This article contains spoilers from One Piece's Elbaf Arc.
The Straw Hat Pirates were created by Monkey D. Luffy in the East Blue Sea of the One Piece World. Given that the East Blue is the weakest of all seas, the Straw Hats were not considered a major threat for a significant portion of the story. They had very humble beginnings, but slowly, they grew in terms of power and size, and right now, they are one of the most elite crews that sail the seas of the One Piece world. The Straw Hat Pirates are tremendously powerful, and they will most certainly go on to grow even further.
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However, with One Piece now in the Final Saga and the Straw Hats now incredibly close to their goals, it goes without saying that a major change is now going to befall them. For the very first time, the Straw Hat Pirates are nearly complete. At the moment, the crew is lacking one more member, but once the next Straw Hat joins the crew, it will be the end of an era for them, as they won't be taking any other individuals aboard any longer. For years, the Straw Hat Pirates kept growing in terms of size, but now, it's time for them to finally conclude their journey by sailing to the Final Island, which Oda himself teased in his 2026 message.
The Straw Hat Pirates Are A Yonko Crew Now
- Luffy defeated Kaido and replaced him as Yonko in Wano
- The Straw Hats are nearing completion in One Piece
The Straw Hat Pirates have grown tremendously over the years. While the crew first burst into the spotlight after the events of Enies Lobby, it was only after the timeskip that they were taken seriously.
Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates trained tremendously hard during the timeskip and then went on to topple the likes of Doflamingo and rival the likes of the Yonko. After the events of the Wano Country Arc, they hit a completely new high by defeating the alliance of Big Mom and Kaido, and this made Luffy one of the Four Emperors of the Sea.
Let's see! I'd like at least 10 more crew members. That should be fine! — Monkey D. Luffy
Right now, Luffy is a mighty Yonko, and the Straw Hats are considered a force so great that even Marines can't directly oppose them without the orders of the higher-ups. The Straw Hats reign supreme as one of the four mightiest pirate crews on the oceans, and that also means that Luffy and the crew are incredibly close to fulfilling their goals.
It must also be noted that One Piece is in the Final saga, and Oda himself teased that the next few arcs are going to take Luffy and the crew to where the Pirate King was. This essentially means that One Piece is ending very soon, and this also has massive ramifications for the Straw Hat Pirates.
The Last Straw Hat Will Join In Elbaf
Given that One Piece is deep into the Final Saga, and the story is edging closer to its end, fans can say with certainty that not many individuals will join the crew now. When Luffy first set out on the journey to becoming the Pirate King, he clearly stated that he wanted about ten crew members under him. Right now Luffy has nine people under him, which means there is room for only one more individual. This final individual could be just about anybody, but at the moment in the Elbaf arc, it appears that it is going to be none other than the accursed Prince Loki.
Loki has his own goals and motivations, and that is to crush the World Government and avenge the death of his father. He is most certainly going to do that at some point later down the line. It would be perfect if he did it alongside Luffy and the Straw Hats, who are sure to clash with the Government sooner rather than later.
Say, Loki, join my crew! Nobody in Elbaf seems to want you anyway. — Luffy to Loki
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At the same time, Luffy himself is deeply interested in Loki and even offered him to join the crew. Loki declined the request at first, but a lot can happen from now until the end of the arc, and fans might truly get their last Straw Hat recruit here.
If Loki were to join the crew, then the door would officially be shut for anyone else to join, and that truly is saddening.
One of the most exciting parts of One Piece is seeing Luffy get new crew members and taking them on an adventure with him. Given that One Piece is now incredibly close to the end and the Great War is almost upon the Straw Hat Pirates, Luffy can only take so many with him. It also aligns with Luffy's initial plan of wanting around ten crewmates under him. All things taken into consideration, fans can say for sure that Loki will be the last Straw Hat. His joining will be the end of an era for the crew, because for the very first time, they will be complete and will set sail towards the final destination before eventually splitting up.
The Straw Hat Pirates Will Eventually Disband
- The Roger Pirates disbanded after reaching Laugh Tale
- The Straw Hats will disband after the events of the Great War
Once Loki joins the Straw Hat Pirates and the crew is complete, the fans will then see each member fulfill their goals in due time. By the time of the conclusion of the Great War, which is sure to follow very soon, fans will have seen all the members of the Straw Hat Pirates fulfill their dreams. This also means another sad reality will befall all readers of One Piece very soon and that is the Straw Hat Pirates finally going their own ways and disbanding.
When the Pirate King's crew found Laugh Tale and were labelled as the greatest to sail the seas, they eventually split up and went their own ways. Roger then went on to start a new pirate era with whatever life he had left and that changed the world forever. Once Luffy becomes the Pirate King, it is unknown what world he would want to create. Regardless, one thing can be said with absolute certainty, and that is Luffy and crew will not sail together again.
The reason for this is quite simple; each member of the Straw Hat Pirates has a life that they left behind that they want to revisit. Zoro would most certainly want to go back to his dojo in the East Blue, while Nami promised to return to Cocoyashi Village as well. Usopp has Kaya waiting for him in Syrup Village, while Sanji wants to go back to Baratie eventually. Similarly, Chopper has people to tend to in Drum Kingdom, and Robin will most likely continue exploring the world even more. Franky could return to Water 7 once again to reunite with Iceberg, and Brook will most definitely stay with Laboon. Jinbe will have a new future to build with a New Fish-Man Island on the surface, under the sun. And of course, Loki will probably head back to the land of Elbaf to support his brother.
Quite clearly, each Straw Hat will go their own way following the conclusion of the Great War and with that, the Straw Hat Pirates will come to an end. It is a sad realization, but Loki joining the crew will officially kick-start the end of an era for One Piece that most fans have been dreading for years. But, at the same time, it will also be one of One Piece's most beautiful parts.
Eiichiro Oda's One Piece focuses on the journey of Monkey D. Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates as they sail the seas to lay claim to the grand treasure known as the One Piece. The manga is currently in its Final Saga. One Piece will be featured in this week's Weekly Shonen Jump Issue. The official release date of One Piece Chapter 1172 is February 1, 2026. 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. Doing so will ensure that fans always support the author.