One Piece’s God Knights Are Overrated – Here’s Why

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Introduced in the Elbaph arc of One Piece, the God Knights were presented as the powerful protectors of the Five Elders and Celestial Dragons. However, their intimidating image hasn’t lived up to expectations. Characters like the ruthless St. Sommers and the unique St. Killingham have struggled against the Straw Hats, and their lack of battle experience is to blame. They’ve always been protected by the existing world order, preventing them from facing real challenges and proving their strength.

The God Knights aren‘t living up to their reputation. Current World Government officials – like the Admirals, the Five Elders, and Rob Lucci – are proving to be much more capable. The God Knights seem to have become overconfident due to their immortality, making them less effective against opponents like the Straw Hats and Scopper Gaban. However, they still have a chance to improve. If they do, the Straw Hats could face a similarly difficult battle as the one they had on Egghead Island against the Elders.

The God Knights Keep Dropping the Ball as Immortal Warriors

Scopper Gaban Made a Joke of St. Sommers on Elbaph

Image via Toei Animation.

Currently known God Knights members:

  • St. Shamrock Figarland
  • St. Manmayer Gunko
  • St. Shepherd Sommers
  • St. Rimoshifu Killingham
  • St. Figarland Garling

It’s surprisingly clear that the God Knights aren’t taking their mission on Elbaph seriously when it comes to fighting. While members like Sommers, Killingham, and Gunko are strongly trying to force Elbaph’s leaders to comply, their performance so far has been weak and cowardly – they don’t seem like the powerful enforcers of Imu’s will they’re meant to be. Even the Five Elders, who usually avoid direct involvement, put up a better fight. This is especially noticeable considering the Straw Hats and Dr. Vegapunk’s satellites managed to escape the Navy’s attack without harm.

Currently, the God Knights’ main strategy involves holding the children of Elbaph hostage, using the powers of Killingham and Gunko’s Devil Fruits. While this puts pressure on Chief Jarul and other giant leaders, it’s a particularly underhanded and shameful tactic. It’s common for villains in One Piece to use over-the-top methods to show how evil they are – think of Crocodile starting a civil war or Spandam’s reckless use of Buster Calls. However, even by those standards, the God Knights’ decision to target vulnerable children feels especially low, considering they present themselves as protectors of the Celestial Dragons and the living gods.

It’s expected that the God Knights would fight using underhanded tactics, especially compared to the Straw Hats’ strong moral compass. However, their methods feel particularly unfair and dishonorable, even for such a ruthless group. This behavior aligns with the World Government’s history of exploitation, including practices like slavery and genocide. Despite all this, the God Knights didn’t even bother to fully utilize their power when confronting the people of Elbaph.

Beyond that, the God Knights haven’t exactly proven themselves in battle. Gunko has been the most effective so far, cleverly using her Devil Fruit power to pit strong enemies like Jinbe against each other. Killingham is managing to slow down the giants with his abilities, but overall, the God Knights aren’t performing as well as fans might expect from a group meant to replace the Five Elders. They simply haven’t shown the strength expected of them.

Given how easily Gear 5 Luffy defeated both Admiral Kizaru and Saint Jaygarcia Saturn on Egghead, it’s clear he could easily handle the God Knights. Even retired fighters like Scopper Gaban, who once fought alongside Gol D. Roger, can defeat them – he recently split Saint Sommers in half, though Sommers survived due to immortality granted by Imu. This isn’t just the usual luck shonen characters get in fights. It shows the God Knights aren’t truly capable fighters themselves, relying instead on their power and the fact that they can’t permanently die. This highlights how corrupt and ineffective the World Government truly is at Marie Geoise.

The God Knights Were Insulated in Their Own Safe World

Reality May Force St. Sommers and the Others to Grow Stronger

Image via Toei Animation.

The God Knights aren’t well-respected, and that might not be entirely their fault. Their home, Marie Geoise, is a secluded, almost separate world on the Red Line, built as a perfect society for the Celestial Dragons and others like them. Because the people of Marie Geoise are so cut off from the rest of the world, the God Knights have become out of touch. Living in a place where their power is never challenged has caused them to lose a sense of perspective.

The God Knights are different from pirates like the Straw Hats, who’ve earned everything through struggle. Because the God Knights have always had it easy, they lack the determination needed to succeed. Unlike many heroes who start with nothing and fight their way to the top, appreciating every bit of progress, the God Knights begin with all the advantages. This means they aren’t ready for a true challenge and fall apart when faced with real difficulty – they simply haven’t learned how to overcome hardship.

Fans of One Piece often cite Figarland Garling’s involvement in the God Valley Incident as an example of someone stepping outside their comfort zone to fight. However, that fight felt more like a hunt than a real battle, and Garling easily won without much struggle. Still, the God Knights, including Garling, have the potential to become much stronger. When they face powerful opponents like Scopper Gaban or the Straw Hats’ strongest fighters, they could truly push themselves and grow as characters.

In One Piece, the heroes often improve their skills during fights, and the God Knights might do the same. They need to become more powerful than the Five Elders while on Elbaph, and the story demands that power levels continue to rise, not decrease. The God Knights could even become a twisted reflection of Luffy’s crew, learning from their battles and hardships to grow stronger. They’ve realized that being immortal, having authority, or holding impressive titles isn’t enough. Now, like the Straw Hats, they’re facing a real struggle where only strength and determination matter, not appearances.

The God Knights need to prove they’re more than just arrogant and invincible. To do that, they need to fight with the same desperate determination as the Straw Hats – as if their lives depended on it. Even powerful villains can adopt a hero’s mindset when something important is at stake. Considering Imu’s punishment of Saint Saturn, the God Knights likely understand that failure is no longer an option, and they could face real death. The Straw Hats represent a crucial test, and the God Knights can’t afford to lose.

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2026-01-08 22:37