One Piece: Will Sogeking ever return?

Key things

• Sogeking was a legendary hero in One Piece's Enies Lobby arc, which was a turning point for Usopp.
• Sogeking's return to One Piece should only be for comedic relief, not a serious storyline.
• The unpredictable nature of One Piece leaves open the possibility of Sogeking's return, but may hinder Usopp's character growth.

Usopp has had his fair share of legendary moments One piecebut no one seems to have ever topped his brief appearance as Sogeking. Equal parts goofy and awesome, Sogeking represented a major turning point for Usopp's character in the series. Ultimately, his short stint as the King of Sniper is why many fans adore the character to this day.

With this being such a popular part of the character, many fans have wondered if and when this aspect of Usopp's character One piece will return While some think it could be an epic moment or a fun gag to see Usopp put the mask back on, others believe it could be a regression for the character after coming this far. Finally, the story of One piece is always full of surprises and references to earlier moments in the series, so seeing the return of Sogeking is always a possibility.

Sogeking was the Enies lobby hero

A true legend in one piece

Sogeking first appeared during One Piece's Water 7 Arc. After arguing with Luffy, Usopp, still wanting to help the crew, donned the mask and persona of Sogeking, the English Sniper King. In this persona, Usopp was a completely different person, acting like a somewhat cowardly, sniper superhero, complete with his own theme song. The character wasn't just funny though, as the Sogeking had some amazing moments in Enies Lobby, like burning the World Government flag or saving Robin with an incredible sniper shot.

Do you know where sniper island is? The answer is that it is in your heart. – Sogeking

From his goofy antics and awesome moments, many fans quickly fell in love with this goofy aspect of Usopp's character. One piece. At the same time, it also marked a powerful moment in Usopp's journey to become a “brave warrior of the sea”, his lifelong goal. In a way, Usopp was able to be much braver than before under his mask, though at the end of the arc he realized that bravery came from himself, Luffy and the Straw Hats, and not from a stupid person or mask.

Sogeking should only return to one piece as a gag

Stay home on Sniper Island

From there, the Sniper King disappeared and presumably joined the ranks One piece characters who may never return. However, there are several ways the masked sniper could reappear in the story. Potentially, the character could use the mask for a more hilarious moment in the series, rather than a compelling story moment. For example, if Usopp had put on the mask to calm his nerves before reuniting with his father, it could have been a hilarious and heartwarming moment.

However, if at the same time Sogeking should return to the world One piece as anything more than a joke, it may feel like a step backwards for Usopp's character. At the end of Enies Lobby, Usopp realized that he didn't need the mask and that he was a true member of the Straw Hats, not the king of snipers. Wearing the mask again in battle would cheapen the mask's original meaning and hurt the character more than it would help.

One piece is unpredictable enough that Sogeking might return

Return of the King

However, as the story currently stands, it's impossible to know whether or not One Piece's author Oda will return to the story King of snipers. In fact, maybe the crew stumble upon a real sniper island and meet the real sniper king, who bears an uncanny resemblance to Usopp's mask. For someone like Oda, there are probably an infinite number of ways he could reimagine the sniper king without cheapening the emotional impact of his original appearance.

Ultimately though the sniper king was an amazing moment for them One piece sniper Usopp, sometimes it's best to leave those moments in the past. Overall, Usopp had come this far, surpassing the title of king and even being crowned a god. With Usopp, it's impossible to tell where the character might end up next. To return to One Piece's Sniper King would feel like a big step back from Usopp's current status as “God” Usopp.