One Piece has never truly explained Haki, but these hints in Chapters 1165 and 1072 reveal it’s true nature, which may help Luffy get stronger.
Haki is a mysterious power in One Piece that Eiichiro Oda hasn’t fully explained yet, despite being introduced years ago. It’s up to the fans to make their own theories based on what we’ve seen, and in Chapter 1165, a new hint emerges. Roger implies that Haki has mass, that it’s a physical substance rather than just spiritual energy. It could explain why the Will of D. members are the strongest Haki users.
While Luffy does have powerful Haki and even utilizes Advanced Conqueror’s Haki, it’s clear that he hasn’t even touched the surface of its full potential. Chapter 1165 reveals that even veterans like Roger and Garp had yet to understand it. With Scopper Gaban’s involvement in One Piece’s current timeline, Luffy might be due for another Haki lesson.
The Will of D. and Its Special Connection to Haki
One Piece has kept the true nature of Haki well under wraps. Although we know it takes a strong willpower and spirit to unlock higher forms of it, such as the Advanced versions and Conqueror’s Haki, it isn’t entirely explained to us. There are only a few characters who can utilize stronger Haki anyway.
However, Chapter 1165 and something Vegapunk said in Chapter 1072 tells us that it might not just be spiritual energy, but energy that has been converted into physical mass. That’s why every attack that’s infused with Conqueror’s Haki, whether it’s by Shanks, Monkey D. Garp, or Gol D. Roger, has led to devastation that couldn’t have been achieved with just spiritual energy.
In Chapter 1165, Roger and Garp struggle to defeat the demonic Rocks D. Xebec, despite unleashing their strongest Haki-infused attacks. The Pirate King says that it all comes down to “mass” in the end. This directly hints that there’s a physical substance to Haki, and it ties back to what Vegapunk said about the soul in Chapter 1072.
Vegapunk tells Bartholomew Kuma about a scientist in the West Blue, who theorized that a person loses 21 grams of weight after dying because their soul leaves their body. Since the soul is the key to Haki, the mass of the soul must correlate to how powerful a person’s Haki is.
The Will of D. members, who have the highest willpower in the One Piece universe, must have the most soul mass. This means they emit the most soul energy whenever they use Conqueror’s Haki, which would explain their natural affinity for it. They have a specific destiny to fulfil, and thus, make them the most powerful Haki users.
Scopper Gaban Will Be the Key to Luffy Learning Even Stronger Haki
During the timeskip, Luffy honed his Haki and became more in tune with how he uses it, rather than knocking down everyone in his path. Silvers Rayleigh, the Right Hand of Gol D. Roger, trained him. However, two years wasn’t enough for how complex Haki is.
Luffy’s training didn’t end with Silvers Rayleigh, learning Advanced Observation Haki from Charlotte Katakuri, who pushed his limits. Gear 5 also came with a significant upgrade in Conqueror’s Haki. In the Elbaph Arc, we’re introduced to Scopper Gaban, the Left Hand of Roger.
Gaban will play a huge role in furthering Luffy’s Haki (and perhaps even Zoro’s potential). As the former Left Hand, he has to be immensely powerful and knowledgeable about Haki. Thus, we smell another training session for Luffy, but not one that will take two years.
Overall, Haki is yet to be fleshed out, but Eiichiro Oda is slowly giving us more answers. Luffy still has a ton to learn before he faces Imu, and Scopper Gaban is likely to be the one to mentor him. He must know more secrets of how Haki works, considering the crew he ran with.
Do you think Gaban will teach Luffy about Haki’s true nature? Let us know your theories in the comments below!
