One Piece: Oda Reveals Two New Potential Straw Hats Stronger than Both Zoro and Sanji

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This article contains spoilers for One Piece.

From the very start of One Piece, as Luffy set sail from the East Blue, fans have loved watching the Straw Hat Pirates grow stronger. The crew has changed a lot over the years, gaining new members as Luffy gets closer to finding the One Piece treasure. It all began with Luffy and four companions from the East Blue – Zoro, Nami, Usopp, and Sanji – but the Straw Hats have welcomed many more to the team since then.

During the Paradise portion of the Grand Line, the Straw Hat crew gained four new members: Chopper, Robin, Franky, and Brook. However, adding members has become much rarer in the New World, with only Jinbe joining during the Wano arc. It’s likely the author, Oda, intends to add a few more crewmates in the future. Currently, Loki, encountered in Elbaf, is a strong candidate to join. If Loki becomes a Straw Hat, he’ll bring his powerful, intelligent weapon, Ragnir, with him. As of now, both Loki and Ragnir are more powerful than Luffy’s two strongest fighters, Zoro and Sanji, meaning Zoro and Sanji will need to significantly improve their strength to reach their level.

Zoro And Sanji Are Luffy’s Wings

  • The Two Strongest Straw Hat Pirates After Luffy
  • Fierce Rivals Who Shield Each Other’s Back

The Straw Hat Pirates started out as a relatively weak crew in the East Blue. They weren’t particularly remarkable at first, but they steadily became more powerful. Luffy was undoubtedly the strongest, closely followed by Zoro and Sanji, making them the three most formidable members of the crew.

From the start of his journey, Luffy has been able to use the powers of his Devil Fruit, the Gomu Gomu no Mi, allowing him to utilize his powerful Gears. After training for two years, he also learned Haki, which he’s continued to improve. Recently, Luffy awakened his Devil Fruit, significantly increasing his strength and putting him well beyond his rivals.

Zoro is Luffy’s most reliable ally. He’s the crew’s swordsman and incredibly skilled with a blade. His strength primarily grows through the swords he uses, and currently, his most powerful sword is Enma, which he obtained in Wano from Hiyori. Enma was once wielded by Oden and has the ability to enhance Zoro’s Haki.

Sanji is just as important to Luffy as Zoro is, despite what some fans believe. The author, Oda, has repeatedly confirmed this. While Sanji is the crew’s cook, he’s also a very powerful fighter. He’s particularly skilled with Haki, especially the ability to sense danger, and his body has been enhanced with modifications, making him similar to a cyborg.

Simply put, Zoro and Sanji are incredibly strong members of the Straw Hat Pirates. The crew wouldn’t have gotten as far as they have without them. But, when they reach Elbaf, two new characters – Loki and Ragnir – could join the team, and they appear to be even more powerful than Zoro and Sanji.

Zoro and Sanji Are Weaker than Loki and Ragnir

Image by Viz Media
  • Loki and Ragnir Are Potential Straw Hat Pirates
  • Ragnir Can Fight Top Tiers Of The One Piece World

Throughout the series, fans often speculate about new crew members for the Straw Hat Pirates. For example, Yamato in Wano, Carrot in Whole Cake Island, and Bonney in Egghead all generated buzz. Now, in Elbaf, Luffy has already extended an invitation to Loki. If Loki accepts, his brother Ragnir will also join, and currently, both are stronger than Zoro and Sanji.

Loki Is The Accursed Prince of Elbaf

Image by Viz Media

Loki was introduced during the Whole Cake Island arc. He’s a prince from the land of Elbaf, and while everyone expected him to be powerful, his actual strength has surpassed all expectations, putting him among the most legendary characters.

Loki’s strength comes from two sources: his heritage as the son of Harald, which includes the powerful blood of giants, and a rare, incredibly potent Devil Fruit. This fruit, a legendary treasure from Elbaf, is so powerful that Loki actually believes he is a god – the Sun God, to be exact.

I am the Sun God, a figure from this land’s ancient stories. Mortal, you must not address me without my consent. I am the strongest being in these lands. This is Warland, the violent kingdom of Elbaf – once the world’s most formidable nation, built on conflict. And I, Loki, am the Sun God destined to bring about the world’s end! — Loki’s self-introduction in the Elbaf Arc.

Loki has demonstrated incredible power. He single-handedly defeated Domi Reversi’d Harald, and even the entire island of Elbaf couldn’t subdue him – it took Shanks’ intervention to finally restrain him.

Ragnir Is A Sentient Yonko Level Weapon

Loki now has a powerful ally in battle. During the flashback to Elbaf, he obtained Ragnir, a unique weapon with a mind of its own. Ragnir gained sentience by consuming a rare Zoan-type Devil Fruit that transformed it into a squirrel.

You are now an immortal Knight serving Mu. Your task is to create an Abyss on Elbaf – that will be your commitment to us. Once you’ve finished this final duty, your wish will be granted: Elbaf will be accepted as a member nation of the World Government. — Saint Imu Nerona to Harald

In other words, Ragnir can act on its own, independently of Loki. As shown in the flashback, Ragnir is quite strong, as it fought against Loki, and was even able to shatter Loki’s Conqueror’s Haki infused weapon. This is impressive, and a bigger feat than anything shown by either Zoro or Sanji. It could definitely be said that Ragnir is a Yonko Level weapon.

Zoro and Sanji Have To Grow Stronger To Surpass Loki and Ragnir

Zoro and Sanji probably won’t become stronger than Loki by the end of the Elbaf arc. Loki is currently at a much higher power level, evidenced by his extremely high bounty – comparable to that of a Yonko.

I’m really excited about how quickly things are developing! Ragnir is powerful now, but he’s not quite at Loki’s level yet. Still, beating Ragnir alone won’t really matter, because Loki and Ragnir fight as a team – you’ve got to take them both down to truly succeed!

Ultimately, Zoro and Sanji are predicted to become incredibly powerful, potentially surpassing Loki. But currently, if Loki and Ragnir team up, they would be a stronger combination than Zoro and Sanji.

Eiichiro Oda’s popular manga, One Piece, follows Monkey D. Luffy and his crew, the Straw Hat Pirates, as they search for the legendary treasure, the One Piece. The story is currently in its final arc. The newest chapter, 1170, will be released in this week’s Weekly Shonen Jump on January 4, 2026. In Japan, it becomes available at midnight on Monday (11:00 AM EST / 8:00 AM PT). Fans can read the chapter for free on Manga Plus and the Shonen Jump app, which directly supports the creator.

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2026-01-04 21:35