The Straw Hat Pirates have become incredibly powerful in the New World of One Piece since their two-year adventure. They’ve risen to be one of the most dominant forces, alongside crews like the Red Hair Pirates, Blackbeard Pirates, and Cross Guild, and have even defeated powerful Yonko like the Beast Pirates. However, this period of near-unrivaled success is coming to an end. The current Elbaph arc, particularly chapter 1180, introduces a massive threat: Nerona Imu, the King of the World and the strongest character created by Oda. This new challenge signals the end of the Straw Hats’ era of dominance that began after their return from the two-year timeskip.
Why The Era Of Dominance For Luffy’s Crew Is Over
The Straw Hat Pirates have truly become the dominant force in this era. After their training, they quickly proved they were no longer challenged by the Pacifistas. They easily defeated the New Fishman Pirates at Fishman Island, and then took down the powerful Doflamingo in Dressrosa. More recently, they defeated a Yonko during the Wano Country Arc, and incredibly, survived and escaped the massive Navy assault on Egghead – the largest since the destruction of Ohara.
The Straw Hat Pirates have been consistently victorious, even against the most powerful forces in the One Piece world, but that looks set to change as the story moves to Elbaph. At the end of chapter 1179, Saint Nerona Imu arrived at Aurust Castle on Elbaph and immediately transformed into a monstrous form thanks to the power of a Devil Fruit.
Imu possesses the most powerful Devil Fruit in the One Piece world, granting incredible abilities. This power allowed Imu to defeat Joy Boy, a feat far beyond the current capabilities of Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates. Essentially, Luffy is now facing the greatest challenge of his journey. As Imu is likely the final villain, this battle will be incredibly difficult for Luffy, potentially ending his and his crew’s reign over the seas after years of dominance.
The Narrative Impact Of Nerona Imu’s Arrival In Elbaph
Nerona Imu’s appearance confirms she’s the series’ ultimate villain and is now on Elbaph. However, despite this, the story isn’t quite in its final arc yet. We’re definitely entering the endgame, but the major war hasn’t started, and the full truth about Imu remains a mystery.
All is preordained…this began long long ago. The Holy Land…I leave to thee. — Imu, Chapter 1179
The main villain has shown up in Elbaph earlier than expected, specifically to confront Luffy, and this will likely have serious consequences for him. It’s highly unlikely Imu will be the one defeated; instead, Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates are the ones at risk. Imu’s arrival is a major turning point, threatening the Straw Hats’ power in the New World and potentially giving them their first loss since the events at Sabaody Archipelago.
Gauging The Importance Of A Setback For The Straw Hat Pirates
The Straw Hat Pirates losing in the Elbaph Arc might actually be a good thing for their overall journey. Though fans may not want to see them defeated, it could be important for the story’s development. Overcoming challenges is what allows a crew to truly grow stronger.
The Straw Hat crew’s biggest leap in power came after their devastating defeat and separation at the hands of Bartholomew Kuma. Following a two-year training period, they returned significantly stronger and began to conquer the challenges of the New World, eventually becoming recognized as one of the Yonko. However, even at this high level, they aren’t strong enough to defeat the World Government and its leader, Neona Imu. To reach that point, they need to become even more powerful, and true strength, as they’ve learned before, comes from overcoming defeat. That’s why the upcoming confrontation with Imu and the lessons it will bring are so crucial for the Straw Hats’ growth.
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How The Crew Will Return Stronger For The Final War
The Straw Hat Pirates are already a powerful crew, but they’re expected to become significantly stronger after their likely defeat in Elbaph. To have a chance against Imu, they’ll need to reach a level of power comparable to that of the original Joy Boy and his crew – and the events on Egghead showed just how incredibly strong Joy Boy was. He possessed the greatest Haki ever seen in the One Piece world, making him arguably the strongest character of all time. Luffy and his crew aren’t at that level yet; some of his key crew members, in particular, need to dramatically increase their strength.
The final part of the One Piece story will focus on Luffy and his crew becoming significantly stronger. After recovering from their recent loss, they’ll reach a power level comparable to the World Government’s leaders. This incredible strength will allow them to overcome any obstacles in the upcoming war and ultimately free the world from the government’s control. Eiichiro Oda promises this will include some of the most epic and thrilling battles in the entire series, delivering the exciting storylines fans have been anticipating.
One Piece Chapter 1180 will be available to read on Manga Plus on April 19, 2026, at 11 a.m. EST.
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2026-04-14 13:34