The Going Merry nearly suffered an unfortunate fate in One Piece but made a miracle happen – and Usopp is the one who caused it.
The world of One Piece is far from realistic. After all, the series is littered with power-granting fruits referred to as Devil Fruits. A person who eats one will gain powers upon consumption, but will also lose their inability to swim. The franchise also features sky islands, human clones and many mythical races. Recent developments have even introduced the idea of individuals sharing a single metabolism. But despite One Piece‘s fantastical premise, miracles still exist. One of the most famous and unexplained of these is the Klabautermann, the manifestation of a ship’s spirit. The Straw Hats have witnessed this phenomenon themselves.
Luffy and the crew may now be sailing in Franky’s proud Thousand Sunny, but their first ship was a caravel named Going Merry. It was a gift from Kaya, Usopp’s childhood friend and romantic interest, hence why he cherishes the ship so much. The Going Merry brought the Straw Hat Pirates to many islands, including one situated in the sky. Poor handling eventually led to it being broken beyond repair, but before that, it showed its owners a rather miraculous feat.
The Klabautermann Repaired Going Merry in Skypiea
Even before traveling to the sky island of Skypiea, Going Merry had already taken the Straw Hats on many adventures in One Piece. It brought the entire crew to the Grand Line, got swallowed by Laboon, took them to Alabasta and faced off with the Saruyama Alliance. Needless to say, the Going Merry saw its fair share of damages — especially with the Straw Hats often roughhousing the ship. Given that the crew also had no resident shipwright at the time, it’s no exaggeration to say the Going Merry wasn’t in the best condition as it sailed toward the sky.
Going Merry may have received some repairs and an “upgrade” from the Saruyama Alliance, but the travel from the Blue Seas to Skypiea took a big toll nonetheless. It’s even burned and attacked by one of Enel’s priests. Chopper did his best to protect it, but his efforts proved futile against the priest’s flame-based attacks. Usopp’s carpentry skills were no longer enough to keep the ship in shape — but that’s when the miracle happened.
One night while the crew was gathered together, Usopp heard a repeated hammering on the ship. He witnessed someone repairing their beloved vessel, even though all his crewmates were asleep. The morning after, he discovered that even the broken mast was restored.
One Piece’s Klabautermann and Its Miracle Status, Explained
The Klabautermann is a mythical creature that appears in various European seafaring traditions. According to legend, this mischievous spirit takes the form of a small, gnome-like creature that inhabits ships, helping the crew with their duties and bringing good luck on their voyages.
It is said to be the Klabautermann that repaired the Going Merry in One Piece, but it’s also believed to be the manifestation of a ship’s spirit. However, it only manifests and appears if a ship is well-loved and cared for by its crew, serving as a symbol for the importance of a strong bond between a ship and its passengers. It also highlights the idea that a ship is more than just a vessel for transportation, but a home and a symbol of its crew’s shared experiences and adventures. One may even go as far as include it among the crew members’ companions.
The existence of the Klabautermann is what makes Going Merry’s farewell such an emotional scene, especially after it makes one grand final appearance to save the Straw Hat Pirates at Enies Lobby. But given the way the Straw Hats had been handling the Going Merry, was it really their collective feelings toward the ship that manifested its spirit?
Usopp Cherished Going Merry the Most, Even Laying Down His Life For It
Usopp went to extra lengths for Going Merry because it was a gift from Kaya. Despite having zero experience as a shipwright, he took on the responsibility of repairing it every time it got damaged. He also took it upon himself to warn his monstrous crew members to do their best not to damage the ship, which wasn’t an easy task. The other Straw Hats, after all, were not too keen on being careful with Merry — and their captain was the worst offender among them.
Luffy’s playful antics accidentally broke Going Merry, but he also voluntarily damaged the ship multiple times in One Piece. Perhaps the most notable one was when the Straw Hats had just arrived at Grand Line. They’d met the self-injurious whale Laboon, and Luffy decided to help it. To do so, he nonchalantly breaks their ship’s mast and sticks it into the whale’s head. Although his intentions were pure, the damage he did to the ship was undeniable. Sanji and Zoro are not exempt from this either. Both damaged the Going Merry on several occasions, especially during their stupid fights.
Usopp, on the other hand, repaired Merry and even fought Luffy for its end-of-life possession. He is well aware that he has no chance of winning against his captain but persists all the same. Despite his defeat, he still earned Going Merry’s ownership. That said, just because Usopp definitely cherished it the most doesn’t mean the others had no regards for it. It’s just that they may have only appreciated Merry the most after learning of its inevitable demise. At that time, Merry’s spirit had already manifested. If this is correct, then it must be the case that Usopp’s love and care manifested the Klabautermann.
