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One Piecethroughout the series has always been full of tiny details that help flesh out an incredibly intricate world. Between tiny Easter Eggs that hint at later plot revelations or small side-stories that make each island feel more lived-in, the details of the series are one of the most important parts. Due to the numerous tiny details the series has to offer, fans are always on the lookout to see which elements offer a deeper look at the world ofOne Pieceor offer a new piece of evidence for a long-standing theory.
One arc, despite having been released so long ago, is still being analyzed for its tiny details to this day inOne Piece. The Alabasta Arc, as one clever fan points out, still has many details to contribute to the story. This includes one tiny detail that may have been an early sign ofLuffy’s connection to the sun, as well as Nika.
Alabasta Has Two Main Guardian Spirits Modeled After Egyptian Mythology
Many Considered Crocodile A Guardian Spirit As Well
Alabasta, being a kingdom inspired by Ancient Egypt, at times plays with Egyptian Mythology. Namely, some characters inOne Piece’sAlabasta Arc are modeled after gods from the Egyptian Pantheon. Mainly, the characters modeled after theEgyptian Gods inOne Pieceare considered to be the Guardian Spirits of Alabasta. Pell, who uses a falcon Devil Fruit, shares a resemblance with Horus, Crocodile is connected to Sobek, who is a crocodile, and Chaka, who uses a jackal Devil Fruit, are all considered to be the guardians of the kingdom. Despite this, the true guardian spirits of the kingdom are considered to be the jackal and the falcon, with Crocodile joining in the modern age of the series and acting as a false guardian.
Protecting is not the same as fighting. - Pell
However, at the same time, when it comes to Egyptian Mythology inOne Piece’sAlabasta Arc, one important figure, the head of the Pantheon, Ra, is missing from these ranks. Although Ra isn’t directly mentioned, there is imagery throughout the Alabasta Arc that invokes the god. Being the Sun God of the Egyptian Pantheon, Ra also fits nicely into the sun-based symbolism ofOne Pieceas well.
There May Be A Third Guardian Spirit Of Alabasta In One Piece As Well
The Symbol Of The Sun God Ra Was Shown Throughout The Arc
In a post by flippy123x on Reddit, theOne Piecefan theorized how these elements may connect to a potential hidden Guardian Spirit inthe lore of the Alabasta Kingdom. Firstly, this theory points out the symbol of the winged sun that is invoked many times throughout the arc. This winged sun, in Egyptian Mythology, is meant to protect the land of Egypt and is considered to be the symbol of the Sun God, Ra. However, despite using the symbol, there isn’t any mention of the god in the arc.
The theory goes on to point out how, in many scenes of the Alabasta Arc,the protagonist ofOne Piece, Luffy, is shown with the winged sun. This includes one scene where it appears that the Straw Hat Captain is wearing the sun as a crown. Additionally, Luffy is shown visually emerging from the sun during his second encounter with Crocodile.
Luffy Is Often Associated With Sun-Based Imagery
Ra And Nika Are Both Gods Of The Sun
Based on all the sun-based imagery that surrounds Luffy in the Alabasta Arc, this Reddit user has come to the conclusion that Luffy may be a hidden guardian deity of Alabasta, this time invoking the God of the sun, Ra. This especially makes sense knowing that Luffy possesses theHuman-Human Fruit Model: Sun God Nika. Although it’s unlikely that this was a hint at the true nature of Luffy’s Devil Fruit, it shows the important connection between Luffy and the symbolism surrounding the sun.
Guardian Spirit. - The title of One Piece Chapter 208, which features a large image of Luffy
In the end, based on the symbols of Ra found throughout Alabasta, and Luffy’s connections to the sun, Luffy may be one of the Guardian Spirits of the Alabasta Kingdom. While it may be a coincidence, at the very least, this theory shows just how important sun-based imagery is tothe story ofOne Piece. Even since the early days ofOne Piece’sstory, the sun has always been an important symbol representing freedom and protection.
