Why Harald could be among One Piece's most complex characters

One Piece has no shortage of complex characters who face moral and difficult decisions. Among them, Harald is a recently introduced figure who has risen to prominence through the Elbaph flashback.

Though fans have divisive opinions regarding the Giant King’s policies and choice to become a member nation of the World Government, there is little doubt about one fact: he is an incredibly well-written character with multiple layers to his persona. The enigma of Harald had been introduced right from the beginning of One Piece’s Elbaph Arc.

Although his people revered him as a kind and progressive leader, there were also multiple questions surrounding his role in the series due to his suspected relationship with the God’s Knights and Imu. The latest chapters of One Piece have finally lifted the veil surrounding Elbaph’s king, allowing fans to appreciate Oda’s intricate crafting of his character.

King Harald: One Piece’s powerful, flawed, and memorable leader

During his early days, King Harald was a hot-headed Giant who considered himself to be superior to others. He cared little about his subordinates and worked solely for himself. However, after meeting Ida, his life completely changed.

With the help of his partner, Harald came to recognize the value of different races, regardless of how physically strong or formidable they were. He repented his arrogance and began actively working toward choosing peace over conflict.

As a result, despite being a young King, Harald’s rule marked a dynamic shift in Elbaph’s ways, as they chose collaboration and diplomacy over brute force. Unfortunately, Harald’s journey toward creating a better future for his people was far from simple.

While the king believed that becoming a member nation of the World Government was necessary to remove the stigma of Giants being seen as mere monsters, he also realized that the upper echelons of the ruling body were filled with corruption.

Nevertheless, as Harald appreciated the average Marine, who worked for the people, he remained determined to make a change from the inside. However, Harald faced one of his biggest challenges when the World Government offered to make Elbaph a member nation if he killed Rocks D. Xebec, a dangerous pirate as well as a close acquaintance of his.

Although Harald had never openly shown warmth toward Xebec, he considered him a friend. Xebec, too, held Harald dear and even beat up Kaido when the boy insulted the Giant. As mentioned, however, Harald was left without choice when he had to choose between his people and Xebec.

Falsely convincing himself that Xebec was nothing but a criminal, Harald had an intense battle with him in the Underworld, though it was clear that he did not actually wish to kill him. Through this confrontation, the pair’s relationship was shattered, with Xebec expressing his disappointment at Harald having joined the enemy.

While One Piece is yet to dive deeper into Harald’s backstory, it has been indicated that Harald was involved in the God Valley Incident to some degree and was also turned into a demon by Imu’s powers. Ultimately, he was stabbed and killed by his own soldiers, bringing the life of a treasured ruler to an unceremonious end.

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Regardless of the opinion of fans about Harald’s choices in One Piece, everyone empathizes with the difficult position and decisions he had to make. His mental turmoil, as he was being manipulated by the World Government to choose between his friend and the greater good, compares to the heartbreaking developments experienced by the likes of Sanji and Robin.

Though Harald’s story may often be overshadowed by the major revelations during the Elbaph flashback, he deserves a place among the most complex One Piece characters. He will go down as a ruler who wished to make an active difference while struggling to maintain the delicate balance between opposing tyranny and joining the World Government for the sake of his people.

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