One Piece has its fair share of some of the most incredible villains we have seen in Shounen. I mean, after more than 2 decades of publishing, that’s sort of a given. So, when some of those villains are defeated and never seen from then on ever again? Well, it can be sad in its own way. Recurring villains are always enjoyable, right? Which is where Enel, the main antagonist of the Skypiea arc, does the unthinkable by coming back even after the main protagonist of One Piece defeated him. 

After his plans to abduct Nami and take her to the ‘Fairy Vearth’ (aka the goddamn Moon) were foiled by Monkey D. Luffy, Enel ends up returning to One Piece. But this time, he ends up reaching the moon alone, comes across the Space Pirates, and then fights the leader of the Space Pirates, Spacey, to protect the Automata. And after all that is done, Enel finds an ancient city created by none other than his own ancestors. Now, Enel is almost a God and this lore connects back to the Void Century, which will play a huge role in the Final Saga. 

You can find out more about Enel’s lineage and his escapades on the moon in the side story, Enel’s Great Space Operations. But basically, he still has a huge role to play when it comes to the finale of One Piece. Which would make sense, considering his power levels pre-time skip were probably the strongest and he didn’t just disappear on us post Luffy defeating him. The fact that all the races he has been involved with so far have been these very important and ancient people, like the Skypieans, makes even more sense. 

After all, it’s these powerful old groups that are almost completely woven into the One Piece saga. They will be the key to unraveling everything that has been built up by the mangaka. And everyone knows that Eiichiro Oda doesn’t do things by halves. So, in today’s Lore Analysis, let’s discuss what happened to Enel and why his return is so significant to everything that One Piece has been establishing since Day 1.  

What Happened To Enel After Defeat?

So, we know how Enel ended up in the position he did. But let’s back track for a second. Enel was originally teased to be the big bad for the Skypiea arc, but turns out he was the overarching villain for the entirety of the Sky Island Saga. And so, it’s easy to see why he would be relevant. Skypiea is an island known for being closest to Paradise, and being host to one of the three celestial people – the Skypieans. 

Enel was a strange villain at first. Described as the God Of Skypiea, he had come to rule over the land and became judge, jury and executioner to both the Skypieans and the Shandora race that also resided there. Despite not being native to Skypiea himself, he was able to gain power through consuming a Devil Fruit. With the power of the Goro Goro No Mi, Enel was able to become the ‘Living Lightning’. Not only did he manifest and harness the power of lightning, but moved just as quickly and ferociously as well. It was no wonder he was able to conquer and rule Skypiea, despite being a Birkan himself.  

However, he did eventually end up losing to Luffy. Why? Well because Luffy’s rubbery powers were a direct antithesis to Enel’s lightning, meaning his powers were neutralized. After his defeat, Enel lost the throne and the Skypieans and Shandorians could live a normal life once more. 

Why Enel Will Return For The Final Saga

While it might’ve seemed like the end for Enel’s lofty goals, he does end up actually going to Fairy Vearth. Now, here’s where things get wild. Turns out the Moon isn’t uninhabited. Instead, it is ruled by Space Pirates that have been controlling the Automata for a fair bit. And Enel decides to liberate the Automata, who lead him to an ancient ruin of a civilization that resided on the Moon.

And this is where we get the Birka lore, because those were the people that created the ancient city. They were a powerful force alongside the Skypieans and the Shandorians, who are forever associated with the Void Century. And they also happened to be Enel’s ancestors. In a bid to try destroying the old ruins, Enel accidentally ends up revitalizing it, leading to him becoming the owner of an army of Automata and now the new ruler of the Moon itself. Like, talk about an upgrade.

This way of keeping Enel alive and in power clearly signifies his return in the later parts of One Piece. I mean, the fact that he is so in touch with the three most important tribes, alongside Oda saying he is privy to some of the most explosive secrets in the series, so of course he’s going to be back!

However, we are still miles away from One Piece actually ending, so maybe let’s hold our breath till then. Still, would you like to see more of Enel? Or do you think you’re fine with whatever he’s doing up on the moon? Sound off below!