When it comes to the physical layout of Elbaf Island, we need not look any further than the ancient Norse view of the cosmos. In it, the world is depicted as a giant ash tree Yggdrasil (represented by the Treasure Tree Adam), in which all the (nine) worlds nestle among the branches and roots, as it floats through Ginnungagap, the great void (which I believe is meant to be represented by the Grand Line).
Or maybe I should say the physical layout of Warland, as the latest chapter confirms that the name for the Kingdom is actually Warland. Meaning, the Warland kingdom is only one of the worlds/realms that nestle among the branches of the Treasure Tree Adam. What further reinforces this idea is the place where Loki and Luffy currently are...
Warland – Realm of the Dead
The whole deal with the “realms” in Norse mythology can get quite complicated, but I will do my best to make it as simple as possible.
In Norse mythology, the Underworld is represented by the Hel realm, also known as Helheim, which is ruled by the goddess of the same name and daughter of Loki. Helheim is the place where the dead go if they didn’t die in battle, while those who did (heroically) die, go to Valhalla. It's yet unclear if Warland, in its entirety, is meant to represent Helheim, or if just a part of Warland. Náströnd, or the "Corpse Shore," is a particularly grim section within Helheim. This place is described as a “shore where evildoers suffer." Though punishment is not a prominent theme in Helheim, Náströnd stands out as an area for those who betrayed others or committed significant evils.
Helheim is also sometimes thought to be part of or adjacent to Niflheim ("the land of mist"), a primordial realm of cold and darkness. Niflheim is often considered one of the oldest realms, existing even before the world was fully formed, making it a foundational element of Norse cosmology. To get to Helheim, the soul needs to cross over a bridge called Gjallarbrú, which is guarded by the giantess Modgud (Luffy crossed over a bridge to get here).
Unlike the fiery depiction of the underworld in other mythologies/religions, the depiction of Hel is that of a vast, cold and misty realm, often associated with shadows and darkness; a dead ringer for the depiction of the current place we see Luffy and Loki at. It’s a realm located at the deepest part of the world tree, where the roots are (which isn’t exactly the same as where we currently see Loki, but the similarities are undeniable).
Loki has stated that he will bring about the destruction of this world, which lines up well with the prophecy of Ragnarök, where the dead from Hel will rise under Loki’s leadership, and fight against the Gods in the final battle. Traditionally, the harbinger of doom for the world is the fire giant Surtr, which is why I believe this to be Loki’s devil fruit. However, there is another creature that fits the description of the current predicament Loki has found himself in: Nidhogg.
Nidhogg is a fearsome dragon/serpent that is trapped in the roots of the World Tree, gnawing at them in order to escape, and to destroy it. Its name can be translated as “Curse Striker” (The Accursed Prince Loki) and it embodies the force of decay and destruction. During Ragnarök, Nidhogg is said to break free from Yggdrasil’s roots, not to destroy the world, but to wreak havoc on the realms. It’s said that Nidhogg will survive after the destruction of the world, representing that even in renewal the remnants of darkness can persist.
While I like the idea of Loki having a Nidhogg fruit, I am wary of this being the case as it might appear too similar to Kaido, and I’d prefer the self-proclaimed Sun God to have a fire-based Devil Fruit.
Narrative Structure of Elbaf
The second theory of mine pertains to the structure of Elbaf and my belief that this arc will be presented as an RPG (Role-playing Game). You know how One Piece arcs usually follow a certain theme, or trope, or genre? Like how Skypiea Arc is a classic Action-Adventure story, or how Water 7 is an Espionage Thriller? Well, I think Elbaf will take inspiration from RPGs.
That’s the title of Chapter 1128, and the initial few chapters, which are set inside Road’s room, largely follow a formula of a Tabletop Role-playing Game. I was wondering if this formula would continue past the initial few chapters, onto the entirety of Elbaf arc, and with the latest chapter it seemingly looks like it will. Upon finding Loki chained and trapped, Luffy is given a (re)Quest by him: “find the key to set me free”.
This is typical of RPGS: an NPC gives you a quest - usually either finding an item for them, or defeating/killing an enemy - upon whose completion you receive a reward. The reward ranges from experience needed to level up, the in-game currency required to buy stuff, or rare items - weapons and such - that you can use (kind of like that super rare, legendary Devil Fruit that Loki apparently has). I mentioned that Helheim is located at the deepest parts of the Yggdrasil tree, which fits perfectly with the video game logic: it’s essentially the first level (the first world).
I believe that this arc will be structured as a video game, where Luffy has to make his way up the World Tree, through the nine levels, before he can complete his quest. Of course, there will be a lot more going on surrounding it, but that will be the driving point. For Luffy, the reward was first Loki offering to destroy any Pirate Crew Luffy wishes him to destroy, and then later offering to tell Luffy about Chicken Hair Shanks. Which leads us into how exactly do Loki and Shanks know each other?
The God of War
By now, you have probably heard about/read the theory that Shanks is the one responsible for Loki’s imprisonment. Loki is said to have been imprisoned for the past 6 years, which coincidentally lines up with when Shanks became an Emperor of the Seas (6 years ago).
Loki’s current “special” bounty is 2.600.000.000 Beri, so it makes sense for Shanks to receive his current one, for defeating someone of that worth. Reminder that we know one of Shank’s previous bounties, from 12 years ago, was 1,040,000,000 Beri, as revealed with the release of One Piece: Red. It certainly adds up. However, I am not here to talk about that. Instead, I want to talk about how I think Shanks ties into the Elbaf arc.
Shanks bears a striking resemblance to one of the Norse Gods: Týr, the god of war, justice, and fair combat, who often embodies this calm, reasoned strength rather than unchecked aggression. This could also explain why Loki essentially calls Shanks a coward (chicken). This parallel isn’t anything new, as people have theorized for a long time now (I’m talking 10+ years) that Shanks has a connection to Elbaf (now confirmed); and since Elbaf seems to take heavy inspiration from the Norse Mythology, with things like Loki and Vikings, it seems like a no-brainer that Shanks will have some parallels with the Gods.
Týr sacrifices his arm to Fenrir in an illustration by John Bauer, 1911.
What Týr is known for, in the Norse mythos, is his self-sacrifice when he placed his hand in the mouth of the giant wolf Fenrir, knowing he would lose it, in order to protect the gods (Fenrir is another good pick for Loki's Devil Fruit). This directly parallels Shanks sacrificing his arm to save Luffy from the Lord of the Coast. Shanks and Týr value the future and are prepared to make personal sacrifices to protect it.
Shanks scaring Ryokugyu off, circa Chapter 1055.
Conclusion
So far, both Kaido and Big Mom, 2 of the 4 Emperors of the Sea, have had big arcs dedicated to them, and their defeat, and I also expect the same treatment for Blackbeard. So, it would be weird for Shanks to be the only one left out. He has been part of the story since the very beginning - since the very first chapter - and being treated with any less respect than this, is inconceivable to me. Shanks’ connection with the Giant has long been hinted at (his ship is called “Red Force”), his ties with them are firmly established (in his fight with Kid), and in the past couple of years, he has been more and more relevant to the story. Suffice to say, I think Elbaf is going to be “Shanks’ arc”, just how Whole Cake Island was Big Mom’s arc, and how Wano was Kaido’s arc.
TL;DR
This is an analysis post, so not much to say in short. Warland/the current place Loki and Luffy are is based on Helheim, which is one of the realms/worlds from Norse Mythology, known as the Underworld/Realm of the Dead. Loki's connection to Shanks might be through Shanks' parallel with the Norse God of war and justice, Tyr. And the entire arc seems to be structured as a Role Playing Game.
If you enjoyed reading this, and want to see more of my stuff, make sure to leave a comment, and follow me for more weekly/bi-weekly One Piece posts!
Or maybe I should say the physical layout of Warland, as the latest chapter confirms that the name for the Kingdom is actually Warland. Meaning, the Warland kingdom is only one of the worlds/realms that nestle among the branches of the Treasure Tree Adam. What further reinforces this idea is the place where Loki and Luffy currently are...
Warland – Realm of the Dead
The whole deal with the “realms” in Norse mythology can get quite complicated, but I will do my best to make it as simple as possible.
In Norse mythology, the Underworld is represented by the Hel realm, also known as Helheim, which is ruled by the goddess of the same name and daughter of Loki. Helheim is the place where the dead go if they didn’t die in battle, while those who did (heroically) die, go to Valhalla. It's yet unclear if Warland, in its entirety, is meant to represent Helheim, or if just a part of Warland. Náströnd, or the "Corpse Shore," is a particularly grim section within Helheim. This place is described as a “shore where evildoers suffer." Though punishment is not a prominent theme in Helheim, Náströnd stands out as an area for those who betrayed others or committed significant evils.
Helheim is also sometimes thought to be part of or adjacent to Niflheim ("the land of mist"), a primordial realm of cold and darkness. Niflheim is often considered one of the oldest realms, existing even before the world was fully formed, making it a foundational element of Norse cosmology. To get to Helheim, the soul needs to cross over a bridge called Gjallarbrú, which is guarded by the giantess Modgud (Luffy crossed over a bridge to get here).
Unlike the fiery depiction of the underworld in other mythologies/religions, the depiction of Hel is that of a vast, cold and misty realm, often associated with shadows and darkness; a dead ringer for the depiction of the current place we see Luffy and Loki at. It’s a realm located at the deepest part of the world tree, where the roots are (which isn’t exactly the same as where we currently see Loki, but the similarities are undeniable).
Loki has stated that he will bring about the destruction of this world, which lines up well with the prophecy of Ragnarök, where the dead from Hel will rise under Loki’s leadership, and fight against the Gods in the final battle. Traditionally, the harbinger of doom for the world is the fire giant Surtr, which is why I believe this to be Loki’s devil fruit. However, there is another creature that fits the description of the current predicament Loki has found himself in: Nidhogg.
Nidhogg is a fearsome dragon/serpent that is trapped in the roots of the World Tree, gnawing at them in order to escape, and to destroy it. Its name can be translated as “Curse Striker” (The Accursed Prince Loki) and it embodies the force of decay and destruction. During Ragnarök, Nidhogg is said to break free from Yggdrasil’s roots, not to destroy the world, but to wreak havoc on the realms. It’s said that Nidhogg will survive after the destruction of the world, representing that even in renewal the remnants of darkness can persist.
While I like the idea of Loki having a Nidhogg fruit, I am wary of this being the case as it might appear too similar to Kaido, and I’d prefer the self-proclaimed Sun God to have a fire-based Devil Fruit.
Narrative Structure of Elbaf
The second theory of mine pertains to the structure of Elbaf and my belief that this arc will be presented as an RPG (Role-playing Game). You know how One Piece arcs usually follow a certain theme, or trope, or genre? Like how Skypiea Arc is a classic Action-Adventure story, or how Water 7 is an Espionage Thriller? Well, I think Elbaf will take inspiration from RPGs.
That’s the title of Chapter 1128, and the initial few chapters, which are set inside Road’s room, largely follow a formula of a Tabletop Role-playing Game. I was wondering if this formula would continue past the initial few chapters, onto the entirety of Elbaf arc, and with the latest chapter it seemingly looks like it will. Upon finding Loki chained and trapped, Luffy is given a (re)Quest by him: “find the key to set me free”.
This is typical of RPGS: an NPC gives you a quest - usually either finding an item for them, or defeating/killing an enemy - upon whose completion you receive a reward. The reward ranges from experience needed to level up, the in-game currency required to buy stuff, or rare items - weapons and such - that you can use (kind of like that super rare, legendary Devil Fruit that Loki apparently has). I mentioned that Helheim is located at the deepest parts of the Yggdrasil tree, which fits perfectly with the video game logic: it’s essentially the first level (the first world).
I believe that this arc will be structured as a video game, where Luffy has to make his way up the World Tree, through the nine levels, before he can complete his quest. Of course, there will be a lot more going on surrounding it, but that will be the driving point. For Luffy, the reward was first Loki offering to destroy any Pirate Crew Luffy wishes him to destroy, and then later offering to tell Luffy about Chicken Hair Shanks. Which leads us into how exactly do Loki and Shanks know each other?
The God of War
By now, you have probably heard about/read the theory that Shanks is the one responsible for Loki’s imprisonment. Loki is said to have been imprisoned for the past 6 years, which coincidentally lines up with when Shanks became an Emperor of the Seas (6 years ago).
Loki’s current “special” bounty is 2.600.000.000 Beri, so it makes sense for Shanks to receive his current one, for defeating someone of that worth. Reminder that we know one of Shank’s previous bounties, from 12 years ago, was 1,040,000,000 Beri, as revealed with the release of One Piece: Red. It certainly adds up. However, I am not here to talk about that. Instead, I want to talk about how I think Shanks ties into the Elbaf arc.
Shanks bears a striking resemblance to one of the Norse Gods: Týr, the god of war, justice, and fair combat, who often embodies this calm, reasoned strength rather than unchecked aggression. This could also explain why Loki essentially calls Shanks a coward (chicken). This parallel isn’t anything new, as people have theorized for a long time now (I’m talking 10+ years) that Shanks has a connection to Elbaf (now confirmed); and since Elbaf seems to take heavy inspiration from the Norse Mythology, with things like Loki and Vikings, it seems like a no-brainer that Shanks will have some parallels with the Gods.
Týr sacrifices his arm to Fenrir in an illustration by John Bauer, 1911.
What Týr is known for, in the Norse mythos, is his self-sacrifice when he placed his hand in the mouth of the giant wolf Fenrir, knowing he would lose it, in order to protect the gods (Fenrir is another good pick for Loki's Devil Fruit). This directly parallels Shanks sacrificing his arm to save Luffy from the Lord of the Coast. Shanks and Týr value the future and are prepared to make personal sacrifices to protect it.
Shanks scaring Ryokugyu off, circa Chapter 1055.
Conclusion
So far, both Kaido and Big Mom, 2 of the 4 Emperors of the Sea, have had big arcs dedicated to them, and their defeat, and I also expect the same treatment for Blackbeard. So, it would be weird for Shanks to be the only one left out. He has been part of the story since the very beginning - since the very first chapter - and being treated with any less respect than this, is inconceivable to me. Shanks’ connection with the Giant has long been hinted at (his ship is called “Red Force”), his ties with them are firmly established (in his fight with Kid), and in the past couple of years, he has been more and more relevant to the story. Suffice to say, I think Elbaf is going to be “Shanks’ arc”, just how Whole Cake Island was Big Mom’s arc, and how Wano was Kaido’s arc.
TL;DR
This is an analysis post, so not much to say in short. Warland/the current place Loki and Luffy are is based on Helheim, which is one of the realms/worlds from Norse Mythology, known as the Underworld/Realm of the Dead. Loki's connection to Shanks might be through Shanks' parallel with the Norse God of war and justice, Tyr. And the entire arc seems to be structured as a Role Playing Game.
If you enjoyed reading this, and want to see more of my stuff, make sure to leave a comment, and follow me for more weekly/bi-weekly One Piece posts!
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