Joyboy has been an elusive character for a long time, but One Piece Chapter 1119 finally reveals his first words in the story.
The lore of One Piece is getting richer as the manga gets deeper into the Final Saga. In Egghead Arc, Vegapunk’s message revealed some shocking information about Joyboy, the mysterious figure from the Void Century.
First mentioned during the Fish-Man Island Arc, he’s loomed over the story for a long time. He had a significant relationship with the fish-men, who still await his return after 800 years. They also believe him to be a messiah who’ll bring freedom to the world.
His role in the franchisse became more prominent in the Wano Country Arc when Luffy transformed into Gear 5. Zunesha, the huge elephant who’s been walking the seas for hundreds of years, sensed Luffy’s Devil Fruit awakening and announced Joyboy’s return.
However, it isn’t until the Egghead Arc that we start to get a clear image of the historical figure. In Chapter 1115, Joyboy appears as a silhouette for the first time. He’s also revealed to have a close relationship with the Iron Giant in this arc.
It’s through the Iron Giant, Emeth, that we learn the first words from Joyboy in One Piece Chapter 1119. As Emeth is blown away into the sea by the Gorosei, it feels Joyboy’s presence as Luffy transforms into Gear 5. This triggers its memory of its old friend.
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According to a One Piece leaker, Emeth remembers Joyboy’s words: “Emeth, when the time arrives, you must…” The flashback ends halfway. And although we don’t know what he was saying the robot, it’s still a crucial addition to the story.
At this point, it’s no secret that Joyboy is one of the most important characters in One Piece, given his mysterious connection to Luffy and his role as the World Government’s enemy. So, every little nugget of info we get on him makes his character clearer to us.
One Piece Chapter 1119 ends with Emeth attacking Warcury, invigorated by Joyboy’s words. What happens next will be revealed in Chapter 1120, after the manga returns from its short hiatus next week.
For more on One Piece, check out our takes on Bonney’s new transformation and Sanji’s Conqueror Haki. You might also like our rankings on saddest One Piece character backstories and strongest One Piece characters.