This article contains spoilers from One Piece's Elbaf Arc.
One Piece continues the incredible Elbaf arc, and with each passing chapter, Oda continues to make new big reveals. This week's One Piece chapter 1166 is no different in that regard. Oda finally wrapped up the events of God Valley for good in this chapter, and at the same time, fans saw Rocks's death reverberating all over the world.
It's Time to Admit Luffy and the Straw Hats Are Still Too Weak In One Piece
Luffy and the Straw Hats have grown a lot, but they are still far too weak in One Piece.
More than that, however, Oda cleverly teased the identity of the next Straw Hat to the fans. In One Piece 1166, Oda finally revealed that Loki might be the last Straw Hat, given that he wants to follow the Sun God Nika, whom he thought was none other than Rocks. Given that Luffy is Nika, it is quite clear that Loki will end up following him.
Oda Strongly Implies That Loki Will Join The Straw Hats Soon
Loki joining the Straw Hat Pirates shouldn't come as a surprise to any fan of the series. The fact is that Luffy himself forged a bond of friendship with Loki, even if Loki doesn't acknowledge him as a friend. More than that, Luffy senses no hostility from Loki, and above all, he invites him to join the crew shortly before the Elbaf flashback begins.
Hey Loki, join my crew. Elbaf doesn't want you anyway. — Luffy to Loki, Elbaf Arc
If all this isn't enough to convince the fans that Loki will be the last Straw Hat, then One Piece chapter 1166 just took things to the next level. After the death of Rocks D. Xebec, it was officially confirmed in the story that Loki and he spoke on many occasions.
I'm not going to listen to a Government lapdog like Harald! — Loki
Loki believed that Rocks was the Sun God Nika and that he would eventually go on to destroy the world, just as the Elbaf legend states. To this, Rocks responded by saying that he isn't interested in destroying the world, and that he only wants to rule it. The most important part comes when Loki reveals that he wants to join and follow the Sun God.
Loki Wants To Follow The Sun God Nika
One Piece chapter 1166 confirmed to the fans that Loki aims to follow the Sun God Nika and destroy the world. While Rocks wasn't the Sun God, fans know very well that Luffy is. Right now, Loki doesn't know that Luffy is the Sun God, which is why he rejected his offer to join the crew. However, once the battles in Elbaf begin, Loki will inevitably find out that Luffy is the Nika that he's always wanted to follow in life. Loki rejected Luffy's offer to join the Straw Hat Pirates once, but after finding out that Luffy is Nika, he won't reject it.
One Piece: Oda Confirms Loki's Legendary Devil Fruit Will Be Revealed Soon, And He Has Already Hinted At What It Is
Loki has a legendary devil fruit that Oda plans to reveal soon in One Piece.
I am the Sun God who will destroy the world. — Loki to Luffy
Loki Could Be The Last Member Of The Straw Hats Pirates
Based on everything that Oda has shown in the story so far, it is clear that Loki is the strongest contender by far for the position of the final Straw Hat. He wants to leave Elbaf and follow Nika, and Luffy wants him on the crew. This is a perfect match already and fans will most definitely see the two fight together, as well as destroy the World Government together.
When the prince of Elbaf raised his tiny hands, nobody was there to hold them. — Narrator on Loki
Of course, this will take some time because One Piece is still in the Elbaf flashback, which will most likely take some months to conclude. Once this flashback is over, Oda will most likely take fans back to the Sun World of Elbaf, which is where the major battles against the Holy Knights and Imu will begin. For now, fans can simply sit back and enjoy the remainder of the flashback, as it sheds more light on Loki and other interesting characters like Shanks and Harald.
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.