For avid One Piece enthusiasts, the Elbaph Arc has long been anticipated as an ideal backdrop for Usopp’s character to truly shine. In a universe populated by formidable warriors, Usopp stands out as an ordinary human striving to conquer his fears. It would be a remarkable sight to watch him earn the respect of the Elbaf Giants, whom he idolizes deeply.
Elbaph serves as the quintessential arena for Usopp to finally manifest his courage and emerge as the valiant sea warrior he aspires to be. However, one of Usopp’s defining characteristics is his penchant for exaggeration, often fabricating elaborate tales to mask his insecurities, daunt his adversaries, or amuse his friends.
His famously long nose draws inspiration from the Italian classic Pinocchio, wherein the protagonist’s nose elongates with each falsehood. Interestingly, many of Usopp’s fabrications seem to have morphed into reality as the narrative unfolds. As noted by One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda in chapter 796’s color spread, “lies transform into reality.” Yet, Usopp remains oblivious to the fact that some of his falsehoods could be interpreted as prophecies.
Usopp’s Tall Tales that Came True in One Piece
1) The Pirates are Approaching
Years before the current One Piece storyline, Usopp’s father, Yasopp, departed with the Red Hair Pirates, leaving his wife Banchina and son behind in Syrup Village. In an effort to uplift his own spirits and support his ailing mother, Usopp began to feign sightings of pirates approaching their village.
After losing his mother, Usopp, now completely on his own, continued this fabrication to the villagers. When Kuro and his crew targeted Syrup Village, Usopp desperately attempted to alert the villagers, yet they dismissed him as simply telling another of his usual tall tales. Fortunately, Luffy and Zoro intervened to battle Kuro and his faction.
2) The Enormous Goldfish
Before joining the Straw Hat crew, Usopp often entertained Kaya with fantastical tales, including one where he claimed to have battled a colossal goldfish, whose droppings were so immense, they could be mistaken for islands.
Later, after leaving Little Garden, the Straw Hat Pirates were saved by Dorry and Brogy from a gigantic goldfish known as the Island Eater. After successfully subduing the creature, the two Giants shared that they had previously encountered a continent that turned out to be the goldfish’s excrement after it consumed an entire island.
3) Dwarves Consuming the Giant Goldfish
When Kaya inquired about what happened to the giant goldfish, Usopp boasted that he had chopped it up and delivered it to a land inhabited by dwarves, claiming they were still feasting on it.
During the Dressrosa Arc, the Tontatta Tribe members offered Usopp meat from a fighting fish and remarked that it was akin to eating a giant goldfish, reinforcing Usopp’s wild stories.
4) The Colossal Mole
Kuro devised a scheme to seize Kaya’s inheritance by masquerading as her butler Klahadore. Frustrated by Usopp’s presence, Kuro attempted to undermine him with questions about his presence at Kaya’s estate. In response, Usopp claimed he was there to save her from a giant mole that had invaded.
Later in the Arabasta Arc, Usopp found himself facing an actual mole—Miss Merry Christmas, a Baroque Works operative, who could transform into a sizeable mole and tunnel underground.
5) Confronting a Cerberus and a Dragon
Before setting off from Syrup Village with Luffy, Zoro, and Nami, Usopp reminisced about playing with three local children, where he pretended a small dog was a Cerberus and a lizard was a dragon. Ironically, during his expeditions with the Straw Hats, he unexpectedly encountered a real Cerberus in Thriller Bark as well as an authentic dragon during the Punk Hazard Arc.
6) A 30 Million Bounty
In a desperate bid to impress his new crew, Usopp claimed that Luffy’s first bounty of 30 million berries was largely attributed to him. Although this was untrue, Usopp eventually did have a bounty of 30 million berries under the alias Sogeking later in the story.
7) The 8000 Followers
Despite his cowardice, Usopp has demonstrated moments of bravery to protect those in need. When he saw Arlong about to kill Genzo, Usopp fired an Exploding Star to distract the Fish-Man, boldly claiming to be “Captain Usopp,” a demon king with 8000 ruthless followers.
While he may not have 8000 followers, Usopp has gathered a notable group of companions throughout his journey, ranging from the Elbaph Giants Oimo and Kashii to the Tontatta Tribe dwarves and the countless people he has indirectly saved from being turned into toys by defeating Sugar.
8) A Beautiful Swordswoman with Tons of Meat
After having their shadows stolen by Gecko Moria, Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji fell asleep, and attempts to rouse them failed until Usopp exclaimed that a beautiful swordswoman was arriving with a significant amount of meat. Immediately, all three woke up simultaneously.
Although it was a spontaneous lie, it became a reality during the Dressrosa Arc when Rebecca, a striking swordswoman, presented Luffy with a meat dish.
Potential Future Prophecies of Usopp’s Lies in One Piece
1) Medicine that Heals All Ailments
For Usopp, who never knew his father, his mother Banchina represented everything to him. When her health drastically declined, a devastated Usopp reassured her by stating that a miraculous cure for all diseases existed in a distant land across the ocean.
This was a fabrication. However, Usopp’s claim could hold merit in the future, owing to his companion Tony Tony Chopper’s dream of becoming a doctor capable of curing every illness.
2) Descendant of Mont Blanc Noland
While in Dressrosa, Usopp and Nico Robin were taken captive by the dwarves of the Tontatta Tribe. To earn their favor, Usopp claimed to be Usoland, a descendant of Mont Blanc Noland. This surprising disclosure was fortuitous, as Noland is highly regarded by the dwarves for his assistance to their ancestors in past conflicts.
Given Usopp’s history of lies turning into reality, there may be truth in this claim as well. While there is no definitive evidence linking Usopp to Noland, intriguing similarities exist. For example, Usopp’s cowardice contrasts sharply with Noland’s bravery and honor, and their distinct legacies parallel each other.
Additionally, Usopp’s trademark armband emulates the color scheme of Noland’s trousers. While some may view this as coincidental, it may hint at an eventual connection between the two. There’s potential for Usopp to be a distant descendant of Noland, similar to Zoro’s lineage as a descendant of the “Sword God” Ryuma.
3) The Fearless Sea Warrior
Usopp frequently portrays himself as a formidable hero renowned for his valor through his vibrant storytelling. This reflects his deepest aspirations. Despite his inherent cowardice and limited combat abilities, his ultimate dream is to be recognized as “a fearless warrior of the sea,” which remains his recurrent theme.
Throughout One Piece, Usopp endeavors to enhance his combat skills and personal growth. Lacking brute strength, he often resorts to his wit and strategy, working diligently to confront his fears for the sake of his friends.
Usopp’s objective is largely metaphorical and somewhat abstract, making it challenging to ascertain what material accomplishment would mark its fulfillment. Still, he consistently shows an ability to acknowledge his fears yet bravely confront them when the situation calls for it. In many ways, he could already qualify as a true sea warrior.
Moreover, it could be that when Usopp envisions himself as a brave warrior, he is motivated by his father Yasopp, a celebrated and fearless pirate. To date, Usopp has lagged in physical prowess, especially compared to his father and other similarly skilled fighters. Nonetheless, this trend may shift during the impending Elbaph Arc, where Usopp is anticipated to play a pivotal role.
Usopp’s Fabrications that Remained False in One Piece
1) The Slayer of Sea Kings
On the journey to Arabasta, Usopp boasted that he had previously fought and vanquished a sea monster in the Calm Belt. This claim remains unfulfilled and likely will stay that way, considering that the Straw Hat Pirates primarily navigate the Grand Line.
The Calm Belt is a region devoid of currents, located adjacent to the Grand Line. The Straw Hats have only traversed the Calm Belt once, early in their journey, and that was purely accidental.
2) Wielding Conqueror’s Haki
After convincing the Tontatta Tribe dwarves of his lineage to Mont Blanc Noland, they began to view him as a reincarnation of the legendary hero, which spurred Usopp to tell even more tall tales. Among these was his assertion that he had used Conqueror’s Haki to defeat 50,000 foes during the Fish-Man Island saga.
This exaggerated assertion amusingly mirrors Luffy’s actual conquest. Later, during the Onigashima Raid, when Big Mom’s Conqueror’s Haki rendered multiple pirates unconscious, Usopp comically claimed responsibility for the feat.
To maintain a low profile, he even claimed to have bested two Flying Six members. Despite Usopp’s colorful claims, he has yet to demonstrate any potential as a Conqueror’s Haki user in One Piece, showing reliance primarily on his rare use of Observation Haki.
3) Taking Down Ten Gigantic Monsters
Prior to reaching Skypiea, the Straw Hat Pirates spotted ten enormous silhouettes on the horizon. As those figures slowly faded, Usopp boasted that he could defeat those ten monsters single-handedly if he desired and claimed he had done so before.
The truth was that the silhouettes were merely shadows of Skypiea’s inhabitants. The elevation of the island created the illusion of towering monsters with shadows stretched over long distances and reflected on the clouds.
Though many fans speculated that this braggadocio served as a prelude to Usopp confronting and defeating the Numbers, a cadre of artificially crafted Ancient Giants loyal to Kaido, the anticipated encounter ultimately did not materialize.
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