One Piece revolves around Monkey D. Luffy and his journey to find the greatest treasure in the world, known as the One Piece. Along his trek through the Grand Line, Luffy has gradually gathered a reliable crew who, despite having their own dreams, would sacrifice anything in order to ensure that their captain becomes the King of the Pirates.
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Given the general trajectory of most shonen anime, it's fairly clear that Monkey D. Luffy will become the strongest character in One Piece by the end of the series. However, the Straw Hat Pirates are far from the only group sailing the Grand Line, meaning that they will face a slew of incredibly strong fighters on their quest for the show's titular treasure.
Updated on March 10, 2023, by Kennedy King:As the Wano Country arc draws to a close, it becomes increasingly undeniable that One Piece is quickly approaching its long-awaited conclusion. Although predicting the end-of-series power of individual characters is a bit of a crap shoot, viewers have more information than ever about the New World's major players. Armed with this knowledge, it's possible to piece together a solid idea of what One Piece's final standings will look like.
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21 Koby
Koby is the first friend that Monkey D. Luffy ever encounters on-screen, so it wouldn't come as a shock whatsoever if his path eventually paralleled that of Luffy. As a Marine Captain, Koby isn't terribly far from his goal of becoming an Admiral, and given the pacing of One Piece's Wano Country arc, he could end up in the position sooner rather than later.
While Koby may not be as flashy as other fighters, his pure heart and determined spirit are tools that opponents would be wise not to underestimate. Wherever he ends up, he'll almost certainly play a massive role in the series' final saga.
20 Enel
For a pre-time skip antagonist, Enel is incredibly powerful. As the user of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, Enel possesses one of the strongest Devil Fruit in all of One Piece, and his lightning-based Logia abilities made quick work of almost every opponent that he went up against.
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In addition to his Devil Fruit, Enel is also the first One Piece villain to use Observation Haki against the Straw Hats. Assuming that his defeat at the hands of Monkey D. Luffy drove him to greater heights, Enel could end up making a major difference in the final saga of the series.
19 Silvers Rayleigh
As the first mate of the Roger Pirates, it should come as no surprise that Silvers Rayleigh still strikes fear in the heart of the World Government. Known as the "Dark King," Rayleigh helped Gol D. Roger rise to the top of the pirate world and taught Monkey D. Luffy everything he could about the ways of Haki.
Despite his age, Silvers Rayleigh is more than capable of going toe-to-toe with One Piece's top brass. His encounters with Kizaru and Blackbeard only further solidified him as one of the New World's living legends.
18 Monkey D. Garp
Monkey D. Garp is a Vice Admiral of the Navy, but his prestige extends far past this position. Renowned as the Hero of the Marines, Garp is one of few men to ever truly be considered an equal to the former King of the Pirates, Gol D. Roger.
Most characters from Garp's generation have relinquished themselves to the sidelines and refrained from combat. However, the Hero of the Marines' hot-blooded nature often drives him to action, allowing fans a glimpse of what made him such a juggernaut during the previous era.
17 Sengoku
At 79 years old, it's likely that many fans underestimate Former Fleet Admiral Sengoku. He has mostly operated in a non-combat capacity throughout One Piece, but as indicated by his Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit and Haki usage, he could challenge virtually any pirate on the Grand Line.
Mythical Zoan are the rarest type of Devil Fruit in One Piece, and Sengoku's Golden Buddha form perfectly exemplifies this. Even at his advanced age, its powers were a massive deterrent to the Blackbeard Pirates. Since Sengoku has been confirmed to use all three forms of Haki, he's quite possibly the strongest fighter that remains from his generation.
16 Marco The Phoenix
.jpg "One Piece: Top 21 Strongest End Of Series Characters, Ranked (6)")
When the Whitebeard Pirates lost their leader during the Summit War, their future as a group was thrown into flux. Thankfully, Whitebeard's first mate, Marco the Phoenix, is a stellar leader, and through his guidance, he was able to briefly reassemble the crew.
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Marco isn't as strong as Yonko-level combatants like Blackbeard, but he's only a small step behind. He simultaneously held his own against both King and Queen of the Beast Pirates, and on several occasions, he has repelled the efforts of Big Mom, the Marine Admirals, and their contemporaries.
15 Aokiji
After serving as an Admiral of the Navy during the first half of One Piece, Aokiji staked his claim as the next Fleet Admiral of the Marines. In opposition was his foil, Admiral Akainu, resulting in a 10-day battle between the two that would define the future of the Marines.
Ultimately, the fiery Akainu came out victorious over his icy peer, Aokiji. However, the fact that the two effectively fought to a standstill is a testament to both, even if Aokiji did lose one of his legs in the process.
14 Dracule Mihawk
As the current strongest swordsman in the world, Dracule Mihawk is destined to clash against Roronoa Zoro at some point in the near future. Mihawk will likely end up losing to Zoro in their bout, but regardless of the outcome, the mustachioed swordsman will still be among the strongest characters in One Piece.
The World's Strongest Swordsman has yet to do much fighting on-screen; however, in his brief skirmishes, his skills have spoken for themselves. As the former rival of Red-Haired Shanks, it's only fitting that Dracule Mihawk has reached the pinnacle of his craft.
13 Vinsmoke Sanji
Vinsmoke Sanji is the chef of the Straw Hat Pirates and one of their strongest fighters. Thanks to the Black Leg Style taught to him by Chef Zeff, Sanji is extremely proficient in most combat settings. This, combined with the physical augmentations performed on him as part of the Vinsmoke Family, resulted in the Grand Line's most fearsome cook.
Sanji's arc as a character isn't particularly clear at this point. However, based on his prior accomplishments and massive strides as a fighter, it's entirely possible that he dispatches a Marine Admiral all by himself by the end of One Piece.
12 Roronoa Zoro
As Monkey D. Luffy's right-hand man and the first mate of the Straw Hat Pirates, Roronoa Zoro aims to become the World's Strongest Swordsman. To do so, he will first have to unseat Dracule Mihawk and his current claim to the title.
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Throughout the Wano Country arc, Roronoa Zoro has made massive strides as a character. He recently acquired Enma, the former sword of Kozuki Oden, and developed a rudimentary control over his latent Conqueror's Haki. Armed with these two tools, it's hard to imagine anyone other than Dracule Mihawk or a Marine Admiral giving him a run for his money.
11 Sabo
The Chief of Staff of the Revolutionary Army and Dragon's very own right-hand man, Sabo is already one of the strongest characters in the One Piece series. He's powerful enough to clash evenly against an Admiral, and he still has a lot of room to grow.
Thanks to the powers of the Mera Mera no Mi and high-level Armament Haki, stopping Sabo in combat is nearly impossible. He has already survived multiple conflicts against the Marines' strongest forces, so it's entirely possible that Monkey D. Luffy's brother will end up even stronger than imagined.
10 Eustass Kid
Just like Monkey D. Luffy and Trafalgar D. Law, Eustass Kid is one of the key members of the Worst Generation. Akin to his two peers, Kid aims to use his Devil Fruit powers in order to become the next King of the Pirates. For years, this goal seemed unrealistic, but after the Raid on Onigashima, his goal doesn't seem nearly as far away.
By teaming up with Trafalgar Law, Eustass Kid was able to push Big Mom to her absolute limits. If he gets any stronger during the course of One Piece's next saga, he will truly be a Yonko-level threat to the World Government and opposing pirates alike.
9 Trafalgar Law
Also known as the Surgeon of Death, Trafalgar D. Law is one of the most influential characters in the entire world of One Piece. He triggered the war against Kaido, squared off against Donquixote Doflamingo, and, perhaps most importantly, wore the burden of the Will of D. the entire time.
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With the powers of the Op-Op Fruit, Trafalgar Law's potential is almost limitless. By combining his efforts with Eustass Kid, Law was able to put Big Mom on the defensive, meaning that he occupies a rarified air among the pirates of the New World.
8 Monkey D. Dragon
Monkey D. Dragon is the leader of the Revolutionary Army and the man known as the "World's Worst Criminal." Although Dragon's entire character is shrouded in mystery, his strength is likely comparable to the Yonko themselves. The fact that his number-one subordinate, Sabo, could survive multiple fights against Marine Admirals alludes to just how strong the revolutionary truly is.
So far, the only inclination of Dragon's power was the mysterious storm that accompanied him way back in the Loguetown arc. Assuming that this storm was his doing is complete speculation, yet it speaks to the powerful aura that Dragon's character exudes.
7 Akainu
Akainu is the current Fleet Admiral of the Navy and easily one of the strongest characters in the series right now. Akainu is currently at his peak, having become the Fleet Admiral sometime during the time skip. He made a massive difference during the events of Marineford, and it's entirely possible that he's gotten even stronger since then.
Akainu will likely stand in Luffy's way once again during the time of the Final War, and at this point, fans will find out how much of a monster he truly is. Regardless of how their clash turns out, Akainu will definitely be the Marines' strongest fighter during One Piece's climax.
6 Charlotte Linlin AKA Big Mom
.jpg "One Piece: Top 21 Strongest End Of Series Characters, Ranked (16)")
Any individual strong enough to lay claim to the title of Yonko is undeniably one of the most fearsome pirates sailing the Grand Line. Charlotte Linlin — better known as Big Mom — exemplifies this strength due to her massive size and overpowering Devil Fruit abilities.
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Big Mom has repeatedly repelled the attacks of the Straw Hats and their allies, and despite the efforts of the Ninja-Pirate-Mink-Samurai Alliance, she has proved to be virtually invincible throughout the Wano Country arc. While her fate remains to be seen, it's hard to imagine that many One Piece characters will ever be able to challenge her one-on-one.
5 Kaido
Monkey D. Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates encounter a lot of enemies during their time on the Grand Line — but none are near as formidable as the World's Strongest Creature, Kaido. The warlord of Wano once served as part of the infamous Rocks Pirates, and after their dissolution, he went on to create his own crew, the Beast Pirates.
The entire Ninja-Pirate-Mink-Samurai struggled to even leave a mark on Kaido, instantly setting him apart from any villain seen up to that point in the series. Eiichiro Oda generally doesn't kill off characters, so regardless of how the Raid on Onigashima unfolds, Kaido will almost certainly still be the World's Strongest Creature.
4 Shanks
Shanks is the Captain of the Red-Hair Pirates and one of the current Emperors of the Sea in One Piece. As a young boy, he rode aboard the boat of the Rogers Pirates, and during his 20s, he served as a role model for the future King of the Pirates, Monkey D. Luffy.
If Shanks is alive by the end of One Piece, it goes without saying that he will be among the strongest to sail the seas. His Haki mastery exceeds that of any other known pirate in history, and despite having a currently unknown fighting style, he is sure to wreak havoc on the battlefield.
3 Im
One Piece still holds many unresolved mysteries, yet none are steeped in more significance and ambiguity than that of Im. The shadow ruler of the World Government briefly appeared during the Reverie arc, and since then, he has yet to reappear on-screen.
Im could very well be nothing more than a weak figurehead — a manifestation of everything wrong with the Celestial Dragons. However, it's much more likely that he wields some monolithic, unknown power. Entire civilizations have been wiped from existence thanks to the World Government, so it seems unlikely that their sovereign ruler would be anything other than one of the strongest characters in One Piece.
2 Blackbeard
Marshall D. Teach, also known as Blackbeard, is one of One Piece's Four Emperors of the Sea. He possesses immeasurable power as the wielder of two different Devil Fruits, both of which are the strongest of their respective type. It is currently unknown if Blackbeard can eat more Devil Fruits, but that possibility certainly exists.
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Blackbeard is strong enough to become a Yonko — he has also yet to reach his full potential. During his inevitable clash against Monkey D. Luffy, his true abilities will be unleashed, at which point the full depths of his depravity and power should become painfully obvious.