One Piece Chapter #1018 dropped a big bomb with the legend of a sun god, the latest in a path that (possibly) leads right back to Luffy.
Besides the brutal war between Jimbei and Who’s-Who, Chapter #1018 of One Piece also reveals some interesting tidbits about an old legend. While imprisoned in Impel Down, Who’s-Who heard about the Sun God Nika, a beacon of hope that kept his soul alive through daily torture. While Who’s-Who isn’t the most reliable source of information, the legend of the Sun God has more to it than eye sight, including a possible connection to Luffy.
According to Who’s-Who, in the past, Nika was prayed to by slaves, who believed that he would one day free them from their oppression. It’s unclear if the legend is actually true, or how far back this legend goes – it could even be from the Void Century, which has little to say. However, the reason Who’s-Who said this to Jimbei is that Jimbei is a former captain of the Sun Pirates, a crew composed entirely of Mermaids, with most of them being the slaves of the Celestial Dragons.
Fisher Tiger took it upon himself to free the subjugated inhabitants of Marijoa after being a victim of slavery himself. His actions saved countless innocent people, including Boa Hancock, her sisters, and the other Mermaids, who eventually joined him in starting the Sun Pirates. To hide their former status as slaves, every member of the Sun Pirates covered their Celestial Dragon brand of dragon claws with Sun branding, deepening the bond between the group. As a hero who became a beacon of hope for enslaved people with a sun theme, Nika and Fisher Tiger share this.
There’s also more evidence that this isn’t the first time we’ve heard of Nika. In Chapter #287, the people of ancient Jaya are suffering from a plague. Elder Jaya declares that the most beautiful girl must be sacrificed to god to save the village. Kalgara’s daughter, Mousse, is chosen and, despite her mother’s destruction, Mousse seems calm about “going to see the sun god.” This flashback takes place 400 years before the present of the series, which matches Who’s Who’s statement about people “in the past” praying to Nika. This isn’t the only moment in the Skypeia part connecting with Nika either, as the two moments can also create a connection between Luffy and the Sun God.
One of the most memorable scenes of Skypiea is in Chapter #253 when the Straw Hats hold a fire party with some wild wolves the night before they go in search of the golden city, Shandora. In a captivating two-page stretch, as Robin watches people dance around the fire, their shadows perfectly represent which character it is. However, oddly enough, Luffy’s pose in this photo closely resembles Nika’s silhouette in Chapter #1018.
There is a similar scene in Chapter #300, during the party between the Skypieans and the Shandians. Here, Wyper wakes up, joins the scene, and has a small sign focusing on Luffy silhouetted – and only Luffy – as he dances. With this being the second time Luffy has appeared in the ink-black Nika-like image, it seems more intentional than coincidental. The look of Luffy dancing by the fireplace seems to suggest that our favorite hero is related to Nika’s lore in some way.
Even so, it’s unlikely that Luffy has been secretly a god all this time. Similar to the fan theory “Luffy is the reincarnation of Joyboy”, it is more likely that Luffy can reincarnate as Nika in the same timeline. Luffy sharing this Sun theme will also feature pitting him against Blackbeard, as the fearsome pirate has covered himself in darkness with his Devil Fruit powers.
Chapter #1018 of One Piece subtly leaves us with a lot to think about. One thing’s for sure: this won’t be the last time we hear about Nika, and given the direction Wano is heading, the story will likely rise to a major reveal before the end of this one.
