I think Robin will be stolen from the Straw Hats again, and sooner than One Piece fans think

One Piece's Nico Robin has inarguably been one of the most integral characters in the overall narrative, despite being a side character with limited appearances and impact. Although her debut was marked by the Straw Hats directly antagonizing the World Government in the Enies Lobby arc, the Straw Hats have not focused on the World Government as their primary enemies.

Oda has made it clear that the story is currently in its final saga. This, combined with the ongoing motive of abducting Nico Robin throughout the arcs, suggests that such an event might actually happen, providing the Straw Hats with a genuine reason to focus on the World Government.

Disclaimer: This article is a speculative theory and contains spoilers for the One Piece series.

One Piece: Robin's abduction will be the next turning point within the story

Nico Robin as seen in the anime (Image via Toei Animation)

One Piece's story primarily revolves around Luffy's journey to becoming the Pirate King, with the main backdrop being the advent of an apocalypse prophesized by the poneglyphs. Due to the high level of secrecy and encryption surrounding the poneglyphs, only Nico Robin possesses the ability to read them.

While characters like Luffy and Pudding have the potential to eventually read them, Nico Robin remains the only person who can reliably translate these ancient documents. Each major encounter with the World Government, whether involving the Gorosei or CP9, mainly focuses on suppressing the Straw Hats. This objective is consistently overshadowed by the goal of abducting Nico Robin alive.

Imu as seen in the anime (Image via Toei Animation)

It is clear that the situation in Elbaph has escalated significantly, with Imu personally descending onto the island. Given that the library containing Ohara's knowledge has already been nearly destroyed and the giant warriors are likely on the verge of defeat, it is possible that Imu overcomes his rage and abducts Robin.

The actual One Piece treasure is the primary goal pursued by the major parties in the story, with the World Government at the forefront. It is reasonable to assume that the final poneglyph is held by the World Government, serving as a deterrent to the scenario of the pirates ever reaching the One Piece treasure. This is in addition to the copies of the previous road poneglyphs.

Luffy as seen in the anime (Image via Toei Animation)

Nico Robin's abduction by the World Government would serve as both an additional deterrent and an asset. It would bring the series' greatest treasure under the clutches of the World Government, away from the pirates. So far, the Straw Hats haven't directly targeted the World Government, with most of their clashes being byproducts of coincidental encounters.

The abduction of Nico Robin and the giant children by the World Government would create a scenario in which Elbaph's forces unite with Luffy's own forces against the ruling bodies, while simultaneously marking the debut of Luffy's grand fleet in the event of an all-out war.

Final thoughts

One Piece chapter 1150 will be released on June 1, 2025, and will focus on Imu's actions within Elbaph. Although Scopper Gaban was able to damage the seemingly invulnerable and immortal Holy Knights, he ended up being cornered and seemingly defeated.

Since Chopper is trying to reach Gaban, it remains possible that the one-sided assault on Elbaph could become a more balanced fight.

Related links-

About the author

Anupam is an anime and manga writer at Sportskeeda. Currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Logistics & Transportation, Anupam has simultaneously gained professional experience of almost 2 years as a content writer, having worked previously for Otakukart and Sportslumo.

Being part of the anime fandom for over a decade, Anupam believes his greatest strength lies in theorycrafting around animanga series and predicting their plots. His personal experiences have guaranteed him detailed knowledge about the reputation, reception, and plot points of several anime, which he combines with extensive research to report on a topic. They have also taught him the significance of respecting and accurately reporting on community sentiments attached to a particular series, which has now become a non-negotiable part of his writing process.

Anupam’s favorite artist is video game designer Hideo Kojima, whose ability to nonchalantly embed deep messages in his games he deeply admires. When not debating fresh anime theories, Anupam can be found reading or playing combat games.

Know More

Edited by Shreya Das