Summary
For quite a long time, fans ofOne Piecehave theorized that there will eventually be a new member of the Straw Hat Pirate crew. The main reason for this is that when Luffy started his journey, he wanted to have a crew of 10 people, and while this number has already been met, many believe that he meant 10 members other than himself. This has sparked many widespread theories about the possibility of who could be the latest to join.
Throughout theOne Piecestory, the Straw Hats have partnered up with many side characters from the story who have become temporary or honorary members, but none have become permanent ones. Due to this, most fans believe that the Elbaf arc will eventually lead to abrand-new member for the Straw Hats, for whom there are currently many exciting possibilities. So, let’s go over the most likely candidates to join the Straw Hats on Elbaf.
Story Arc
Elbaf
In the grand scheme ofOne Piece, Loki is one of the most important characters in the story. Although he was alluded to as being a ruthless villain at the start of Elbaf, the chapters since then have portrayed him as a far more sympathetic individual, prompting many fans to believe thathe will eventually join the Straw Hatsonce the arc ends. This makes sense too, since he is supposed to be the leader of the Giants in the Final War where he will help against the forces of Imu, as was hinted at in the Elbaf Mural from Chapter 1138.
I am the Sun God who will bring about the end of the world!
His joining the Straw Hats rather than staying back on Elbaf as an ally on the island seems far more likely since he has a troubled history with the land, which hints that he may not be accepted as their new King. This role would undoubtedly go to Hajrudin, who would act as the leader of Elbaf and the Giants in the Final War, while Loki himself would join the Straw Hats on their adventures. The logistics of how this would work would be something to think about, but other than that, Loki is the perfect and most likely next member of the crew.
Bonney’s First Appearance
One Piece, Chapter 498, “The Eleven Supernovas”
When it comes to the overall narrative of theOne Piecestory, the thematic connections between characters and concepts are increasingly poignant. As such, it’s known that the connection of Kuma and Bonney to Nika is one of the most important in the entire story, with Nika being the single biggest driverbehind Kuma’s entire story arc. It was revealed towards the start of the Elbaf arc that the Straw Hats retrieved a special device from Egghead which ensures the rebuilding of Vegapunk as well as Kuma.
If you were to go on a vacation, where would you want to go?
Many have taken this to mean that, once Kuma comes back, he and Bonney will join the Straw Hats as the newest members, which would be an incredible next step in Kuma’s arc as he would be teaming up with Nika; the person he has tried to emulate his entire life. Conversely, other fans believe that Kuma and Bonney will stay on Elbaf, where Vegapunk will also join them, bringing their story arc to a really nice place.
Egghead
Once the Egghead arc concluded, Lilith was the only satellite of Vegapunk who remained completely intact. She then proceeded to join the Straw Hats and Giant Warrior Pirates on their way to Elbaf, serving as somewhat of a temporary ally to the series' main pirate crew. Because of this, many fans believe that she will eventually join them at the end, since she continues to be apivotal character during the Elbaf arcas it stands at the moment.
You know, to tell the truth, I have never left this island before!
However, the likelihood of this isn’t too high, since Lilith may just be filling a temporary role in the crew that characters in the past have, like Carrot or Law. The case for her joining is even weaker though, since she has only been with the crew for a brief amount of time. Her most likely fate would be her joining Kuma, Bonney, and the new Vegapunk on Elbaf.
In the most controversial pick for this entire article, there is a contingent of fans who believe that Gunko is not who she seems. One of the most popular theories regarding this character has to do with her true identity, which is hinted at by her design, as well as being the only Gods Knight without the title of ‘Saint’ in her name. Because of this, many believe that she is actually a clone of none other than aformer officer of the Revolutionary Army; Ginny.
If this ends up being true, not only will she have incredible importance and implications in the story, but she will very likely even betray the Gods Knights upon prolonged contact with Kuma and Bonney, turning her to the side of the heroes and perhaps even the Straw Hats. However, if this theory does end up being true, Gunko’s most likely story arc would conclude with her remaining with Kuma and Bonney on Elbaf, bringing the family’s story full circle beautifully.
One Piececan be streamed onCrunchyroll.
One Piece
One Piece is a Japanese manga written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda. The series follows protagonist Monkey D. Luffy and his Straw Hat Pirate crew as they explore the Grand Line to find the King of the Pirates' ultimate treasure, the One Piece, in order to become the next king. The manga’s popularity helped it spin off into a larger media franchise, including an anime with more than 1,000 episodes.
