Warning! Huge spoilers for One Piece Chapter 1043 to follow! One Piece has reached the climax of the Wano Country arc and the fight of Luffy vs Kaido atop the skull dome is the only one left to settle before Onigashima crashes into the Flower Capital of Wano below.
Luffy is pushing everything he has to take down Kaido by any means necessary, but the previous chapter left him in such a dire situation that he didn't seem like a likely winner. This unfortunately becomes the case, and with that loss has also triggered a new kind of question.
There have been intriguing teases about Luffy's Devil Fruit in the series in recent arcs, and the more we learn about Wano's potential ties to One Piece's own treasure, the more it's putting Luffy in a new kind of light. He's received so much attention from the government for various reasons so far, and as the end of chapter 1043 sees him transform or tap into what is likely the legendary Joy Boy's power, it puts Luffy's power into question. What if Luffy ate something that only looks and acts like Gum-Gum fruit? What if it's some other kind of power?
Events of Chapter 1043 in One Piece
The most curious information comes during Chapter 1042, when Luffy is using his Gear Fourth Snakeman to punch Kaido. The Emperor wonders how Luffy is bending the trajectory of his attacks, and interestingly remarks that "Given the nature of rubber, this is impossible". This could be some sort of Emperor shock, but as fans of this series know, any small detail can be a big omen. Couple this with the fact that the rubber berry was previously revealed to be in the possession of the World Government before Shanks picked it up (and Luffy ate it, of course) and it adds to the mystery even more.
At the end of chapter 1043, Luffy's heart starts to beat in such a way that Zunesha recognizes it as Joy Boy's from 800 years ago. Luffy assumes a smile despite being completely unconscious before, and his body begins to swell and ooze or is covered in it. This further complicates matters, as "given the nature of rubber", as Kaido would say, that slime also doesn't have any kind of visual indication that it's some kind of Gum-Gum ability. If Luffy's Devil Fruit was something other than rubber, it would also make more sense for him to be an important target.
The Great Threat to the World Government
Not only was he branded as a major threat by the World Government like any other pirate! But he was made to be the target of an assassination by the Elders themselves. It's so recent it happened too that it doesn't seem like he's suddenly more important either. Luffy has been doing the same thing he's been doing throughout the series and just defying higher scale authorities in the law and outlaw worlds, and yet he's never been interrupted the way he was here. a member of CP0 had to interrupt the fight with Kaido because for some reason now is when a victory for Luffy is a big deal.
Not to mention the fact that we learn at the end of Reverie that Luffy (and Shirahoshi) had incurred the wrath of the king at the center of the world, and all of that begs the question of why now. Why is it now that Luffy has gained so much prominence? It all comes back to your Devil Fruit. There are so many mysteries about how they work, and how awakenings work more specifically. What if Luffy's Devil Fruit power hasn't fully awakened yet? What if I had to... essentially mature? But then the question becomes, if Luffy's Devil Fruit power isn't rubber… what could it be?
It would have to be something that doesn't conduct electricity, and a substance that would let Luffy fight like he does now. So what do you think? Do you think Luffy's Devil Fruit has a hidden power? What if his element is something other than rubber? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
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