One Piece: What are Rio poneglyphs?

The world of One Piece, created by Eiichiro Oda, has many hidden secrets that are finally coming to light as the Final Saga continues. Among many relics and secrets scattered around the Grand Line, one of them stands out due to its exclusive significance is the Rio Poneglyph. In the series, it is said that the Rio Poneglyph is a mythical stone that reveals the story behind the true history of the world.

The literal meaning behind the Rio Poneglyph is the true text of history. In the One Piece world, it is established that Poneglyphs are the ancient stone tablets, and they are scattered across the globe. It is virtually impossible to break them because the material is very durable; it is said that no weapon or force has even managed to lay a dent on them.

Each Poneglyph is inscribed with ancient text that only a few people alive can read. Nico Robin is one of those who learnt this during her time in her homeland, Ohara. Oda has further categorised these Poneglyphs into three categories.

The first one is Historical Poneglyphs, and they contain data about important historical events, many of which occurred during the Void Century. Then comes the Instructional Poneglyphs, which primarily have instructions to locate other Poneglyphs. Finally, the third type is Road Poneglyphs, which is the key that reveals the road to Laughtale.

These came to exist because of the scholars and stonemasons of Wano Country. The Kozuki Clan, over 800 years ago, specifically put efforts into making this happen. They were the family who specialized in stone carving, and they inscribed the texts onto these Poneglyphs while using ancient language.

This was an important task they had to fulfill because they were not just historical records but also political documents. It was an attempt to document and preserve the truth that the World Government is hellbent on erasing. The Kozuki passed down their knowledge through generations, but only in secret, and only two locations were responsible for not letting it die down - Wano and Ohara.

The concept of the Rio Poneglyphs is the final complete record of the culmination of all the information found across the scattered Poneglyphs. While each stone has important information, no one has a linear timeline of what exactly happened during the Void Century.

The viewers were also introduced to this concept during Robin’s introduction arc and were also referred to during the Enies Lobby arc and Ohara flashbacks. According to Professor Clover, it was revealed that when one would uncover information of all the poneglyphs, they would reveal the contents of the Rio Poneglyph.

However, fans have theorized that the Rio Poneglyph could be located on Laugh Tale, the final island of the Grand Line. This theory makes sense because it is the final destination, therefore, it should also be the final piece of the puzzle that uncovers the truth.

Why the World Government Fears the Rio Poneglyph in One Piece

Throughout the story, the World Government in One Piece has taken extreme measures to suppress the existence and interpretation of the Poneglyphs. The most famous desperate act from their side was the Buster Call made, where they destroyed Ohara and its people for trying to study the Void Century, and were extremely close to discovering the True History.

If anyone is successful in finding the Rio Poneglyph would reveal truths about The Void Century (800–900 years ago), the Great Kingdom that was destroyed, the Ancient Weapons (Pluton, Poseidon, Uranus), the formation of the World Government, and The Will of D. This information would expose the corrupt nature of the World Government by letting the world know that they were the conquerors who erased a previous civilization.

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In conclusion, the Rio Poneglyph is a clever device incorporated by Oda to embody the lost truth of a world ruled by propaganda and fear. It is Nico Robin's lifelong goal to find it and reveal its content. And by doing so, she could also have fought for her people who lost their lives while being innocent. As the story nears its conclusion, the discovery and revelation of the Rio Poneglyph will undoubtedly be a significant moment in One Piece.

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