One Piece: 5 Characters Luffy Needs To Beat To Become Pirate King

Monkey D. Luffy is the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates and one of the Four Emperors of the Sea. In just a few years, Luffy managed to become one of the most famous pirates in the world, and it’s all due to his relentlessness. Whenever he has faced a strong opponent, he has refused to back down or run away.

Instead, Luffy fights with everything that he has to vanquish them. So far, Luffy has beaten many noteworthy opponents, and each of them presented a different challenge. After defeating Kaido in Wano, Luffy took a giant step toward his goal of becoming the Pirate King, but there are still some One Piece characters who stand in his way.

5. Blackbeard

An Emperor Of The Sea

Categorized as Luffy’s final opponent in One Piece, Marshall D. Teach is an absolute behemoth who is capable of beating almost every single character in the series. The secret behind his incredible strength is his two Devil Fruits. Blackbeard possesses the Yami Yami no Mi, which he stole from Thatch. Blackbeard’s Yami Yami no Mi gives him the power to manipulate darkness, which can consume almost everything. However, the biggest advantage of this Devil Fruit is that it can nullify other abilities. This was evident in Blackbeard’s fights against Luffy, Ace, and Whitebeard. The only drawback of this ability is that he cannot let attacks phase through.

Blackbeard stole his second Devil Fruit from Whitebeard through an unknown method. The Gura Gura no Mi gives him the freedom to create quakes at will. He can create a devastating quake that gives rise to a tsunami that can engulf an island. Blackbeard can also utilize this power to repel any incoming attacks. With these two powers, Blackbeard has a huge advantage over his opponents. Since he wants to claim the One Piece as well, it won’t be long before he battles Luffy.

4. Shanks

Pirate With The Highest Active Bounty

Shanks was the person who inspired Luffy to set out and become a pirate. Seeing his compassion for his crew mates and his friends helped Luffy to make up his mind. Shanks and Luffy do not bear any kind of malice toward each other, but they will inevitably face each other at some point. For Shanks, it might be a fight to test whether the bet he made all those years has come to fruition. Either way, this fight will be full of action and emotion.

When Shanks fights Luffy, neither of them will hold back. Shanks will utilize all three types of Haki. Already, he has demonstrated that his Advanced Conqueror’s Haki is potent enough to take down Eustass Kid, a Supernova with a bounty of 3 billion berries. He can even prevent his adversary from using Future Sight, which gives him a significant advantage.

3. Akainu

Fleet Admiral Of The Marines

Akainu is the Fleet Admiral of the Marines. He reached the position after beating Aokiji in a tough battle on Punk Hazard. With the promotion, Akainu became the leader of the Marines, so they had to obey his every command. However, this also has a major drawback, as he cannot leave the headquarters freely.

Akainu and Luffy are firm enemies, and this relationship will never change. In the Marineford arc, Akainu murdered Ace and, subsequently, injured Luffy. It is rather obvious that the latter would never forgive the Marine. Furthermore, if Luffy becomes the Pirate King, it would ruin the reputation of the Marines. So, Akainu will try every trick in the book to ensure Luffy never realizes his dreams. Facing Akainu will be a big challenge for Luffy, as the Fleet Admiral is armed with a Logia-type Devil Fruit that allows him to freely manipulate magma. Its high offensive power means that it can bypass almost every defense.

2. Five Elders

Godheads Of The World Government

The Five Elders are Imu’s most trusted and loyal comrades. They have likely been in the service of the king of the world for decades and consider it their mission to keep him happy at all costs. The Five Elders are also known as Godheads and they each have a particular field that they oversee.

At first glance, the Five Elders may look old and ineffective, but in reality, they are ferocious combatants armed with mythical powers. Furthermore, they have access to Haki, making them even more dangerous. Presently, the Five Elders are engaged in a battle with Luffy and his friends on Egghead Island. The Five Elders will be hoping that they can bring an end to the young pirate’s adventure and stop him from becoming the second Pirate King.

1. Imu

King Of The World

Imu is the sovereign of the world. They sit atop the Empty Throne and give orders to the Five Elders, who then carry them out. While it has yet to be confirmed, there is a great chance that Imu existed during the Void Century. They likely led the charge against the Ancient Kingdom and made sure that it would be exterminated at all costs.

Imu has already identified Luffy as one of the main enemies of the World Government, so it’s obvious that they won’t sit back and let Luffy do whatever he pleases. If the Five Elders fail to stop Luffy on Egghead Island, it might not be long before Imu joins the fray and tries to stop Luffy from becoming the King of the Pirates.