One Piece chapter 1144: The Straw Hats prepare for battle alongside Scopper Gaban and others

Given Loki’s ominous words at the previous issue’s end, One Piece chapter 1144 was expected to continue focusing on the Underworld group as a flashback began. Officially released earlier this weekend, the installment instead focused on several different perspectives all around the nation of Elbaph.

While the exact focuses of One Piece chapter 1144 were varied, most of them built up the Holy Knights’ ongoing efforts to abduct Elbaph’s children for a still unknown purpose. However, the issue’s opening focus on Franky and Ripley instead revealed a shocking secret about Elbaph, which may indicate where the arc’s major battles could be headed.

One Piece chapter 1144 teases Luffy getting help from another Void Century Ancient Giant Robot

One Piece chapter 1144: Call to action

One Piece chapter 1144, titled A Time For Warriors, begins with a cover story continuing Yamato’s pilgrimage across Wano. Yamato is seen speaking with the girls Who’s Who captured, now rescued, thanks to Yamato defeating Who’s Who’s crew. Yamato is also seen with Shimotsuki Yasuie’s sword back in their possession, while Otama is speaking to a crying Minatomo, who has also been freed.

Starting its story content, the issue opens up with a focus on Ripley showing Franky what seems to be an Ancient Giant Robot. However, it has been overtaken by local flora and seemingly turned into some sort of building for the Giants of Elbaph. Franky questioned why a nation of warriors would have something like this as Vegapunk Lilith and Jewelry Bonney exit. They greet Franky and say they got lost before finding this place.

One Piece chapter 1144 sees Ripley say it’s good they found them since the horn blast earlier suggests danger brewing in Elbaph. Lilith then estimates that this facility has been here for at least 3000 years, which Ripley says the Giants can’t refute since even they aren’t sure of its origins. Lilith says she’ll make herself at home here so she can do research as the lightning cloud monster suddenly appears and begins attacking the group.

One Piece chapter 1144 sees the Straw Hats finally spring into action on Elbaph (Image via Toei Animation)

The focus then returns to the Western Village, where the draugr has now turned its attention to the partying Giants after destroying the fire-svarr. The Giant Warrior Pirates are seen springing into action, with Dorry and Brogy stuck in the bathroom due to being too drunk. Brook comments on the draugr being a giant version of him, while the Giants urge the Straw Hats to retreat to safety rather than join in the fight.

One Piece chapter 1144 sees Colon receive similar treatment for being a child, while Nami takes Elder Jarul to the injured Giant guards so they can reveal the truth. Jarul decides to have word spread about two other humans besides the Straw Hats being on Elbaph. Brook then suggests it could be more given the amount of chaos unfolding on the island right now. Nami and co try to enter the fight again, but Jarul refuses their offer once more.

As Jarul walks away to help in the fighting efforts, the Straw Hats decide they should focus on the intruders while the Giants deal with the monsters. Nami then spots Colon dragging some equipment to a svarr, with her, Brook, Jinbe, and Usopp asking to join him in the fight. He says they can come if he gets to be the captain, which Nami calls cute while thinking to herself. They then set sail, with Colon calling this group the “Colon Pirates.”

One Piece chapter 1144: The fight begins

One Piece chapter 1144 then shifts focus to the Holy Knights, still sitting at their table nearby the Walrus Academy. Gunko is listening to music on a pair of tone dial headphones, which Saint Shepherd Sommers calls her post-meal ritual. Gunko says she just likes it, while Sommers asks what her favorite song is, to which she says Brook’s New World. Sommers questions if she dislikes the current world, as Saint Rimoshifu Killingham draws their attention to the children.

Jaguar D. Saul, with Tony Tony Chopper and Nico Robin offering verbal support, is seen with shields on his hands in an effort to stop the children without being injured. Saul adds that the children will die in the flames if they aren’t stopped here, initially stopping the first child with his shields. However, this causes the child behind to bump into them, causing both to get stabbed with and hurt by Sommers’ invisible thorns.

One Piece chapter 1144 sees Saul question what to do, with Robin deducing that this is the work of a Devil Fruit user who’s close by. Saul says they don’t have time to look for the user, instead deciding to stop the children with ropes starting from the back. He successfully stops one child, but the fenrir monster then appears to stop Saul from intervening. The focus then returns to the Walrus Academy, where Ange reveals that monsters are appearing all over Elbaph.

Dorry and Brogy enter the fight alongside their crew and Scopper Gaban in One Piece chapter 1144's final panels (Image via Toei Animation)

She and Kiba also realize that this must be a Devil Fruit ability, as focus returns once more to the Western Village. The Giants there are seen successfully defeating the draugr, but commenting on how much it took to do that much. The ghost and the dragon monster then appear, which causes the Giants to begin retreating and taking cover. However, Dorry and Brogy finally arrive at that moment, destroying both with a single Hakkoku attack.

One Piece chapter 1144 reveals them to be on the Great Eirik with the rest of the Giant Warrior Pirates, the ship now converted to function as a svarr. The other Giants celebrate as Dorry and Brogy explain that they had to throw up their booze to sober up, telling the others to handle the children while they defeat the monsters. The issue ends by revealing that Scopper Gaban is also with them, setting up the action on Elbaph to fully begin in the next issue.

Final thoughts

While chapter 1144 didn’t go in the direction fans expected, it did at least make up for this by seeing the action of the Elbaph Arc slowly but surely begin. Likewise, fans can expect to see the Straw Hats’ matchups begin to take shape, especially with all remaining crew members either confronted by or heading to confront an enemy. More likely than not, the next installment will see these fights officially begin before shifting focus back to Loki and his flashback.