Ever since Luffy began to dream of becoming the pirate king, he has been facing one strong adversary after another in One Piece. So far, Luffy has already fought most of the characters in One Piece who have proved to be powerful, but there are still some who have yet to face the protagonist.
The world of One Piece is chock-full of characters with broken abilities, and some of them are bound to end up as essential pieces in the finale. Luffy will have to fight them at some point or another. From powerful pirates to mysterious legends, the most powerful One Piece characters that Luffy has yet to fight have been ranked from weakest to strongest.
Admiral Ryokugyu’s Hunt For Luffy Continues
Admiral Ryokugyu arriving in Wano and creating flowers with each step in One PieceImage via Toei Animation
Ryokugyu is the Marine Admiral who received the promotion after Kuzan’s resignation. Ryokugyu’s Devil Fruit allows him to create, control, and transform his body into plant life. His attacks, which include generating large-scale quantities of plants, are as deadly as they are vibrant.
Admiral Greenbull is after Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates due to their involvement in Kaidou and Big Mom’s downfalls. Ryokugyu even tried to go on a rogue mission to kill Luffy, only to be stopped by Shanks’ paralyzing Haki.
Luffy Must Fight Akainu to Avenge Ace
Akainu flexes his magma fist after using the Magma-Magma Fruit to punch Kuma in the face with a magma punch on Mary Geoise in One Piece.Image via Toei Animation
Sakazuki is currently the Fleet Admiral of the Marines and is one of the most powerful characters in One Piece. Akainu’s Devil Fruit powers, which let him create, control, and transform his body into magma, are legendary. He has an extremist approach and does not bat an eyelid while committing the most horrible crimes, if it’s what his duty calls for.
Sakazuki delivered the killing blow to Ace, instantly making himself the biggest enemy of Luffy. Although Akainu tried his best to hound Luffy and prevent him from escaping Marineford alive, the two have never fought a serious 1-on-1 battle. Both Akainu and Luffy hate each other, which makes a match between them inevitable.
Kong Is One of the World Government’s Strongest Fighters
Fleet Admiral Kong looks stern in One PieceImage via Toei Animation
Not much has been revealed about Kong’s powers in One Piece, but he is the Commander-in-Chief of the World Government, which means he holds power over the Marines, the Cipher Poll, and many other branches. The strength of World Government officials often increases with their rank, and given Kong’s position, he could be stronger than even Aokiji or Akainu.
Kong’s huge muscles and numerous scars suggest that he is proficient in battle and is also an experienced fighter. Luffy and Kong might end up clashing once the World Government is ready for the final battle.
Figarland Shamrock’s Powers Will Unfold Soon
Figarland Shamrock and Gunko official colors – One PieceImage via Shueisha
Shamrock is the twin brother of Shanks and the son of Garling. He is also a commander of the Knights of God. Shamrock’s combat abilities have not been proven yet, but it can be assumed that his combat abilities are deadly. Shamrock has also received a Covenant with Imu, which grants him additional powers.
Luffy has not come face-to-face with Shamrock yet, which means the two have not fought it out. Luffy hasn’t even squared off with Shanks as promised, much less his secret twin brother. Although a minor villain in the Elbaph saga, Shamrock’s role is guaranteed to grow as the story wears on.
Figarland Garling Is a Newly Appointed Gorosei
Figarland Garling, the father of Shanks and Shamrock, has replaced Saturn to become one of the Five Elders under Imu’s command. Previously, he used to be the Supreme Commander of the Knights of God and was called the “champion” of the God Valley incident. Naturally, Garling is one of the main antagonists of One Piece.
Garling is an exceptionally strong character, and even at his old age, he holds a significant amount of power. Luffy has fought the Five Elders, but not Garling yet, which might change soon enough as One Piece’s finale approaches.
Monkey D. Dragon Has Never Faced Luffy
Monkey D. Dragon stares into the horizon in One Piece.Image via Toei Animation
Luffy has never met his own father, Dragon, who is, in turn, the founder and supreme commander of the Revolutionary Army. Despite starting as a Marine, the actions of the government and the nobles sickened him, and forced him to leave. Dragon is a formidable enemy of the World Government.
Although Dragon might never need to fight Luffy, since their morals and goals are not conflicting, they might still break into a scuffle for a ridiculous reason. Dragon’s abilities have not been revealed in One Piece yet, but it is clear that he is one of the strongest characters in the anime/manga.
Loki Wants to End the World
Loki stands up in the One Piece manga.Image via Shueisha
Loki, the Prince of Elbaph, remains subdued in the homeland of the giants. He’s reputed to be a conniving trickster, and he has already provoked Luffy by insulting Shanks. He is powerful even amongst giants, and it took Elbaph’s finest warriors to keep him in check even when he was imprisoned.
Loki is also in possession of an unknown Devil Fruit that is considered legendary by the giants. In fact, the prince can also use Haki, and is a credible threat to the world if he wants to go through with his “end the world” goal. Luffy might have to defeat Loki in order to make an ally out of him or to get rid of an enemy.
Blackbeard Is a Menace Who Needs to be Subdued
Backbeard has become one of the biggest threats in One Piece. He holds the powers of two incredibly powerful Devil Fruits at once. He has been a complete menace in the story. Luffy is also aware of the fact that it was Blackbeard who set Ace on his path towards death, giving him a reason to fight the villain.
After Ace’s death, Luffy’s hatred towards Teach increased manyfold, while the latter examines Luffy’s achievements with keen interest. Nonetheless, Blackbeard is a powerful pirate captain with a hefty crew under his control, which means Luffy’s battle against him will turn out ferocious.
Shanks Is Building Towards a Battle With Luffy
Shanks has been present on One Piece from the very beginning. He has also been a core part of Luffy’s story and is the one responsible for Luffy’s dream of becoming the Pirate King. The two have never fought, but that reality might change soon. If Luffy does end up fighting Shanks, it will be one of the grandest battles in the history of One Piece.
One Piece has proven that Shanks is much more powerful than Luffy plenty of times. Shanks’ mastery over Conqueror’s Haki is something that Luffy still hasn’t achieved. With Shanks’ shifting ambitions and passion for finding the ultimate treasure, the two characters are bound to fight it out soon.
Imu Is the Ultimate One Piece Antagonist
Imu and Saturn’s combined form looms over God Valley’s Marines in One Piece Chapter 1163Image via VIZ, Shueisha
Imu, the shadow emperor behind the World Government, is shaping up to be the final villain of One Piece. The series has also heavily hinted at the fact that defeating Imu is next to impossible. In fact, Imu also appears to be an immortal who has been alive for centuries. Only the top officers of the World Government know of his existence, and his presence is kept hidden from the rest of the world.
Imu has uncanny powers that suit a devil more than a usual One Piece character. The character can transform into a demon and also possess others or share his gift of immortality with them. Given that Imu might be the source of all the evil that the World Government commits, Luffy will definitely fight him in the finale.
Created by
Eiichiro Oda
First TV Show
One Piece
Latest TV Show
Netflix’s One Piece
First Episode Air Date
October 20, 1999
Cast
Mayumi Tanaka, Kazuya Nakai, Colleen Clinkenbeard, Christopher Sabat, Kerry Williams, Kappei Yamaguchi, Sonny Strait, Hiroaki Hirata, Eric Valette, Ikue Ootani
