One Piece: Trafalgar Law changes the tide of the New World

❘ Published: 2023-04-26T09:39:30

An image of Trafalgar Law in Wano arc of One Piece

Crunchyroll

One Piece’s two-year time skip has changed the course of the story entirely. However, the pirate who takes charge to change the tide of the New World isn’t Luffy but his close ally Trafalgar Law.

Trafalgar Law has consistently been named among the most notorious pirates in One Piece. Even before his introduction, he was a part of the Worst Generation, the same as Luffy. Unlike the Straw Hats, who were training and biding their time during the two-year gap, Law plotted everything meticulously to achieve his goal. He became a Warlord by offering the hearts of a hundred pirates to the World Government.

Law then uses his status to plot everything “conveniently.” He joined hands with Ceaser to get his hands on the SAD, a key ingredient to making artificial devil fruits called SMILE. However, when he encounters Luffy in the Punk Hazard, his plans take a turn for the better. Since then, Law’s plots and his past start being revealed one by one.

Now that the “Wano Country Saga” is over, looking back to when Luffy and Law meet at Punk Hazard, it is easy to figure out how Law’s actions since then have changed the world completely. The New World loses two Yonkos and gains two more to maintain the power hierarchy. Here’s how Trafalgar Law changes the tide of the New World.

Why doesn’t the two-year gap change anything?

While the pre-time skip episodes cover Luffy’s adventures in the first half of the Grand Line, the second half covers the rest of the world. Upon arriving in the New World, Luffy and the Straw Hats learn of the significant incidents that take place during the two years. This includes Sakazuki becoming the Fleet Admiral, Blackbeard Pirates completely crushing the remnants of Whitebeard Pirates, Kuzan leaving the Marines, and so on.

All these incidents are major for sure, but not big enough to impact the world. These are more personal changes that happen during the “safe” time period where everyone is biding their time. In Episode 616, Law delivers his iconic speech about the New World.

He states that even after two years have passed since the war in Marineford. But since then, no one has accomplished anything. That war was just a prologue of a new era. And, with Law destroying the SAD factory, he has taken the first step to change the New World.

How does Law change the New World in One Piece?

After the “Dressrosa Saga” reveals Law’s past, fans learn that his plan to take down Kaido is just an elaborate plot to defeat Doflamingo. Even though both of them share the same status as a Warlord, the difference in their powers is massive. After witnessing Doflamingo’s powers first-hand, Law knows that better than anyone. As such, Law allied with Luffy to defeat the Yonko Kaido. Luffy readily agrees because of two reasons.

Firstly, he already has plans to take down all the Four Emperors if he wants to be the Pirate King. Secondly, Luffy is grateful for Law saving his life in Marineford. Thus, he trusts Law wouldn’t betray him. Once Law destroys the SAD factory in Punk Hazard, he initiates the major change he is about to bring to the New World. What follows later is the destruction of the SMILE factory and Dolflamingo’s dethronement as Dressrosa’s king.

After a couple of detours in Zou and Whole Cake Island, the Straw Hats and all their allies regrouped in Wano. The battle is by no means easy. If taking down isn’t difficult enough, the alliance also finds itself against Big Mom. Nonetheless, despite all odds, Luffy’s group triumphs and brings upon a great change in the world. Just the fact Yonkos are defeated on the same day is astounding on its own. It took the entire Marine to take down one Yonko, Whitebeard.

This goes to show how big of an accomplishment is on Luffy and Law’s part. Now that Luffy is a Yonko, he is only one step ahead of becoming the Pirate King. However, what triggered this significant change is Law’s meticulous plan to make use of Luffy.

Ever since their alliance, Law has been a mastermind behind every minor and major incident. He even manages to incorporate his ideas that suit Luffy’s reckless behaviour. As such, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that Trafalgar Law has completely changed the tide of the New World.

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