‘One Piece‘ has officially commenced its final saga with the Elbaph Arc, which recently introduced its notorious character, Loki. He is brooding, menacing, and undeniably powerful. It is also revealed that he has a special Government Bounty on his head.
However, there is a backstory, a past branded with shame that ties it all together. It becomes the missing piece in understanding the character and his intimidating nature. So what exactly makes him unique, and why is he a threat to the government? Let’s find out!
A Past Branded With Shame
Loki is the “Accursed prince of Elbaph,” son of King Harald and Estrid. He was shunned by his own mother, who scoffed at his appearance and hated him. It was this very hatred that pushed him towards isolation and, eventually, segregation.
The only exception to this was Ida, who took him as her own son despite him being a foster son. He grew up being scorned by his own race and was deprived of emotional bonds. It was only Ida who extended empathy and love to him despite his bratty nature, but it was all short-lived.
Ida’s murder at the hands of Estrid’s relatives greatly angered Loki, and he went on a rampage. His only link to normalcy was Ida, and he subsequently killed the man responsible for her murder.
It was after this incident that he was imprisoned, which also somehow brought him closer to his half-brother Hajrudin. This was one of the turning points that led Elbaph folk to despise him, but it was not the first, come to think of it.
Throughout his life, Loki was blamed for the calamities, destruction, and impending doom in Elbaph. His birth was seen as a curse, and his killing of Harald earned him the moniker Accursed Prince.
He did, however, do it to protect the Elbaph giants from the World Government’s cruelty. The current episode introduced Loki as a figure shackled with seastone chains, yet he is inevitably strong.
He is deemed the shame of the Elbaph and cast away in the Underworld for his actions. However, his actions and notoriety prove that he is an imminent threat to the World Government, and here’s why!
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Tracing The Notoriety Behind The Special Government Bounty
Pirate bounties aren’t mere numbers or statistics; they are metaphorical in nature. This is especially true for many Pirates, including Roger, but in Loki’s case, this is different.
He is no Pirate but an individual of royal descent. His bounty was assigned to spread lies to the World that he is a mass murderer. It was a move by the World Government to malign the reputation of the Elbaph giants as a whole.
This was mainly because 6 years ago, Harald refused to comply with Imu’s prerequisites. While he was put under the illusion that Elbaph would flourish under the WG’s rule, it was quite the opposite.
In reality, Imu wanted to reduce the Giants to military puppets, and this wasn’t the first. Time and time again, the giants have been forced into slavery and subjected to torturous experiments.
They were also reduced to the status of servants, whom Celestial Dragons bought. It mirrors the demonization and vilification of races that happened in real-life history.
In rejecting Imu’s demands, Harald fell prey to his possession and ordered Loki to kill him. The accursed prince did so using his Supreme Haki, and it was after that that a bounty of 2.6 billion berries was placed on him.
Now, what’s so special about this bounty is that Loki isn’t a pirate and, secondly, he earned this bounty all on his own. He does not have a crew, and he is a royal, but most of all, he is a potent threat to the World Government in more ways than one.
This is precisely why Shanks gained Yonko status after defeating Loki and thus earned the title of one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
The bounty is also stagnant, as it was issued years ago, and it is also special because it is significantly higher than Yonko-level characters such as Blackbeard. However, this doesn’t refute his potential as a future ally in One Piece.
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An Unforeseen Yet Unparalleled Ally
While it is true that Loki was incapacitated by Shanks, one thing is certain: he is powerful nonetheless. He is capable of rampage and destruction when it comes to protecting his countryfolk.
It was evident in his self-sacrifice and the aftermath that brought shame to his name. This only points to the potential he holds as a powerful character and, supposedly, an ally.
In Episode 1161, Luffy punched Loki for badmouthing Shanks, but here’s where things get interesting. The Straw Hat eventually frees the accursed prince in the manga. He develops an unforeseen alliance with Loki because of a shared threat: the World Government.
Luffy isn’t merely the King of Pirates but also a harbinger of hope and liberation. He carries the will of the Joyboy and is also the reincarnation of the Sun God Nika. Loki also goes by the title of the Sun God; however, he is also the harbinger of destruction.
His Devil Fruit, Nidhoggr, is an allusion to the mythical Norse beast that symbolizes chaos and destruction. The Zoan Fruit enables Loki to take the form of a large dragon, presumably even taller than Kaido, as speculated.
He uses his trump card, the Nilfheim, which causes blizzards and storms. It did not deter Imu, but rather, the character conjured demonic entities using their diabolical devil fruit.
The recent chapters reflect the havoc wreaked by the King of the World. He possesses Gunko, and following that, he also turns Dorry and Brogy into demonic entities using Domi Reversi. This set the stage for the upcoming apocalypse in Elbaph, but there’s hope.
Despite Imu’s debilitating power, Luffy and Loki have shown immunity to the possession. This has led to fans speculating that both characters have God-tier fruits.
Some even theorized that this can be best attributed to the characters being the users of ancient Deity-level fruits. This explains the will that cannot be bent in any case. It also makes sense considering their mastery of Haki; Loki is fluent in Haki, and so is Luffy.
Let’s also not forget that Loki’s scream was imbued with Haki. This is fascinating and impressive considering he was restrained using seastone chains, which practically immobilize an individual.
The seastone also deems one immobile and renders them weak in some cases. It thoroughly weakens a Devil Fruit user, which, here, means that Loki is an exception. He is a force to be reckoned with, and as prophesied, he will bring an end to the era of tyranny alongside Luffy.
In conclusion, Loki’s bounty and his past cement him as one of the most formidable characters currently in One Piece. He may have a tainted and tarnished name, but it makes one thing certain.
His actions can trigger the dismantling and upending of the order established by the World Government. This is exactly what some theories point to, that is, the Ragnarok. It would shift how the entire world views World Government as a whole.
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