Warning: The following contains spoilers for One Piece up to chapter #1181.The Elbaph arc has quickly emerged as one of the most thrilling storylines in all of One Piece. Unlike previous arcs that took their time with slow exploration, the land of the giants jumped right into the action by featuring some of the greatest fights in the entire series, especially the massive climax between Roger, Garp, and Rocks during the God Valley Incident.
As the final saga progresses, creator Eiichiro Oda is pushing the series’ powerscaling to new heights by introducing immensely strong characters. The shadowy ruler has finally stepped into the spotlight, making a clear claim to the title of King of the World. Between Imu, the God’s Knights, Loki, the Straw Hats, and the Pirate King’s right-hand man, Scopper Gaban, the whole hierarchy of One Piece is about to change with Elbaph.
10
Manmayer Gunko
As one of the elite God’s Knights, Manmayer Gunko is an incredibly skilled combatant. After receiving a special Covenant from Imu, Gunko possesses true immortality, allowing her to instantly heal from point-blank explosions without suffering a single scratch. Furthermore, her Devil Fruit, the Aro Aro no Mi, lets her generate incredibly versatile arrow-tipped strips. The Knight utilizes these strips to trap enemies, create giant punching gloves, fly through the air, and effortlessly redirect incoming attacks.
Gunko proved exactly how ruthless she can be on Elbaph by quickly defeating four different members of the Straw Hat crew, including the shipwright Jinbe. The Knight even managed to take down the legendary Scopper Gaban by taking his giant son hostage. However, what makes Gunko exceptionally dangerous is her horrifying role as Imu’s physical vessel, a twisted bond that allows the shadowy ruler to hijack her body and unleash devastating Conqueror’s Haki.
Despite all of this evil, Gunko hides a deeply tragic past. She is actually Princess Shuri from Brook’s past. With her erased memories occasionally resurfacing to fight Imu’s possession, her unpredictable nature makes her one of the most exciting wild cards in the final saga.
9
Shepherd Sommers
Shepherd Sommers proves why the God’s Knights are so terrifying. By receiving a special Covenant from Imu, this World Noble possesses true immortality, functioning just like the Five Elders. Because of this trait, the Knight can easily survive the deadliest hits. Sommers pairs these regenerative abilities with the Iba Iba no Mi, a Paramecia Devil Fruit that allows him to summon invisible thorny vines and swing a massive spiked club.
Yet, his absolute biggest flaw is his own cruel ego. During the Elbaph invasion, Sommers wasted time mocking his enemies and laying nasty traps for the young giants. Naturally, this arrogant overconfidence backfired spectacularly.
After being cleverly tricked by Nico Robin and severely hurt by Scopper Gaban’s Conqueror’s Haki, Sommers was crushed by Luffy and Loki’s combo attack. The Knight was left in pieces, with his weird metal heart fully exposed on the battlefield. He faced total defeat right up until Imu stepped in to save him with a mysterious “Omen” ability. Thanks to that last-second rescue, this evil Celestial Dragon remains a deadly threat.
8
Rimoshifu Killingham
Serving as a World Noble and God’s Knight, Rimoshifu Killingham possesses an arsenal of broken abilities. Thanks to a “Covenant” deal with Imu, Killingham is completely immortal, surviving to the point where he can be chopped apart and still talk right out of his severed head.
On top of that, the World Noble wields the Awakened Ryu Ryu no Mi, Model: Kirin. This Mythical Zoan lets him effortlessly slam giant warriors right into the ground. However, his most dangerous trick is actually psychological. Killingham’s Devil Fruit powers allow him to put enemies to sleep from afar and pull their dreams directly into the real world.
During the chaos on Elbaph, the Knight used this terrifying trick to create huge nightmare monsters using the minds of captured giant children. Creating even the god of liberation, Sun God Nika.
Despite boasting these broken abilities, his huge arrogance eventually caught up with him. Sanji, Jinbe, and Franky managed to overwhelm the Knight in combat, chopping him up and tying his pieces together so he could not regenerate. Still, with Imu stepping in to rescue him, Killingham remains a deadly threat who has yet to show his true potential.
7
Vinsmoke Sanji
Awakening his dormant Germa 66 genetics turned Sanji’s body into a nearly unbreakable weapon. By combining this tough physical form with his Haki, the Straw Hats’ cook successfully created the devastating “Ifrit Jambe” fighting style. This unique technique coats his kicks in super-hot blue flames.
This new power boost really shined during the chaos on Egghead Island. In a shocking moment, Sanji literally shattered Admiral Kizaru’s light beam, a move that completely broke the laws of physics and left the Admiral visibly stunned.
His blazing speed and smart instincts continue to carry him through the battles on Elbaph. Sanji stepped right up to challenge Rimoshifu Killingham, one of the immortal God’s Knights. Using Sky Walk to control the aerial battlefield, Sanji completely crushed the Knight’s guard with a heavy kick, stopping the holy warrior from regenerating. He even fearlessly went straight after Imu just to protect the crew. Thanks to his crazy movement speed, tough skin, and fiery strikes, Sanji remains easily one of the strongest fighters around.
6
Roronoa Zoro
Roronoa Zoro’s journey into becoming a top-tier swordsman is undeniable. Amidst the chaos on Egghead Island, the Straw Hats’ second-in-command easily defeated an awakened Rob Lucci, finishing the assassin off by unleashing his signature “King of Hell: Three Sword Style.” The swordsman even stepped up to fight Saint Nusjuro, clearly showing he can hold his own against top-tier enemies.
His time on Elbaph has pushed those combat limits even further. While exploring the dangerous Land of Gods, Zoro managed to block strikes from the legendary Scopper Gaban. This brief clash eventually gave him a huge wake-up call about his unnoticed power. Gaban helped the swordsman realize his potential as a rare user of Conqueror’s Haki.
More importantly, Zoro learned that this powerful Haki can completely cancel out the immortality of the God’s Knights. Armed with his legendary sword Enma and this powerful new trick, he cut right through the demonic giants. Feats exactly like this prove why Zoro is perfectly on track to become the greatest swordsman alive.
5
Scopper Gaban
Scopper Gaban easily lived up to his reputation as the Pirate King’s legendary “Left Hand.” His grand introduction in the Elbaph arc clearly demonstrates that the seasoned veteran has not lost his touch at all. Despite his age, the Pirate King’s navigator’s quick speed and immense power remain terrifying. When he first tested the Straw Hats, Gaban effortlessly played around with Luffy, forcing the young Emperor to use Gear 5 just to keep up.
Mountain-Eater’s shining moment arrived during the intense battle against the God’s Knights. Swinging his signature twin axes, he displayed an amazing mastery of Conqueror’s Haki. By coating his weapons in this incredibly powerful energy, he completely bypassed the Knights’ immortality, slicing right through Shepherd Sommers and dropping the holy warrior with a single, quick strike.
Although Gaban later suffered serious injuries from Gunko while protecting his giant son, Colon, his overwhelming Haki and brilliant battle plans helped save the day. Gaban proved beyond a doubt that he is still a top-tier fighter, perfectly matching his title as Roger’s second-in-command.
4
Monkey D. Luffy
Monkey D. Luffy has officially cemented his rightful status as the Emperor of the Sea. Awakening his Devil Fruit pushed his strength to unbelievable new heights. By using Gear 5, the Straw Hats Captain fights with absolute freedom, relying on a wacky, cartoon-like style that literally bends reality. Back on Egghead Island, Luffy easily humbled an awakened Rob Lucci before going straight into fighting toe-to-toe against Admiral Kizaru and the immortal Five Elders all at once.
One Piece’s Final Villain Won’t Be Taken Down By Luffy
The Straw Hat captain isn’t ready for the King of the World, but Elbaph’s Accursed Prince is the perfect match.
That momentum has not slowed down since arriving in Elbaph. The Emperor’s control over Advanced Conqueror’s Haki stands as the most dangerous tool in his arsenal. Luffy figured out how to use it to bypass the immortality by defeating Shepherd Sommers with a single heavy strike. He even managed to effortlessly brush off Imu’s terrifying “Domi Reversi” attack.
Despite possessing all this power, a huge stamina issue still limits his true potential. Gear 5 burns through his energy at a dangerous pace, and when the time runs out, the form turns him into a helpless, deflated old man. Until Luffy figures out a way to utilize it properly, relying on this god-like power will always be a huge gamble.
3
Loki
Prince Loki’s long-awaited introduction proved he is much more than just a disgraced royal. Despite being locked away for years in the freezing Underworld of Elbaph, his raw strength never faded. The primary source of his overwhelming power is his Devil Fruit, a Mythical Zoan that allows him to transform into Nidhöggr, the largest dragon in the world. While in this giant form, he can fly and shoot deadly lightning from his mouth, making him a walking natural disaster.
Yet, his dragon transformation is only half of the threat. Loki also wields a massive hammer named Ragnir, a weapon that actually has its own Zoan fruit. This unique tool lets him rain down lightning or completely freeze his targets in place. Furthermore, he is one of the rare fighters capable of infusing his attacks with Conqueror’s Haki, a trick he famously used to bypass his father, King Harald’s, immortality.
During the current war on Elbaph, Loki’s combat skills are truly shining. After a brief team-up with Gear 5 Luffy, he effortlessly crushed Gunko, a God Knight possessed by Imu. Immediately after that, he bravely went toe-to-toe with Imu. The sheer fact that Loki took multiple direct hits from Imu’s dark “Omen” power and managed to stay standing proves his physical durability is completely off the charts.
2
Figarland Shamrock
Serving as the Commander of the God’s Knights, Figarland Shamrock’s authority is second only to the Five Elders, firmly establishing him as one of the most influential figures within the World Government. Unlike his brother, Shamrock is a completely ruthless combatant on the battlefield. The God’s Knights Commander holds a special “Covenant” with Imu, a deal that grants him immortality and the ability to travel through the Abyss.
His Haki feels wildly unnatural, shooting out as thick black lightning that scares even seasoned veteran fighters. Similar to Loki, Shamrock also wields a special sword that ate an Awakened Mythical Devil Fruit: Cerberus, turning his weapon into a deadly, three-headed hound made of razor-sharp blades.
Shanks has canonically defeated Loki, and since Shamrock is assumed to be just as strong as his twin brother, it justifies his narrative feats.
During the Elbaph invasion, Shamrock tortured Loki and left him bleeding on the ground, an incredibly impressive feat considering the prince boasts some of the strongest durability in the entire series. While this commander’s full potential remains a mystery since he rushed straight back to Mary Geoise to handle a major crisis, Garling noted in flashback that Shanks is only now reaching Shamrock’s level of strength. This statement easily proves that this Celestial Dragon is in a league of his own.
1
Imu
When Imu finally stepped out of the castle, it quickly became clear that the King of the World is undeniably the strongest character not just on Elbaph, but in the entire series. The sheer burst of this ruler’s Conqueror’s Haki was so overwhelming that it knocked out many of the strongest warriors on the island. Beyond just being immortal, the mysterious villain is an incredibly skilled warrior.
Imu proved this right out of the gate by taking down Zoro and Sanji with a single hit. Defeating the two wings of a reigning Emperor with just one attack is a completely terrifying feat. This crushing blow was delivered using a mysterious black flame known as “Omen.” Destroying two of the best pirate commanders with such ease puts Imu in a league of his own.
- First Film
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One Piece: The Movie
- Cast
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Kazuya Nakai, Akemi Okamura, Kappei Yamaguchi, Hiroaki Hirata, Ikue Ôtani, Yuriko Yamaguchi
- Created by
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Eiichiro Oda
- Character(s)
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Monkey D. Luffy, Roronora Zoro, Nami (One Piece), Nico Robin, Usopp (One Piece), Vinsmoke Sanji, Tony Tony Chopper, Franky (One Piece), Jimbei (One Piece)