One Piece: 6 Characters Who Won’t Survive the Elbaf Arc—A Final Saga Analysis

The Toll of the Final Saga: Analyzing the High-Stakes Character Deaths Foreshadowed for the Land of Giants

As the narrative of One Piece charges headlong into its Final Saga, the stakes have never been higher. The Egghead Arc has fundamentally reshaped the world, setting up a collision course between the Straw Hat Pirates, the Blackbeard Pirates, the Revolutionary Army, and the tyrannical World Government under Imu and the Holy Knights. The upcoming voyage to Elbaf, the land of the Giants, is not just a destination for Usopp’s character arc; it is poised to be a crucible where long-standing plotlines—and major characters—will finally reach their tragic conclusion. Creator Eiichiro Oda has a history of sparing characters, but the intensity of the Final Saga demands impactful sacrifices to cement the ultimate confrontation. This report breaks down six critical characters whose survival beyond the Elbaf Arc is highly doubtful, based on narrative foreshadowing, thematic necessity, and current in-universe developments.

1. Jaguar D. Saul: The Ohara Giant’s Second Chance and Final Sacrifice

Foreshadowing: Saul’s shocking return in the Egghead Arc, having survived the Buster Call and Aokiji’s supposed killing blow, was one of the series’ most emotional reveals. He is currently on Elbaf, protecting the forbidden history books of Ohara with the Giants.

Narrative Rationale: Saul’s survival served to tie up the trauma of Nico Robin’s past and ensure the protection of the Void Century’s secrets. However, his presence now on the “strongest kingdom” makes him a massive target for the World Government, who are actively moving to suppress knowledge. For Robin’s arc to move forward—for her to fully embrace her role as the “Light of the Revolution”—Saul’s ultimate sacrifice to ensure the knowledge is passed on to her (or the Giants) would be a devastating, yet narratively complete, conclusion. His death would secure the information’s safety permanently, allowing Robin’s courage to be fully realized.

2. Prince Loki: The Key to Elbaf and Political Turmoil

Foreshadowing: The revelation of a Giant Prince named Loki, a figure integral to Big Mom’s backstory and likely a key player in the conflict with the World Government’s Holy Knights (one of whom is rumored to be Shanks’ twin, Shamrock), places him squarely in the crosshairs.

Narrative Rationale: The political drama of Elbaf—the “Land of the Gods”—often involves a figure who must fall to allow a new era to begin. If Loki is the current leader or heir, his death could be the inciting incident for the Giants to fully join the war against the World Government. A leader’s fall often unifies a divided people, and for Elbaf to step onto the world stage in the Final War, a high-profile, tragic end for their Prince would provide the necessary motivation. His potential death would be a massive blow to the Giants and solidify the World Government’s aggressive stance.

3. Dorry and Brogy: The Giant Pirate Captains—A Viking’s Glorious End

Foreshadowing: These legendary Captains, central to the Little Garden Arc, recently returned to the narrative, showcasing their formidable strength against a Gorosei member. Their reunion with the Straw Hats on Elbaf is inevitable and will be a fulfillment of a promise made decades ago.

Narrative Rationale: The Giants of Elbaf value a glorious death in battle—a concept deeply rooted in Norse mythology (Ragnarök and Valhalla). The return of Dorry and Brogy feels less like a long-term reintroduction and more like a final call to arms for the greatest fight of their lives. For these two characters to die side-by-side in a final, epic Viking battle against a major antagonist—perhaps a Holy Knight or even a Gorosei member who tracks the Straw Hats—would be the ultimate, honorable farewell, inspiring the younger generation of Giants (and Usopp) to fulfill their destiny.

4. Yasopp: Usopp’s Father—The Ultimate Reconciliation and Sacrifice

Foreshadowing: The Red Hair Pirates (including Yasopp) are intrinsically linked to Elbaf, having likely been there recently. The entire arc is designed to be a climax for Usopp’s journey to become a “brave warrior of the sea,” and this dream is inextricably tied to his father, Yasopp.

Narrative Rationale: The long-awaited reunion between Usopp and Yasopp must be more than a simple hug. For Usopp’s arc to truly conclude with him as a brave warrior, it is theorized that he will witness his father’s final act of courage and surpass it. Yasopp’s death in a battle against the Blackbeard Pirates (who may be pursuing Shanks) or the World Government would serve as the profound catalyst for Usopp’s final power-up and acceptance of his role. Yasopp, the man who left his family for the adventure of piracy, dies bravely for his friends, a lesson Usopp takes to heart as he continues the journey.

5. Shanks: The Red Hair Pirate—The End of the Mentor Trope

Foreshadowing: Shanks has been positioned as the ultimate goal/rival for Blackbeard and a primary figure in Luffy’s motivation. He is currently active in the New World, and his movements are highly relevant to the search for the One Piece. The revelation of his Figarland lineage and the possible connection of his twin to the Holy Knights place him at the center of the world’s power struggles, likely on Elbaf.

Narrative Rationale: In classic shōnen structure, the mentor often falls to raise the stakes for the protagonist. Shanks’ death, most likely at the hands of Blackbeard (fulfilling the long-teased confrontation) or even the Holy Knights (to drive a wedge between Luffy and the established world order), would be the single most impactful death for Luffy since Ace. Shanks’s fall on Elbaf—a location steeped in the destiny of Sun God Nika—would clear the path for Luffy to take the final step toward the Pirate King title without his mentor to guide or challenge him.

6. Charlotte Linlin (Big Mom): The Final Confirmation

Foreshadowing: Big Mom’s fate was left ambiguous after her fall into the magma chamber at Wano. However, Elbaf is the location of her traumatic childhood and a place where her name carries immense weight, with Prince Loki having been her intended son-in-law.

Narrative Rationale: While some theories speculate a return, a reappearance in her full strength would detract from the victories of Law and Kid. Conversely, a brief reappearance—perhaps as a severely injured or weakened figure, only to be finished off by a new, more sinister enemy like Blackbeard or a Holy Knight—would provide definitive closure. Her definitive death on an island central to her history would complete her villainous arc, confirm the finality of the Wano battle, and prevent any future narrative bloat, signaling to the audience that this is truly the end for the Yonko era.

The Elbaf Arc promises to be a pivotal point in the One Piece Final Saga. It is a place of grand history and ultimate sacrifice, where the bravest warriors—and some of the most influential characters—will inevitably meet their glorious end, clearing the stage for the final confrontation for the One Piece and the fate of the world.