One Piece’s Worst Arc Is Better Than You Think

There’ve been many discussions within the fandom of One Piece about what makes a good arc, a great arc, and a terrible arc that can be awarded the title “Skippable.” One arc has been in the throws of this argument since its debut—the Skypiea arc. However, Skypiea is so much more than what some would make it out to be, and it’s one you shouldn’t skip.

Warning: There will be spoilers for the One Piece manga and anime ahead.

Skypiea Solidifies the Foundation of One Piece’s Key Themes

Many fans have claimed that the Skypiea arc is boring due to its lackluster fights and because it seems far removed from the rest of One Piece. But this perspective fails to see that Skypiea isn’t written to add to the direct plot but rather to enrich the overall themes of One Piece and solidify the story’s thematic foundations.

Skypiea is an arc about bonds, dreams, inheriting the will of others, and, of course, freedom. On the surface, Skypiea touches on the ramifications of colonization in the name of religion as well as the inherent atrocities caused by a dictator who claims to have a divine rule. This arc revolves around the homeland of the Shandorians. Because the way the Shandorian’s land appeared before the Skypieans seemed mystical in nature, the Skypieans deemed the land sacred. This led to them stealing it from the Shandorians due to their belief that no one should live on holy land. Now the current Skypieans are stuck living in fear of their new “god,” who has taken over this holy land because of his obsession with “vearth” (earth) and the Shandorians are left without home.

However, the biggest theme of the arc starts with arguably one of the best flashbacks in the entire series. The flashback centers around Noland the adventurer, now known as Noland the liar, and Kalgara the then-leader of the Shandorians. At first, they were enemies, largely due to misunderstandings and cultural differences. However, Kalgara soon saw Noland’s compassion and desire to help and decided to slay a “god” his people revered to save Noland.

Later on, cultural misunderstandings once again took hold, almost breaking the two apart until the Shandorians learned that Noland once again saved them. At the last moment, while the giant golden bell of Shandora Belfry rang, Kalgara made a promise to see Noland once again and that the bell would always ring so Noland could find his way back. But tragedy struck and the Shandorians were shot into the sky, never to be found and Noland was executed for lying about the Shandorians’ city of gold.

Hundreds of years later, the Shandorians are still fighting for their homeland and Wyper, a Shandorian warrior, has inherited the will of Kalgara. Below them is Noland’s descendant, Cricket, who has inherited Noland’s will to find the long-lost city of gold once again. Both have spent their lives unknowingly attempting to fulfill the promise made by their ancestors. This story between Kalgara and Noland and the effects it has had on generations establishes One Piece‘s theme of inheriting the will or dreams of others.

This theme is an important one that carries on through other arcs and characters of the series. Each of the Straw Hats have inherited the dream of another, whether they realize it or not, and have made it their own. This inherited will is the driving force of the series and Skypiea becomes the catalyst to make the theme as obvious as possible. It holds the neon sign that says “Pay attention.”

The People’s Dreams Will Never Die

The story of Skypiea shows that a strong bond will transcend time and overcome deeply embedded, restricting beliefs. Noland and Kalgara’s bond was so powerful it affected generations of people for hundreds of years. It shows that the dreams of humanity are endless, something that Black Beard points out in Jaya just before the crew makes it to Skypiea.

It is through these inherited wills and bonds between people that these endless dreams are fulfilled, even when a “god” stands in their way and all seems impossible. This time, the crew is a third-party witness to the struggles, suffering, and determination culminating into the relief of dreams finally being realized. And it all ends with the ring of a bell.

The Belfry is a symbol of freedom but also a symbol of love. It’s through the ringing of the bell that both sky and land become connected, that ancient promises have been fulfilled, and that the reign of a god-like dictator has come to an end. Luffy ringing the bell by smashing Enel into it is an amazing way to bring everything full circle.

Of course, this explanation doesn’t even touch on some of the other significant things this arc introduces or the fun moments within the arc that One Piece is known for. Some examples are the introduction of Observation Haki, the connection between Gol D. Roger, the One Piece, and the Void Century, and this arc being Robin’s first journey with the Straw Hats, which solidifies her bond with them and gives her a reason to live in the following Water 7 Saga.

Skypiea ultimately comes to this. It is a story about a man whose last words at his execution are inherited by those who seek an unfathomable treasure. It is a story about a country that is led by a self-proclaimed god whose past time is enslaving others for their personal gain. It is a story about those who continue to fight against powerful enemies for the sake of their home and freedom, even when that home has been lost to time and truth has become myth. It is the story of an ancient giant animal who remembers the time before and wishes to see it again. A story where judgment will strike down from the sky through a single unstoppable divine attack. A story where “god’s natural enemy” will rise and strike the self-proclaimed god down. Where an instrument and the music it makes becomes the symbol of liberation.

Sound familiar?

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