Lagging behind the latest One Piece manga chapters? Don’t worry, we’ll cover everything you’ve missed these last few weeks. Spoiler alert! You’re just about to meet the new set of Yonkos post Wano arc! Got a clue on who these people could possibly be? Find out below.
What are Yonkos?
The world of One Piece is driven by power struggle. Everyone’s racing to fill up the throne left empty by the former Pirate King. As competition intensifies, the most powerful started creating their own names and even military forces to take over the top position left by Roger. Soon enough, the Three Great Powers were established, referring to the trio of the most powerful forces in the ocean. These include the Marines, the Shichibukai (also called the Seven Warlords), and the Yonkos (also called the Emperors of the Sea).
The Yonkos are composed of the four (4) most powerful pirate captains in the New World, exerting influence and maintaining control over their own territories. They are among the biggest contenders to become the next Pirate King.
So far, fans of One Piece have stood witness to the rise and fall of different Yonkos – from the memorable death of Whitebeard to the eventual addition of Blackbeard in the Yonko category. Now, as the story nears its peak, fans are once again introduced to yet another set of Emperors.
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What Happened in Wano? An Overview
The Wano arc ended with both Kaido of the Beast and Big Mom Charlotte Linlin getting beaten by the combined forces of the samurais and some of the key members of the Worst Generation. Here, fans were able to see Luffy, Law, Kid, and even X Drake joining forces to beat the two emperors and their powerful lackeys.
The unexpected loss of the top two Yonkos signaled the start of a heightened race towards the famed last island of the Grand Line and the eventual rise of the new Pirate King in years to come.
New Yonkos in One Piece (Post Wano)
“Red-Haired” Shanks
The enigmatic captain of the Red Hair Pirates maintains his strong influence in the New World as a Yonko. Ironically, Shanks is among the very first characters to get introduced in One Piece, but very little facts is still known about him. One thing is for sure though: He is among the greatest powers currently roaming the sea! We haven’t witnessed Shanks go all-out in a fight so far, but fans are expecting we’ll get to see him in the battlefield soon.
“Blackbeard” Marshall D. Teach
The captain of the Blackbeard pirates continues to secure his Yonko position, thanks to his terrifying devil fruit ability and notorious crewmates. Teach has proven himself to be among the most dangerous pirates to watch out for in the entire One Piece series. He is carefree yet calculating, a risk-taker who also knows when to back out, and to top it all off, he wants the One Piece as bad as Luffy does. As if those qualities weren’t enough to keep an eye on him, he is the only Yonko who wields the powers of more than one Devil Fruit. This makes him a strong contender to possibly becoming Luffy’ greatest rival in the series.
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“Straw Hat” Monkey D. Luffy
Suprise? The series’ main hero has finally made it into the Yonko list. Well, that is only to be expected after he triumphantly took down two former Yonkos, Kaido of the Beast and Big Mom Charlotte Linlin. Brimming with curiosity, optimism, and courage, Luffy is everything the World Government dreads a pirate to be. He brings hope to every island he sets foot on and won’t stop at anything until he becomes the Pirate King. The secret to his Devil Fruit ability has also been recently revealed, explaining why the World Government wants him now more than ever.
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“The Bombastic Clown” Buggy
Now, this is something more shocking than the previous one on the list. Buggy is probably among the last to come to mind when one thinks of a possible Yonko. Yet, ironically, it also somehow makes sense. Although often seen as a comic relief, Buggy has a lot up his sleeves that make him a person that the World Government should watch out for. He is a former Roger pirates member, has a strong connection with Shanks, once a Shichibukai, and now a Yonko. Plus, he never seems to run out of luck! Admittedly, he has the charm to influence people. From the latest chapter, it seems Buggy was able to become a Yonko for getting both Crocodile and Mihawk “under his command.” But more twists are expected to further explain his relationship with the two former Warlords in the volumes to come.
Did your jaw drop while going through our list? With this bunch of interesting Yonkos out in the open sea, fans surely have a lot to get excited about.
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