Warning: spoilers ahead for the One Piece anime and manga.
Summary
A certain cast addition in Netflix’sOne Pieceseason 2 is actually far more important to Luffy’s ending than their live-action introduction will suggest. AfterOne Pieceseason 1 endedwith Luffy defeating Arlong and sailing forward onto the Grand Line with his newly-assembled Straw Hat Pirates, it makes sense to assume thatOne Pieceseason 2will end with Luffy crushing his next big opponent: Crocodile.
A member ofOne Piece’s Seven Warlordsand the leader of Baroque Works - an organization referenced several times throughout season 1 - Crocodile rules the realm of Alabasta. Luffy and the Straw Hats befriend Alabasta’s rightful rulers, the royal Nefertari family, and resolve to liberate the sandy island from Crocodile’s tyrannical grip. TheBaroque Worksand Alabasta storylines will bring many new faces into Netflix’s live-actionOne Piececast, and while some of those characters play bigger roles than others, one newcomer represents a part ofOne Piecelore that will define Luffy’s future.
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Season 2’s Vivi Is Directly Connected To One Piece’s True Main Villain
Vivi Is Way More Than Another Supporting Hero In One Piece
The Straw Hats' mission to save Alabasta duringOne Pieceseason 2 will mostly be inspired by the island’s beloved princess, Vivi, who temporarily joins Luffy’s crew and is later considered an honorary Straw Hat pirate, despite not staying aboard the Going Merry full-time.Vivi’s character inOne Pieceseason 2will get a sizable role regardless, but Netflix’s new princess also carries a secret connection to a villain who emerges much later - someone destined to oppose Luffy duringOne Piece’s endgame.
Vivi has become prominent in theOne Piecemanga for the first time since Crocodile’s defeat.
As ofOne Piecechapter 1116, the highest-ranking villain in the entire series is the mysterious Imu, who secretly sits at the very top of the World Government and is responsible for most bad things inOne Piece’s world. Imu’s backstory remains largely unknown, butEiichiro Oda’s manga has confirmed a connection between Imu and Vivi’s ancestor, Queen Lili.One Piecehas suggested this relationship was romantic in nature, but Lili betrayed Imu and ultimately sided against the World Government before mysteriously vanishing.
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Not only does Imu seem to hold a grudge against the entire kingdom of Alabasta after Lili’s betrayal, he appears particularly vexed by Vivi’s strong physical resemblance to her ancestor. Because of this, Vivi has become prominent in theOne Piecemanga for the first time since Crocodile’s defeat. Her importance to the story will only grow as the Straw Hats' voyage draws to a close and Imu finally clashes against Luffy.
How Netflix’s One Piece Season 2 Can Tease Luffy’s Endgame
Live-Action One Piece Can Drop The Hints The Source Material Couldn’t
TheOne Pieceanime and manga’s Alabasta arc gave very little indication that Vivi would later become tangled in the story’s overall endgame and final villain. With the benefit of hindsight, however,Netflix’s live-action adaptation is perfectly positioned to drop clues and hints that allude towards Imu, Nefertari Lili, and Vivi’s key roleinfutureOne Pieceseasons Netflix adapts. A member of the Nefertari royal household could, for example, mention Lili in passing - an easy way to foreshadow Vivi’s larger story still to come.
If Netflix’s show continues to adapt the manga faithfully,One Pieceseason 2 will include the first live-action appearance of poneglyphs - giant stone cubes dotted aroundOne Piece’s world. While not common knowledge in-universe, Nefertari Lili’s betrayal of Imu involved scattering the poneglyphs across the world for future generations to find, so whenever the first stone cube appears in live-action, Netflix’sOne Piececan slyly ponder why the poneglyphs exist and who put them there, nodding towards Vivi’s ancestor.
One Piece’s poneglyphs contain hidden messages that, when translated, reveal secrets the World Government would rather keep hidden. This is why Imu would consider Lili’s actions such a massive betrayal.
One Pieceseason 2 might also make Vivi’s goodbye scene less definitive compared to the anime and manga. In the original version, the Straw Hats left Vivi in Alabasta with the silent understanding that she would always be considered a member of their crew. With the upcoming Imu in mind, however, Netflix’s live-action adaptation could make that bond more explicit, perhaps by having the Straw Hats pledge to help Vivi if she ever finds herself in trouble. Such a promise would foreshadow the day Imu attempts to abduct Vivi and seek revenge against the kingdom of Alabasta.
One Piece Season 2’s Vivi Will Have A Secret Connection To Luffy’s Name Mystery
Luffy Won’t Be The Only “D” In Town When One Piece Returns
One of the biggest mysteries inOne Piece- both the manga and Netflix’s live-action series - is the “D” initial in Luffy’s name. Members of the D Clan all carry this letter, but the ancient group remains almost entirely unexplained at present, even in Eiichiro Oda’sOne Piecemanga. The only “D"characters introduced inOne Pieceseason 1were Luffy, his grandfather, and the briefly-shown Pirate King.
Despite not having “D” in her name,theOne Piecemanga eventually does confirm Vivi as a fellow member of the D clan, with her true name revealed as Nefertari D. Vivi. Again, this was not hinted at duringOne Piece’s original Alabasta arc, but the live-action version has the opportunity to play with the connection.
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Perhaps Vivi acts extra-interested about the initial in Luffy’s name. Maybe her father makes an ominous remark that suggests he too is a “D.” Alternatively,Netflix’sOne Piececould play up the similar qualities Luffy and Vivi shareas descendants of the same clan. By knowing how Vivi’s story develops later in the story, the live-actionOne Piececan include glimpses of her significance without giving away details that shouldn’t arrive until Netflix’s show hits season 10 or 11.
One Piece
One Piece follows young pirate Monkey D. Luffy and his diverse crew as they embark on a daring quest for treasure. Released in 2023, the film brings the adventurous world of the popular manga to life, capturing Luffy’s relentless pursuit of the legendary One Piece treasure.
