The latest One Piece chapter 1107 has generated excitement among fans with its progression of the Egghead Island arc. Several noteworthy developments occurred, including new matchups, character appearances, and plot reveals.
However, one of the most significant moments was the introduction of Blackbeard Pirates members Catarina Devon and Van Augur on the island.
Their presence hints at a new backstory about Blackbeard’s origins and seems to foreshadow his future plans in the final saga.
Unsurprisingly, online discussions about the chapter’s leaks have focused heavily on Devon and Augur’s arrival and what it suggests for the final saga’s direction.
Yet their appearance without the third core member Laffitte is also meaningful.
It seems author Eiichiro Oda is setting up a major inversion of the post-time skip storyline, building on the clever reversals of the Sabaody Archipelago events already seen in the arc.
Laffitte’s absence while the other two Blackbeard Pirates are present implies Oda has something big planned, continuing the Egghead arc’s tradition of surprise twists.
The Importance of Laffitte’s Absence in the Egghead Arc
To understand the significance of Laffitte’s absence in chapter 1107, it’s useful to first look at how the Egghead arc has served as an inversion of pre-timeskip events, specifically the Sabaody Archipelago arc.
Many fans have pointed out parallels between the two arcs. At their core, both revolve around the same central characters – Monkey D. Luffy, Bartholomew Kuma, and Admiral Kizaru.
In Sabaody, Luffy’s attack on a Celestial Dragon led to Kuma and Kizaru arriving on the archipelago.
Similarly, in Egghead, Luffy’s treasonous act of siding with Dr. Vegapunk, who broke the Void Century taboo, preceded Kizaru and Kuma’s appearance on the island.
So Oda has crafted Egghead as an inverted mirror of Sabaody in terms of the key players involved. With this in mind, Laffitte’s absence amongst the Blackbeard Pirates holds great meaning.
It suggests Oda has more inverse parallels planned, continuing Egghead’s tradition of surprise twists that subvert expectations.
Laffitte’s specific role missing implies something big is coming that will stand as the greatest post-time skip storyline inversion yet.
Oda is clearly using Egghead and the Final Saga to re-contextualize past events in clever, unexpected ways.
Inversions in the Egghead Arc Compared to Sabaody
The Egghead arc builds on the Sabaody parallels by also inverting the relationship between Kuma and Bonney. In Sabaody, Bonney’s origins were first hinted at as Kuma’s mysterious connection to her was introduced.
Now in Egghead, their full history as father and young daughter is revealed, concluding this storyline.
Furthermore, both arcs feature island invasions by Marines due to Luffy and the Straw Hats’ crimes against the World Government.
While Sabaody introduced Vegapunk’s Pacifista, Egghead brings new inventions like the Vegapunk Satellites, Seraphim, and Pacifista Mark III models, flipping the script.
Though not yet confirmed, it’s presumed the Straw Hats will successfully escape Kizaru in Egghead, unlike their defeat at Sabaody.
This combined with Kid and Law losing their Egghead fights after winning in Sabaody points to an inversion setup.
Finally, the Cross Guild inverts the Shichibukai – it’s made up of ex-members and, where the Shichibukai prepared for Marineford in Sabaody, now the Cross Guild gears up for the One Piece fight.
Looking at the many inversions already present in Egghead compared to pre-timeskip storylines, especially Sabaody, it’s clear Oda has something big planned with Laffitte’s absence.
Laffitte was first introduced bursting into the Shichibukai meeting, foreshadowing the Marineford tragedy to come. His appearance served as a warning of future calamity.
Now as the only Blackbeard Pirate unaccounted for in chapter 1107, Laffitte seems set up once again as a harbinger of what’s to come.
When Laffitte finally does appear in the story again, it will likely involve or reference events that ignite the post-timeskip equivalent of Marineford – the final war.
Laffitte will be the catalyst that kicks off the climactic events of the series’ endgame.
Given Egghead’s constant subversion of expectations through inverting past plot points, Laffitte’s missing presence implies Oda is saving him to herald in the biggest twist yet.
Just as he foreshadowed Marineford’s pre-time skip, Laffitte’s reemergence will signal the arrival of the ultimate post-timeskip conflict. He serves as a promise that the story’s endgame is near.
While Laffitte’s absence in chapter 1107 strongly implies he will ignite the final war as a narrative inversion, the specifics are still unclear.
He could use Devon’s potentially strengthened powers to infiltrate the Gorosei, for example. Her mission being called complete after touching Saint Jaygarcia Saturn suggests this.
Or more simply, Laffitte may just be sending another warning about Blackbeard to the World Government, directly mirroring his pre-time skip debut and cementing him as the catalyst.
Unfortunately, without more information, we can only speculate despite the overwhelming evidence that Oda has major plans for inverting Laffitte’s narrative role.
His disappearance could be for something as mundane as seeking the Man Marked by Flames, his last known objective. Even that could still possibly ignite the endgame conflict, but nothing is confirmed.
The only way to know for sure is to wait patiently for Laffitte’s inevitable reemergence and see exactly how Oda utilizes him as a character.
