⚠️ SPOILER WARNING: This article contains spoilers for One Piece Chapter 1177 and beyond. Read at your own risk!
Chapter 1177 “Rage” — The Showdown Is Here
One Piece Chapter 1177, titled “Rage,” delivers on multiple fronts: giants clashing, a Devil Fruit mystery years in the making, and the moment fans have been waiting for — Luffy and Roki finally come face-to-face with Im. Japanese fan analysts have been digging deep into this chapter, and the theories coming out of it are genuinely fascinating. Let’s break it all down.
Dorry’s “Ikoku” — And Big Mom’s Secret Elbaf Connection
The chapter opens with Dorry and Brogy putting their theory to the test: that dealing a near-fatal blow can reverse Im’s Domi Reversi (Black Turn) demonization. Brogy, admittedly, is just venting personal rage — but it works. Meanwhile, Haildin unleashes his “Hero’s Spear” (Gungnir) — the same massive technique he used to finish off Machvise back in Dressrosa (Chapter 770). In Norse mythology, Gungnir is the all-powerful spear of Odin himself, and the name fits perfectly.
But the real talking point here is Dorry’s “Ikoku.” Sharp-eyed readers will remember that this was a technique used by Big Mom — and back in Chapter 874, a young Luffy was shocked, asking why it looked like a giant’s technique. Now we know why: Big Mom saw it during her childhood years on Elbaf and copied it through sheer observation.
- Oda confirmed in a “10 Questions” feature that Shanks learned “Kami-e” just by watching Roger — no one else on the crew could even imitate it
- Big Mom pulling off Ikoku after watching the giants is a similar feat of monstrous talent
- The hierarchy of giant techniques appears to be: Ikoku (solo) → Gokoku (combined, original to the New Giant Warrior Pirates) → Hakai (Big Mom + Kaido’s version) → the legendary “Hakoku” (the true two-giant technique of Elbaf)
- Kaido somehow also knew Ikoku — possibly taught by Big Mom during their Rocks Pirates days
Chopper’s Attack Breaks the Demonization — And It Wasn’t a Fatal Blow
Here’s where things get really interesting. The chapter cuts back and forth between Dorry/Brogy’s devastating strikes and Chopper’s comparatively minor attack — and the contrast is clearly intentional. Dorry and Brogy need near-fatal force. Chopper’s hit? Not even close to lethal. And yet it still reverses the demonization.
So why does it work? The theory points directly to a classic SBS exchange from Volume 20:
Fan: “What happens if a human eats the Hito Hito no Mi?”
Oda: “There’s a phrase, ‘to become human’ — it means to come of age, or to return to one’s senses. A human becoming human. Living as a human should. Something like that. Or maybe not. Actually, maybe not. Goodbye.” (runs away)
The key phrase: “to return to one’s senses.” The theory argues that the Hito Hito no Mi carries a hidden special ability — the power to make something “human again.” In other words, Chopper’s fruit can restore demonized beings back to their true selves by essentially stripping away the possessing “demon.”
- The Hito Hito no Mi = the ability to “become human” — which could mean restoring humanity to those who’ve lost it
- Crucially, Chopper’s fruit likely has no specific model — it represents humans themselves
- In Chapter 1164, Rocks told Im: “Don’t underestimate humans, monster.” The counter to Im (the monster) is literally human beings
- This strongly suggests Chopper’s Hito Hito no Mi may be beginning to Awaken — with its awakening affecting those around him, not just himself
And what about Luffy? He also ate a Hito Hito no Mi — the Mythical Zoan model: Nika. Would Luffy’s punches also reverse demonization? The theory says no — Chopper’s fruit represents “humans” in their base form, while Luffy’s represents the Sun God Nika. They’re different expressions of the same fruit family, and their effects on demonization would likely differ.
Saint Kirringham Subdued — But Sanji’s Conqueror’s Haki Is Still MIA
Sanji’s “Diable Jambe: Sozetsu” from last chapter lands on Saint Kirringham, and the follow-up sees the Holy Knight split into three pieces and prevented from reconnecting — the same method used against Buggy (Bara Bara no Mi) and Caribou (Numa Numa no Mi). It works, but something feels off.
- Kirringham doesn’t seem to be in pain — which strongly implies Sanji’s attack carried no Conqueror’s Haki
- Sanji himself admits the Holy Knights felt underwhelming, and Franky jokes they’ve all just gotten too strong
- But Kirringham’s cryptic “Underestimate us” is a red flag — something bigger is coming
- Jinbe mentions there’s “one more” to deal with — Saint Shamrock remains a wildcard, and Im possessing Gunko’s body may represent a threat on an entirely different level
Sanji’s Conqueror’s Haki remains one of the arc’s biggest unresolved threads. Don’t count it out yet.
Elbaf and the Sun God Nika — What the Giants Don’t Know
Roki (Nidhogg) breathes lightning at Luffy — which does absolutely nothing, because rubber is an insulator. Roki is shocked. But here’s the puzzle: Elbaf has worshipped the Sun God Nika for centuries. The murals in Elbaf depict Nika’s stretching arms. So why don’t the giants know lightning doesn’t work?
The theory’s conclusion: Elbaf knows Nika’s body stretches, but doesn’t know it’s made of rubber — and therefore doesn’t understand the insulating properties. The “rubber” nature of Nika’s body was never passed down in Elbaf’s oral tradition.
- Bartholomew Kuma (a Buccaneer) knew Nika’s body was made of rubber but didn’t know what Nika looked like — so the Buccaneers didn’t originate the Nika legend either
- The sacred text “Harley” (神典) states: “The enslaved prayed, and the Sun God appeared”
- Fushi-Fu described Nika as “a legendary warrior that slaves in ancient times believed would one day save them” (Chapter 1018)
- The theory proposes: the Sun God legend was born from the prayers of ancient fishmen — and was then made manifest as a Devil Fruit, spreading across different cultures with each group only knowing part of the truth
Luffy and Roki Face Im — And a Terrible Premonition
The chapter closes with its biggest moment: Luffy and Roki stand before Im (in Gunko’s body). Luffy is furious — Usopp and Brook have been hurt. The final battle looms.
But the theory flags serious concerns about what comes next:
- Usopp and Brook may be about to get hit by Domi Reversi and become demonized — the narrative setup feels deliberate
- Im doesn’t fight honorably. Dorry and Brogy broke demonization through pride. Usopp — who idolizes Elbaf’s warrior spirit above all else — being demonized and having to fight back through that same pride would be an incredible character moment
- If Usopp or Brook are demonized, Luffy would need to hurt his own crewmates to save them — something that would tear him apart emotionally
- Roki would likely strike without hesitation, but can Luffy allow that?
- Brook’s unresolved connection to Shuri-hime (the princess possessing Gunko) still hasn’t been addressed — and it will be resolved in Elbaf
Conclusion: The Heart of Elbaf Is About to Break Open
Chapter 1177 isn’t just action — it’s layers upon layers of setup paying off. The Hito Hito no Mi theory is perhaps the most exciting revelation: a fruit everyone assumed was a quirky joke for Chopper’s character may actually carry a profound ability that is uniquely suited to countering Im’s demonization power. “To return to one’s senses” has been in the text since Volume 20 — and Oda may have been planning this all along.
With Luffy and Roki now facing Im directly, the Elbaf arc is entering its final stretch. But if Usopp and Brook get demonized first, we may be in for some of the most emotionally devastating — and triumphant — chapters the arc has to offer. The rage in this chapter’s title might only be the beginning.