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Shanks, Luffy, Blackbeard, and Dragon are currently the most influential and powerful characters shaping the One Piece world.
Shanks and Luffy rely heavily on advanced Haki, while Blackbeard uses two devastating Devil Fruits; Dragon’s full strength remains unknown, but his global impact is undeniable.
These four are central to the final saga, playing key roles in battles, politics, and the future of the One Piece world.
Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece has come a long way, and as the final saga kicks off, a few characters have stepped up as the top players in the world. While there's no official ranking from Oda, the manga offers plenty of moments that make it obvious who's at the top when it comes to strength, abilities, and overall impact.
Shanks, the leader of the Red Hair Pirates and one of the Four Emperors (Yonko), stands out for one simple reason: he’s insanely strong without using any Devil Fruit powers. He fights using just his sword and Haki, and he’s mastered Conqueror’s Haki to the point where he can knock people out or stop them cold without even touching them.
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Despite rarely getting into full fights on-screen, Shanks has had huge moments. He clashed with Whitebeard, scared off Admiral Ryokugyu just by showing up, and somehow got a meeting with the Five Elders. That alone puts him in a league of his own.
Blackbeard is dangerous in every sense of the word. He’s the only character in the story with two Devil Fruits: the darkness-based Yami Yami no Mi and the earthquake-causing Gura Gura no Mi. One lets him cancel out other powers, and the other can destroy cities.
He also runs a crew packed with powerful fighters and has taken down some of the biggest names in the pirate world. As a Yonko, his influence and ambition are off the charts. He’s not just physically powerful; he’s smart and always looking for the next big move, which makes him unpredictable and deadly.
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Luffy’s growth has been unreal. After beating Kaido in Wano, he earned his title as one of the new Emperors. His Devil Fruit, originally thought to be the Gomu Gomu no Mi, is the Mythical Zoan-type Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika. This fruit gives him wild, cartoon-like powers when he enters Gear 5, making his fighting style more chaotic and more powerful than ever.
Luffy also uses all three types of Haki and has learned advanced versions of each. He can destroy enemies from the inside and use Conqueror’s Haki to boost his attacks. Taking down Kaido, who was seen as the strongest creature in the world, proves that Luffy’s not just catching up to the legends—he is becoming one of them.
Dragon, the head of the Revolutionary Army and Luffy’s dad, is called the most dangerous man in the world by the World Government. That’s a huge title for someone whose powers haven’t even been shown yet.
Even without a single big fight in the manga, Dragon’s influence is massive. He runs a global anti-government movement, commands powerful fighters like Sabo, and stays one step ahead of the Marines. His role in shaking up the world behind the scenes puts him among the biggest names in One Piece, even if his full strength is still a mystery.
Shanks, Blackbeard, Luffy, and Dragon are not just strong, they are changing the future of the One Piece world. Some fight with power, while others use their mind or influence. One thing is clear: these four are involved in the most important parts of the story right now. Whether they are fighting or planning behind the scenes, they are the main people to watch as the story nears its end.
