After Elbaf Island was revealed in Little Garden a long time ago, the series finally brought Monkey D. Luffy to this mysterious land.
Yggdrasil tree in One Piece
The latest chapter of One Piece brings part of the Straw Hat crew to the island of Elbaf. This land seems to be somewhat inspired by Norse mythology in some ways. For example, One Piece just introduced the giant Yggdrasil tree located in the center of Elbaf. With branches reaching into the sky and roots growing deep beneath the ground, Yggdrasil is also known as the World Tree.
The World Tree first appeared in One Piece chapter 1127. In a village, giants talked about a fire that suddenly broke out in the forest. They went to put out the fire so it wouldn't damage the Yggdrasil tree. A series of natives are seen talking about the giant tree, as they say that Elbaf “will be over” if it catches fire. So clearly the world tree has a very important role.
The concept of the Yggdrasil tree in Norse mythology
Of course, the concept of the Yggdrasil tree is not new in any sense. In fact, this world tree has been talked about for centuries. It first appeared in Norse mythology when Yggdrasil was presented in the Poetic Edda in the 13th century. At that time, the world tree was revered as the sacred tree from which the Nine Realms arose.
Norse mythology says that Yggdrasil holds the multiverse on its branches, and its body stretches into the universe. From heaven to hell, Yggdrasil is an integral part of the very fabric of reality in Norse mythology. And within its trunk, all kinds of monsters and creatures flourished.
Over the centuries, the world tree has been used in many different series. Most famously, the Marvel Cinematic Universe used Yggdrasil. This tree first appeared in Thor and continued to appear in other projects such as Captain America: The First Avenger and Loki.
One Piece and its connection to Norse mythology
Yggdrasil's presence has fans questioning whether One Piece exists in some kind of multiverse. The Straw Hats have ventured to many interesting islands and lands, and One Piece's world map is certainly strange. From Skypeia to Fishman Island and beyond, many have questioned whether the One Piece world as we know it was created by a multiverse collision? And now, thanks to the launch of the world tree, this theory has been given a boost.
The truth behind the world tree will be revealed as Eiichiro Oda takes the Elbaf arc story further. After all, we only know one chapter of most of its plot. One Piece may be at its end, but Oda still has a lot of stories to tell before Luffy's dream comes true.
