Playing at Last! The Drums of Liberation Come to Elbaph!

One Piece Chapter 1174 Review/Recap

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m pretty keyed into the latest news about One Piece. Specifically, I’m keyed into the early spoilers and leaks for the next chapters. I know it takes out some of the enjoyment knowing what might happened, but it also means that when something good happens, it can brighten my mood for days. And after I read the spoilers for the next piece of One Piece on Reddit earlier this week after getting off work, let’s just say I had a massive grin on my face on my way home. If Imu, Sommers and the God’s Knights weren’t already screwed before, then they’re about to get a generational ass-kicking at the hands of N&N, AKA Luffy and Loki, AKA Nika and Nidhogg! The Drums of Liberation begin to play at last!

Recap

Thanks to Sommers epic fail in the last chapter, the Knights getaway wasn’t just destroyed. It had also destroyed the sea clouds underneath, leading to the abyss of the Underworld below. Moreover, since Gunko isn’t in control of her own body, she can’t undo the arrows, meaning the kids are headed off a cliff like lemmings. And their families can’t get rid of the thorns or save them in time. And Sommers is into it! He’s ready to watch the kids die like it’s entertainment for him since he thinks he won’t be held responsible!

All of the kids are now terrified for their lives and begging for someone to save them, with two whole pages showing them crying in fear and apologizing for everything bad they did! And then their parents, siblings (Road) and Miss Ange grab hold of them and refuse to let go even as they fall into the abyss!!!!

But they don’t die. They come to fall atop something soft and rubbery atop something…massive that was coming their way. And it’s pretty obvious who it is.

The next thing anyone in Elbaph knows, a storm of thunder and snow erupts across the island. The ground begins to sway and bounce, and a familiar beat begins to play as Jarul quotes something: “On a curious day, when thunder and snow both flurry, a giant beast shall appear to blot out the skies, the drums of liberation will boom out, and the Sun God will rise!”

Then, in the final page, we see them. Luffy in Gear Five, and Loki in his Nidhogg dragon form, fly through the sky and start wasting all of the nightmares!

Review

HOLY CRAP, YOU GUYS! You guys understand now why those spoilers had me laughing and grinning? Not only do Luffy and Loki save the kids and families by luck (or fate), but we finally got to see what Loki’s zoan form looks like. And just like how many of us were thinking, it turns him into a dragon. Not just any dragon, though; he becomes Nidhogg, AKA the dragon destined to destroy the world tree in Norse mythology and bring about Ragnarok. And he is massive! For comparison’s sake, look at the Giants and then at the Nightmares that Qillingham created. Most of the Nightmares are bigger than the adult Giants, and yet Loki in his Nidhogg form makes them look like pipsqueaks. He’s big enough to swallow them whole! Luffy is using the Giant form he gets in Gear Five that let him dwarf Kaido, and he’s still small enough to ride on Loki’s head!

It gets crazier. According to some people on Reddit, Loki in his Nidhogg form is bigger than the island of Marineford. That includes the island and the buildings on it. By default, that makes Nidhogg one of the biggest things in the entire series. And now Nidhogg and Nika have teamed up to save Elbaph from the devil that is Imu.

Thank Heavens I Read the Spoilers

I already knew how this chapter was going to end, but getting to see it take place is still mind-blowing. It’s a good thing I did know, though, because otherwise, I don’t think I could’ve handled seeing those kids almost die. They were genuinely going to die, and like most kids, they were terrified for their lives and begging for someone to save them! And the part where their loved ones were willing to die with is heartbreaking. My guess is that they were all going to use their bodies as shields to save the kids from death at the cost of their own lives, which is just as heartbreaking to think about. And Sommers was laughing at the whole thing like he’s the dang Joker! I’m not gonna lie, I think I wouldn’t mind it if Sommers dies before this arc is over. If Nika and Nidhogg or the other Giants don’t kill him, though, odds are that Imu will, since it’s his fault that their plan gets screwed up.

We have a break next week for the manga, but considering how Oda just gave us one of the best things ever, I think he’s earned a break. Nika and Nidhogg are about to royally screw over Imu!  

I Give “The Strongest Thing in the World” a 4.5/5

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