This article contains spoilers from One Piece's Elbaf Arc.
Eiichiro Oda is currently exploring the Final Saga of One Piece, as the Straw Hat Pirates find themselves in the land of the Giants, also known as the Warland Elbaf. This arc of the story has been absolutely incredible so far, and fans know that it'll continue to excite them as Oda reveals key information from the Loki flashback.
Say Hello To The Strongest Ability In All Of One Piece
There are many overpowered abilities in One Piece, but this one stands out as the very strongest.
After years of waiting, the Loki flashback gave the fans a proper look at Rocks D. Xebec, something that everyone was waiting for eagerly since his first mention around 6 years ago. Oda even went on to show the events of the God Valley Incident to the fans, which came as yet another surprise to everyone. This event revealed a ton of key details to the fans about individuals such as Imu, and more importantly, it also went on to confirm the most powerful pirate in the whole world. While most believed Rocks was the strongest pirate, after God Valley, it is quite clear that Gol D. Roger went on to surpass him. Roger was nowhere near his peak in God Valley, and on top of that, he still went on to injure Domi Reversi'd Rocks, who is much stronger than the actual Rocks, and has an undying body.
One Piece's Strongest Pirate Is Gol D. Roger
- Roger and Garp Beat Rocks
- Roger grew stronger after God Valley
Most fans of One Piece believed that Rocks D. Xebec was the strongest pirate, not including the pirates that existed in the Void Century and fans know very little about. Rocks D. Xebec was surely strong and he even had an entire era named after him. His strength was absolutely immense and he even killed an Admiral with rather ease. However, Rocks was not the strongest in all of modern One Piece history. The fact is that Roger went on to surpass him. This is clear from the narrative, which showed to the fans Roger and Garp fighting against Domi Reversi'd Rocks.
For those who don't remember, Domi Reversi offers three things to the users:
- It offers an undying body
- It offers a significant strength boost
- It makes them go berserk
It is a fact that the Rocks that fought Roger and Garp was much stronger than the real Rocks D. Xebec. Domi Reversi also boosted the Haki of Rocks, given that Conqueror's Haki grows stronger as the user grows in power.
Follow me and I'll show you what lies at the top of the world. — Rocks D. Xebec to the Rocks Pirates
Despite that, Roger's strongest technique, that is, Kagutsuchi: Ace, was strong enough to pierce through Rocks's heightened Haki. In other words, Roger's normal attacks would've injured the regular Rocks. To take things one step further, it is clearly stated in the story that Roger wasn't at his peak during the God Valley Incident. Around the time of God Valley, Roger was a respectable pirate, but he wasn't a Great Pirate. He went on to achieve this title later on, and he had it around 26 years ago, which is when he was at his strongest.
Roger Became The King Of The Pirates
Just a few years later, Roger went on to become the Pirate King and was recognized as the strongest and the greatest pirate. His legacy remains untouched to this day. Of course, that's not to say that Rocks was not strong or that he couldn't be compared to Roger. He is still a beast, but Roger most certainly wasn't weaker than him, and that's supported by canon facts from the manga.
It's Time To Welcome The Next Gol D. Roger in One Piece
Roger's successor has been revealed, and it's not Luffy in One Piece.
You want my treasure? Find it, if you want it! I left it at that place! — Gol D. Roger, One Piece
Joy Boy Was Likely The Strongest Of The Old Era
Roger was most likely the strongest pirate of the modern age, with Rocks and Whitebeard coming closest to his throne. But, during the Void Century, Joy Boy likely existed as the strongest. He was the First Pirate, as explained by Oda in the Egghead arc, and his Haki was clearly shown to be absolutely majestic. This was Joy Boy’s strongest Haki and it caused pain to even Imu. This suggests that Joy Boy was a monster himself.
Hopefully, fans will see more of Joy Boy in the future, as well as Roger before the Great Pirate Era began, all the way up to his execution.
Eiichiro Oda's One Piece will be featured in this week's Weekly Shonen Jump Issue. The official release date of One Piece Chapter 1166 is November 23, 2025. In Japan, One Piece drops at 12AM JST on Monday, which is 11:00 AM EST, or 8:00 AM PT. Fans can read the chapter for free on Manga Plus and the Shonen Jump apps.