Highlights
- The Straw Hats face a dangerous situation on Egghead Island with the arrival of Saturn and the Marines led by Admiral Kizaru.
- Luffy, the only one who can hold back Saturn, is depleted of energy and cannot fight.
- The Straw Hats may be aided by the Iron Giant and Bartholomew Kuma, who could buy them enough time to escape, but they may face challenges in their next adventure in Elbaf.
The Straw Hat Pirates are one of the strongest crews in the entire One Piece world. The crew formed in the East Blue Saga with five members, and then it expanded to ten. The Straw Hats have been to a plethora of islands, and each of them has provided them with valuable experience. Their most recent endeavor took them to Egghead Island, the home of Dr. Vegapunk. Upon their arrival, the Straw Hats learned a great deal about the smartest character in One Piece.
The Straw Hats also found out about the World Government's intention to kill Vegapunk, and they agreed to safely escort him away. The crew had to deal with Rob Lucci, Kaku, and other Cipher Pol members. Following their defeat, a new problem surfaced in the form of York, who betrayed Vegapunk by leaking all the information to the Five Elders. She was mesmerized during the visit to Marijoa and dreamed of the same lavish lifestyle as the Celestial Dragons. She held Stella hostage and unleashed the Seraphim on the Straw Hats and the rest of the people on the island. Somehow, the heroes managed to thwart her, and they freed Vegapunk from her grasp. But things were about to get even worse.
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Saturn's Arrival Complicated Things
For the majority of the arc, the Straw Hats were unaware of Saturn's threat, and by the time they found out, it was already too late. Saturn was accompanied by Admiral Kizaru, a few vice admirals, and a fleet of 100 ships. As they reached the waters near Egghead Island, the Sea Beast Weapons attacked them. But they were easily dispatched by Kizaru and the rest of the Marines. Shortly afterward, the Admiral made his way inside Vegapunk's laboratory, where he engaged in a battle with Luffy.
When the fight concluded, both fighters were exhausted and in no condition to move.
This is when Saturn intervened and showed off his power. His transformation was different from regular Devil Fruit powers. He looked like a combination of a spider and an oni. So, it is highly likely that he possesses a Mythical Zoan-type Devil Fruit. Saturn seems to have a lot of fighting experience, which is bad news for the Straw Hats. His goal is the eradication of Vegapunk and anyone else who sides with him. Among the Straw Hats, Luffy is the only person who can hold back Saturn. Unfortunately, he is completely devoid of energy, so he cannot fight Saturn.
Who Can Help Them?
The Straw Hats are in a perilous situation, and they won't survive unless someone helps them. If the Five Elders weren't above Vegapunk in the Command Hierarchy, the scientist could have used the Seraphim to stall Saturn and escape from the island. There is one particular item that may prove invaluable, and that is the Iron Giant. Vegapunk revealed that the Iron Giant was responsible for an attack on Marijoa that happened 200 years ago. Unfortunately, it ran out of energy before it could cause any significant damage to the Holy Land. It was created in the Void Century, presumably by the people of the Ancient Kingdom, to fight off the threat of the World Government.
The Iron Giant remained dormant in one place, but that changed when it heard the sound of Luffy's heartbeats, which had been previously revealed to be similar to the Drums of Liberation. After listening to the sound, the Iron Giant's eyes lit up. If the Iron Giant manages to awaken completely, then it could buy the Straw Hats and Vegapunk enough time to escape from St. Jay Garcia Saturn and the Marines.
There is also the possibility that Bartholomew Kuma might teleport himself to Egghead Island in order to protect his daughter, Jewelry Bonney. Kuma may have lost most of his free will, but it seems that there may still be some humanity left inside him. Kuma can use his Nikyu Nikyu no Mi to save the Straw Hats, Vegapunk, and Bonney. However, he first needs to get away from Akainu.
What Happens After
Once the Straw Hats escape from Egghead Island, they will begin their next adventure, which will presumably take them to Elbaf, the nation of giants. Vegapunk and his satellites will be traveling with the crew, and it is possible they may be joined by Stussy. Vegapunk has already traveled to Elbaf, and he seems to be on good terms with Jaguar D. Saul. So it will be easy for them to reach the island.
Many fans have also speculated that Saul is probably the man with the burn mark. So he might know about the Final Road Poneglyph. With his information, the Straw Hats will take a massive leap toward claiming the One Piece. However, it is important to remember that the island is currently under the protection of Shanks, who is also in the race to claim the treasure left behind by his captain. So, the islanders might not take too kindly to the arrival of another pirate crew. Whether the Straw Hats find any success in Elbaf remains to be seen.
One Piece manga is available to read on Viz Media.
