In a recent Q&A segment tied to the ongoing God Valley-focused material, Oda reportedly confirmed that a brand-new character introduced in this flashback stands above Rocks D. Xebec, Gol D. Roger, and Edward “Whitebeard” Newgate in terms of overall strength. For a series where these three have long been treated as the absolute peak of the pirate era, that one comment was enough to shake the community overnight.
And the wildest part? This reveal doesn’t come from the present timeline, but from the God Valley Incident — a story from the past that already feels bigger than most arcs set in the current day.
The God Valley Arc Has Taken Over the Fandom
The God Valley flashback has become one of the most talked-about stretches in One Piece history. Instead of just filling in a few gaps, Oda turned this long-mysterious event into a full-blown epic, stacking the cast with legendary names:
- Rocks D. Xebec, the terrifying captain who once aimed to rule the world
- Gol D. Roger, the Pirate King himself in his prime
- Monkey D. Garp, still earning the title of “Hero of the Marines”
- And shadowy figures like Imu and key Celestial Dragons pulling strings behind the scenes
Rather than feeling like a side story, God Valley reads like a historical saga — the kind of event that quietly shaped everything we see in the main timeline. The arc dives deep into the politics of the Celestial Dragons, the balance of power between pirates and the World Government, and the origins of the current era of piracy.
For many fans, it’s the closest we’ve ever been to seeing the “true history” that the series has been teasing since the earliest chapters.
A New Monster Above Legends
That’s exactly why Oda’s “new strongest character” comment hits so hard.
According to fan reports from the Q&A, Oda describes this newcomer as someone who, at their peak, would defeat Rocks, Roger, and Whitebeard more often than not. He doesn’t downplay the legends — instead, he frames this character as a unique outlier, a once-in-a-century monster who never got the same spotlight as the names that shaped the world.
Within the context of the God Valley Incident, this figure becomes:
- A deciding force in a battle that already involves pirates, marines, and nobility
- A living reminder that there were powers in the old era that history chose to bury
- A direct threat to the carefully maintained myth that Roger, Whitebeard, and Rocks were the unquestioned top of their generation
For a fandom that has spent years arguing about who would win between Roger, Whitebeard, Kaido, and Shanks, introducing someone even stronger is like dropping a bomb into every power-scaling thread on social media.
Fans Don’t Want to Return to the Straw Hats Yet
What’s even more surprising is how many readers aren’t ready to leave this flashback.
Across X (formerly Twitter), Reddit, and TikTok, fans are openly saying that the God Valley material is the most exciting One Piece has felt in years. The combination of:
- Darker themes
- High-stakes political drama
- And nonstop lore reveals
…has made this arc feel completely different from the usual Straw Hat adventures. One fan put it simply:
“If we return to the Straw Hats now, it’ll feel like waking up from a dream.”
That sentiment sums up a rare moment in One Piece history: the past has become so gripping that many viewers are fine putting Luffy’s current journey on pause just to keep exploring it.
Even the reveal that this new character surpasses Rocks, Roger, and Whitebeard fits into that feeling. It reinforces the idea that the world Luffy is trying to understand is much bigger and more terrifying than anyone realized — and that even the legends we thought we knew might only be part of the story.
What Oda’s “Confirmation” Really Means
As always with Oda, there’s nuance behind the headline. His comment doesn’t erase what made Rocks, Roger, and Whitebeard so iconic. Instead, it does three important things:
- Raises the ceiling of the One Piece world
The series has entered its Final Saga, and Oda clearly wants readers to understand that we still haven’t seen everything. If someone from the past can overshadow the most famous pirates of all time, it means anything is possible in the present timeline. - Reframes the God Valley Incident
God Valley was never just about Roger and Garp teaming up. Introducing a character who stands above even them turns the battle into something closer to a mythic disaster, where even legends were struggling to keep up. - Hints at bigger threats to come
If a monster this powerful existed in the past, readers naturally start asking:- Where is that power now?
- Did it vanish, get sealed, or pass on to someone else?
- Is the present world quietly repeating the same mistakes that led to God Valley?
These are exactly the kinds of questions Oda likes to plant right before major endgame reveals.
A Testament to Oda’s Storytelling and Legacy
The reaction to this “new strongest character” shows just how deeply invested fans still are in One Piece after more than two decades.
The God Valley saga has reminded many readers of what they loved most about the series in the first place:
- Carefully layered world-building
- Emotional stakes that span generations
- And the sense that every legend we’ve heard about might hide an even bigger truth
Some fans worry that once the flashback ends, returning to the Straw Hats will slow things down. Others argue that this balance — bouncing between the present and massive historical reveals — is exactly what keeps One Piece feeling timeless instead of repetitive.
Either way, one thing is certain:
By placing a brand-new character above Rocks, Roger, and Whitebeard, Eiichiro Oda hasn’t just changed the power rankings — he’s reshaped how we see the past, the present, and the future of One Piece.
And for a story that’s finally sailing into its final waters, that’s the kind of bold move that proves Oda isn’t done surprising anyone yet.
