After a two-week break. a piece Chapter 1183 is officially set to return on May 24, 2026 in Shuisha's Weekly Shonen Jump issue #26.. With the return of the manga after two long weeks, the highly anticipated climactic battle of the Elbaph arc is set to fast forward. After the arrival of Saint Nerona Emu in Chapter 1179 and the ongoing battles between the World Government and the forces of the Pirate-Giant Alliance, Eiichiro Oda's goal of ending the arc and starting a new arc in 2026 seems highly likely to be fulfilled.
With the end of the arc comes the question of who will be the last Straw Hat. Recent developments in Elbaf in chapter 1180, all the way to 1182 have set the answer to this question, and now it can be said that the candidate for the position of the last Straw Hat has narrowed even further. Cursed Prince Loki is out of the running, meaning the blue-haired princess of Arabia, Vivi, is now the clear favorite to become the final member of the crew.
The climax of One Piece's Elbaf arc got us all excited when Luffy and Loki started fighting together in Chapter 1175, which was officially released on March 2, 2026. This is because the legendary duo were predicted to fight together on Harley, which was showcased in Showcase #130 of Juic's Story #130. February 3, 2025. Since then, fans have been eagerly waiting for these two to come together and fight, and a big reason for that was because most fans considered Loki to be the ideal candidate for the ultimate straw hat. In One Piece Chapter 1152, Monkey D. Luffy, captain of the Straw Hat Pirates, officially asks Loki to join the crew. Although Loki rejected the offer, Luffy was adamant that he wanted him as part of the crew, leading Loki to be the last Straw Hat.
Fast forward to chapter 1180, published in Weekly Shonen Jump issue #21 on April 20, 2026, Loki reveals his desire to live in Elbaf. This was a shock to many of us because we expected Loki to travel with the Straw Hat Pirates, but given everything that has happened in the land of the giants over the course of the last 40 or so chapters, we can see why Loki has decided to stay in Elbaf.
“Here in the real world, you deal with me and my elbaf!” — Loki to Imu, One Piece Chapter 1180
When Loki first came face to face with Emu, he clearly told him that the only place he would find him was in the land of Elbaf. This suggests that Loki wants to fulfill the role that Harald has created for him as protector of the country, and this, despite the entire country hating him, he is willing to do anyway. In One Piece chapters 1181 and 1182, Loki was seen fighting for the one Elbaf who hated him since his birth, and we couldn't help but admire this brilliant piece of characterization by Eiichiro Oda.
After 4 years, a piece presents three Devil Fruits of God
At the end of the Elbaf arc, a fragment has officially revealed the three God Devil Fruits that will change the course of the coming Great War.
Why Elbaf must capture Loki post-Emu War
After Loki made it clear his intention to stay in Elbaf, fans may be disappointed with the decision, and some may feel the writer played with their emotions and got them excited for no reason. However, to truly understand the importance of Loki's character, we need to understand where Elbaf stands in the coming Great War.
in a piece Chapter 1146, Gunko, one of the members of the Holy Knights, has officially stated that whoever sides with Elbaf's giants will receive a significant boost in the upcoming battle. As such, the battle for Elbaf, which has been called the prelude to the Great War, is very important. Conquering the giants meant saving the country, and if Loki left the country it could not be saved.
A massive war will result and drag the whole world into it! And which side the veterans pledge their allegiance to has a profound effect on the outcome of the war! – Gunko, One Piece Chapter 1146
The strongest the country has to offer after Loki are Dory and Broggy, neither of whom are strong enough to beat even their single top-tier. Even the country does not have a king and there can be no prosperity without a king. As such, Loki's decision to stay and rule Elbaf, which he officially declares in chapter 1180, is the right one despite this disappointment. Elbaf needs Loki more than Elbaf needs Loki, and he understands that too, which is why he should stay in the country and not travel with Luffy and the crew.
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Nefertari Vivi is the only real candidate for the position of the last straw hat
With Loki out of the picture, we only have to look at One Piece Chapter 1130 to find out that Oda is officially establishing himself as the last Straw Hat. This person is none other than Princess Nefertari Vivi of Arabia. Vivi is currently with the Morgans and Wapole and has sent a message to the Straw Hat Pirates through them. This message was originally shown by the author in chapter 1130, which was published in Shueisha Weekly Shonen Jump issue #47 on October 21, 2024.
“When Luffy transforms into his free form, is that X mark visible on his hand? It looks unnatural to me. His hand looks blurry but the mark is crystal clear.” – Nico Robin about Vivi's message to Luffy, One Piece Chapter 1130
Much time has passed since then, but the importance of the plotline established by Oda is still paramount. Luffy and the Straw Hats should be able to read Vivi's message as soon as the battle ends, and when that happens, rescue is going to be in the cards for her. After rescuing the princess, no place will be safe for her due to Emu's wishes. As such, the only place for Vivi would be with the Straw Hat Pirates, making her the last member of the crew.
It's also important to note that with the recent revelation of the Rain God Zaza in Chapter 1183, Vivi's importance to the crew has greatly increased. This is because he is a prime candidate to eat Devil Fruit Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Zaza. This devil fruit allows a person to turn into a rain god and bring rain. Vivi hails from a desert kingdom, has been praying for rain for a long time, and was shown without rain during the Arabian Nights arc, making her a perfect fit for the role.
Appearing to the rhythm of a prayer for rain… the rain god Jaja! – St. Killingham, A Fragment Chapter 1182
Furthermore, Vivi will be a thorn in Emu's side in the final saga, and as such, it would be perfect for him to take on the role of the Rain God. For all these reasons, Vivi's setup as the ultimate Straw Hat is perfect, and we can't wait to see it all play out as the story continues.
The latest chapters of Eiichiro Oda's One Piece manga will be available to read through Manga Plus and Viz Media.
