Summary
- A fan comic explores Usopp's heartbreaking backstory, highlighting his loneliness and struggles after his mother's death.
- Usopp's childhood explains his need for attention, leading him to lie about pirate attacks and feel valued only with the Straw Hats.
- The comic delves into Usopp's self-worth tied to the Going Merry, shedding light on his outburst at Water Seven.
characters like Robin and Brook get all the attention, a fan comic has just proved that Ussop's backstory may be the heartbreaking of all. Far from being appreciated, Usopp's cowardliness has earned him quite a bit of hate from fans of the series on multiple occasions. However, one fan comic proves Usopp may deserve more sympathy than anyone else.
Originally based on a Tumblr post by the Straw Hats in One Piece.
Though short, the comic reveals the most heartbreaking details of Usopp's early life, picking up on the smallest of clues left within One Piece to string together a tear-jerking narrative. More importantly, the comic also paints Usopp in a sympathetic light, allowing fans to put themselves in Usopp's shoes and subsequently understand his character on a much deeper level beyond simply pitying him.
One Straw Hat Pirate Has One Piece's Worst Backstory, & Wano Proves it
While One Piece has created some of the best flashback scenes in all of anime and manga, one of its main characters has one that is underwhelming.
New Fan Comic Proves Usopp's Childhood was Sadder than Fans Think
The comic begins by reminding fans that Usopp was only seven years old when his mother ed away and has been living by himself ever since. As his father had left to become a pirate, Usopp grew up without a parental figure to rely on, forced to fend for himself and feeling like nobody really cared about him. Usopp did not have any real friends for many years either, as the Usopp Pirates are far younger than him, and he only befriended Kaya a few years before the timeline of the series.
Seeing as he still lived in the same tiny house from his childhood and is never seen working at any point in his backstory, the fan comic speculates Usopp likely lived off his mother's savings until he left to Luffy. He most likely cooked for himself and his specialty, Fish and Chips, was likely the only thing he knew how to make. Usopp's talent for drawing and crafting things also likely stemmed from the time he spent playing alone as a child with nothing better to do by himself to the time.
Usopp's Lonely Childhood is an Integral Aspect of His Character
Usopp's crippling loneliness during those years explains why he empathized with Kaya and snuck in to tell her stories and keep her company, even if Usopp's constant lies about pirates coming was simply a way of grappling with his feelings of abandonment, as they reminded him that someone still cared about him. His lying was also most likely the only time he actually interacted with anyone during those years when he had no friends.
Hence, Usopp was surprised when Luffy genuinely wanted him to his crew, feeling needed for the first time in his life. His self-worth was eventually attached to the Going Merry and his ability to repair and maintain it. This in turn explains Usopp's outburst at Water Seven when the crew wanted to get a new ship, as he felt they no longer had any use for him and would abandon him if he too became useless like the Merry.
Overall, this brilliant fan comic captures the intricacies of Usopp's childhood and character in a way words simply cannot. Even though it may not be the saddest one in One Piece, Usopp's backstory is one that speaks to audiences universally, and the hardships he overcomes only make his vow to become a brave warrior of the sea all the more inspiring.
One Piece is available from Crunchyroll and Netflix.
Watch on CrunchyrollSource: @shevoj/Tumblr
- Created by
- Eiichiro Oda
- First Film
- One Piece: The Movie
Created by Eiichiro Oda, One Piece is a multimedia franchise that began as a manga series and follows the adventures of the Straw Hat Pirates as led by Monkey D. Luffy. Luffy, an enthusiastic pirate with a thirst for adventure, is afflicted by a mysterious curse that gives him various powers he uses to protect himself and his friends. The manga eventually gave way to the anime series, with the two being some of history's longest-running anime and manga series. Along with over fifty video games made over the years, the series entered the live-action world with Netflix's 2023 adaptation.
- First TV Show
- One Piece
