Could Boa Hancock’s Love-Love Fruit Awakening Be Crucial in One Piece’s Final Saga?

One Piece is gearing up for what may be its final arc, featuring Nami and part of the Straw Hat Pirates currently kidnapped, with significant attention on Elbaf Island. Fans are speculating about which past ally might rejoin the Straw Hat Pirates on their quest for the ultimate treasure. A highly anticipated return could be that of Boa Hancock.

Boa Hancock’s Love-Love Devil Fruit is a transformative ability, but its main limitation is its incapacity to revert opponents back to human form after they’ve been turned to stone. However, this may connect to its potential awakening, which could also relate to past deeds of the previous user, possibly resurrecting some ‘extinct’ races to aid Boa Hancock in the final arc.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the author’s opinions and may contain spoilers from the One Piece manga series.

One Piece: The significance of Boa Hancock’s Devil Fruit in the final saga

Boa Hancock as seen in the anime (Image via Toei Animation)

Known as the Pirate Empress, Boa Hancock is a former Warlord of the Sea and captain of the Kuja Pirates, residing on Amazon Lily. She was first introduced during the Amazon Lily arc when Luffy arrived after the events at Sabaody Archipelago.

Hancock also appeared during the Wano arc when the Blackbeard Pirates attacked Amazon Lily, targeting her Love-Love Devil Fruit. Fortunately, Rayleigh intervened just in time, saving Hancock, although Koby was captured.

Hancock’s Love-Love Devil Fruit grants her the power to turn individuals to stone who express love, admiration, or lust towards her, with no current means of restoration (at least until the onset of the Elbaf arc).

The Blackbeard Pirates raiding Amazon Lily (Image via Toei Animation)

During the Wano arc, when Blackbeard attacked her, Hancock remarked that her death—not Blackbeard acquiring her powers—could rescue those already turned to stone. This suggests that the awakening of the Love-Love Devil Fruit could potentially allow for the reversal of petrification effects.

Similar to her sister, Hancock received her devil fruit powers from the Celestial Dragons, raising the question of why they wield such a powerful ability. The origins of the devil fruits remain a mystery known only to the World Government. Following Ace’s death, his devil fruits were believed to have been transported to Dressrosa Kingdom, a random spot on the Grand Line.

Kuma as seen in the anime (Image via Toei Animation)

However, the reality may differ. When a devil fruit user dies, the fruit is said to respawn at the nearest location resembling its original shape. Hence, there could be a devil fruit similar to Love-Love near Marineford.

This could imply that the previous wielder of the Love-Love Devil Fruit may have been a World Government operative who cared for endangered races, such as the Buccaneers (Kuma’s clan).

Thus, Hancock’s devil fruit awakening could not only facilitate the restoration of the Buccaneer clan members petrified by the former Love-Love user but also bolster the Straw Hat Pirates as they face their ultimate battle against evil in the closing saga.

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