In ONE PIECE: Into the Grand Line, the Straw Hats successfully steer through the violent currents of the river flowing up the towering Reverse Mountain, where the dreams of most pirates are crushed even before they enter the Grand Line. The Straw Hats’ victory is short-lived, however, as the crew — sans Luffy (Iñaki Godoy) — sails right into the belly of a massive whale named Laboon.

At the beginning of Episode 2, Luffy works fiercely to free his friends from what he perceives to be a dangerous threat. But after attempting to release the other Straw Hats with his fists, he finds that not every problem can be solved with a Gum Gum punch. So while he’s perched on a cliff racking his brain for a solution, the rest of the crew must fight to escape the enormous sea mammal from within. 

“We hadn’t built a story where it was about separating Luffy from his crew,” Joe Tracz, co-showrunner, writer, and executive producer for Seasons 2 and 3, tells Tudum. “The idea became keeping Luffy outside the whale and having the crew inside the whale, creating this story where both of them are trying to get to each other.”

And by the end of the hour, Luffy uncovers the harrowing truth about a gentle whale dealing with unending heartache. 

So, who is Laboon? And why does he keep slamming into Reverse Mountain?

Laboon, native to the West Blue, is an Island Whale who bears many scars from years of ramming his head against the mountain. Crocus (Clive Russell), a former doctor, serves as Laboon’s caretaker while overseeing the Twin Cape Lighthouse, which guides ships from Reverse Mountain into the Grand Line. 

Some time ago, baby Laboon befriended the Rumbar pirates, led by Captain Calico Yorki (Richard Gau) and featuring a younger Crocus (Russell) and Brook (Martial Batchamen), a gifted fiddler, among its crew. Intelligent and playful, the adolescent whale enjoyed listening to them play their infectious tunes. 

But when they leave to sail around the world, Captain Calico places Laboon in Crocus’s care to protect the youthful creature from the perils of the Grand Line. Brook promises Laboon that they’ll return from the other side of Reverse Mountain, and Laboon can only watch as his friends sail away. He’s been crashing into the summit ever since, hoping to be reunited with the crew. 

Although Crocus regularly sedates the whale to stop him from harming himself, Laboon returns to his painful mission as soon as the medication wears off. What’s worse: the sedative is losing its effectiveness. 

Why does Luffy sing “Binks’ Sake”?

When the whale dips below the water’s surface, his friends still trapped inside, Luffy tries to coax him back up with a familiar tune: “Binks’ Sake” the beloved pirate song that brings joy to anyone who sings it. 

“[‘Binks’ Sake’] is one of the fan-favorite songs,” Tracz explains. “We wanted to bring it into the season, so we found a use for it where it’s not just an Easter egg, but actually an important part of the story.” 

Luffy then begs Laboon to let his friends go, and the whale frees the Going Merry, along with the rest of the Straw Hats on board, as a friendly gesture. 

“It ends on such a nice note,” says Ian Stokes, co-showrunner, writer, and executive producer for Season 3, in an episode of ONE PIECE: Into the Grand Line Official Podcast. “I’m such a big fan of [Iñaki’s] performance, singing to the whale at the end.” 

Emily Rudd, who plays Nami, calls the moment “so sweet,” adding that she “cried when [she] first saw it.” 

How were the Laboon scenes filmed?

The scenes at Reverse Mountain, which were shot in Cape Town, South Africa, during the winter, were the first to be filmed for ONE PIECE’s second season. 

Bringing the giant whale to life onscreen was a creative collaboration of visual and practical effects. The massive tank which housed the Baratie restaurant from Season 1 was converted into “essentially a football stadium made of bone that was the inside of Laboon” for Season 2, Stokes reveals. 

They also built a real-life Laboon that was too large to fit inside an interior set. “It had to be outside,” Tracz emphasizes, adding that “because we couldn’t build the roof of Laboon, the top of his mouth had to be CGI.”

Max Gottlieb, production designer for Episodes 2, 6, and 7, calls Laboon’s interior “one of the trickiest things I’ve ever designed.” 

“The main tricky thing was how you get light in there to see anything, because basically it’s pitch-black,” Gottlieb explains. “I followed the logical idea that there’s stomach acid, and it’s all bubbling and steaming, so it gives atmosphere but also to the point where it gives a glow. So that would help give motivation for lighting and also bring more color into it. Rather than just being a very dark, horrible space, [we] try giving it some color.”

What happens to Laboon in ONE PIECE Season 2, Episode 2?

Luffy uses his stretchy limbs to paint a Jolly Roger on Laboon’s head, declaring the whale “one of us now.” 

“That Jolly Roger right there, it’s a symbol of your friendship with the Straw Hats,” Luffy says in the episode. “So don’t you ever hit your head against that wall again … or you’ll make it disappear.” 

After promising to return to Laboon, the Straw Hats sail for the Grand Line. Laboon preens with happiness to send them off. 

“It’s one of those heartbreaking images,” Stokes says of the bittersweet moment. “I don’t know if we can make a whale smile, but you feel the warmth.”

ONE PIECE: Into the Grand Line is now streaming on Netflix. Dive deeper into Season 2 with ONE PIECE: Into the Grand Line Official Podcast, get acquainted with the Season 2 cast and the Baroque Works villains chasing our Straw Hats across the Grand Line, and read all about those big reveals in our Season 2 ending explainer. And don’t forget to take the ONE PIECE character quiz to find out which Straw Hat best fits your personality. 

Expanding the World of ONE PIECE Season 2