User:Joekido/Foreshadowing

Foreshadowing: is where Oda drops subtle hints about plot developments to come later in the story. Unlike a flash-forward, a foreshadowing only hints at a possible outcome of the story, without describing it explicitly. A hint designed to mislead the audience is referred to as a red herring.

Foreshadowing is used a lot in One Piece. Many events were planned out in the beginning, and as such, many clues or hints were dropped, even at the beginning of the series, foreshadowing the revelations soon to come.

East Blue Saga

 * After Shanks saved Monkey D. Luffy, we see the Lord of the Coast rising out of the water ready to attack. Before he could attack, Shanks stares at it, scaring it away. We later find out that it's a form of Haki.


 * When Nami found a scattered wanted poster that Johnny has, she saw one of them that made her groan. Later we found out that she was staring at Arlong's poster.
 * During a flashback in the Arlong Park arc, while Nojiko was explaining Nami's past, someone mentions a rumor about the Fishman Pirates splitting up. This is only explained after more than 500 chapters have passed and the Straw Hat Pirates finally reach Fishman Island.
 * In Loguetown, Luffy is saved from Captain Smoker by a mysterious man. He is later revealed to be Luffy's father: Monkey D. Dragon. It is also hinted that the storm that suddenly forms to allow the Straw Hats to escape was caused by Monkey D. Dragon's possible Devil Fruit ability.

Alabasta Saga

 * The Straw Hat Pirates meet Laboon, who is revealed to have a connection with a future Straw Hat member.
 * Ace passes Luffy a blank paper. Soon we found out that it's a Vivre Card that is ripped from a larger paper and would follow the direction of that paper that it was ripped from.

Sky Island Saga

 * Mantra, the ability that Enel, and several other characters in Skypiea possessed to predict other's attacks was later revealed that it is a form of Haki.
 * When Whitebeard is first shown on his ship, his intravenous drips have the logo of the Doflamingo Pirates, which now makes sense that the medicine was supplied into the New World via Doflamingo's underworld market dealings under the alias Joker.
 * The ubication of Poseidon, which Robin read on the Skypiea's Poneglyph, it'll be later revealed to be Fishman Island.

Water 7 Saga

 * After Ace was defeated by Teach, he was sent to Impel Down to be executed which began the Whitebeard War.
 * Aokiji mentions Luffy's grandfather, who finally appears at the end of the saga.
 * Kokoro mentions the Florian Triangle.

Summit War Saga

 * In Thriller Bark, the Straw Hat Pirates and Risky Brothers talk about the Pirate Empress. Later, Luffy meets Boa Hancock.
 * After deciding to leave the slave trading business, Doflamingo remarks to Disco that slave trading was old news, and that "smiles" were now in. After the timeskip it was revealed to be a reference to Doflamingo's massive business operation with Kaido, in which he used Caesar Clown to produce artificial Devil Fruits known as Smiles to supply to Kaido in order to give him an army of Zoan Devil Fruit users.
 * Before dying, Ace muttered that if it were not for the Sabo incident and a troublesome brother like Luffy, he would not have any will to live. No one knew if Sabo was a person or a place until Luffy's flashback.
 * During the Post-War Arc flashback detailing Luffy, Sabo, and Ace, Sabo's survival is foreshadowed after Dragon showed up late aboard his ship with someone having wounds that required treatment before they sailed back to Baltigo. In chapter 731, Sabo finally reappears in Dressrosa, about 150 chapters after his first appearance in chapter 583.
 * During the Post-War Arc, Buggy received a letter from the World Government. It turns out to be an invitation to join the Shichibukai.