With twenty years of swashbuckling animation under its belt, One Piece packs a treasure trove of characters and stories. Recently surpassing its 900th episode, how such a behemoth of a tale will conclude is anyone’s guess. Eiichiro Oda no doubt has it figured out, but that doesn’t mean us plebs can’t take a stab at guessing. So here’s my take!

What’ll happen to these guys?

To theorize about each and every character would take longer than 3D2Y, but here’re some thoughts on a few…

Shanks: Luffy’s pledged to pummel all four of the super-powered Yonko, even his beloved childhood inspiration and savior. So, the Straw Hats battle the Red Hair Pirates in a Davy Back Fight, with the winner taking the Poneglyphs (Shanks is likely in possession of a Road Poneglyph). This gives the divisive Long Ring Long Land arc added relevancy, and allows Usopp and his father, Yasopp, to engage in a sniper showdown.

Garp: The veteran of justice fights and kills fleet admiral Sakazuki, avenging Ace and liberating the Marines from the magma bodied monster’s reign, but succumbs to wounds sustained during said battle and dies. Koby becomes fleet admiral and promises to make his mentor proud.

Blackbeard: The murderous traitor to Whitebeard with the power of darkness; Luffy races him to the One Piece. Blackbeard claims it first, only to be disappointed. It’s a spyglass that held personal value to Roger, and Blackbeard’s reaction of letdown mirrors that of fans. But knowledge is power, and the One Piece’s value is in its role as a final/ultimate Poneglyph detailing the Void Century. Upon looking through its lens, it answers every question fans could possibly have (and then some). Luffy beats Blackbeard and retrieves the One Piece, becoming the Pirate King, and the truth unearthed holds vital importance in the inevitable war between Dragon’s Revolutionary Army and Im/the World Government.

Kuzan: This ex-admiral and icy geezer joined the Blackbeard pirates as a Marine spy. He eventually dies a hero, and his arc serves as a tale of redemption (take notes Jaime Lannister).

What’ll happen to the Straw Hats?

What’re the finish lines for Luffy and his crew of loveable oddballs?

Jinbei: This fearless fish-man never wholly joins the Straw Hats (i.e. travels with them). It’s too late in the story for him to hop on board as a fully-fledged crewmate. Instead, he gives his life for Luffy to become the Pirate King. His sacrifice, and Luffy’s success, triggers a peace between fish-men and humans, ending the history of discrimination and cementing Jinbei as an icon to his people.

Brook: The Straw Hats’ musician returns to Reverse Mountain, where he sings Binks’ Sake to Laboon. After performing to countless audiences as Soul King, he puts on his best performance for his favorite fan.

Franky: Upon attaining the title of Pirate King, Luffy sparks a peaceful/non-criminal era of piracy, and is hailed as a hero. As such, Franky’s regarded as the world’s best shipwright for building the Thousand Sunny. He returns to Water 7 and reunites with Iceburg and the Galley-La company, but Koby unexpectedly requests the funky haired cyborg designs and constructs the newest iteration of Marine Ships. After Tom was executed by CP5 for building the Oro Jackson years before, Koby pledges to never let the World Government and their wicked corruption rise again.

Robin: After learning the world’s history, she sets to rebuilding Ohara in all its glory.

Chopper: The adorable reindeer returns to Drum Island, where he discovers a dying Kureha. She’s contracted a supposedly incurable disease, but Chopper uses the vast medical expertise he’s gleaned from his journey, most notably his stint on Zou, to save her. She cries, an expression she commonly bottles up, telling him he’s become a doctor capable of working miracles and curing any disease. She emphasizes how proud Hiriluk would be of his ‘son’.

Sanji: the Straw Hats’ cook reconciles with Pudding, and they get married (for real this time, sans betrayal and attempted assassination). He discovers the All Blue, and opens his own Baratie-like restaurant. Zeff visits and Sanji concocts the best seafood meal ever for his mentor, accompanied by dessert courtesy of his new wife.

Usopp: A ship approaches the shores of Syrup Village. Ninjin, Piiman, and Tamanegi bellow to the villagers that pirates are coming (a habit inspired by a certain someone), but said pirates are only the Straw Hats. Usopp’s back from his adventure, and he talks with Kaya. The long-nosed liar tells tales of his travels, but this time they’re true. From fighting alongside the Tontatta Tribe in Dressrosa, to visiting the kingdom of Elbaf and kicking back with the giants; Usopp’s a liar no longer, and is regarded as a fearless pirate throughout his humble home.

Zoro: Dracule Mihawk’s mortally wounded by a ferocious opponent, and Zoro fells the foe in his place, proving his superiority to the Shichibukai in the process. With his dying breath, Dracule Mihawk remarks he’s never seen such swordsmanship, and that Zoro’s indeed the world’s strongest swordsman. Following this, Zoro establishes his own dojo, akin to the one he trained at as a child, in Wano, and Momonosuke becomes his student.

Nami and Luffy: Nami returns to Cocoyasi Village, where she reunites with Nojiko. One day, Luffy visits her in a battered up boat (like the boat he first took out to sea with Zoro, pre Going Merry), asking if she wants to go on another adventure. Commenting she still has some spots on her map in need of charting, and she’ll never turn down the chance to snatch some treasure, they set off. One Piece begins with Luffy and Nami (on Alvida’s ship), and it ends with them too.

The final scene shows the Straw Hats reuniting at Sabaody Archipelago years later, à la a second timeskip. They reminisce about old times, and with that, the journey ends.

With so much at play, it’s tough to hold predictions for everything, so feel free to fill in the blanks, or point out the possible idiocy of my thoughts, by sharing your own theories in the comments. But however this odyssey ends, Toei Animation’s rigorous commitment to animating Eiichiro Oda’s masterpiece for 20 years and counting is worthy of a tip of the (straw) hat!

Watch One Piece on Crunchyroll HERE!

The Game Awards 2019 revealed a fair amount of new and exciting projects as well as offering up awards to some of the best achievements in all aspects of gaming this year. There were certainly some disappointments in the show as well as some great moments. There are plenty of points to delve into so I’m going to be counting down the five best and the five worst moments from the Game Awards 2019.

Let’s start with a few honourable mentions first.

Best: The Game Awards Orchestra

This incredibly talented orchestra knock it out of the park every year with their performances and 2019 was no different. Their medley of the best game nominees was fantastic, with each entry seamlessly blending together to create one awesomely diverse piece. They also performed some music from the upcoming Ghost of Tsushima which was just sublime. I wish they had been able to perform a medley of the best soundtrack nominations too.

Worst: My own personal disappointment!

Okay so this isn’t really a valid point which is why I’m just mentioning it in case anyone else feels the same. I felt a little disappointed by the show due to certain games that I really wanted a trailer or some new info for. Dragon Age 4 was the main one for me but I was also a little surprised that we didn’t get a fighter announcement for Super Smash or any news on Breath of the Wild 2.

Now onto the actual list!

5.Worst: General cringe and awkwardness

It happens during any live ceremonies but it still makes them hard for me to watch. Here it was mostly Vin Diesel and awkward interviews but thankfully there was nothing too terrible this year.

5. Best: Xbox Series X Reveal

In the first console announcement at the awards show, the next Xbox was finally unveiled. After being teased under the codename “Project Scarlett”, it was revealed that the successor to the Xbox One will be known as the “Xbox Series X”. It’s pretty simple in design, looking like a black rectangular box. It can be used on its side or vertically, one of multiple cool features surrounding the console. It will also have backwards compatibility, being able to support Xbox One, Xbox 360 and Xbox games. The Xbox Series X will be released during the holiday season 2020, putting it in direct competition with the PlayStation 5.

4. Worst: Games for Impact and Muppets

The Muppet skit from the ceremony was one of the best parts of the show (more on that later) but the category that they choose to associate it with made absolutely no sense to me. The Muppets appeared before the Game for Impact category. This category is meant to celebrate games that provoke thought, highlight important social issues or provide the player with a message. So why would you choose the Muppets to introduce it? Their opening was hilarious but I felt that the combination of this with the Games for Impact category was very odd. Games for Impact is probably the only category that doesn’t work with a skit, so this choice just made no sense whatsoever.

4. Best: Reggie’s Speech

Nintendo legend and ex Nintendo president Reggie Fils-Aime attended the Game Awards this year- as he has done every year since its conception- and presented the award for Fresh Indie Game. He gave a speech highlighting the importance of indie games and their creators, noting that every game that was nominated was created by someone who started off in the indie scene. It is easy to forget that everyone has to start somewhere but Reggie’s speech reiterated the importance of supporting those who represent the future of the gaming industry. He also paid tribute to Satoru Iwata, ex CEO of Nintendo who passed away at age 55. Iwata was an incredible influence on some of the most popular games today such as Pokémon and Super Smash Brothers. He also had a direct contribution to franchises like Earthbound and Kirby. It is brilliant to see that Reggie wants people to remember Iwata’s legacy. He truly is one of the good guys in gaming even when he isn’t in gaming anymore. Reggie’s charisma and natural likeability made this speech good but his earnest commitment to supporting upcoming game developers and his heart felt tribute to Satoru Iwata made it great.

3. Worst: Awkward Samsung and Stadia Ads

It is understandable that the Game Awards would need advertisements. I have nothing against that. Ads are a necessity for promotional and financial purposes. But the adverts that we got during the Game Awards were repetitive, irritating and damn right cringey. Adverts for Google Stadia were repeated often. In the wake of the criticisms surrounding the platform, it came off as more than a little desperate. Samsung also kept popping up. By the end of the night, I was ready to burn any and all Samsung products I could come across. Like I said, there is nothing wrong with advertising in general as it is a necessity for businesses and companies. However, what I do have a problem with is the way that they chose to advertise these products. Annoying and awkward, the Samsung and Stadia plugs were a bit of a fail.

3. Best: Surprise Sequels

There were a few surprises at the awards show but some of the sequels that were showcased were some of the better game announcements. A sequel to Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice– Hellblade 2: Senua’s Saga– was shown to be coming to the Xbox Series X in a creepy and atmospheric trailer featuring a lot of eerie chanting.  The No More Heroes series of games was also shown to be getting a sequel, No More Heroes III as well as a new Bravely Default game, Bravely Default 2 (though it will technically be the third game in the series). The stand out sequel to me was the announcement-or re announcement-of The Wolf Among Us 2. After Telltale’s collapse in late 2018, the sequel to the critically acclaimed Wolf Among Us game was left in the dark. Now we have confirmation that the sequel is indeed still alive and it has been confirmed that some Telltale veterans are returning to work on it. It is not particularly clear what the situation is with Telltale Games as a studio, but clearly there is some life coming back to the company in some way. The Wolf Among Us 2 was definitely the announcement of the night for me.

2. Worst: Fast and Furious Game Closes the Night

One of the weirdest moments of the night for me was the ending. Vin Diesel and Michelle Rodriguez took to the stage to show off a new Fast and Furious game that is coming next year called Fast and Furious Crossroads. The game looked like a PlayStation 2 title in terms of graphics, quality and gameplay. Compare it to the Hellblade 2 trailer which was done entirely in the game engine (I had to look that up to make sure as I was initially certain that it was real), Fast and Furious Crossroads looks laughably bad. There is a certain standard to video games now as the bar is constantly being raised so I’m shocked that this sort of game would even get a proper look in at the awards ceremony, let alone be the game to finish on. There was also a weird Hollywood vibe to it. It felt like the whole thing was more of a Fast and Furious 9 promo (Vin Diesel even threw in a not so subtle reference to a Fast 9 trailer). The whole Fast and Furious element of the show felt weirdly jarring and a tad contrived.

2. Best: Untitled Beaker Game

I already briefly mentioned the Muppet skit in the show and whilst I think having it before Game for Impact award undercuts the theme of the category, it was still the funniest part of the awards. I’ve been a big fan of the Muppets for as long as I can remember so this bit was always going to go down well with me but adding the Goose from Untitled Goose Game was a stroke of genius. Dr Bunsen Honeydew and Beaker demonstrate a new VR experience: Untitled Beaker game. We are then shown Beaker in the Untitled Goose Game world, waddling around and being shooed away until he is confronted by the honking menace himself. The Goose then comes into our world in Muppet form, honking incessantly before stealing the results card. I must admit, I laughed out loud a few times in this skit. I would seriously watch a whole show dedicated to Beaker and the Goose. Unfortunately, Untitled Beaker Game isn’t a real thing. If it had been, this moment would have taken the number one spot.

1. Worst: Glossing Over Most Awards

Whilst watching The Game Awards, it became clear that not all of the awards were being treated as important. In the pre-show alone, several award categories were skimmed over as the presenter rattled off the names of the nominees and the winners before moving on. Some of the awards that didn’t even make it to the full show were Best Fighting Game and Best Score/Soundtrack (there wasn’t even a mention of the composers or artists). Other awards were briefly mentioned in the show- such as Best RPG, Best Performance or Best Action/Adventure Game- but only the winners were mentioned so the other nominees didn’t even get a nod. There weren’t even any examples shown like game clips or the acting performances that were nominated.  It felt like certain aspects of games were favoured over others and it was such an insult to those who have worked so hard on some of these titles. It felt very disrespectful to gloss over so many amazing games and it was the worst part of the ceremony.

1. Best: Acknowledgement of original games and single player titles.

What I was impressed with during The Game Awards was that there was a lot of new content on display. Whilst I did mention the exciting sequels earlier, a good deal of the announcements where surrounding original games.  The PlayStation 5 confirmed a title in a new Gearbox game called Godfall. A rather vague teaser for a game called Prologue was seen. Not much is known but it is being developed by the team behind Player Unknown Battlegrounds. Sucker Punch Productions released a new trailer for Ghost of Tsushima, a single player PlayStation 4 exclusive. These were just a few of the original game announcements and it is great to see originality being encouraged. The Game of the Year Award winner also demonstrated this. Despite being up against really strong competition such as the Resident Evil 2 remake and Super Smash Brothers Ultimate, the winner was Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Again, this is a great achievement for original IP’s in gaming but also for single player games. This encouraging support of original games and single player narratives was one of the best parts of The Game Awards 2019.

The fifth installment of the Geoff Keighley’s annual awards show has come and gone and as usual, we got to see new game reveals, new trailers, special guest appearances, musical performances, and more celebrities pretending they play video games. And in between all that, some awards were given out. Vin Diesel and Michelle Rodrigues made a surprise appearance, Reggie Fils-Amie kept up his perfect attendance record and the Game Awards Orchestra led by Lorne Balfe took to the stage to perform some of the biggest songs from some of the best video game soundtracks. All in all, the awards show was quite good— well as good as any awards show could be.

Let’s be honest, awards shows are usually too long, and most awards shows don’t do a good job of balancing entertainment with giving out awards. I mean what good is an award show if no one is receiving any awards but nobody wants to watch four straight hours of people giving speeches. This year, however, the Game Awards featured great performance including the opening by Chvrches and another by Green Day, who surprisingly still sound great when performing live. And unlike most awards shows, Keighley’s annual event didn’t try to stuff the evening full of lame jokes. More importantly, unlike other awards shows, the Game Awards also moved at a brisk pace— starting at 9:00 PM EST (not counting the 30-minute pre-show) and ending by 11:45. That’s less than three hours which is way shorter than say, the Academy Awards, Grammys, Emmys or Golden Globes which all average about four and a half hours in running-time. That’s not to say that the Game Awards is must-see TV but give credit where credit is due— Geoff Keighley did a standup job coordinating the event— and while it didn’t feature as many big surprises as we hoped, it still offered plenty to look forward to.

Here are the best moments of the 2019 Game Awards.

10) Godfall

While Playstation didn’t have a big presence this year, Counterplay Games and Gearbox Publishing did unveil Godfall, the first official game announced for the Playstation 5. Pitched as a fantasy action RPG, “Godfall utilizes high-impact third-person melee combat to engage players as they hunt for loot, don legendary armor sets, and defeat vicious enemies. As players face challenging missions in the world of Godfall, enemies and bosses will reward fans with head-turning loot as they are vanquished”. While it isn’t as exciting as Sony debuting a trailer for a sequel to an already established IP like The Last of Us or Bloodborne, it’s at least a step closer to us learning more about Sony’s next console. I’ll take it!

9) No More Heroes 3

While No More Heroes 3 was first announced during E3’s Nintendo Direct in June, there wasn’t much to see other than a very short tease. Thankfully the Game Awards gave us a colorful new trailer featuring anime-style cutscenes and a mysterious new character — “a goddamn superhero”. After a ten-year hiatus, the action game is back featuring the all-American No. 1 ranked assassin, Travis Touchdown only this time, the otaku assassin must face off against some super hardcore enemies from space with his beloved Beam Katana in hand. Additionally, the trailer unveiled that the new project from Grasshopper Manufacture is launching for Nintendo Switch in 2020.

8) Ghost of Tsushima

We knew that PlayStation was going to debut a new Ghost of Tsushima trailer at The Game Awards since they teased its appearance during its State of Play presentation on Dec. 10— yet I didn’t anticipate just how gorgeous the game would look. And not only did developer Sucker Punch showcase both gameplay and cinematic footage, but the trailer was also followed by a live orchestra playing music from the game. It’s a big departure for Sucker Punch, a studio best-known for the Sly Cooper series and Infamous games but Ghost of Tsushima is easily one of our most anticipated games of 2020 and this trailer made us even more excited to get our hands on the game!

7) Fast & Furious Crossroads

The biggest surprise of the night was how excited I was when I saw the reveal of Fast & Furious Crossroads. Pitched as an immersive new team-based, vehicular-heist action game, the new project from Bandai Namco features voiceover performances from Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez and Tyrese Gibson—and, it promises an authentic storyline, packed with heroes, gadgets, cars and non-stop cinematic-style action. If that’s not enough, Fast & Furious Crossroads will deliver pulse-pounding gameplay both in single-player story mode and a soon-to-be-revealed multiplayer mode. According to the press release, players will travel from the streets of exotic locales to the murky world of international espionage, pulling off high-speed heists and stunts as they battle to take down a new threat. There’s going to be Easter eggs throughout for fans of the franchise to enjoy and joining the cast are Sonequa Martin-Green (Star Trek: Discovery, The Walking Dead) and Asia Kate Dillon (John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum). Sign me up!

6) FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE

SQUARE ENIX gave gamers across the globe a holiday surprise when the company showcased the latest trailer for the highly-anticipated Final Fantasy VII Remake. The action-packed video explores the backstory of the game’s hero, Cloud, and his connection to the underground resistance group, Avalanche, and their struggle to save the planet from the shadowy Shinra Electric Company. It’s not the first trailer for Final Fantasy VII but damn is it great!

5) Xbox Series X

With the Game Awards, Microsoft unveiled the name of their next-gen console courtesy of a clever trailer featuring footage of some of their biggest games mixed with the sounds of “The Dream of Life” by Alan Watts.

Initially revealed at the E3 2019 press conference as Project Scarlett, the trailer for the Xbox Series X is perhaps the second-best trailer of the night and it reminded me a lot of Frank Budgen’s insanely brilliant Playstation commercials. While the trailer didn’t give us any concrete details to focus on, it did include its release window and it gave us a good look at what Microsoft’s fourth-generation console looks like. And while looks aren’t everything, I must admit the Series X is a gorgeous looking machine! I can’t wait to learn more.

4) Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2

While we didn’t get a whole lot of details about Series X, the reveal did transition into the World Premiere of Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2, the follow-up to Ninja Theory’s critically acclaimed Senua’s Sacrifice. The team at Ninja Theory is doing some amazing things and this in-engine trailer was by far the best trailer of the night. Seriously, just watch the trailer— and tell me if it doesn’t seem like the game was directed by cinema auteur Robert Eggers. I love the pulse-pounding soundtrack featuring heavy percussions and devilish chants, not to mention the gorgeous art direction. It’s safe to say that Hellblade 2 just shot up to the top of my list of most anticipated games of 2020.

Released in 2017, the original Hellblade was created by a team of just 20 developers led by writer and director Tameem Antoniades. Inspired by Norse mythology and Celtic culture, the game follows Senua, a Pict warrior who must make her way to Helheim by defeating otherworldly entities and facing their challenges, in order to rescue the soul of her dead lover from the goddess Hela. The game blends several genres, including hack and slash, puzzle-solving, and psychological horror and was praised for how it portrayed mental health struggles in a sensitive and effective manner. While Hellblade wasn’t a hit when first released, it has since gained a huge cult following worldwide.

3) Untitled Beaker Game

Several Hollywood stars attended the Video Game Awards tonight but the biggest highlight came during a Muppets-themed segment when the renowned Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and his assistant Beaker took to the stage to present the Games for Impact award to the makers of Gris. Before they announced the winner, however, Beaker was given a stylish VR set so he could play Untitled Beaker Game, a game featuring both Beaker and the now-iconic goose from the smash-hit Untitled Goose Game. Of course, this isn’t a real game, but the segment was hilarious, and it did give us a good idea of what the indie darling from House House Studios would look like if it featured Muppets.

2) The Game Awards Orchestra

As they do every year, the Game Awards Orchestra led by Lorne Balfe put together another incredible performance as they composed some of the most iconic music from video game soundtracks released over the past year. While watching their performance I couldn’t help but wonder why Geoff Keighley felt the need to invite Green Day when all that fans really want to hear is the music from their favourite video games and not tracks from a rock band that doesn’t even work in the gaming industry. Hopefully, next year, we will get more of the Game Awards Orchestra.

1) Reggie Fils-Aimé 

Former president of Nintendo of America Reggie Fils-Aimé (who really needs no introduction), marched on-stage at the Game Awards and resurrected one of his most famous ‘characters’ for a brief moment before delivering the most passionate speech of the entire night. Despite no longer working in the video game industry, Fils-Aime who is an industry favorite did not want to break his streak of presenting an award every year and this year, he pretty much stole the show as he reminded the world why indie game developers are so important to the industry— and why the award for best indie game is by far the most important award of the night. Explaining why, Reggie spoke about the importance of indie development, comparing Shigeru Miyamoto and the late Satoru Iwata to the pioneering indie game developers of today. It’s moments like these that fans across the globe want more of— passionate people who work in the business delivering heartwarming speeches about why video games are so important.