islands” everyone lived on were merely the highest points of those continents, and even they were now at risk.

With this revelation, Oda had taken the flood myth, one of the oldest and most recurring motifs in cultures around the world, and used it to re-contextualize how we view One Piece. It had been taking place in a post-apocalyptic world, and nobody knew. Had this not been revealed, most of us likely wouldn’t have realized it. Suddenly, Luffy’s quest for the titular treasure had become more imporant than ever. It now has the potential to decide whether or not the world will live to see another tomorrow at all. And thus far, the events in the proceeding Elbaph arc have only hammered this point home. In addition, though, the most recent chapters of One Piece have shown the other apocalyptic myth from which Oda is getting inspiration: Ragnarok.

Ragnarok is what is coming

The Harley's text is a poem that is very similar to the Voluspa, the best known poem of the Poetic Edda.

The Voluspa tells the story from Norse Mythology of the creation of the world, its coming end, and its subsequent rebirth. pic.twitter.com/3UK0KFhySZ

— panini 🍔 (@writingpanini) January 30, 2025

In Norse mythology, Ragnarok is said to be their version of Armageddon. In it, the forces of the Norse pantheon of gods and their many enemies will clash in one, final battle. Few of them will survive what is to come, and the world will be burned by cataclysms as the sun and moon are devoured before the sea swallows everything. However, that same prophecy reveals that not all is lost. Those who survive Ragnarok will come to build a new world, one better than the one that preceded it.

With the latest chapter of One Piece revealing the ancient history as told by the Giants of Elbaph, many fans have noted the similarities to Ragnarok. The text that Robin reads talks about the three eras, or worlds, that the world of One Piece has been through. The more fans analyze the text and mural, the more the similarities to Ragnarok become obvious. Despite this, several differences need to be noted.

Why the Ragnarok of One Piece is Incomplete

Firstly, whereas the Ragnarok of Norse myth will only happen once, it has already happened twice in One Piece. Secondly, while Ragnarok is said to give rise to a new and better world, in One Piece, it has only led to a worse one.

It’s currently unknown what happened in the first Ragnarok, but the series has already given fans enough details on the second time. The founders of the World Government toppled an ancient, advanced kingdom. The sea would swallow most of the planet, and the World Government would cover up the truth for the next eight hundred years. Thus, the descendants of those who survived would remain ignorant to the truth and the fact that the ocean continued to rise until Vegapunk revealed it. Everything below the Red Line will be lost unless something is done soon. But what can be done?

One Piece fans already know the answer: it’s Luffy.

Admit it. We all knew Luffy is going to save the world.

Monkey D. Luffy has always been special thanks to his cheerful attitude, rubber body, and carrying the Will of D. However, time and time again, One Piece has noted just how special Luffy truly is, even amongst those who carry the Will of D. Wherever he goes, he makes friends. He frees people from whatever sorrows they may face so they can laugh again. And with the revelation that his Devil Fruit powers were the same as that of Joy Boy, many have concluded that he is the second coming of Joy Boy. Or, in the words of this blog, he’s Pirate Jesus.

The mural and text from the latest chapter of One Piece lend further credence to the idea that Luffy is the successor of Joy Boy, while also revealing that Joy Boy might have been the successor to Nika. That latter half would explain why the legends call the Sun God both a savior and destroyer. Over time, stories of Joy Boy and Nika were fused into one, leading to his reputation in the modern world.

The last part of the text talks about the return of the sun to bring about a new dawn and help the world “meet again.” As many fans will guess, that sun is talking about the return of the next person to wield the power of the sun god. In other words, it’s talking about Luffy. Luffy is being set up as the one who can break the cycle of Ragnarok for good. Then, the world can become the better place it was meant to be.

And from the looks of things, he and the Straw Hats will not be alone in this fight.

The Straw Hats could unite the world in a final war

Plenty of people have started pointing out the meaning behind the images on the mural and the meaning behind the Harley text. However, the images that stand out the most are the ones that Franky and Ripley themselves point out. The chapter makes it a point to have the two point out how beings from different races and backgrounds fight against a great monster. Something like that seems so unbelievable that Ripley dismisses it as some children’s dream. However, those who have kept on the story know that it’s not a mere dream. In fact, it’s already becoming a reality.

As previously mentioned, wherever Luffy and the Straw Hats have gone, they have changed things for the better. They’ve liberated kingdoms, stopped wars, and brought down tyrants. Thanks to that, they’ve gained friendships with people from the East Blue to the Grand Line. If the day finally came when Luffy wanted to ask for their help, you can bet their friends would drop everything and come to his aid, just as he would do the same for them. They aren’t just friends anymore; they’re an army that will fight for him.

If Luffy calls for help, will the world come to him?

While those images on the mural likely depict the war between the Ancient Kingdom and the proto-World Government, they could also be said to be showing what will happen in the near future. When Ragnarok comes once more, those loyal to Luffy and his crew might raise entire armies and join his cause. It’s a long shot, but it would serve as a great way to round out the series by having everyone Luffy has helped return the favor. In addition, it would help fulfill the prophecy of the sun god, allowing Luffy to guide the world to the new dawn it was always meant to reach. Which, in hindsight, makes the original name for One Piece, Romance Dawn, all the more impactful.

This might be one of the most important chapters in all of One Piece history, and Oda did not disappoint! Whatever he’s got planned for the rest of the series, it’s going to be an absolute banger from start to finish!

Click here to see more animanga stuff. That includes my review for the latest chapter.