[One Piece] The Final Boss Might Already Be Decided — Japanese Fans Narrow It Down to Five
#17 LEVELY
2026.01.14
Luffy, Blackbeard, and the Endgame (2018/06/18) If One Piece has a final enemy, who is it really pointing toward?
One Piece is reaching a scale where “final boss” is no longer a joke topic. Japanese fans started asking a simple question in 2018: who actually fits that role? The answers weren’t random — they revealed how readers see the structure of the story itself.
The Obvious Candidates — Emperors, Marines, and Gods
1: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/17 ① Marshall D. Teach (Blackbeard) ② Sakazuki (Akainu) ③ Shanks ④ Monkey D. Dragon ⑤ Im-sama ⑥ Urouge
① Blackbeard A man who climbed all the way up to become one of the Four Emperors after the Summit War. Killed his crewmate, defeated Ace, murdered Whitebeard — he’s caused countless incidents. His crew mirrors the Straw Hats in numbers (or will), which pretty much guarantees a fight with Luffy.
② Akainu Former Fleet Admiral of the Marines. The man who killed Ace — a personal enemy. High chance he fights either Luffy or Sabo.
③ Shanks The man who started Luffy’s journey. One of the Four Emperors, but unlike most pirate crews, he’s cautious and restrained. He met with the Five Elders right before the World Conference. If Luffy sides with the Revolutionaries and Shanks stands with the Government, they could clash.
④ Monkey D. Dragon Leader of the Revolutionary Army and Luffy’s biological father. His true goal is still unknown — a man full of mystery. With allies like Sabo and Ivankov who are close to Luffy, it’s unlikely he becomes an enemy.
⑤ Im-sama The king of the world who suddenly appeared above the Five Elders in the latest chapter.
Im-sama and the Weight of History
Im-sama may have lived for over 800 years and stands as a destined enemy of the D. clan. Even among royalty, almost no one knows of their existence. Always manipulating history from the shadows. Whether there’s a direct fight or not is unclear, but they will definitely stand in Luffy’s way.
“It Won’t Stop at Five” — Fans Pushing Back
22: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/18 They’ll probably introduce someone new anyway.
30: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/18 If we’re talking probability: ① 30% ② 15% ③ 15% ④ 10% ⑤ 30% ⑥ 108%
Koby feels more like a hidden boss than a final one.
31: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/18 We know nothing about the Rocks Pirates, so I’m reserving judgment.
38: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/18 >>33 He was already top-tier among rookies two years ago. He’s the only one who soloed Pacifistas. Urouge is legit.
Joke Answers That Still Reveal Something
46: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/18 Smoker doesn’t even get talked about anymore…
57: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/18 The final boss is obviously the Lord of the Coast who ate the Nushi-Nushi Fruit.
Whitebeard “Just what kind of enemy did you give that left arm to?”
Shanks “……to the new era.” “I bet it all on that.”
61: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/18 Blackbeard is definitely not the final boss. He’s an enemy, sure, but narratively he’s in the same position as Luffy.
65: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/18 Blackbeard and Luffy will team up at the end. Both shouting “I’m the one who’ll claim the One Piece!”
Replies, Doubts, and Meta Takes
67: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/18 >>65 And sending Ace to the execution platform was totally fine?
20: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/18 Koby: “Sorry, it was me.”
78: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/18 Among pirates, Blackbeard. Among the Marines, Koby. For the World Government, Im. (´・ω・`) The real final boss is the system itself.
90: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/18 “Pirate Hunter” was foreshadowing. The final enemy is Zoro.
98: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/18 The guy who gave Luffy the scar under his eye is the final boss.
👉 Why Japanese Fans Refuse to Settle on One Final Enemy
What stands out isn’t indecision — it’s structure awareness. Japanese readers aren’t just ranking strength; they’re weighing role. An Emperor, a Marine, a god-king, a system — each represents a different way One Piece could end.
👉 The Real “Final Boss” Might Not Be a Person at All
Several comments quietly converge on the same idea: One Piece may not end with a single villain, but with the collapse of a world order. In that sense, Im isn’t the point — the system behind Im is.
Comments