With a series with as epic of proportions as One Piece, it comes as no surprise that bits of series lore still remains a mystery to fans.
As a series that has produced more than 1000 chapters and episodes, the lore of One Piece is vast, containing some of the most compelling storylines that manage to continually keep fans engaged for years. With hundreds of lovable characters, phenomenal arcs and films, as well as entertaining games, there is endless One Piece content that currently exists.
In a series with this much to offer, it’s inevitable that plenty of questions are left unresolved due to the amount of content. Although many initial questions from early One Piece have since been acknowledged or answered, there still lies several mysteries within this tremendous body of work.
Updated December 27, 2023, by Suzail Ahmad:One Piece is heading toward the end of the first arc in the Final Saga, and it seems that it is going to end on a high note yet again. The Egghead arc revealed many new details about certain One Piece characters, and there is a strong possibility that more information will be revealed before the arc’s conclusion. While some mysteries are being unraveled, some new ones are also being introduced. When the curtain is lifted from these One Piece mysteries, there is no doubt that it will send shockwaves throughout the world.
22. Why Did Nefertari Lily Betray The Other Nations?
For a long time, fans were under the impression that all twenty nations were loyal to the World Government, but it turned out that wasn’t the case. Nefertari Lily, the ruler of Alabasta at the time, turned against the other 19 nations for unknown reasons.
Due to her actions, the Poneglyphs were released into the world. This enraged Imu, and they probably ordered her execution. For now, it remains unclear why Lily retracted her support after initially deciding to help them. As the story progresses further, this particular mystery will definitely be unraveled.
21. Who Is The Man With Burn Scars?
Toward the end of the Wano Country arc, Eustass Kid revealed that in order to leapfrog others in the race for One Piece, they needed to find the man with the burn scar. But they had no idea where to find him. Judging from their statement, it is safe to say that this person will drastically affect the future of One Piece.
The man with the burn scar was also mentioned by the Blackbeard Pirates. So, there is more than one crew who knows about his existence, and they will try to chase him down at some point.
20. What Is Luffy’s Dream?
Luffy is the main protagonist of the series, so most details about his life are known to the fans. However, the one big thing that the audience still doesn’t know about him is what his dream really is.
Luffy has only told his dream to a handful of characters, but he has never publicly revealed what it is. Sure, he talks about being the Pirate King, but that’s not the only thing that he wishes to achieve. There is more to his dream than meets the eye. For a long time, even his crew didn’t know about what their captain wanted, and he only told them about it after they left Wano.
19. Who Are Franky’s Parents?
Franky is the shipwright of the Straw Hat Pirates. He joined the crew after the Enies Lobby arc, where he played a key role in helping the heroes rescue Robin from the clutches of CP9.
As a child, Franky was abandoned by his parents, after which Tom took him in and raised him. Under Tom’s tutelage, Franky learned a lot. Oda is known for saving characters and using them later in the story. So, there is a chance that the truth about Franky’s parents will come to light in the upcoming arcs.
18. What Is The One Piece?
One Piece is the greatest treasure in the world. It was found by Gol D. Roger many years ago, but instead of taking it, he simply laughed at the sight of it. Roger believed that his crew arrived too early, so they left the treasure untouched and disbanded.
Not long after, Roger turned himself in to the Marines, and his execution was held in Loguetown. Before being executed, Roger confirmed that he left One Piece on a certain island, waiting to be claimed. The legendary treasure is unquestionably one of the biggest mysteries in the series, and it will be answered toward the end.
17. What Is Kuma’s Lineage?
In the Egghead Island arc, it was revealed that Bartholomew Kuma belongs to a special race. It is unknown what race the former Shichibukai belongs to, but it wouldn’t be a stretch to believe that it is now extinct.
Previously, Big Mom had stated that her island was missing three races— giants, Lunarians, and one unknown race. It is possible that Kuma belongs to this unknown race, which should be disclosed in the Egghead Island arc.
Resolved: It has been confirmed that Kuma belongs to an ancient race known as Buccaneers.
16. The Ancient Kingdom
The ancient kingdom existed before the Void Century. According to Clover, this ancient kingdom was so wealthy and powerful that other kingdoms feared it. As a result, twenty kingdoms banded together to destroy this civilization and wipe out all trace of its existence.
The twenty kingdoms that eradicated the ancient kingdom would go on to form the World Government. Recently, in the manga, it was confirmed that this kingdom was technologically very advanced, which is another reason why the other kingdoms feared its existence. The name of this kingdom is still unknown, and there is no information about who inhabited it.
15. Zunesha’s Punishment
Zunesha is a gigantic elephant that endlessly wanders in the sea while carrying the Mokomo Dukedom on its back. It is nearly impossible to find it without a vivre card because it constantly moves from one location to another.
Momonosuke stated that Zunesha is forced to travel as a punishment for a crime that it committed in the past. What makes this more interesting is the fact that Zunesha was acquainted with Joy Boy.
14. Why Was Nefertari Cobra Murdered?
Nefertari Cobra was the ruler of the kingdom of Alabasta. Cobra was a kind ruler, who cared about his subjects and when Crocodile tried to take over the country, he tried his very best to stop the Shichiukai from causing any harm to them.
After the Alabasta arc concluded, Cobra only made an appearance in the Levely arc, where he voiced his concerns over the existence of the Shichibukai system. Many other kings also shared the same opinion as Cobra, and it led to the dissolution of the Shichibukai system. Needless to say, Cobra was overjoyed, but his happiness didn’t last for long as he was murdered. The Marines released a statement in which they named Sabo as the culprit. Later, Sabo assured Dragon that he had not killed Dragon. This raises the question, “who killed Cobra and why?”
Resolved: Nefertari Cobra was killed by Im and the Five Elders after he learned about the true ruler of the world.
13. Shanks’ Abilities
Shanks is arguably one of the most popular characters in One Piece (as proven by his high ranking amongst many popularity polls). Despite this, Shanks is a mysterious character. He’s incredibly notorious, despite not appearing frequently enough to know what his abilities are other than his absurdly strong Conqueror’s Haki. Fans have speculated that Shanks is not a Devil Fruit user due to his ability to swim, but beyond that, very little is known.
Hints at Shanks’ immense power can be gathered from his status as one of the Four Emperors of the New World, his history with the infamous Roger Pirates, and his overall reputation. But even with these accolades, there still has been very little demonstration of Shanks’ fighting capabilities, which is odd considering that the show has demonstrated how Gol D. Roger fights, but not Shanks.
12. The Devil Fruits
Every Shounen series has a “Power System” it uses to spice up combat, and One Piece has Devil Fruits which permit their users supernatural and remarkable abilities that range from full-body animalistic transformations to oddly specific transformations. Fans’ knowledge of Devil Fruits extends to the different classifications (Paramecia, Logia, and Zoan), side effects, and their rarity. That’s about it.
Currently, it is unknown where the Devil Fruits came from, how they operate, why some are so much stronger than others, and frankly, what they even are at a fundamental level. The only root origins for Devil Fruits pertain to the specific SMILE Devil Fruits, which are artificially created Zoan-type Fruits.
11. Who (Or What) Is Blackbeard?
Blackbeard is one of the biggest and most ever-present villains in One Piece; however, many details about him are still unclear. For most fans, four main questions are the most vexing:
- Where does his supernatural endurance and strength come from? Blackbeard can take attacks from Whitebeard, Ace, and others that would kill a normal person, or at the very least injure them for life. Yet, he simply walks it off.
- Marco says that Teach has a “unique body structure,” but what does that mean? Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that he doesn’t sleep — if that’s even true.
- Blackbeard managed to injure Shanks, but how did he do it without a Devil Fruit? Furthermore, why does Shank’s scar from that injury look like claw marks?
- Finally, and perhaps the most perplexing, Blackbeard managed to steal Whitebeard’s Devil Fruit power. How did he do this, and how can he hold two Devil Fruit powers at once?
Plenty of theories about this character answer some questions. while also introducing new ones. Regardless, it’s safe to say that with all the hints Oda has been dropping over the years, Blackbeard or his origin will play a big part in the climax of One Piece.
10. The Will Of D.
The Will of D. pertains to a select group of people who have a D. initial in their name. Curiously, it has been pointed out that many with this initial are prominent world figures or people who make great waves in the world. This includes:
- Monkey D. Luffy and his entire family line
- Trafalgar D. Law
- Jaguar D. Saul, the Giant who knew Nico Robin as a child
- Portgas D. Ace’s family line
- Marshall D. Teach, AKA Blackbeard
- Gol D. Roger
- Rocks D. Xebec, the ex-Captain of the Rocks Pirates and one of the strongest pirates of the age
So far, the meaning behind the initial has yet to be fully revealed. Even those with the initial, such as Jaguar D. Saul, don’t know the meaning. Roger supposedly knew the meaning, but his explanation to Whitebeard was cut off for viewers.
9. Monkey D. Dragon’s Past & Powers
Luffy’s background is shrouded in mystery. Fans finally got to see his tragic upbringing after the events of the Marineford War, but what about his parents, their relationship with Garp, or why his father became a revolutionary? No one in One Piece seems to have as many connections to important figures as Luffy, yet his backstory is shrouded in fog.
In particular, fans have questions about Luffy’s father Dragon. What does the tattoo on his face mean? Why does Luffy know almost nothing about him, and where is his wife/Luffy’s mom? Finally, what are his Devil Fruit abilities?
There have been plenty of guesses regards to that last question, as it is surely not an underpowered one. Speculation ranges from a Weather-based Devil Fruit to a Wind Logia and more. Hopefully, after the Wano arc is finally over, fans will get answers.
8. SWORD’s Motive
SWORD is a Secret Special Force affiliated with the Marines, whose motives are currently unknown. The only members known at the moment are X Drake, a former Marine Rear Admiral, member of the Worst Generation, and undercover pirate; as well as Koby, a Marine Captain and ally of Luffy’s.
There is still much to be learned about SWORD. Fans only know that they have a particular interest in the Four Emperors, as Drake was seen calling Koby to discuss the happenings of Wano. He is now desperately trying to work with the Straw Hat Pirates to save his own skin.
7. The Void Century
True to its name, the Void Century is a period of time that has been lost to history, only traceable through Poneglyphs. The World Government currently forbids any form of research or exploration on the Void Century, since knowledge of it is said to be quite dangerous.
It is said that the Void Century contains the true history of the world. Nico Robin is currently the only person capable of learning about the history through the Poneglyphs, as she is the sole survivor of the nation that knew the language. However, Silvers Rayleigh, a former member of the Roger Pirates, learned the truth of the world with his previous crew, but encouraged Robin to learn it for herself.
6. Who Is Im?
At the top of the World Government’s hierarchy is a being known as Im, who occupies the Empty Throne. Fans and characters know very little about Im, since he and the Empty Throne were only recently introduced during the Levely Arc. Even Im’s existence itself is a secret, as it is believed that the Empty Throne, which is situated in the center of the world, is thought to be unoccupied as a gesture that the World Government is not run by just one person.
Im has only ever been seen in silhouette, but his stature suggests that he is quite large. Beyond his implied interest in Luffy, Blackbeard, Shirahoshi, and Vivi, his intentions are currently unknown.
5. Luffy’s Mother
As mentioned above, much of Luffy’s past is still a mystery. Luffy’s own father was a mystery up until his grandfather revealed his identity. But seeing as that reveal occurred hundreds of episodes ago, it still leaves the question of Luffy’s mother. Luffy hasn’t even thought to talk about her with his closest companions.
In spite of fan speculations, creator Eiichiro Oda once stated that Luffy’s mother’s identity was irrelevant to the story. Regardless, fans are still curious to know who she was, especially considering just how important and prevalent family ties are in the One Piece world. Is she an airhead like Luffy, or is she as serious as Dragon? Is she a fighter or a talker? There’s so much fans would love to know.
4. The Ancient Weapons
It is said that the Ancient Weapons are capable of unimaginable destruction and came from the Void Century, hence why research of them is considered criminal by the World Government. This, of course, hasn’t stopped certain individuals from pursuing studies on these weapons, though they usually come from the World Government themselves. So far, two of the three Ancient Weapons have been revealed.
Poseidon, which grants control over giant sea creatures, was revealed to be a living being — the current iteration being Princess Shirahoshi. Pluton was a ship with devastating capabilities; its location is unknown, and the blueprints to recreate Pluton were burned by Franky. Only Uranus has yet to be discovered.
3. The Five Elders AKA The “Gorosei”
The Five Elders are the most powerful members of the World Government, only outranked by Im. Given their ranking, the Five Elders have control over all who rank below them in the World Government, thus granting them high status over most of the world. Considering they’re Celestial Dragons, they were already at the peak of political power before becoming the Gorosei.
Given their immense authority, there are many questions to be asked regarding these individuals. Currently, all that is known is their ranking and location in Pangea Castle’s Room of Authority. Who exactly are they, and how did they come into power? What roles will they play in the story in the future?
Resolved: For now, the names and roles of the Five Elders have been revealed. However, how they were appointed and their powers still remain unclear.
2. That Giant Straw Hat
To say that straw hats have tremendous importance in One Piece would be an understatement. It is Luffy’s epithet, the namesake of the Straw Hat Pirates and the Straw Hat Grand Fleet, and a major key in paralleling Gol D. Roger (the original owner of Luffy’s hat) and Luffy himself.
With these in mind, the existence of a giant straw hat in Mary Geoise is fascinating. This straw hat, kept in a freezing room, is roughly to scale with Im. Little has been revealed about this straw hat, but with the numerous examples of important straw hat symbolism, it’s safe to assume the Mary Geoise straw hat has some level of relevance in regards to the Void Century.
1. Joy Boy & Laugh Tale
To be fair, this unresolved mystery is obviously going to be addressed at some point, Both Joy Boy and Laugh Tale have appeared as plot elements in almost every arc of the story, only increasing as time goes on. Even Kaido himself talked about Joy Boy during his fight with Luffy, so it’s clear that the mysterious journey and origins of this character play a big role in the mystery of One Piece itself.
Of course, with a figure this important to the story, fans have many questions. Who exactly was Joy Boy; was this his actual name, or just a moniker/title for those who bring about change in the world? Was he human, or some other entity?
Considering his importance, fans can’t help but wonder what exactly this figure was capable of. Is it possible that Joy Boy was the first person to hear the Voice of All Things? Did he have a Devil Fruit power? Why is the secret of Laugh Tale such a funny joke to Gol D. Roger and his crew, and why did they say they were “too early?” Though fans are confident most of these questions will be answered before One Piece ends, the waiting makes it difficult.
