Why did Saturn call Luffy Nika in ‘One Piece?’

For over 26 years, we’ve witnessed the evolution of the Straw Hats in One Piece. We watched them transform from lonely and, quite frankly, weak pirates into one of the most feared yet respected crews on the sea. We’ve seen Monkey D. Luffy progress from being Garp’s grandson, to Ace and Sabo’s brother, to the Straw Hats’ captain, and even a Supernova. Now he’s worth billions of berries, leading an entire fleet, and, of course, holding the title of Emperor of the Sea.

The journey through treacherous waters has been quite the spectacle, hasn’t it? If there’s one thing Eiichiro Oda excels at, it’s exceeding all of our expectations that were already set so high all those years ago. As we finally approach the series’ last legs (well, by One Piece standards, that is), fans are witnessing the culmination of 26 years’ worth of mysteries finally being unveiled.

The Sun God Nika, however, remains a mystery, but he’s slowly resurfacing in the story. In Chapter 1094, Nika was once again mentioned by the five Elder Saturn, who referred to Luffy as “Nika.” And here’s why that might be.

Is Luffy ‘Nika’ in One Piece?

Technically, no, Luffy is not Nika – but he might be the next in line to receive such a status. The information we have on the Sun God Nika is very limited, but ultimately, it all seems to circle back to Luffy in one way or another. The latest chapter serves as proof that even the highest hierarchical powers in One Piece are aware that this connection isn’t mere happenstance.

The latest One Piece chapter sees Saturn believing he’s seeing the Sun God Nika the moment he spots Luffy using Gear 5 while fighting Borsalino. This is because the fruit Luffy consumed was none other than the Human Human fruit, Model: Nika. Not only is it the Devil Fruit that Nika is rumored to have possessed, but it’s also the fruit that Joyboy is confirmed to have had.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that everyone who consumes this variant of the fruit will attain the same level of renown as Joyboy or Nika. In reality, the fruit’s true potential awakens when the user’s mind harmonizes with it at its peak, unlocking its maximum power. In the case of the Human-Human Model: Nika, this potential is boundless, constrained only by the limits of human imagination.

While Nika and Luffy are distinct individuals, the Straw Hat does share several striking similarities with the legendary entity: their Devil Fruit abilities, their boundless imagination, and their way of life. According to legend, Nika was the savior of slaves, and in the present era, the story strongly hints that Luffy is destined to become the prophesized figure who will liberate both slaves and buccaneers.

Ultimately, no, they are not the same person. Yet one thing remains certain: Luffy is poised to fulfill the promise and prophecy that Nika left behind centuries ago, earning him the title of Sun God by proxy, so to speak.