Oda Confirms the One Pirate Who Defeated Gol D. Roger—and It Wasn’t Whitebeard

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This article contains spoilers from One Piece’s Elbaf Arc.

Summary

  • Roger was the strongest pirate of his era, matched only by Whitebeard.
  • Sengoku described Rocks D. Xebec as Roger’s first and biggest enemy.
  • Rocks defeated Roger in the past, indicating his immense power and Haki.

In the sprawling universe of “One Piece,” it’s well-known that the oceans are teeming with numerous formidable pirates. Many legendary pirates have earned their reputations over time in the Grand Line, but none approach the stature of the mythical Pirate King, Roger. He was the singular individual who circumnavigated the entire globe and discovered the treasure left by Joy Boy, the elusive “One Piece.

In his journey, Roger discovered the mythical Last Island, thereby earning an unparalleled reputation as a legendary pirate unlike any other in the annals of piracy. It is worth noting that Roger’s strength was renowned, with only Whitebeard being considered his equal; however, there existed a pirate who bested even Roger in the world of One Piece, and Oda has already unveiled this enigmatic figure to the fans.

Roger Was The Strongest Of His Era

  • Roger Reached The Highest Of Peaks In One Piece
  • Roger Could Only Be Matched By Whitebeard

In the world of One Piece, it’s common knowledge that among pirates, none shine brighter than Roger. He was crowned the Pirate King and managed to amass wealth, fame, and power. However, when it comes to raw power, Roger was exceptional. He was the most powerful during his time, and while Whitebeard had the ability to destroy the world, he too found himself at a stalemate against Gol D. Roger. Remarkably, this was despite Roger not possessing a Devil Fruit, which underscores just how formidable his strength truly was.

Wealth, fame, power, Gold Roger, the Pirate King, had attained it all. — Narrator

Among his inner circle, just two figures held significant power alongside him – Rayleigh and Gaban. On the Marines’ side, only Garp could rival him. Each of these individuals was exceptional, but none compared to the man Sengoku publicly referred to as Roger’s first and most formidable adversary, even surpassing Whitebeard and the legendary Rocks D. Xebec.

Why Rocks Was Stronger than Roger

Rocks Had An Absurd Power Level And Tremendous Haki

It’s worth noting that among all characters, even the formidable Roger couldn’t emerge victorious against Rocks D. Xebec. This truth was hinted at by Oda on two separate instances. The first time was when Oda explicitly mentioned that Rocks was defeated by a joint effort from Roger and Garp, suggesting they had to work together as their only hope for victory against this formidable foe. The second instance was when Roger himself, on God Valley, admitted that a year prior, he had encountered Rocks and the outcome left him with bitter feelings for quite some time. This encounter took place 39 years ago in the One Piece universe, implying that Rocks was the only pirate to ever defeat the legendary Gol D. Roger.

It’s been a year. Do you know how I have felt all this time? — Roger

It’s no wonder that rocks seem incredibly strong. After all, considering his ambition to rule the entire world and perhaps reveal the secrets hidden within it, it wouldn’t be shocking if Rocks had a formidable Haki, often compared to a monster’s power. Let’s hope that Oda provides more insight into the God Valley Incident as the story unfolds in the future.

In exactly two weeks from now, we’ll get our hands on the next thrilling chapter of One Piece, which will be released as scheduled on a Sunday. For our Japanese readers, the chapter will appear at 12AM Japan Standard Time on Monday. However, most international fans can expect to access it on May 11th. The official release date for One Piece Chapter 1149 is set for May 25, 2025. Excitingly, fans can enjoy reading this chapter without charge on Manga Plus!

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2025-05-14 23:34