Netflix has officially confirmed that the live-action One Piece will return for a third season, even before its second season has premiered. The upcoming season will bring one of the most beloved storylines from the original manga to life: the Arabasta Arc. Fans can expect to see the Straw Hat Pirates journey to the desert kingdom, where they will face the sinister warlord Crocodile and his criminal organization, Baroque Works. Production for the new season is set to begin in Cape Town, South Africa, in late 2025.
Luffy’s Hilarious First Encounter with Ace and Smoker
The season is expected to start with a funny and action-packed moment. Luffy will arrive in the port town of Nanohana, hungry and in a rush. He will run into a restaurant where his older brother, Portgas D. Ace, is having a serious fight with Marine Captain Smoker. Without even noticing them, Luffy will accidentally send both Ace and Smoker flying through a wall. This scene perfectly shows Luffy’s fun personality and marks the first live-action appearance of the popular character Ace.
Ace Shows His Incredible Power
Viewers will get to see just how powerful Luffy’s brother really is. When Luffy leads Smoker and his Marines toward the Straw Hats, the situation looks bad. Ace steps in to help his little brother and the crew escape. In an amazing display of power, he single-handedly destroys seven ships full of Baroque Works agents using the fire abilities from his Mera Mera no Mi, or Flare Flare Fruit. This moment proves Ace is one of the strongest pirates on the seas.
The Straw Hats Get Caught in Crocodile’s Trap
Tension will rise when Luffy, Zoro, Nami, Usopp, and even Smoker sneak into Crocodile’s casino, Rain Dinners. Their plan goes wrong, and they are all captured. Crocodile locks them in a massive cage made of kairoseki, a special stone that cancels out Devil Fruit powers. To make things worse, he starts flooding the room with water and releases his pet Bananawani, giant banana-patterned crocodiles. One of them swallows the key to the cage, leaving the crew in a deadly situation.
Sanji’s Clever Plan to Save the Crew
While the others are trapped, Sanji manages to avoid capture and comes up with a smart plan to rescue them. He calls Crocodile and pretends to have been caught outside the casino. When Crocodile leaves to check, Sanji uses Chopper as a distraction and destroys the bridge to the casino. He then finds the right Bananawani and kicks it until it spits up the key. He also tricks Mr. 3 into making a fake wax key. This event shows that Sanji is much more than just the crew’s cook.
Luffy Suffers a Brutal First Defeat
This season will show a harsh reality for Luffy. He faces Crocodile alone in the desert, confident he can win. However, his punches have no effect because Crocodile’s sand body, a power from the Suna Suna no Mi, lets the attacks pass right through him. After playing with Luffy for a few minutes, Crocodile gets serious. He creates a huge sandstorm and then stabs Luffy with his poisonous hook, leaving him to die in quicksand. This marks the first time Luffy is completely defeated in a fight.
Zoro Learns to Cut Through Steel
Zoro will face his toughest challenge yet against Mr. 1, Crocodile’s right-hand man. Mr. 1’s body can turn into steel blades because of his Supa Supa no Mi powers, and Zoro cannot cut him. Pushed to his absolute limit, Zoro has a breakthrough. He remembers his childhood training and learns to sense “the breath of all things.” This new understanding allows him to cut through solid steel, and he defeats Mr. 1. This is a major step in Zoro’s dream to become the world’s greatest swordsman.
The Secret of the Ancient Weapon Pluton
Crocodile’s plan is revealed to be much bigger than just taking over a kingdom. He is searching for an ancient weapon named Pluton, which he believes is hidden in Arabasta. He forces King Cobra to take him to a Poneglyph under the palace. This scene introduces Nico Robin’s special ability to read the ancient languages on these stones. It also hints at a larger mystery known as the “True History,” setting up important storylines for future seasons.
The Arrival of “Water Luffy”
After being beaten by Crocodile twice, Luffy figures out that water can make Crocodile’s sand body solid. During their third fight under the palace, Luffy grabs a barrel of water. When Crocodile tries to blow it away, Luffy drinks the entire barrel. His body swells up with water, and he calls himself “Water Luffy.” While the sight is silly, the plan works, and he is finally able to land solid punches on his powerful enemy.
Pell’s Heartbreaking Sacrifice
This moment is expected to be one of the most emotional of the season. The Straw Hats discover that Crocodile has planted a massive time bomb in the capital city’s clock tower. Princess Vivi reaches the bomb first and stops the cannon from firing, but she cannot stop the timer. Just when all seems lost, Pell, the royal guard, arrives. Using his falcon powers, he grabs the bomb and flies high into the sky, sacrificing himself to let it explode safely away from the city and its people.
Crocodile’s Final Defeat
The arc concludes with an epic third battle between Luffy and Crocodile. During the fight, Luffy is poisoned by Crocodile’s hook and pushed to his limit. Refusing to give up on his promise to save Vivi’s kingdom, Luffy uses his own blood to hit Crocodile, as the liquid solidifies the sand. He then unleashes his most powerful attack, the “Gomu Gomu no Storm,” punching Crocodile through the palace roof and sending him flying into the city, defeated. This final showdown shows Luffy’s never-give-up spirit.
The Emotional Aftermath and a New Friend
Following the intense battle and the saving of Arabasta, the story does not end with just a victory celebration. The crew shares a quiet, emotional moment of departure with Princess Vivi. In a powerful sign of their friendship, they all raise their left arms to show an “X” mark, a symbol of their unbreakable bond. While this marks a goodbye, it also solidifies the deep connection they formed.
Furthermore, the season is expected to conclude with a major development for the crew: the official joining of Nico Robin as a new Straw Hat pirate, setting the stage for the next part of their journey.
Also Read: One Piece Theory: Is Imu’s Domi Reversi the Source of Zunesha’s Eternal Curse?
