DEATH OF THE TREES AND THE TRUTH OF DEVIL FRUIT’S WEAKNESS

Time for another theory based on extrapolating predictions from references Oda makes to other works. But I have something a little different for you this time. The subject of today’s theory is J.R.R Tolkien

Yep, Tolkien. Of course the author of one of the most beloved fantasy series of all time. But where are these references in One Piece?

I suppose i’ll start with the trees since I mentioned them first in the title. We’re all familiar with One Piece’s Adam and Eve, but did you know that Tolkien’s universe also features two important trees? More specifically, the Two Trees of Valinor. The Two Trees of Valinor were sources of light, one representing the sun and the other the moon. Now Eve’s affiliation with sunlight is entirely obvious, and i’m sure people who have been reading my series for a long time are familiar with my assertion that Adam is on the moon. Furthermore, the Trees of Valinor were created by Yavanna, referred to as the “giver of fruits”. This further links Adam and Eve to the origins of Devil Fruits

But the title mentions the trees dying, and i’m sure you’re wondering where i’m going with that. So moving on. The Two Trees of Valinor were eventually destroyed by Ungoliant. Ungoliant was the first spider, and was said to consume light and excrete darkness. Surely this sounds familiar to all of you –

That’s right, Blackbeard. I believe that at some point Blackbeard will be responsible for the destruction of Adam and Eve, perhaps as part of his ongoing goal to monopolise powerful Devil Fruits

Not that this will be permanent of course, as in Tolkien’s universe it is prophesied that the trees will be revived from the breaking of the Silmarils, which contain the last traces of their light. The prophecy also refers to the flattening of a mountain range, which in this case refers to the destruction of the Red Line at End of Series

Now to the second part of the title – The weakness of Devil Fruits. I’m sure some of you have seen a theory going around which makes reference to a substance called Pyrobloine

Pyrobloine is a substance found in Seastone which is ejected by volcanoes. Given that it is present in island cloud it must also logically be present in sea cloud, which weakens DF users as normal water does. But what people seem to have missed is that the sea itself would also have a very high concentration of this substance. Why? Underwater volcanoes. Of course, made a huge deal out of on the journey to Fishman Island, underwater volcanoes will also expel this substance into the surrounding waters

The surrounding waters are of course host to something significant to this mystery. The roots of Eve. I stand by my prediction that Eve is where the Devil Fruits grow. Logically this means that they contain Pyrobloine, as it would be absorbed by Eve’s roots as they draw nutrients from the surrounding sea water. I’m currently unsure of the specifics of why this weakens Devil Fruit users but for some reason the Pyrobloine in their bodies seems to react to other substances containing it. Given that Devil Fruits affect the bodies of their users and not their souls (confirmed by Tashigi’s use of Smoker’s power after their body swap)

it would be reasonable to assume that their cells are being altered, meaning the weakening is likely tied to that. Speculative guess would say that Pyrobloine in some way affects the Mitochondria, which of course generate energy for cells and if stopped would result in the loss of their powers and energy. Given it’s presence in Skypiea it’s reasonable to assume that Pyrobloine is very easy to transfer airborne, which means it may also be the cause of DFs transferring to nearby fruits as it alters the cells of it’s new host after travelling through the air

This can also be tied to Tolkien. If a Devil Fruit were to be thrown into a volcano, what do you think would happen? The cells and Pyrobloine that cause it to have it’s power would likely return to the massive concentration of it in the magma, erasing it and permanently destroying the fruit in question. But why is this relevant?

“One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them”

What do you get if you replace “Ring” with “Fruit”? The Yami Yami no Mi. The Yami will be destroyed after Blackbeard’s death to prevent another like him appearing, mirroring the end of the Lord of the Rings trilogy

*Theory by Go D. Usopp