One Piece: The Four Emperor System Explained

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In the world of One Piece, the Admirals, the Warlords of the Sea, and the Five Elders are incredibly powerful groups all connected to the World Government. Pirates have their own equivalent power structure with the Four Emperors, who are as influential as the Admirals or Elders within the pirate world. Though pirates are usually divided into separate crews focused on their own goals, they can unite under the leadership of a powerful Emperor.

Before the two-year gap in the story, we saw glimpses of the Four Emperors, like Whitebeard and Shanks fighting at Marineford. However, they became truly significant after that, establishing dominance over the New World. The series has now fully explained the Emperors’ power and influence, making it obvious why the Navy struggles to control that dangerous part of the sea.

The Four Emperors Help Maintain the Balance of Power

Fighting With or Against an Emperor Can Change the World

Image via Toei Animation.

Although each of the four Emperors is incredibly strong and leads a powerful pirate crew, their strength isn’t the only thing that matters. The Emperor system is designed to maintain a balance of power in the world. They’re more than just strong pirates; they, along with the Warlords and the Marines, are responsible for keeping the world from falling into chaos. This responsibility creates a complicated and often strained relationship between the Emperors and the Navy.

The four Emperors and the Navy are definitely enemies – the Admirals and Imu certainly wouldn’t consider them allies. However, Navy officials recognize the Emperors play a crucial role in maintaining the current world order, even if they don’t like it. Imu wants complete control, but power is divided, and the Emperors fiercely hold onto their influence. They completely dominate the New World, an area where the Navy avoids direct conflict. Essentially, the Navy has given up trying to control the New World, and the Emperors seem to understand they can’t easily conquer the first half of the Grand Line.

The Emperors are incredibly powerful, so the Navy has strict rules about engaging them. Lower-ranking officers are forbidden from attacking or provoking them, as even a small conflict could escalate into a full-scale war. The Navy essentially avoids confrontation with the Emperors at all costs, even though the Emperors are often rivals and unlikely to team up. This means even a strong organization like COP0, or someone like Rob Lucci, wouldn’t casually challenge Emperors like Shanks or Blackbeard, even if ordered to.

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The Emperors Are Appointed Through Feats of Strength and Conquest

The Emperors’ Lineup Rarely Rotates Except in Historic Moments

A key aspect of the Emperor system reflects the core idea behind pirates: strength determines who’s in charge. Pirates gain control through trickery, betrayal, and overwhelming force – like powerful ships, unique Devil Fruit abilities, and Haki. Although some pirate crews, like the Straw Hats and Heart Pirates, strive for justice, the Emperors fully embrace the ruthless nature of the pirate world, taking it to an extreme level.

Becoming one of the Emperors requires immense strength, a large fleet, and enough power to rival those already in the position. A potential Emperor must be stronger than any other pirate crew in the New World and powerful enough to avoid the Navy’s attention. It’s a very exclusive group, and new members can only join by force or when a spot unexpectedly becomes available. Given how few individuals have ever been Emperors, it’s clear the group rarely changes, and when it does, it’s a significant event.

Becoming one of the powerful ‘Emperors’ isn’t a formal process like it is with the World Government’s selection of Warlords or the Navy’s officer promotions. Current Emperors don’t choose their successors. Instead, individuals earn the title through their actions and become recognized as powerful enough to join their ranks – it’s an unofficial but accepted rise to power. This reflects the chaotic nature of pirates, who don’t follow traditional rules. Gaining this status depends on things like a pirate’s strength, influence, the size of their crew, and involvement in significant events, such as the battle at Wano’s Onigashima.

That’s how three of the current Emperors rose to power. Luffy became one after fully awakening his Gear 5 ability, defeating Kaido, and gaining renown for his Straw Hat crew – he was a natural fit to replace Kaido. Blackbeard earned his spot by becoming the only person ever to control two incredibly powerful Devil Fruits. With Whitebeard gone and Kaido and Big Mom defeated, it was time for a new generation, alongside Shanks, to shape the New World. This shift also highlighted just how much Luffy had grown in strength.

It’s humorous how Buggy the Clown continues to succeed despite his lack of skill, purely through good fortune. His surprising popularity and membership in the powerful Cross Guild earned him a spot among the Four Emperors, even though he doesn’t have the strength to be considered a Warlord, let alone an Emperor. As the Final Saga progresses and the other three Emperors enter the battle, it’s likely Buggy’s weakness will become apparent, potentially impacting the fate of the world.

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2026-02-05 16:35