We're in the endgame now. One Piece 1171 has been building toward this moment for decades, and every arc feels weighted with consequence. Elbaf the long-awaited land of giants isn't just fan service or a nostalgic callback. It feels like something bigger. Something necessary.
Luffy's already standing shoulder to shoulder with Emperors. He's reached heights that seemed impossible just a few arcs ago. But what about his right and left hands? What about Zoro and Sanji?
If the Straw Hats are really going to challenge the World Government and survive what's coming, the Monster Trio can't have a power gap this wide. Elbaf might just be where that gap finally closes.
The Weight of Expectations
There's this thing Oda does he plants ideas early and lets them marinate. Sometimes for years. Elbaf was first mentioned all the way back in Little Garden, and it's haunted the story ever since. The giants represent something primal in One Piece: raw strength, warrior pride, and unshakable willpower.
That last part matters. Because willpower is what Haki is all about.
Luffy's Gear 5 didn't just raise the bar it shattered the ceiling. He's operating on a level that bends reality now, and while that's incredible for him, it creates a problem. The people standing beside him need to be forces of nature too, or the balance breaks.
Zoro and Sanji aren't just strong fighters. They're symbols. The wings of the future Pirate King can't be clipped.
Zoro's Unfinished Business
Let's talk about Conqueror's Haki. It's not something you learn from a book or practice in a dojo. It's a declaration an expression of a will so strong it can't be ignored. Zoro has it. We saw glimpses of it during his fight with King, those moments where he wasn't just swinging a sword but imposing his presence on the world itself.
But he stumbled into it. Like finding a light switch in the dark.
Enma has been forcing him to evolve, draining his Haki until he masters it or collapses. It's brutal, but effective. Still, there's a difference between surviving with a technique and truly owning it. Zoro's at that threshold now he can use advanced Conqueror's coating, but it's not second nature yet.
Elbaf could change that. The giants don't fight with tricks or gimmicks. They fight with clarity and overwhelming force. Training among them or even just clashing with them might give Zoro the understanding he needs. Not just how to use Conqueror's Haki, but how to embody it.
Because if he's going to surpass Mihawk and become the world's strongest swordsman, he needs more than skill. He needs presence. The kind that makes opponents second-guess themselves before the first strike lands.
Sanji's Complicated Road
Sanji's journey has always been messier than Zoro's. More internal. In Wano, he had to face the thing he feared most becoming like his family. The Germa enhancements activated, and suddenly he was faster, tougher, more dangerous. But at what cost?
His real victory wasn't physical. It was choosing to keep his humanity intact while accepting the power. That's always been Sanji's edge: his strength comes from choice, from refusing to become something he hates.
Ifrit Jambe pushed him into a new weight class. The heat, the speed, the durability all of it elevated him. But it still feels like a step, not a destination.
Now here's the controversial part: can Sanji unlock Conqueror's Haki?
On paper, it doesn't fit. He's not ambitious in the traditional sense. He doesn't want to dominate or rule. But Conqueror's Haki isn't about wanting a throne it's about refusing to bow. And Sanji has never bowed. Not to his father, not to his bloodline, not to fate itself.
If he does unlock it, it won't look like Zoro's. It'll be quieter, maybe. A furnace instead of a storm. Different, but no less dangerous.
What Elbaf Offers
Elbaf isn't a training academy. There won't be lectures or tutorials. The giants live through combat and honor growth comes naturally through conflict. That's how Oda has always preferred to do it anyway.
The culture there revolves around battle and willpower, which makes it perfect for Haki evolution. Zoro and Sanji won't sit through lessons; they'll be thrown into situations that force them to adapt or fail. And in One Piece, that kind of pressure is where real growth happens.
There's also something symbolic about Elbaf being the place where this happens. The giants have been a benchmark for strength since the beginning. For Zoro and Sanji to grow here feels like the story coming full circle.
The Bigger Picture
The enemies waiting in the final saga aren't just strong they're historic. The World Government, the Holy Knights, Blackbeard's crew these aren't opponents you can just out-punch. Luffy being Yonko-level is necessary, but not sufficient.
Zoro and Sanji need to be forces that can stand on their own. Not equal to Luffy, but close enough that the crew feels cohesive rather than top-heavy. The Pirate King's wings need to be terrifying in their own right.
This isn't about fan service or wish fulfillment. It's structural. The story needs this to work.
Final Thoughts
Elbaf feels different. It's not just another island. It's preparation. The calm before the storm that's been building for over two decades.
Whether it's mastering Conqueror's Haki, evolving their combat philosophy, or simply being tested by the giants themselves, Zoro and Sanji are due for something massive. Luffy's already at the summit. It's time for his wings to join him.
And honestly? I think Oda's been planning this all along. He always does.
