One Piece's Elbaph Arc Climax finally sets up The Last Straw Hat Member

After a two-week break, One Piece Chapter 1183 will officially reappear in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump Issue #26 on May 24, 2026. With the return of the manga after two long weeks, the long-awaited climactic battle at the Elbaph Arc will be moving forward quickly. After 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 looks very likely that Eiichiro Oda's goal of ending the arc in 2026 and marking the beginning of a new arc will be achieved.

With the end of the arc comes the question of who the final Straw Hat will be. Recent developments in Elbaph during Chapter 1180, all the way to 1182, have created the answer to this question, and it can now be said that the candidate for the position of the last Straw Hat has been further reduced. Cursed Prince Loki is out of the running, meaning the blue-haired princess of Arabasta, Vivi, is now the clear favorite to be the last member of the crew.

The climax of One Piece's Elbaph arc got us all excited when Luffy and Loki started fighting together in Chapter 1175, which was officially released on March 2, 2026. This is because this legendary duo was predicted to fight together in Harley, which was showcased in Chapter 1138 of the February story #1108 in Issue Shonen, released 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. Although Loki refused the offer, Luffy was adamant that he wanted him as part of the crew, which is what pushed the idea of ​​Loki being the last Straw Hat forward.

Fast forward to Chapter 1180, 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 as we expected Loki to sail with the Straw Hat Pirates, but if we look at everything that has happened in the Land of Giants in the last 40 chapters, we can see why Loki has decided to stay in Elbaph.

“Here in the real world you take care of me and my Elbaph!” — Loki to Imu, One Piece Chapter 1180

When Loki first came face to face with Imu, he clearly told him that the only place he would find him was in the land of Elbaph. This suggests that Loki intends to fulfill the role Harald created for him as protector of the land, and this, despite the entire land 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 same Elbaph who hated him from his birth, and we couldn't help but appreciate this brilliant characterization by Eiichiro Oda.

Why Elbaph Must Stick With Loki Post-Imu War

Once Loki has made his intention to stay in Elbaph clear, fans may be disappointed by the decision, and some may even feel that the writer played with their emotions and got them excited for no reason. But to truly understand the significance of Loki's character, we must understand where Elbaph stands in the great war to come.

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 of Elbaph, which has been called the prelude to the Great War, is very important. Winning over the giants means keeping the land safe, and if Loki leaves the land, it cannot be kept safe.

A great war will follow and draw the whole 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 are strong enough to defeat even a single top class on their own. Nor does the country have a king, and without a king it cannot prosper. As such, Loki's decision to stay in Elbaph and rule, as 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 realizes that too, which is exactly why he has to stay in the country and not sail with Luffy and the crew.

Nefertari Vivi is the only true candidate for the position of the last Straw Hat

With Loki out of the picture, we only have to look at One Piece Chapter 1130 to see who Oda officially sets up to be the final Straw Hat. This person is none other than the princess of Arabasta, Nefertari Vivi. Vivi is currently with the Morgans and Wapol and through them has sent a message to the Straw Hat Pirates. This message was shown by the author early in Chapter 1130, which was published in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump Issue #47 on October 21, 2024.

“When Luffy transforms into his free form, is that X mark visible on his arm? It seems unnatural to me. His hands seem blurry but the mark is crystal clear.” — Nico Robin on Vivi's message to Luffy, One Piece Chapter 1130

A lot of time has passed since then, but the importance of the storyline 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 is over, and when that happens, a rescue for her will be on the cards. After rescuing the princess, there will be no safe place for her, given that Imu desires her right now. As such, the only place for Vivi would be with the Straw Hat Pirates, making her the last member of the crew.

It is also important to note that with the recent revelation of the Rain God Zaza in Chapter 1183, Vivi's importance to the crew has increased drastically. This is because she is the prime candidate to eat the Devil Fruit Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Zaza. This Devil Fruit allows one to transform into the Rain God and bring forth rain. Given that Vivi hails from the desert kingdom, which long ago prayed for rain and was even shown without rain during the Arabasta arc, it's a perfect fit for her to take on this role.

Appearing to the rhythm of the prayers for rain…The rain god Zaza! — Saint Killingham, One Piece Chapter 1182

Also, Vivi will be a thorn in Imu's side in the final saga, and as such, it would be absolutely perfect for her to take on the role of the rain god deity. For all of these reasons, Vivi's setup as the last Straw Hat is absolutely perfect, and we can't 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.