Let’s get KNOTS (nuts)! It’s getting really KNOT-tical (nautical) now! It was all for KNOTS (naught)! You must KNOT(not) progress! I’m feeling a little KNOTTY (naughty)! This is KNOT (not) funny!
I’m sorry, I just need to get some of these knot puns out of my system before we start in on the meat of this theory.
Okay, so the latest chapter has Emeth untie a knot and release a huge amount of Nika’s Conqueror’s Haki. Enough to blow the Gorosei clear back to their lounge.
This might be bigger than a lot of people realize. Because this…is a rope! A rope that was imbued with the power of Joyboy. A rope that connects the past to the future.
A “rope that connects all mankind”?! A Hito-Tsunagi treasure! This simple knotted rope might just be the key to the One Piece treasure!
https://onepiece.fandom.com/wiki/One_Piece#Translation_and_Dub_Issues
It’s “One Piece” of string! All knotted up and ready to be untied!
And, as others have pointed out, it’s been right there on the cover logo staring us right in the face the entire time.
Now, this is not actually the first time we’ve seen “magic” knotted rope in this story. There was very similar knotted rope techniques back in Weatheria with the Wind Knots (Chapter 523). I honestly completely forgot about this. To be fair that’s because this chapter released in 2008, 16 years ago! Oda, you crazy! I guess I thought the Wind Knots were more connected to Nami’s Clima Tact advancements than anything else in the story, but I guess it might be a bigger deal than we originally thought.
But, the important part of this connection with the Wind Knots is, the more knots you release at the same time, the more powerful the force you can release within the knots.
Which begs…several questions. If you make different kinds of knots ,like a Grip Hitch versus a Butterfly Loop, can you get different effects? If you make a greater NUMBER of knots, can you get exponentially more power? Can you imbue different kinds of Haki, like Observation and Armament, into different knots? Can you basically “weave” the different knots all together in order to build different kind of “spells” with different kind of effects entirely?
https://www.animatedknots.com/complete-knot-list
Because I think that last bit is essentially what Oda is hinting at. I think the One Piece treasure could actually be basically a Gordian Knot, possibly the most famous of all knots. I think the One Piece could be a knot so big and complicated that it can release a special kind of Haki Knot “spell” that can change the world.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordian_Knot
And, hey, Zoro fans…you all know what happened to the Gordian Knot, right? That’s right, it was CUT! Zoro’s entire journey might just be so that he can prepare himself to cut the most important piece of string in the entire world! Zoro, not Luffy, might just be the one responsible for unleashing the power of this knot.
It’s even possible that all the spirals that we’ve seen in One Piece aren’t actually spirals at all…but instead are KNOTS! The spirals on the Devil Fruits. The spirals of Sanji’s eyebrows. The whirlpool created by destroying Lulusia…they might all be KNOTS instead of spirals! Maybe the reason why there’s holes in the ocean is because the ocean water is literally being tied into KNOTS!
So, lets take a look at some possible things Oda might be drawing inspiration from. First from the world of SCIENCE!
First off, there’s Knots, the nautical unit of measuring speed. 1 Knot is when you travel 1 nautical mile per hour. A nautical mile is just a little over a regular land mile. This..probably doesn’t have anything to do with anything. But, I’m mentioning it, anyway.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knot_(unit)
There’s also literally a Sailor’s Knot. But, again, it’s not very interesting to talk about other than to point it out in relation to our maritime manga.
String Theory comes to mind. Although, as far as I know, there’s not really a lot of “knots” involved in String Theory. But, there is the idea that everything is made of “strings” and the vibrations of the strings are actually what creates atoms, which could be another connection that Oda is making. And there is Quantum Entanglement, which have different subatomic particles “tied” together and acting as though they are the same particle. There is also the theory of “compact dimensions” which are smaller dimensions within our own that are basically curled up inside themselves, creating a sort of “knot” in space-time.
If Devil Fruits actually access these “compact dimensions”, maybe that explains how they affect reality. They’re literally imposing a smaller dimension’s reality onto the larger universe. Like planting a seed in reality itself that can grow into a full “plant” that helps to shape the reality around it.
https://www.newscientist.com/definition/string-theory/
https://www.space.com/31933-quantum-entanglement-action-at-a-distance.html
reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/exuu3/would_someone_please_explain_the_whole_tiny/
https://interestingengineering.com/science/how-many-dimensions-does-our-universe-really-have
It’s possible that knots also might explain Devil Fruits in another way! Because when you get right down to it, DNA is just another kind of knot! DNA is stored in a compact form (a sort of “knot” called a chromosome) inside the Nucleus of a Cell. When the cell needs to replicate, the DNA is unspooled in order to be read and copied. It’s basically a knot…that needs to be “untied” in order to release it’s power! Could Devil Fruits work in a similar way? Could eating a Devil Fruit cause the “knot” of information within the fruit to be “untied” and thus copied into the body of the person eating it? Is that how Devil Fruits change people’s bodies? By altering their very DNA?
https://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/dna-packaging-nucleosomes-and-chromatin-310/
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-ap1/chapter/the-nucleus-and-dna-replication/
Now, let’s finally get into some possible mythological inspirations!
One of the best known knots, other than the Gordian Knot, is the Celtic Knot. Which can actually take several different forms. The different kinds of knots mean different kinds of things, and can actually bring different kind of luck to different kinds situations. Knots represent there being no start and no end. So, it’s possible to “trap” different things inside of those knots, since they have nowhere else to escape to. Interestingly, the Norse also used very similar knots. Which could become more relavant once we finally reach Elbaf. The most notable of which is probably Odin’s Knot or Valknut, which may represent all the 9 realms of Norse Mythology or just specifically the afterlife.
https://www.theirishroadtrip.com/celtic-knots/
https://therebelchick.com/did-vikings-use-celtic-knots/
https://www.ka-gold-jewelry.com/p-articles/odins-knot.php
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valknut
There’s also Knot Gardens, which could be very interesting if there is a Devil Fruit Tree, protected by some sort of hedge maze.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knot_garden
There’s also Devil’s Nuts, which are used to drive away evil spirits. Probably not related, but interesting due to the Devil Fruit connection.
https://www.yeyeo.com/blogs/yeyeo-botanica-blog/devil-pods-and-their-magical-uses
From Greek mythology, there’s the Fates or the Moirai. A group of 3 women symbolizing the past, present and future. Who weave people’s fate with strings, and can literally cut a person’s life string when they are destined to die.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moirai
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Fate-Greek-and-Roman-mythology
From comic books, there’s Wonder Woman’s Lasso of Truth, which can compel anyone ensnared to tell the truth. Probably not relevant, but it’s fun to see how wide spread magic string and rope and knots in general are.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lasso_of_Truth
Dream-catchers and Spirit Traps may also have a relationship with these knots. Particularly because Devil Fruits have connections to Dreams, already. It’s possible that Devil Fruits are a form of “dream catcher”, after all.
https://wayoftheghosthare.wordpress...ence-between-dream-catchers-and-spirit-traps/
The Endless Knot is a symbol used in various religions, which represents the cycle of rebirth. Interesting, given Devil Fruits’ ability to be “reborn”.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endless_knot
There’s also Ley Lines. Which are basically “rivers” of spiritual energy that criss-cross the world. And they’re at their strongest when two lines intersect…forming a “knot”, of sorts. Could the Grand Line actually be one GIANT Ley Line shaped like a Japanese Shimenawa (more on that in a little bit)? It kind of works when you remember the magnetic fields formed between each of the islands, that the Log Poses use to lead people from island to island. Also worth pointing out that this magnetic field network pattern seems to also be on Imu’s Empty Throne, so it’s probably important to the story.
http://www.kanaga.tv/story/ley-lines.html
In Hinduism, it was tradition to untie all the knots around a dying person’s room, so that their soul would not be trapped by them. Which is interesting given the “spirits” that may live within Devil Fruits. There’s actually a lot of symbolism in knots actually representing barriers to freedom, and connecting us to the material world. Which is a little ironic, because knots are also used in some marriage ceremonies.
This is also related to the mythological weapon used by many gods in Hinduism, the Pasha, which is used to bind and release souls.
There’s also a Hindu myth about Vishnu needing to tie 14 knots around his arm after creating 14 worlds in order to stop his limitless creation of new worlds.
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/how-to-tie-historical-knots
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasha_(Hinduism)
https://www.timesnownews.com/spirit...nce-of-tying-it-in-14-knots-article-103950062
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/significance-tying-three-knots-unveiling-sacred-hindu-studios
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kautuka
https://www.timesnownews.com/spirit...nce-of-tying-it-in-14-knots-article-103950062
But, most likely, the most important knot in mythology relevant to One Piece is probably the Shimenawa. A special type of twisted rope that’s used to separate the world of the divine and mundane worlds. It’s originally used to keep the Sun Goddess Amaterasu from going back inside a cave that she was hiding inside, after she got tricked into getting out of it. Could this supposed Gordian Knot actually be sealing the original Sun God Nika inside of it, similar to Amaterasu?
These Shimenawa ropes are also tied around rocks and trees in order to mark them as Yorishiro, which are objects that have spirits within them. Perhaps Joyboy could use knots in order to create golems like Emeth?
They’re also used for purification ritusals. And Yokozuna-ranked Sumo Wrestlers, giving them a tie to warriors like Nika or Joyboy.
Of note, these Shimenawa need to be renewed every few years, since they’re just made of straw and plant fibers. Could the journey to Laugh Tale be happening because the Gordian Knot needs to be either recreated in order to renew it’s sealing, or be cut and release the power within? Perhaps a choice needs to be made about what needs to happen to the knot?
There’s also Omikuji fortunes that you can buy at some shrines. You can get good or bad luck from them, but you almost always tie them to a tree or line in order to either make them come true or dispel the bad luck.
https://www.japan-experience.com/plan-your-trip/to-know/understanding-japan/shimenawa
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shimenawa
https://www.kankou-shimane.com/en/destination/3198
Also, I feel like I’d be remiss not to even mention the classic Butcher’s Knot. A knot you use to tie meat for cooking. Because this is One Piece, and Luffy does love his meat. It’s possible that this knot in particular is important…somehow.
https://www.seriouseats.com/how-to-tie-a-butchers-knot
So, from all these references, it seems likely that the Haki Knots in One Piece will likely be used to trap some force inside of it. To tie some aspect of the Divine to the mortal plane and keep it there for a period of time. I think it’s possible that Nika is trapped inside some sort of Gordian Knot and the Strawhats need to decide whether or not to release him back into the world.
Or maybe something completely different. There’s a lot of ways this could go.
Or maybe I’m just knots…I mean nuts. I hope this does knot become a habit with me.
I’m sorry, I just need to get some of these knot puns out of my system before we start in on the meat of this theory.
Okay, so the latest chapter has Emeth untie a knot and release a huge amount of Nika’s Conqueror’s Haki. Enough to blow the Gorosei clear back to their lounge.
This might be bigger than a lot of people realize. Because this…is a rope! A rope that was imbued with the power of Joyboy. A rope that connects the past to the future.
A “rope that connects all mankind”?! A Hito-Tsunagi treasure! This simple knotted rope might just be the key to the One Piece treasure!
https://onepiece.fandom.com/wiki/One_Piece#Translation_and_Dub_Issues
It’s “One Piece” of string! All knotted up and ready to be untied!
And, as others have pointed out, it’s been right there on the cover logo staring us right in the face the entire time.
Now, this is not actually the first time we’ve seen “magic” knotted rope in this story. There was very similar knotted rope techniques back in Weatheria with the Wind Knots (Chapter 523). I honestly completely forgot about this. To be fair that’s because this chapter released in 2008, 16 years ago! Oda, you crazy! I guess I thought the Wind Knots were more connected to Nami’s Clima Tact advancements than anything else in the story, but I guess it might be a bigger deal than we originally thought.
But, the important part of this connection with the Wind Knots is, the more knots you release at the same time, the more powerful the force you can release within the knots.
Which begs…several questions. If you make different kinds of knots ,like a Grip Hitch versus a Butterfly Loop, can you get different effects? If you make a greater NUMBER of knots, can you get exponentially more power? Can you imbue different kinds of Haki, like Observation and Armament, into different knots? Can you basically “weave” the different knots all together in order to build different kind of “spells” with different kind of effects entirely?
https://www.animatedknots.com/complete-knot-list
Because I think that last bit is essentially what Oda is hinting at. I think the One Piece treasure could actually be basically a Gordian Knot, possibly the most famous of all knots. I think the One Piece could be a knot so big and complicated that it can release a special kind of Haki Knot “spell” that can change the world.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordian_Knot
And, hey, Zoro fans…you all know what happened to the Gordian Knot, right? That’s right, it was CUT! Zoro’s entire journey might just be so that he can prepare himself to cut the most important piece of string in the entire world! Zoro, not Luffy, might just be the one responsible for unleashing the power of this knot.
It’s even possible that all the spirals that we’ve seen in One Piece aren’t actually spirals at all…but instead are KNOTS! The spirals on the Devil Fruits. The spirals of Sanji’s eyebrows. The whirlpool created by destroying Lulusia…they might all be KNOTS instead of spirals! Maybe the reason why there’s holes in the ocean is because the ocean water is literally being tied into KNOTS!
So, lets take a look at some possible things Oda might be drawing inspiration from. First from the world of SCIENCE!
First off, there’s Knots, the nautical unit of measuring speed. 1 Knot is when you travel 1 nautical mile per hour. A nautical mile is just a little over a regular land mile. This..probably doesn’t have anything to do with anything. But, I’m mentioning it, anyway.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knot_(unit)
There’s also literally a Sailor’s Knot. But, again, it’s not very interesting to talk about other than to point it out in relation to our maritime manga.
String Theory comes to mind. Although, as far as I know, there’s not really a lot of “knots” involved in String Theory. But, there is the idea that everything is made of “strings” and the vibrations of the strings are actually what creates atoms, which could be another connection that Oda is making. And there is Quantum Entanglement, which have different subatomic particles “tied” together and acting as though they are the same particle. There is also the theory of “compact dimensions” which are smaller dimensions within our own that are basically curled up inside themselves, creating a sort of “knot” in space-time.
If Devil Fruits actually access these “compact dimensions”, maybe that explains how they affect reality. They’re literally imposing a smaller dimension’s reality onto the larger universe. Like planting a seed in reality itself that can grow into a full “plant” that helps to shape the reality around it.
https://www.newscientist.com/definition/string-theory/
https://www.space.com/31933-quantum-entanglement-action-at-a-distance.html
reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/exuu3/would_someone_please_explain_the_whole_tiny/
https://interestingengineering.com/science/how-many-dimensions-does-our-universe-really-have
It’s possible that knots also might explain Devil Fruits in another way! Because when you get right down to it, DNA is just another kind of knot! DNA is stored in a compact form (a sort of “knot” called a chromosome) inside the Nucleus of a Cell. When the cell needs to replicate, the DNA is unspooled in order to be read and copied. It’s basically a knot…that needs to be “untied” in order to release it’s power! Could Devil Fruits work in a similar way? Could eating a Devil Fruit cause the “knot” of information within the fruit to be “untied” and thus copied into the body of the person eating it? Is that how Devil Fruits change people’s bodies? By altering their very DNA?
https://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/dna-packaging-nucleosomes-and-chromatin-310/
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-ap1/chapter/the-nucleus-and-dna-replication/
Now, let’s finally get into some possible mythological inspirations!
One of the best known knots, other than the Gordian Knot, is the Celtic Knot. Which can actually take several different forms. The different kinds of knots mean different kinds of things, and can actually bring different kind of luck to different kinds situations. Knots represent there being no start and no end. So, it’s possible to “trap” different things inside of those knots, since they have nowhere else to escape to. Interestingly, the Norse also used very similar knots. Which could become more relavant once we finally reach Elbaf. The most notable of which is probably Odin’s Knot or Valknut, which may represent all the 9 realms of Norse Mythology or just specifically the afterlife.
https://www.theirishroadtrip.com/celtic-knots/
https://therebelchick.com/did-vikings-use-celtic-knots/
https://www.ka-gold-jewelry.com/p-articles/odins-knot.php
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valknut
There’s also Knot Gardens, which could be very interesting if there is a Devil Fruit Tree, protected by some sort of hedge maze.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knot_garden
There’s also Devil’s Nuts, which are used to drive away evil spirits. Probably not related, but interesting due to the Devil Fruit connection.
https://www.yeyeo.com/blogs/yeyeo-botanica-blog/devil-pods-and-their-magical-uses
From Greek mythology, there’s the Fates or the Moirai. A group of 3 women symbolizing the past, present and future. Who weave people’s fate with strings, and can literally cut a person’s life string when they are destined to die.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moirai
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Fate-Greek-and-Roman-mythology
From comic books, there’s Wonder Woman’s Lasso of Truth, which can compel anyone ensnared to tell the truth. Probably not relevant, but it’s fun to see how wide spread magic string and rope and knots in general are.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lasso_of_Truth
Dream-catchers and Spirit Traps may also have a relationship with these knots. Particularly because Devil Fruits have connections to Dreams, already. It’s possible that Devil Fruits are a form of “dream catcher”, after all.
https://wayoftheghosthare.wordpress...ence-between-dream-catchers-and-spirit-traps/
The Endless Knot is a symbol used in various religions, which represents the cycle of rebirth. Interesting, given Devil Fruits’ ability to be “reborn”.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endless_knot
There’s also Ley Lines. Which are basically “rivers” of spiritual energy that criss-cross the world. And they’re at their strongest when two lines intersect…forming a “knot”, of sorts. Could the Grand Line actually be one GIANT Ley Line shaped like a Japanese Shimenawa (more on that in a little bit)? It kind of works when you remember the magnetic fields formed between each of the islands, that the Log Poses use to lead people from island to island. Also worth pointing out that this magnetic field network pattern seems to also be on Imu’s Empty Throne, so it’s probably important to the story.
http://www.kanaga.tv/story/ley-lines.html
In Hinduism, it was tradition to untie all the knots around a dying person’s room, so that their soul would not be trapped by them. Which is interesting given the “spirits” that may live within Devil Fruits. There’s actually a lot of symbolism in knots actually representing barriers to freedom, and connecting us to the material world. Which is a little ironic, because knots are also used in some marriage ceremonies.
This is also related to the mythological weapon used by many gods in Hinduism, the Pasha, which is used to bind and release souls.
There’s also a Hindu myth about Vishnu needing to tie 14 knots around his arm after creating 14 worlds in order to stop his limitless creation of new worlds.
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/how-to-tie-historical-knots
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasha_(Hinduism)
https://www.timesnownews.com/spirit...nce-of-tying-it-in-14-knots-article-103950062
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/significance-tying-three-knots-unveiling-sacred-hindu-studios
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kautuka
https://www.timesnownews.com/spirit...nce-of-tying-it-in-14-knots-article-103950062
But, most likely, the most important knot in mythology relevant to One Piece is probably the Shimenawa. A special type of twisted rope that’s used to separate the world of the divine and mundane worlds. It’s originally used to keep the Sun Goddess Amaterasu from going back inside a cave that she was hiding inside, after she got tricked into getting out of it. Could this supposed Gordian Knot actually be sealing the original Sun God Nika inside of it, similar to Amaterasu?
These Shimenawa ropes are also tied around rocks and trees in order to mark them as Yorishiro, which are objects that have spirits within them. Perhaps Joyboy could use knots in order to create golems like Emeth?
They’re also used for purification ritusals. And Yokozuna-ranked Sumo Wrestlers, giving them a tie to warriors like Nika or Joyboy.
Of note, these Shimenawa need to be renewed every few years, since they’re just made of straw and plant fibers. Could the journey to Laugh Tale be happening because the Gordian Knot needs to be either recreated in order to renew it’s sealing, or be cut and release the power within? Perhaps a choice needs to be made about what needs to happen to the knot?
There’s also Omikuji fortunes that you can buy at some shrines. You can get good or bad luck from them, but you almost always tie them to a tree or line in order to either make them come true or dispel the bad luck.
https://www.japan-experience.com/plan-your-trip/to-know/understanding-japan/shimenawa
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shimenawa
https://www.kankou-shimane.com/en/destination/3198
Also, I feel like I’d be remiss not to even mention the classic Butcher’s Knot. A knot you use to tie meat for cooking. Because this is One Piece, and Luffy does love his meat. It’s possible that this knot in particular is important…somehow.
https://www.seriouseats.com/how-to-tie-a-butchers-knot
So, from all these references, it seems likely that the Haki Knots in One Piece will likely be used to trap some force inside of it. To tie some aspect of the Divine to the mortal plane and keep it there for a period of time. I think it’s possible that Nika is trapped inside some sort of Gordian Knot and the Strawhats need to decide whether or not to release him back into the world.
Or maybe something completely different. There’s a lot of ways this could go.
Or maybe I’m just knots…I mean nuts. I hope this does knot become a habit with me.
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