Characters who could be the final villains in One Piece

There are many things about One Piece that make it stand out from most action-packed shōnen manga/anime. One of the biggest (and strangest) is the fact that the final villain of this epic pirate saga has yet to be officially revealed, even after more than twenty-seven years of its release. Of course, the Straw Hat Pirates have faced many villains throughout their adventures, but it's still unclear who the final villain will be.

The identity of One Piece's final villain has intrigued fans for a long time, especially since the story has introduced quite a few characters as potential candidates for the role over the past few years. Here are the characters most likely (so far) to take on the role of the Pirate King's final villain .

Rocks D. Xebec

Released: Chapter 957 (Manga), Episode 958 (Anime)

In one of the most shocking revelations in One Piece recently, it was confirmed that some of the world's most infamous pirates (such as Whitebeard, Kaido, and Big Mom) were at one point members of the same pirate crew, the Rocks Pirates, and their captain was none other than Rocks D. Xebec. This legendary pirate was apparently so powerful that Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to form an unlikely alliance to take him down during the Valley of the Gods Incident.

According to Sengoku, Xebec is no longer alive, although it has never been stated how or when that happened. There are still many mysteries surrounding him, his personality, and even his appearance, leading fans to wonder if he is truly dead, with many even theorizing that he could actually return at some point in the near future. Since he is notorious for being one of the most dangerous and important pirates in the One Piece world, the role of the final villain would suit him perfectly.

Sakazuki (Akainu)

Released: Chapter 397 (Manga), Episode 278 (Anime)

In One Piece, the villains are mainly divided into two: one side is the World Government and all the key figures who rule it at the highest level (like the Five Elders and the Imu) and the other side is the Marines, the military force in charge of enforcing the law, and their highest ranking officer is none other than Fleet Admiral Sakazuki, who was promoted from Admiral after the Marineford Summit War.

Sakazuki is a staunch believer in Absolute Justice, a strict doctrine that focuses on maintaining peace, no matter what. Because of this, he has committed various heinous acts throughout the series, such as destroying a ship full of civilians in Ohara, killing many of his own soldiers in Marineford, and even killing Portgas D. Ace in front of his brother, Monkey D. Luffy. Because of his ruthless attitude and possession of an extremely powerful Devil Fruit (Magu Magu no Mi), many fans believe that Luffy will soon have to face Sakazuki, in order to avenge Ace. On top of that, the story has hinted that he is slowly realizing how corrupt the World Government is, so perhaps he will finally put his Absolute Justice to the test, overthrowing the evil rulers and becoming the series' final villain in order to continue maintaining peace.

Figarland Garling

Released: Chapter 1086 (Manga), Episode 1120 (Anime)

One of the most recent major developments in the One Piece storyline was the long-awaited reveal of the God's Knights, the elite guard of the World Nobles, with their most notable being their supreme commander, Saint Figarland Garling. He is very loyal to the World Government, as he is known as the legendary "champion" of God Valley, and he even acted as the judge who chose to execute Donquixote Mjosgard right after Levely.

But Garling's ambitions are much greater than they initially thought, as he has steadily risen through the ranks of the World Government, to the point where he recently joined the Five Elders and attained the title of Warrior God of Science and Defense shortly after Jaygarcia Saturn's death. There is currently no reason to believe that he is more powerful or corrupt than any other member of the group, but his rise to power has caught the attention of many fans, who have theorized that he may attempt to become even stronger than his peers. On top of that, Garling is the biological father of Luffy's mentor, Shanks, which would certainly add a lot of emotional tension to the story if he were to become the ultimate villain.

The Five Elders

Released: Chapter 233 (Manga), Episode 151 (Anime)

Since 2002—before Imu or the God's Knights were introduced—One Piece fans have believed that there was only one group of characters who could become the ultimate villains of this epic story: the Five Elders, five mysterious old men who rule the World Government as its highest authority. The series has revealed almost nothing about their personalities, powers, and motivations in over two decades of real life, which has inevitably fueled speculation that the Straw Hat Pirates will eventually confront them at the end of the adventure.

Needless to say, the idea of ​​the Gorosei being the ultimate villains has been somewhat distorted over the years, not only because of Imu's appearance, but also because all five Gorosei appeared directly during the Egghead Arc and fought Luffy with their incredible and monstrous transformations. However, it's important to note that the Straw Hats and their allies were only able to escape the Gorosei's wrath thanks to an explosion of Joy Boy's Conqueror's Haki hidden within Emet, meaning that these powerful old men were still strong enough to face them again by the end of the series (with the exception of Saturn, who was killed by Imu for letting the enemy escape).

Marshall D. Teach (Blackbeard)

Released: Chapter 223 (Manga), Episode 146 (Anime)

While there are quite a few One Piece characters who could become the ultimate villain of the story, fans have long theorized that Marshall D. Teach (aka Blackbeard) will be the main villain. After a seemingly insignificant debut in the Jaya Arc, this former member of the Whitebeard Pirates has steadily gained more power and prestige, not to mention that he has personally participated in many world-changing events, such as the capture of Portgas D. Ace and the death of Edward Newgate.

In a matter of years, Blackbeard went from captain of a small crew to Lord of the Seas, and even achieved the title of Emperor in the span of two years. Being quite the tactician, his sudden rise to power was expertly timed, and he waited for the perfect moment to strike at his opponents to get what he wanted. At this point in the story, Blackbeard is one of the most important and powerful pirates in the entire world. Most fans wouldn't be too surprised if he somehow managed to overthrow the World Government and become Luffy's final opponent before the story ended (similar to how Xebec was Garp and Roger's greatest enemy).

Jessica Tanner

Update 16 June 2025