Summary
In the world ofOne Piece, the Emperors of the Sea, or Yonko, are defined as the most important pirates in the setting, both in terms of strength and status. These powerhouses reside in the New World and have carved out territories that no one except for others on a similar standing to themselves can challenge. On the side of the pirates, there is no one greater than them.
When Loki made his long-awaited debut in the story, he was considered to be an exceptionally powerful character in possession ofthe legendary Devil Fruit of the Royal Line of Elbaf. The power granted to him by this fruit made him one of the strongest characters inOne Piece, with many fans even believing him to be an Emperor of the Sea before Shanks took him down, so let’s see if Loki could have held this position at any point.
Story Arc
Elbaf
Right off the bat, the obvious defining feature that leads to one becoming an Emperor of the Sea is sheer strength and power. Not only have all the Yonko been renowned for their influence and powerful crews, but they are also defined by their unmatched power, which is the greatest among the forces of the pirates. The characters who have earned the title of Emperor over the years are Whitebeard, Shanks, Kaido, Big Mom, Luffy, Blackbeard, and Buggy, all of whom are the strongest pirates in the current setting,except for Buggy, of course.
However, despite Buggy’s lack of strength, his being an Emperor is due to the brains of Crocodile and the brawn of Mihawk, the latter of whom is stated to be an equal to Shanks. Judging by this, it’s clear that strength is perhaps the greatest asset when it comes to determining who will become an Emperor. Coincidentally, Loki’s strength is very clearly implied to be on a similar level to all the other characters.
I am the Sun God who will bring about the end of the world!
Although the truth of this is vague, Loki possesses the legendary Devil Fruit of Elbaf which supposedlytransforms him into Sun God Nika. Despite the potency of his Haki being a mystery, his Devil Fruit is hinted at being at least as strong as Luffy’s, though the actual details of why this is haven’t been revealed yet except for the fact that it allowed him to wreak havoc across Elbaf and the New World unchallenged. Oda has made it clear that one doesn’t need incredible Haki if their Devil Fruit is strong enough, and vice versa.
So, this has led to many fans theorizing that, six years before the start of the main story, the power hierarchy of the pirates looked vastly different. Shanks wasn’t an Emperor at that point and Loki had set sail to the oceans and was causing pandemonium wherever he went, with his Devil Fruit powers ensuring that no one could stop him. Because of this, many fans believe that Loki was an Emperor of the Sea for a brief amount of time, since his strength was so great that he could do whatever he wanted around the world.
However, things changed when he came across Shanks, where the two fought in an incredible battle that shook the world and led to a massive change in the power hierarchy. Seeing as how Shanks is thought to have become an Emperor around 6 years before the start of the main story, the timeline adds up to Loki’s rampage, so most fans think that Shanks became an Emperor once he defeated Loki and took up the vacant spotleft by the Accursed Prince.
Everything matches up perfectly, so it’s more likely than naught that Loki also began to be referred to as an Emperor of the Sea who was eventually defeated and imprisoned in Elbaf by Shanks, who would take up his position upon doing so. This would add a bit of depth to the journey of Loki as well as that of Shanks, showing how these two powerhouses are more connected than previously thought.
Loki’s Greatest Inspiration For Becoming Such A Pirate
The Most Notorious Pirate In History
Loki had always been spurned from birth due to the prophecy that made everyone on Elbaf believe him to be a monster. Growing up in such a negative environment, Loki began to embrace being an outcast, a belief which was further reinforced due to hisidolization of the notorious Rocks D. Xebec, who was known as the greatest and most terrifying pirate of the previous generation.
Rocks was at the pinnacle of strength in the world during his prime, implied to be even stronger than the likes of Roger and Whitebeard. With this power, he made sure the world knew his name by making his crew behave more like a terrorist organization that brought destruction wherever they went and challenged the order set by the World Government. In trying to emulate his idol, Loki would do the same, becoming notorious across the seas as a powerful and ruthless pirate who may have eventually become an Emperor of the Sea.
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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.
