Warning: Contains spoilers for One Piece chapter #1051
While Monkey D. Luffy may be the protagonist of One Piece, the emotional climax of the Wano Arc proved once again that he is not the hero of the story, at least not in the classic definition of the term. One Piece‘s unique story structure allows for each arc to have its own “hero,” and Wano had perhaps the most memorable one in the form of Momonosuke.
One Piece is the story of Luffy’s journey to becoming the Pirate King, a quest that symbolizes the desire for freedom and adventure. The world of One Piece is made by a huge mass of water dotted with hundreds of islands, each one having its own separate ecosystem, culture, and social and political customs. This makes each island a separate world where Luffy and his crew stop over the course of their journey. Rather than being just a setting for the Straw Hats’ adventures, however, each island has its own unique story in the manga, told by a cast of memorable and often tragic characters. Most of the time, these little worlds have been upset by evil forces (usually coming from the outside), so Luffy and his comrades have to act as liberators. The series’ creator, Eiichiro Oda’s, talent, however, makes the local characters never feel like simple supporting actors, and this was especially true for Wano Country.
The Wano Arc is a grand tale of tragedy, revenge, and triumph, told through 140 chapters, fourteen volumes, and four years in real life. Chapter #1051 finally showed the conclusion of the journey of Momonosuke, the child heir of the Kozuki clan who was sent forward in time 20 years by the powers of his mother, to avenge his parents and take his country back from the tyrant Kaido. Thanks to his faithful samurai retainers and the help of Luffy and his friends, Kaido was defeated and Momo can finally step in front of the people of Wano to announce himself as the returning, rightful Shogun. Aged to adulthood thanks to the powers of a Devil Fruit, Momo addresses the people of the Flower Capital as an adult, but his mind is still that of an 8-year old child. This moment is the climax of a twenty-year-long tale, and it gave Oda the chance to show his talent once again.
In Japanese, even though Momo’s speech to his people is written in an eloquent manner, the bubbles contain fewer Kanjis than expected of the magnitude (written in grade 4 level Kanji). This too symbolizes the fact that Momo had to rush through his childhood, metaphorically having to grow up very quickly. Oda also nailed Momo’s adult design: he is similar to his father Oden, but not too much. What makes Momonosuke a memorable character is that he was never a strong warrior like his father, but a scary kid who constantly doubted himself. Stepping up in front of his people and mustering the courage to make a speech represents the fact that Momo’s “hero’s journey” has come to an end: he left his home as a kid, went through tragedy and strife, and returned as a transformed, adult man. Oda highlighted the importance of this moment adding his own commentary to the scene, declaring that Momo will be known in the future as one of Wano’s greatest leaders.
The “hero’s journey” is a common template in stories that involve a hero who goes on an adventure, is victorious in a decisive crisis, and comes home transformed. The nature of Luffy’s adventure is so that he will never experience the full-circle catharsis of the hero’s journey, unless Oda shows him coming back to his native village in the very last chapter. This is why the real “heroes” of One Piece are characters such as Vivi from Alabasta or Momonosuke from Wano, who get their closure because they go back to their roots, giving up the call for adventure, something that Luffy will never do.
One Piece Chapter 1051 is now available on Viz’s website.