Nami, nicknamed the Cat Burglar, is the Navigator in Monkey D Luffy's Straw Hat Pirates crew. Being part of the original members of the crew that joined during the East Blue saga, she is one of the oldest characters in the One Piece series and also one of the most beloved.
Despite all that, it could be said that as a character, Nami is one about whom not much is known. Indeed, when it comes to her history and past, little to nothing is known outside of what was revealed during the Arlong Park arc. While it could just be that this is all there is that needs to be known about Nami, knowing the author of One Piece, Eiichiro Oda, it could be that more is to come. Regardless, Nami's story is incredible, and one filled with pain and self-sacrifice, all of which led her to find the friends that she has today.
Arlong Park
Nami was introduced in One Piece quite early, during the Orange Town arc. She was the second Straw Hat after Zoro to join Luffy's group, however, it wasn't until the Arlong Park arc that fans found out more about this Straw Hat Pirate. This arc was centered around Nami, following the events of Baratie, where she stole the flagship of the crew, the Going Merry. The rest of the Straw Hats went after her and with Sanji joining Luffy's newest recruit to the crew, Luffy caught up to Zoro and Usopp who were already in Cocoyashi Village, a village located on the Conomi Islands, where Nami grew.
Nami’s island was revealed to have been under the control of the Arlong Pirates for 8 years, and she was painted to be the only hope of the people to free the island. When Arlong first came to Cocoyasi, he demanded all the people of the island pay him a tax to stay alive. Nami and Nojiko, her sister, were protected by their adoptive mother, Bellemere. Only having enough for Nami and her sister, Bellemere was killed. Following this, Nami was forcibly taken under the wing of Arlong, as her skill to craft elite naval charts just as a child was uncovered by the pirate group. Consequently, Nami became an asset to the group and, in many ways, a slave. Brave as she was, she then asked Arlong to leave the island if she paid him 100 million berries.
Due to Arlong not going through with their deal and having her money stolen at the hands of the Navy, her last hope was none other than Monkey D. Luffy. After asking for his help, Luffy gave her a hand without hesitation and, with that, he and the other three crewmates fought Arlong. In a cathartic struggle, the crew managed to come out on top after the battle. With that, they managed to finally free Nami and the island, and after that, Nami joins the Straw Hat pirate officially as their navigator.
Breaking The Cycle Of Hatred
Nami had to endure quite a lot at the hands of the Fishman and one couldn't even blame her if she were to develop a deep hatred for them. However, Nami is one of the kindest people in the One Piece world and is also very strong. This was indicated to the fans when she met Jinbe during the Fishman Island arc. When Luffy infiltrated Impel Down to save his brother Ace, he met a member of the Shichibukai who he ended up freeing, Jinbe. After the timeskip, Jinbe’s role in the story alongside the Straw Hats only grew. During the Fishman Island arc, Jinbe went on to reveal that he was the person who held all responsibility when it came to letting Arlong roam the East Blue. In a shocking turn of events, it was revealed that all the pain that Nami had to endure stemmed from a simple mistake by Jinbe.
After explaining everything to Nami and the others, Jinbe went on to say that he would accept any punishment Nami would want to inflict on him. However, despite hearing that he was a major cause of her suffering, Nami went on to say that she didn't blame him, as Arlong was the guilty one. Even though Sanji resented Jinbe for what he had enabled Arlong to do, he only respected Nami’s decision, despite the prior chastisement of this Fishman. With that, Nami broke the cycle of hatred by deciding to forgive Jinbe and not resent Fishman, despite everything she had to endure in her life.
What's To Come
During the Onigashima phase of the Wano arc, Jinbe officially joined up with the Straw Hat Pirates and, with that, Nami and Jinbe both belong to the same pirate crew and get along quite well. With Nami as the navigator and Jinbe as the helmsman, the crew can navigate the Sunny through the toughest weather.
Nami’s story is not over. Her character only grows with each arc and as she is yet to accomplish her goal of drawing a map of the world, there is certainly more to come from her. Nami will certainly continue to grow from here onwards and the current arc, Egghead Island will surely provide more opportunities for her to make a mark on the world. What's more, it is also possible for Nami to receive a backstory in the future, especially given that her true origins are not known. However, it is unlikely, as her character is already fleshed out properly. That said, only Oda can tell.