Less than two weeks remain until One Piece‘s anime returns with the Elbaph Arc on April 5, and it’s already shaping up to be one of the most highly anticipated story arcs of the series. That said, while fans count down the days until the anime’s return, the Elbaph Arc has continued to up the ante in the manga, adding to the overall excitement.
The climax of the Elbaph Arc is finally upon us, but just as fans were readying up for the big battle between Luffy, Loki, and Imu, one Straw Hat has unexpectedly stolen the show. And, this Straw Hat could even end up achieving their big dream long before Luffy.
One Piece season 2 established the giant land of Elbaph as a dream destination for Usopp, so when could he fulfil this in the live-action show?
One Piece’s Elbaph Arc Finally Gives Usopp His Big Moment
With St. Killingham also having been taken care of by Sanji, Franky, and Jimbei, Chapter #1177 of One Piece turns its sights onto the last and perhaps the most important Holy Knight left standing on Elbaph — Gunko, who is currently being possessed by Imu.
Brook was last seen confronting Gunko, or rather Princess Shuri, in Chapter #1173, and the latest chapter reveals Usopp has since also joined the fight. Unsurprisingly, however, it seems like this particular battle has not gone well for the Straw Hats, with both Brook and Usopp appearing to be heavily injured in Chapter #1177.
Even so, despite having taken quite a brutal beating, Chapter #1177 sees Usopp bravely stand up to Gunko, and Imu by extension. Without even a hint of cowardice, Usopp refuses to run away and humiliate himself in Elbaph after dreaming of making it to the island for so long.
The Ultimate · Straw Hat Challenge Set Sail for Trivia “I’m gonna be King of the Pirates!”
⚕CrewNakama! 🌊SeasEast Blue 🍋Devil FruitsGomu Gomu! ☠VillainsFear the sea 🏆DreamsOne Piece!
01 Monkey D. Luffy accidentally ate a Devil Fruit as a child, giving him rubber-like abilities. What is the name of that fruit?
✓ Correct! The Gum-Gum Fruit (Gomu Gomu no Mi) turned Luffy’s body into rubber. He ate it from Shanks’ treasure chest as a kid, gaining stretchy powers but losing the ability to swim forever.
✗ Overboard! The answer is the Gum-Gum Fruit. The Chop-Chop Fruit belongs to Buggy, the Flame-Flame Fruit to Ace, and the Smoke-Smoke Fruit to Captain Smoker — but Luffy’s rubber powers come from the Gomu Gomu no Mi.
02 Luffy’s iconic straw hat was given to him as a child by a famous pirate who inspired his dream. Who gave Luffy the hat?
✓ Correct! Red-Haired Shanks entrusted his straw hat to young Luffy in Foosha Village, telling him to return it when he becomes a great pirate. That promise drives Luffy’s entire journey.
✗ Overboard! The answer is Red-Haired Shanks. While Gold Roger originally wore the hat, it was Shanks who passed it down to Luffy after saving his life from a Sea King — a defining moment in the series.
03 Before joining the Straw Hats, Sanji works as a sous chef at a floating restaurant on the ocean. What is the name of this restaurant?
✓ Correct! The Baratie is the ocean-going restaurant run by Chef Zeff, Sanji’s mentor. In the live-action series, it’s one of the most stunning sets — a fully realized ship-restaurant on the open sea.
✗ Overboard! The answer is The Baratie. Run by the legendary pirate-turned-chef “Red Leg” Zeff, this floating restaurant is where Luffy recruits Sanji as the Straw Hats’ cook.
04 Roronoa Zoro is famous for his unique sword-fighting technique. How many swords does he wield in his signature style?
✓ Correct! Zoro uses Three-Sword Style (Santoryu), wielding one sword in each hand and a third in his mouth. His dream is to become the world’s greatest swordsman by defeating Dracule Mihawk.
✗ Overboard! The answer is three. Zoro’s iconic Three-Sword Style places one blade in each hand and a third clenched between his teeth — a fighting technique unique to him in the One Piece world.
05 Each Straw Hat crew member has a personal dream. What is Nami’s ultimate goal that drives her journey?
✓ Correct! Nami’s dream is to draw a map of the entire world. Her cartography skills and navigation talent make her indispensable to the crew, and her passion for mapmaking was nurtured by her adoptive mother Bell-mère.
✗ Overboard! The answer is to draw a complete map of the world. Nami is a gifted cartographer whose dream goes beyond just sailing — she wants to chart every sea and island so no one is ever lost again.
06 A powerful Marine Vice Admiral is revealed to have a surprising family connection to Luffy. Who is this high-ranking Marine?
✓ Correct! Vice Admiral Monkey D. Garp is Luffy’s grandfather. Known as “Garp the Fist,” he’s a Marine hero who wanted Luffy to become a Marine — not a pirate. Their family dynamic is a major subplot in the live-action series.
✗ Overboard! The answer is Vice Admiral Garp. Monkey D. Garp is Luffy’s grandfather and one of the most legendary Marines alive. Despite being on opposite sides of the law, their bond runs deep.
07 Usopp is recruited into the Straw Hat crew after the pirates help defend his home village from Captain Kuro’s Black Cat Pirates. What is the name of Usopp’s village?
✓ Correct! Syrup Village is Usopp’s peaceful hometown where he was known for telling tall tales. It’s also where Kaya lives, and where the crew acquires the Going Merry from her estate.
✗ Overboard! The answer is Syrup Village. Foosha Village is Luffy’s hometown, Shells Town is where Zoro was held captive, and Coco Village (Cocoyasi) is Nami’s home — but Usopp hails from Syrup Village.
08 The Netflix live-action adaptation was praised for its casting. Which actor plays Monkey D. Luffy?
✓ Correct! Mexican actor Iñaki Godoy won fans over with his infectious energy and earnest portrayal of Luffy. Mackenyu plays Zoro, Taz Skylar is Sanji, and Jacob Romero Gibson plays Usopp.
✗ Overboard! The answer is Iñaki Godoy. The young Mexican actor perfectly captured Luffy’s boundless enthusiasm. The other actors all play Straw Hat crew members — but Luffy is all Iñaki.
Voyage Complete Your Pirate Record
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Are you King of the Pirates — or lost at sea?
Usopp even goes on to confront Imu for using cowardly tactics such as taking the children hostage, mind-controlling the giants, and relying on the sleeptids instead of fighting Elbaph’s proud warriors head-on. In an epic final stand, Usopp even bravely fires one last attack on Imu, and this might just be Usopp’s biggest moment in the Elbaph Arc, if not the entire series so far.
Usopp May Be the First Straw Hat To Achieve His Dream
Ever since One Piece first set its sights on Elbaph as the Straw Hats’ next destination, many have been eagerly waiting for Usopp to have some kind of defining moment. After all, it was when he first met Dorry and Brogy that Usopp truly cemented his goal of becoming a brave warrior of the sea, and what better way to achieve that than by standing up to the highest authority in the world.
From everything revealed about Imu’s powers so far, Imu is nothing short of a god, and a terrifying one at that, and for Usopp to be able to face this god head-on is a huge milestone in his character arc. Even if he wasn’t able to leave a lasting dent, Usopp did not cower or run away, but stood his ground and also shamed Imu for his tactics, and that is no doubt his bravest moment to date.
One can even argue that through this confrontation with Imu, Usopp has already proven himself as a brave warrior of the sea, which would make him the first of the Straw Hats to achieve their dreams. As far as power-ups go, it’s unclear if One Piece’s final saga will be giving Usopp one, but he may not even need it anymore.
Monkey D. Luffy, Roronora Zoro, Nami (One Piece), Nico Robin, Usopp (One Piece), Vinsmoke Sanji, Tony Tony Chopper, Franky (One Piece), Jimbei (One Piece)
Video Game(s)
One Piece: Unlimited World Red, One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3, One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4, One Piece: World Seeker, One Piece Odyssey
Created by Eiichiro Oda, One Piece is a multimedia franchise that began as a manga series and follows the adventures of the Straw Hat Pirates as led by Monkey D. Luffy. Luffy, an enthusiastic pirate with a thirst for adventure, is afflicted by a mysterious curse that gives him various powers he uses to protect himself and his friends. The manga eventually gave way to the anime series, with the two being some of history’s longest-running anime and manga series. Along with over fifty video games made over the years, the series entered the live-action world with Netflix’s 2023 adaptation.
