Warning: Contains spoilers for One Piece chapter 1050
After four years and one hundred and forty chapters, One Piece finally delivered the conclusion to the epic struggle for the land of Wano. The Straw Hat Pirates gathered allies far and wide in their attempt to take down not one but two of the fearsome Yonko, the Emperors of the Sea: Kaido and Big Mom. The conclusion of this all-out battle is absolutely satisfying, as it ties together all the major themes that defined this unforgettable saga.
The Wano Arc is the longest in One Piece's 25 years of history, and it's clear that the author, Eiichiro Oda, poured a lot of energy and care into this specific story. Many new characters were introduced, and several of the mysteries that make the One Piece world so enticing started to be unraveled. Readers learned more about Haki, Devil Fruits, the legendary Pirate King Gol D. Roger and his voyage to the fabled island of Laugh Tale where his treasure lies in wait, as well as mysterious figures from the past such as Joy Boy and Nika, and the true natures of the protagonist Luffy's powers. Towering above all this, however, was the unrelenting battle against the overwhelming power of Kaido, which was the final chapter in a long story of betrayal and strife that began twenty years before on Wano.
Everything that happened on Wano, in fact, is the consequence of the death of its last rightful shogun, Kozuki Oden, at the hands of Kaido, due to the treachery and underhanded tactics of the Yonko and his ally, the usurper Orochi. Since then, Wano has suffered terribly under the yoke of its new rulers, with the inhabitants reduced to starving slaves. In chapter 1050, Kaido's defeat is officially announced, and the big underground explosion leaves no more doubts that the Yonko will not come back. The citizens of the Flower Capital receive the good news from Oden's faithful retainers, who waited and struggled for twenty years to avenge their master. Oden's son, Momonosuke, starts transforming from his dragon form. When he will emerge from the smoke in the next chapter, having aged twenty years instantly thanks to Shinobu's ability, he will probably look very much like Oden. Denjuro announces "The new Shogun of Wano," signifying the restoration of the Kozuki line and a new dawn for the country.
The reason why the Wano Arc has been so enjoyable and intense is not just that it advanced the overall One Piece story a lot, with the fall of two Yonko and the revelation about Luffy's Nika powers. What really makes this part of the manga stand out is that it feels like the last chapter in a dramatic saga that took twenty years to develop. While the Straw Hat Pirates have been instrumental in bringing down Kaido and Orochi, readers can't help but feel that this was never actually their fight. It's the people of Wano, from the poor, starving kids Toko and Tama to the heroic Red Scabbards, who won this battle simply by enduring for twenty years, and that's why chapter 1050 focuses on them. There could be no better conclusion to this story than the appearance of grown-up Momonosuke, accompanied by the light of the rising sun to signal the end of Wano's long night.
The Wano Arc has been greatly inspired by the traditional Japanese Kabuki theatre, and Eiichiro Oda showed he is a master in spinning dramatic tales that are just as good as "higher" forms of art such as literature and theatre. The conclusion of the Wano Arc was perfectly rewarding, and the story of One Piece will quickly move forward to the next, epic saga.