Summary
In both fiction and reality, few things build more tension than ambiguity. It is for this reason thatOne Pieceoften teases noteworthy characters well before their proper debut in the narrative. The result is a number of characters whose abilities are not yet defined or, in certain cases, not even displayed, but merely alluded to on some non-specific level.
While only the narrative itself can properly assert how powerful these characters are, allusions to their physical strength are often supported by established titles or major roles they have held within the story, or by some unspecified level of power they have shown in a brief combat scene. Using the facts available, here are some ofthe strongestOne Piececharacters whose proper fights havegone unseen.
5Hinokizu
The Man Marked By Flames
Said to be a man with a burn scar,Hinokizuis a figure rumored to possess aRoad Poneglyph. He is believed to sail an all-black ship and create ocean vortexes, possibly with a Devil Fruit power. Further speculation posits that he is a government employee who destroys any ship that comes near. With all the theories surrounding him, both inside the narrative and out, it’s thought that he may even be another, more established character, possibly even one on this list.
Nonetheless, Hinokizu is a figure of mass renown in the pirate world, as the Poneglyph mentioned above, which he is thought to possess, is essential to collecting the One Piece. His power to summon ship-rending vortexes and the potential foes he could have lend themselves to the idea of him being a formidable foe. However, due to the extent of his abilities existing in the speculative realm, there is really nothing or no one noteworthy to measure Hinokizu against to determine the true extent of his strength.
4Monkey D. Dragon
The World’s Worst Criminal
Monkey D. Dragonwas a former marine who defected due to their view of justice not aligning with his own. From there, he steadily built up the Revolutionary Army, an organization dedicated to dismantling the World Government. Dragon is the son of the marine instructor, Monkey D. Garp, and the father ofMonkey D. Luffy, the series protagonist. Although Dragon is held in high regard by his subordinates and feared by the public, like his bounty, his own prowess in combat remains purely speculative, as he has never, not even briefly, engaged in an onscreen fight of any sort.
He has long been presumed to have some sort of storm or wind-based powers, relating to the freak storm that saved Luffy from his execution in Loguetown. However, no official canon source confirms this. His exact level of physical strength has thus far been kept in the dark, although it is assumed to be high. As a member of the Monkey family, the leader of the Revolutionaries, and the most infamous criminal, Dragon’s power may very well be on par with the series' upper echelon of fighters, if not eclipsing a good number of them.
3Rocks D. Xebec
A Figure Forgotten
Rocks D. Xebecwas the captain of theRocks Pirates. He is said to have been a wicked man who cared little for others, killing both the privileged Celestial Dragons and their slaves with the same lack of hesitation. He also possessed a fascination with esoteric subjects the government forbade study of (such as the Void Century and possibly even the meaning of the mysterious D. initial), which factors into his obscurity in the present day. His ambition was to become King of the World, and he assembled a powerful pirate crew for the sake of doing so.
Rocks has been considered a generally poor leader, with those of his crewmates who have discussed his exploits having a largely negative opinion of him. That said, the very fact that Rocks has rubbed shoulders with many present-day legends has led to a level of speculation surrounding his strength. Three of Rocks' crewmates ascended to the title of Emperor, a rank for pirate captains considered existential threats to the World Government. In addition to being the captain of Whitebeard, Big Mom, and Kaido, Rocks and his mighty crew were defeated by an alliance formed by the likes of Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp, who were otherwise consistent rivals of one another.
In the present day, Rocks is speculated to be an influence, relative, or, in some extreme theories, a previous incarnation of Emperor Marshall D. Teach, a former subordinate to Whitebeard who has since become Blackbeard, a powerful pirate in his own right. This speculation stems from Teach’s apparent fascination with the long-dead captain, notably naming his ship the “Saber of Xebec” and actively antagonizing many of his former subordinates. It is very possible Rocks had the might to match his ambitions.
2Joy Boy
The First Pirate
A character who has drawn parallels to Luffy,Joy Boyis said to have been the very first pirate. He, at one point, owned the titular One Piece, which Roger would later discover. He befriended truly ancient figures who still live today, such as Emet, the massive robot known as the Iron Giant, andZunesha, the elephant who walks the world whilst carrying the island of Zou on his back, and who is said to have committed a crime in the past which made him worthy of walking for eternity. He was also a previous user of the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika, and is said to have many parallels with its current user, Luffy, who is occasionally identified by the moniker himself.
The original Joy Boy is noted for his distinctively powerful Conqueror’s Haki. He was also capable of tying it into a knot, preserving it for future use centuries after his own passing. Emet unleashed his late friend’s haki during the Egghead Arc, with its power still identifiable long after its user’s death. Joy Boy is not unbeatable, as he was an enemy of the First Twenty and ended up losing to them during the Great War, a conflict which resulted in the creation of the World Government. However, the exact circumstances of this loss and Joy Boy’s exact level of power remain a mystery.
1Imu
The King Of The World
A figure of complete mystery,Imuis the secret leader of the World Government and is thus the effective King of the World. Emporio Ivankov speculates them to be the ancient Saint Nerona Imu, kept alive by the Perennial Youth Operation via the Ope Ope no Mi. This being has been shown to possess powers, including a transformation which may or may not be the result of a Mythical Zoan, the ability to kill the presumed immortal Jaygarcia Saturn, and apparently, the power of an Ancient Weapon. Despite their secrecy, they are implied to keep a level of attention towards the goings-on of the greater world, showing a fascination with figures such as Monkey D. Luffy and Nefertari Vivi.
They were briefly shown attacking Sabo, alongside the Five Elders, but this is not elaborated on further. As the Five Elders finally debuted in full-fledged combat during the Egghead Arc, Imu remains conspicuously absent, a further extension of their apparent desire to be seen by as few people as possible, at least in part to maintain the illusion of a World Government not controlled by one figure. With their role as a major antagonist who has possibly lived for centuries, it is reasonable to presume that Imu is perhaps the strongest character currently unfought within the narrative. The exact extent of their power is unknown, but they have shown no vulnerability and absolute dominance over the small number of characters they have interacted with in the narrative thus far.
