One Piece: The Klabautermann of Going Merry expained

Eiichiro Oda may be the only mangaka who made fans shed buckets of tears over a ship’s death. Here’s a deeper look at the Klabautermann of Going Merry and what happened to it in One Piece.

Going Merry’s death remains one of the saddest moments in One Piece, even though it was just a ship. However, that explains how important Going Merry was to the One Piece fandom, not just the Straw Hats Pirates. 

It was the first ship of the Straw Hats Pirates that faced several ups and downs alongside them. However, being an ordinary ship, it couldn’t stand the harsh seas of the Grand Line and started crumbling despite the regular care of the crew. 

Going Merry was a complete wreck when the Straw Hats returned from Enies Lobby. This is why Luffy and his crew had no choice but to burn it completely and get a new ship made by Franky. Delve deeper to learn more about the Klabautermann of Going Merry in One Piece.

Why is the Klabautermann of Going Merry special in One Piece?

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A Klabautermann is a water spirit (or fairy) who lives in ships and is essentially an incarnation of a ship that has taken on a physical form as a result of being well-loved and cared for. They are typically considered to be legends among sailors. 

A Klabautermann resembles a ghostly humanoid child dressed in a sailor’s raincoat and shoes, carrying a little wooden hammer. Going Merry’s Klabautermann was able to repair the ship after it had been severely damaged and burned by Shura. 

Merry was not only totally fixed the next morning, but it was also restored to its previous appearance before being outfitted with different improvements to aid her ride up the Knock Up Stream. Furthermore, after developing a Klabautermann, Merry sailed on its own without having anyone control her sails or rudder. 

It travelled all the way from Water 7 to Enies Lobby, despite the terrible weather conditions. It even dropped a rope ladder over her own side. Merry also gained the power to communicate with others telepathically. 

At first, it appeared that only the Straw Hat Pirates, the crew who sailed on it, could hear her. However, even the Galley-La shipwrights who had never seen the Merry before seemed to be able to hear her during its funeral pyre not long after.

What happened to the Klabautermann after the Enies Lobby Arc?

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After rescuing the crew from Enies Lobby in One Piece, the condition of Going Merry turned from bad to worse. It was deemed unsuitable to sail the dangerous sea of the Grand Line. Therefore, the Straw Hats had no choice but to hold a funeral for it, where they bid their beloved ship the final goodbye.

In the special episode, “Episode of Merry,” a Klabautermann (apparently Merry’s) made its appearance again briefly on the Thousand Sunny. It was sitting above the sails, watching the Straw Hats and smiling. Usopp saw it briefly as it disappeared and shed a tear of reminiscence about the old ship he loved.

After making the Thousand Sunny, Franky hoped that the spirit of Merry would live on with the new ship. It seems his wish was fulfilled, but none of the Straw Hats is aware of that, even if they are close to Merry’s Klabautermann.

One Piece can currently be streamed on Crunchyroll. In the meantime, check out our other anime coverage below:

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