This One Piece antagonist could have caused the Elbaph incident, and his Devil Fruit could give a hint at how

One Piece has never hesitated to intertwine past battles with present mysteries, and the Elbaph incident could be another such case. One Piece chapter 1152 raised suspicion when King Harald was killed by his own men, sparking speculations of outside control. One villain whose background aligns a little too seamlessly is Donquixote Doflamingo.

With a Devil Fruit capable of full control of others and a history of getting rulers declared tyrants—like King Riku in Dressrosa—Doflamingo becomes a credible suspect. His history with the Celestial Dragons and desire to regain prestige provide a motive. Here's how Doflamingo may have orchestrated the Elbaph incident—and how his Devil Fruit abilities might have foreshadowed it.

Disclaimer: This article is a speculative theory and reflects the writer's opinion. It also includes spoilers from the One Piece anime/manga.

---

How Donquixote Doflamingo could have caused the Elbaph incident in One Piece, explained

After reading One Piece chapter 1152 and seeing the jaw-dropping scene where King Harald was killed by his own men, most fans joined the dots, seeking to identify the possible culprit behind such treachery. This makes Donquixote Doflamingo the perfect fit. It may seem ridiculous at first, however, after looking more closely at Doflamingo's past cruelties and Devil Fruit powers, there is an eerie parallel with the Elbaph incident.

His work at Dressrosa—convincing King Riku—turning the people against him, and finally stepping in as their hero—is uncannily similar to what might've happened with Harald and Loki. In each instance, a king is made to appear monstrous while the true antagonist hides in the background.

Doflamingo could be behind the murder of King Harald in One Piece (Image via Toei Animation)

Doflamingo's Ito Ito no Mi granted him terrifying abilities. His Parasite Strings, which allow him to manipulate people's bodies against their will, are particularly noteworthy. If those Elbaph soldiers were being manipulated just like Riku's forces were, then King Harald's situation might not be what it appears.

Doflamingo has always been a master of psychological warfare—making leaders appear corrupt and allowing anarchy to destroy kingdoms from the inside out. In that way, he works like a virus: invisible, contagious, and harmful.

But why would Doflamingo travel to Elbaph in the first place? The reason might lie with the Celestial Dragons. Doflamingo was a Celestial Dragon at birth and lost that status when his father disavowed their title.

Doflamingo was born a Celestial Dragon in One Piece (Image via Toei Animation)

Ever since then, he's been fixated on regaining it. It's not difficult to imagine the World Government sending him on an undercover mission—to test Elbaph's allegiance, their military strength, or maybe to manipulate their destiny.

Perhaps they wanted to use the giants as mercenaries or gauge their preparedness for integration into the broader military mechanism. Doflamingo, hungry for acceptance, might have undertaken the task expecting to be reinstated to his rightful place or appointed a Holy Knight. But if Harald was unwilling to play along, Doflamingo might have decided to take matters into his own hands.

With his Devil Fruit abilities in One Piece, he could've forced Harald's soldiers to kill him, blaming it on Loki, and caused Elbaph to descend into chaos. That would also give Doflamingo a cover: he could tell the Celestials that Loki had acted rashly and ruined the mission.

Doflamingo wields Ito Ito no Mi (Image via Toei Animation)

But there's a more profound theory—what if Doflamingo wasn't merely doing the Celestials' bidding but also carrying out a side objective of his own? There are good indications that the mythological Nika fruit—the Gomu Gomu no Mi—could have been involved.

If Harald had possessed it, or if the World Government had learned about its whereabouts via Elbaph, then Doflamingo would have attempted to steal it. He might have hoped to win back the World Government's favor by returning the fruit to them. But we know how that turned out. Shanks got in the way, stole the fruit, and spoiled Doflamingo's plan.

In a poetic twist, Shanks—perhaps a Celestial himself—broke Doflamingo's illusions of returning to the world he had come from. And if Shanks is the son of Garling, Doflamingo's idol among the Holy Knights, then Shanks inadvertently sealed Doflamingo's destiny. That might have been the last straw that drove Doflamingo to turn completely against the World Government.

With all the techniques he acquired growing up in Mary Geoise, he built his own empire by using the underworld in One Piece. It's no accident that since the Elbaph incident, he looked for the Ope Ope no Mi—a fruit of eternal surgery connected with the national treasure of the Holy Land. That fruit, previously possessed by X Drake's father, symbolizes Doflamingo's last bet to escape the Celestials' control and take their powers for himself.

---

Doflamingo’s actions with the giants and legendary fruits

Doflamingo cut the leg of Oars Jr. (Image via Toei Animation)

The theory also incorporates other interesting facts. Oars Jr., a descendant of the ancient giants, lost his leg when Doflamingo cut it off during the Marineford War. This relates him once more to the lineage of giants. And the Mera Mera no Mi—the fire fruit—was the trophy of the Dressrosa battle royale, in which Harjudin, likely a descendant of Harald, took part. Each of these pieces ties back to Doflamingo's manipulation of giants, flame, and inheritance.

If Doflamingo did plan the Elbaph debacle, it wasn't an accident. It was calculated, multi-layered, and deeply personal. He may have been experimenting with his powers, paying old scores, pursuing lost prestige, and seizing power in one stroke. Oda doesn't include coincidences for their own sake. So if Doflamingo was indeed the mastermind behind King Harald's fall, it would not only cement his reputation as One Piece's deadliest manipulator but also qualify him as one of the principal drivers of the concluding saga.

---

Final thoughts

Doflamingo as seen in anime (Image via Toei Animation)

The Elbaph incident in One Piece chapter 1152 raises serious questions after King Harald was extinguished by his own crew. A chilling comparison can be made with Donquixote Doflamingo, whose manipulation of King Riku in Dressrosa closely mirrors this situation.

The Parasite Strings of Dofy could have been the reason for the betrayal. Additionally, his association with the Celestial Dragons might have pushed him to the act in order to regain prestige. With motivations rooted in a secret mission, the Gomu Gomu no Mi, and revenge, this theory positions Doflamingo as a possible orchestrator behind the events that led to Elbaph’s downfall.

---

Related links:

• Luffy will need this Straw Hat in One Piece to truly become the Pirate King
• Is Buggy's nose real in One Piece? Explained
• One Piece chapter 1153 confirms the manga's early July 2025 release schedule