After a two-week-long break, One Piece Chapter 1183 is officially set to return in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump Issue #26 on May 24th, 2026. With the return of the manga after two long weeks, the highly anticipated climax battle of the Elbaph Arc is set to move forward rapidly. Following the arrival of Saint Nerona Imu in Chapter 1179 and the ongoing battles between the forces of the World Government and the Pirate-Giant Alliance, it is looking highly likely that Eiichiro Oda’s goal of ending the arc in 2026 and marking the beginning of a new arc will be met.
With the end of the arc comes the question of who the last Straw Hat will be. The recent developments in Elbaph over chapters 1180, all the way up to 1182 have set up the answer to this question, and it can now be said that the candidate for the position of the final Straw Hat has been narrowed down even further. The Accursed Prince Loki is out of the running, meaning the blue-haired princess of Arabasta, Vivi, is now the clear favorite to become the last member of the crew.
The climax of One Piece’s Elbaph arc excited all of us when Luffy and Loki started fighting together in Chapter 1175, which was released officially on March 2, 2026. This is because this legendary duo was foretold to fight together in the Harley, which was showcased in Chapter 1138 of the story, released in Issue #10 of Weekly Shonen Jump on February 3, 2025. Ever since then, fans had been eagerly waiting for these two to come together and fight, and a big reason for that was also the fact that most fans considered Loki to be the ideal candidate for the last Straw Hat. In One Piece Chapter 1152, Monkey D. Luffy, the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates, officially asked Loki to join the crew. Even though Loki denied the offer, Luffy was adamant that he wanted him as a part of the crew, which is what drove the idea of Loki being the last Straw Hat forward.
Fast forwarding to Chapter 1180, which was published in Weekly Shonen Jump Issue #21 on April 20, 2026, Loki made his desire to stay in Elbaph known. This came as a shock to many of us because we expected Loki to set sail with the Straw Hat Pirates, but looking at everything that has happened in the Land of the Giants over the course of the last 40 or so chapters, we can see why Loki has decided to stay put in Elbaph.
“Here in the real world, you deal with me and my Elbaph!” — Loki to Imu, One Piece Chapter 1180
When Loki first came face to face with Imu, he clearly said to him that the only place he would find him was in the Land of Elbaph. This suggests that Loki intends to fulfill the role that Harald carved out for him as a protector of the country, and this, despite the entire country hating him, is something that he is willing to do no matter what. In One Piece chapters 1181 and 1182, Loki was seen fighting for the very same Elbaph that detested him from his very birth, and we couldn’t help but appreciate this brilliant piece of character writing by Eiichiro Oda.
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Why Elbaph Must Hold On To Loki Post-Imu War
With Loki having made clear his intention of staying in Elbaph, fans might be disappointed at the decision, and some might even feel that the author toyed with their emotions and got them excited for no reason. However, in order to truly understand the significance of the character of Loki, we need to understand where Elbaph stands in the Great War that is coming.
In One Piece chapter 1146, Gunko, one of the members of the Holy Knights, officially stated that whoever the Giants of Elbaph side with will receive a significant boost in the upcoming battle. As such, the war for Elbaph, which has been dubbed the prelude to the Great War, is very important. Winning over the Giants means keeping the country safe, and if Loki leaves the country, it cannot be kept safe.
A vast war will ensue and drag the entire world into it! And which side the Giants pledge their allegiance to will have a profound effect on the outcome of the war! — Gunko, One Piece Chapter 1146
The strongest the country has to offer after Loki are Dorry and Brogy, neither of whom is strong enough to defeat even a single top-tier on their own. The country also does not have a King, and without a King, it cannot prosper. As such, Loki’s decision to stay in Elbaph and rule, which he officially declared in chapter 1180, is the right one, regardless of the disappointment that comes with it. Elbaph needs Loki more than Loki needs Elbaph, and he recognizes that as well, which is precisely why he must stay in the country and not sail with Luffy and the crew.
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Nefertari Vivi Is The Only True Candidate For The Position Of The Final Straw Hat
With Loki out of the picture, we only need to look at One Piece Chapter 1130 to ascertain who Oda is officially setting up to be the last Straw Hat. This person is none other than the Princess of Arabasta, Nefertari Vivi. Vivi is currently with Morgans and Wapol and, through them, has sent a message to the Straw Hat Pirates. This message was shown by the author early on in Chapter 1130, which was published in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump Issue #47 on October 21, 2024.
“When Luffy turns into his free form, does that X mark appear on his arm? It seems unnatural to me. His hands appear blurred but the mark is crystal clear.” — Nico Robin About Vivi’s Message to Luffy, One Piece Chapter 1130
A lot of time has passed since then, but the importance of the plotline that Oda set up is still paramount. Luffy and the Straw Hats should be able to read Vivi’s message as soon as the battle ends, and when that happens, a rescue for her is going to be on the cards. After saving the princess, there is not going to be any place safe for her, given that Imu desires her right now. As such, the only place for Vivi would be with the Straw Hat Pirates, which would make her the last member of the crew.
It is also important to note that with the recent reveal of Rain God Zaza in chapter 1183, Vivi’s importance to the crew has increased drastically. This is because she is the prime candidate for eating the Devil Fruit Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Zaza. This Devil Fruit allows one to turn into the Rain God and bring forth rain. Given that Vivi is from the desert kingdom, which has long since prayed for rain and was even shown without rain during the Arabasta arc, it is perfectly fitting for her to take on this role.
Appearing to the rhythm of the prayers for rain…Rain God Zaza! — Saint Killingham, One Piece Chapter 1182
Furthermore, Vivi will be a thorn in Imu’s side in the Final Saga, and as such, for her to take on the role of the Rain God deity would be absolutely perfect. For all these reasons, Vivi’s setup as the final Straw Hat is absolutely perfect, and we cannot wait to see it all play out as the story continues.
The latest chapters of Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece manga will be available to read via Manga Plus and Viz Media.
