EPISODE CONTEXT

Coming directly off the seismic revelations of Vegapunk's worldwide broadcast, Episode 1144 pivots hard from information warfare to physical confrontation as the Five Elders descend on Egghead Island in full force. This episode serves as the critical pressure point between the broadcast's fallout and the next chapter of resistance, setting the stage for Episode 1145 where Luffy and the Warriors of Elbaf rally together against this unprecedented threat. It's a lynchpin installment — everything before it built the tension, and everything after it will be shaped by the desperation established here.