One Piece's latest spoilers tease that Joy Boy was a member of the D. Clan, just like Luffy

Ahead of the Obon holiday publication break week for Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine, One Piece released what is likely one of the final chapters of the Egghead arc. This is primarily supported by the fact that the series’ latest release saw protagonist Monkey D. Luffy and his Straw Hat crew finally sail out of Egghead Island’s waters.

This is also further supported by the events in One Piece chapter 1122 itself, which saw the Gorosei defeated by Emeth (with an assist from Joy Boy) as Luffy and his allies fled the island. However, before both events happened, Luffy and Emeth had a brief talk in which the latter asked the former for his name.

After Luffy shared his full name, Emeth mused on the fact that Luffy had a D. initial, even repeating it to himself before deciding to unleash Joy Boy’s Conqueror’s Haki on the Gorosei. While Emeth unfortunately perished by the end of One Piece chapter 1122 and thus couldn’t elaborate further, this reaction teases that Joy Boy may have also been a part of the D. Clan like Luffy.

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One Piece’s D. Clan may have had the legendary figure Joy Boy in its ranks at one point

The strongest piece of evidence for such a conclusion from One Piece chapter 1122 alone is the fact that Emeth specifically muses on the D. initial. Already, this would suggest that it is familiar and meaningful to him, the same way that one would repeat something familiar and meaningful to themselves in casual conversation.

However, the fact that Emeth then chooses to unleash Joy Boy’s Conqueror’s Haki is what further supports this. The context given to this act at the issue’s end further supports this. Essentially, Joy Boy gave Emeth that Haki as a means of protecting himself or someone else he wants to protect once Joy Boy is dead and gone. Emeth’s reaction to this gift from Joy Boy emphasizes that he values it greatly, seeing it as his friend being with him always.

Likewise, Emeth wouldn’t so lightly use it to protect Luffy unless he realized some sort of connection he had with Joy Boy. Emeth’s characterization throughout the Egghead arc further supports this, showing him as constantly mistaking Luffy for Joy Boy. His dialogue in One Piece chapter 1122 further adds to this, seeing him thank Luffy for letting him hear the nostalgic rhythm that is the Drums of Liberation once more.

Combined with his musing on the D. initial, this suggests that Emeth drew one last major connection between the pair before deciding Luffy was the person he wanted to protect. With Emeth musing on the D. initial being in Luffy’s name just moments before unleashing Joy Boy’s Conqueror’s Haki, it’s a safe presumption that this is the connection he drew.

While this is purely speculative, this sequence of events and reveals in and of themselves serve as exceptionally strong evidence for such an interpretation. This interpretation can also be bolstered by other connections drawn between Luffy and Joy Boy. This includes Zunesha calling Luffy Joy Boy at the end of the Wano arc, as well as Egghead’s implication via Dr. Vegapunk’s message that Joy Boy had the same Devil Fruit as Luffy.

With all of this in mind, it makes perfect sense that series author and illustrator Eiichiro Oda would also want to draw a connection between the two in terms of being D. Clan members. While unconfirmed as of this article’s writing, fans can count on this connection being made official as the series progresses through its final saga.

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Related links

• One Piece: Does the Egghead Arc end with chapter 1122? Explained
• One Piece gives further evidence for Saint Mars being the Gorosei's traitor in chapter 1122
• Joy Boy's debut in One Piece chapter 1122 all but debunks one of his most popular theories