The Final Saga of One Piece has turned the entire fandom into detectives, theorists, and historians all at once. With every new chapter, Eiichiro Oda peels back layers of mystery he has been carefully building for over two decades. But among all the unanswered questions—Laugh Tale, the Ancient Weapons, Joy Boy, and the fate of the Straw Hats—one question excites fans more than almost any other:
Who is truly the strongest pirate in the Final Saga?
While many fans expect the answer to be revealed at the very end of the story, an increasing number of readers believe Oda has already shown us the answer — not through direct power rankings, but through storytelling emphasis, narrative positioning, and subtle clues sprinkled throughout the God Valley and Final Saga events.
And the more the story unfolds, the clearer it seems that Oda may have already crowned that title.
The God Valley Arc Has Taken Over the Fandom
The God Valley Incident has become one of the most captivating storylines in One Piece history, and many fans aren’t ready for it to end. Eiichiro Oda’s exploration of this long-mysterious event has brought together legendary figures like Rocks D. Xebec, Gol D. Roger, Monkey D. Garp, and even the enigmatic Imu — creating a flashback that feels more like a grand historical epic than a side story.
The arc dives deep into the power struggles that shaped the modern world of One Piece, revealing long-hidden secrets about the Celestial Dragons and the early days of piracy. For many, it’s a rare glimpse into the “true history” of the world, something readers have been waiting for since the manga’s earliest chapters. God Valley isn’t just a location — it’s the turning point of an era.
But the God Valley flashback does more than expand the lore. It reframes the idea of “strength” in the world of pirates. Instead of just measuring raw destructive ability, the arc shows how charisma, ambition, willpower, and the ability to challenge the world itself define the strongest figures. The pirate who stands at the top is not simply the one who wins the most fights — it is the one whose very existence shakes history.
And within this framework, many readers believe Oda has already shown us who that person is.
Fans Don’t Want to Return to the Straw Hats Yet
Surprisingly, many readers say they don’t want to go back to the Straw Hat Pirates just yet. Social media platforms are full of fans expressing that this arc feels like the most thrilling part of One Piece in years — with its darker tone, intense storytelling, and lore-heavy revelations. While Luffy and his crew are the emotional heart of the series, the God Valley storyline offers something entirely different: a look at the legends and events that shaped everything we know.
One fan summed it up best on X (formerly Twitter):
“If we return to the Straw Hats now, it’ll feel like waking up from a dream.”
This shift says a lot about how powerful the God Valley material has been. It’s not just nostalgia. It’s the feeling that the past is finally catching up to the present, and long-running mysteries are finally resolving. The flashback doesn’t feel like a side story — it feels essential, like the final puzzle pieces dropping into place.
It is within this flashback and the wider Final Saga that the identity of the strongest pirate seems increasingly clear.
So who is the strongest pirate?
For a long time, mainstream debate focused on a few predictable names:
- Monkey D. Luffy, the future Pirate King candidate
- Blackbeard, his dark mirror and ultimate rival
- Shanks, the untouchable red-haired emperor
- Rocks D. Xebec, the chaotic force from the past
- Gol D. Roger, the man who reached Laugh Tale
But Oda has shifted how strength is framed.
Throughout the Final Saga, he has emphasized:
- the will to challenge the world order
- the ability to inspire or terrify nations
- the role someone plays in the “true history”
- how their existence changes the course of eras
The strongest pirate is not simply the one with the biggest punch — it is the one who stands at the center of the world’s fate.
That is why many fans now believe Oda has already revealed the answer: the strongest pirate in the Final Saga is the one whose existence the world government fears most — the one tied directly to the Void Century, Joy Boy’s legacy, and the coming war.
Whether readers interpret that figure as Luffy, Blackbeard, or another legendary pirate, the key point remains the same: the strongest pirate is the one who carries the will powerful enough to reshape the world itself.
And Oda has already put that character on stage.
A Testament to Oda’s Storytelling and Legacy
The enthusiasm surrounding the God Valley flashback underscores Eiichiro Oda’s enduring genius as a storyteller. After more than twenty years, he continues to surprise fans by revealing layers of history that connect generations of pirates, marines, and rulers. The Final Saga doesn’t feel like a slow wind-down — it feels bigger than ever.
The arc’s pacing, emotion, and scope have reminded readers of One Piece’s golden era — a blend of mystery, world-building, and character-driven drama that few series can match. Even as some fans fear that returning to the Straw Hats will slow the story’s momentum, others believe this balance between past and present is what makes One Piece timeless.
The question of the “strongest pirate” is just one piece of this greater tapestry. Oda is less interested in ranking characters like a power chart and more focused on showing how different ideals collide. Strength in One Piece has always been deeply tied to dreams:
- Roger’s longing for freedom
- Luffy’s quest for adventure
- Whitebeard’s desire for family
- Blackbeard’s hunger for the throne
The strongest pirate, then, may be the one whose dream burns the brightest and threatens the very structure of the world.
Whether the God Valley flashback ends soon or continues, it has already cemented itself as one of the most powerful and defining chapters in the series’ history. It has reshaped how fans think about the past, the future, and the question of who truly stands at the top of the seas.
And as One Piece marches toward its conclusion, one thing is certain:
Oda may already have revealed the strongest pirate — but discovering exactly why they hold that title is the journey that lies ahead.
