Of course, Luffy’s journey has never been smooth sailing. He has, oftentimes, run into obstacles, and it goes without saying that he will have many obstacles in front of him as a Yonko still. In fact, Luffy will certainly face bigger threats than ever before and could potentially even be captured, possibly by some enemy, such as another pirate, or possibly even the Navy.
Understanding the Vivre Card Parallels Before And After Timeskip
Oda Introduced Luffy’s Vivre Card For A Reason
A Few Allies Hold Luffy’s Vivre Card
Naturally, fans will raise an eyebrow at the idea of Luffy being captured, because at this point in the story, it makes little sense, at least on paper. Luffy is one of the strongest characters in One Piece, and especially after the awakening of Gear 5, it is almost impossible to imagine him losing a battle or worse, be captured by someone. While that is certainly true, the fact is that Oda has, often, mirrored post timeskip of One Piece with the timeskip, and there are hints laid in the pre timeskip part of the series that suggests that Luffy could be captured in the post timeskip.
This piece of paper will bring us together once again. – Ace
One of the most important plot devices that Oda used in the pre-timeskip of One Piece is Vivre Card. The concept of Vivre Card was introduced to the fans through Ace, Luffy’s sworn brother. He promised that using this card they would eventually go on to meet someday. As fans know, this ended up coming true, because it was using this Vivre Card that Luffy found out Ace was in danger and set out on a mission to rescue him. When Ace was in danger, the Vivre Card started burning, and Luffy knew he was in trouble. This is when he set out on the mission to rescue his brother, and eventually, fans know that he broke into Impel Down and later on, invaded the Marine HQ as well.
Unfortunately, Luffy could not save Ace from his execution, which came after Blackbeard turned him in to the Navy. What happened to Ace is irrelevant. What matters here is that Oda used his Vivre Card as a very important plot device, and this plot device has been reintroduced in the post timeskip of One Piece, only this time, with Luffy. In the Dressrosa arc, Luffy had his own Vivre Card made and this card was shared with a few individuals, most of whom are likely going to come to his aid when he needs help. Luffy’s Vivre Card was taken by Sabo, and of course, every captain of the Straw Hat Grand Fleet. Now, each of them can check on Luffy’s life force, and if it starts burning down, they can come to his aid. Clearly, there has to be a purpose that this Vivre Card serves, and the only purpose it can serve is leading those who have it to Luffy when his life force starts dwindling down.
Of course, this can happen in various ways, but, a style similar to what Oda did with Ace would be perfect as it would mirror what happened previously in One Piece.
Why Luffy’s Vivre Card Hints At His Capture
Luffy Might Face Execution In One Piece
Luffy’s Vivre Card is a very important plot device in the post timeskip of One Piece. Because of everything that has been happening in the story as of late, fans might actually forget the importance of Luffy’s Vivre Card. However, it is incredibly important and will serve a major purpose. Fans know that Oda is a very meticulous writer, and he doesn’t introduce things that he is not going to use in the story. At some point later down the line, sooner or later, Luffy’s Vivre Card is going to come into play and it will serve a major purpose.
Given that this card is a representation of the life force, the biggest purpose it can serve is indicating that Luffy’s life is in danger. This means that at some point later down the line, Luffy will find himself with his back against the wall, and when that happens, those who have his Vivre Card will come to his rescue.
Each of them will grow in their own ways and lead to a major incident in the future. – The Narrator on the Grand Fleet
As to how Luffy will find himself in danger, fans do not know. This could happen if Luffy is defeated by someone and then captured, or, it could happen in a worse style, where Luffy is captured by the Marines and then sentenced for execution. Things are especially dangerous for Luffy right now because the World Government is on his tail, and this includes powerful enemies such as the Five Elders, and above everyone else, Imu. These characters are going to be relentless in Lucy’s pursuit, and he might end up falling prey to them after all.
Could Luffy’s Capture Lead To An All-Out War?
A Marineford Style War Is On The Horizon
If Luffy is captured in One Piece, it is certainly going to lead to all-out war. As to when Luffy will be captured, fans do not know at this point in time. What fans know is that Luffy likely cannot be captured in the Elbaf arc, because it is too soon for the likes of the Revolutionary Army and the Straw Hat Grand Fleet to come into play. It is highly likely that Luffy’s capture will happen at some point around the time of him becoming the Pirate King. This would make sense because the Grand Fleet would come into play, along with the members of the Revolutionary Army, it will likely lead to the biggest war in One Piece which will mirror the biggest war in the pre-timeskip, and that is the Paramount War.
As fans know, the Great War in One Piece will happen after Luffy finds the One Piece, and this might even mean that he could willingly turn himself in to the Navy to start this war, just as Roger did, and then, have everyone join him in an attempt to rescue him and tackle the World Government. There are a billion ways Oda could go about this, and only he knows how to use the Vivre Card the best. But, what can be said for sure is that Luffy could eventually be captured in One Piece, and that it would lead to some of the most cathartic and high octane action that fans will ever get to see in the story.
