Readers hear about the “final saga” of One Piece since the end of Wano, but the feeling of a real endgame only became apparent with the arc Elbaf. From chapter 1178, when Saint Imu Nerona arrives directly on the island of the giants, the series changes: the final boss emerges from the shadows and the issues no longer resemble those of a classic arc.
Warning, this article contains advanced spoilers from the manga, up to recent chapters of the Elbaf arc. We detail why this arc marks the concrete beginning of the final phase of One Piecehow he prepares a possible defeat of the Mugiwaras and how he redraws the road towards the Great War and Laugh Tale.
One Piece: why does the Elbaf arc mark the true start of the endgame?
Officially, the final saga was launched after Wano, with the arc Egghead as the first chapter of this last act. However, Egghead remained in a known pattern: new island, laboratory, mysteries, without the ultimate enemy showing up. The bow Elbafhe begins in chapter 1126 in 2024 and establishes himself as the second large block of this end of the series.
A major feature is that Elbaf starts without an obvious antagonist. THE Holy Knights appear, Shamrock immediately disappears, Gunko seems to become the threat, before being taken control by Imu herself. This waltz of enemies serves above all to prepare the entry on the scene of the true master of the game: Saint Imu Neronaruler of the world and member of the Founders.
Until now, Imu had only existed as a silhouette since Reverie. Eight years later, Oda finally begins to reveal his form, his Fruit, and a glimpse of his power, directly on Elbaf. That an antagonist presented as the winner of the War of the Forgotten Century moves in person clearly signals that the series has started its endgame.
Imu, Joy Boy, defeat of the Mugiwaras: what does the Elbaf arc change for the rest of One Piece?
Imu is described as the one who conquered Joy Boyan opponent more formidable than any Yonko, Luffy included. In this context, it seems credible that neither Monkey D. Luffyeven in Yonko, neither Loki cannot win this duel in Elbaf. The arc is constructed so that victory is out of reach.
Recent analyzes thus anticipate the first major defeat of the Mugiwaras as Yonko’s crew, with a possibility of capturing Luffy or Loki. We find the pattern already used between Sabaody and Marineford, but on the scale of the final saga: a monumental slap in the face to prepare for the Great War against the World Government.
Depending on the outcome, the story will branch off either towards the continuation of the quest for the last Road Poneglyphor towards an immediate rescue arc which would serve as a direct trigger for the Great War announced for years. In any case, Elbaf closes the door to small detours: each movement is now linked to the final conflict.
One Piece after the Elbaf arc: which arcs remain and towards which Final Great War?
The specialized media place Elbaf as the second major arc of the final saga, followed at least by Lodestar Islanda probable arc of the Moonthe arc of the Great WarThen Laugh Tale and a post-war epilogue. Elbaf therefore becomes the first landing of a long staircase which leads to the truth of the Forgotten Century and the ultimate treasure.
Oda publishes around 30 chapters per year, and with the Elbaf arc already long and still ongoing, ending in 2025 is largely out of the question. Most estimates suggest a horizon of 2026 or beyond, depending on the duration of each remaining block.
On the anime side, the signal is just as clear: after Egghead, scheduled until episode 1155 at the end of 2025, Toei Animation took a break then restarted the series on April 5, 2026 at 11:15 p.m. JST with Elbaf, episode 1156, moving to a seasonal format of approximately 26 episodes per year with a ratio close to one chapter per episode. This refocusing of the anime rhythm accompanies the rise in tension of the manga.
By bringing together Imu, the giants and the Mugiwaras on the same battlefield, staging a likely major defeat and preparing for the march to Lodestar, the Moon, the Great War and Laugh Tale, the arc Elbaf stands out as the true beginning of the end of One Piece.