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InOne Piece, becoming an emperor of the sea isn’t just about strength but influence, reputation, and the fear you command on the sea. In other words, the emperor’s title isn’t something that can be claimed; it must be earned or forced upon you by the weight of your actions.
Each of the current Emperors carved their path to power through different means, some through power, strategy, or a stroke of luck. Since the treacherous Grand Line is chaotic and dangerous, the path these emperors took to reach the heights of emperor’s status provides a fascinating glimpse into what it truly means to rule the seas in theOne Pieceseries.
The Straw Hat Captain
Monkey D. Luffy’s Path To Emperor Title
Luffy’s journey on the Grand Lineis long and arduous, and he would not have achieved this feat without the help of the Straw Hat crew. Long before Wano, Luffy was already setting himself apart from ‘small fry’ pirates. AtEnies Lobby, he burned the World Government’s flag and openly declared war on the government to save Nico Robin. Then, at Marineford, he punched his way into the biggest war in history, standing against the Marine forces to try and save Ace. These grandiose moments made the world notice him as more than just another ambitious rookie.
Moreover,the battles Luffy won in the New Worldsealed his title as one of the strongest pirates, thus his title as emperor of the sea. The defeat ofDonquixote Doflamingo in Dressrosamarked a start to his pivotal role as a liberator on the sea. Luffy’s liberation of Dressrosa was a political earthquake because Doflamingo was a key underworld figure, a Warlord, and someone with ties to one of the sea emperors, Kaido. By defeating Doflamingo;
Also, in Whole Cake Island, Luffy pulled off what no pirate before him had dared to do. He walked intoBig Mom’s territory, stole back Sanji, and managed to escape. Even though he didn’t defeat her outright, he knocked out two of herSweet Commanders−Katakuri& Cracker−in battle. However, what inadvertently made Luffy an emperor was his key role in the Wano country, defeating Kaido, the strongest man in the world, who was also an emperor. In Wano;
After Wano, the balance of power had shifted so drastically thatthe World Governmentcouldn’t ignore it. Luffy’s bounty is updated to 3 billion berries, and he is named an emperor because he had a territory, a massive fleet, a mythical devil fruit, and his alliances dismantled two of the strongest pirate crews in history(Beast Pirates & Big Mom Pirates).
Blackbeard (Marshall D. Teach)
Blackbeard’s Path To Emperor Title
Blackbeard’s rise to an emperor is one of the most calculated and ruthless power plays in theOne Pieceseries. Unlike Luffy, who fought to the top through willpower and ideals, Blackbeard manipulated the system by backstabbing allies and made moves no other pirate dared to attempt.
The Betrayal Of The Whitebeard Pirates
Before the world even knew his name, Blackbeard was just another member of the Whitebeard pirates. However, he deliberately stayed under the radar, waiting for the right opportunity to rise. The right chance came when he discovered theYami Yami no Mi, which is the most powerful Logia fruit in existence. Due to this development, Blackbeard kills Thatch, a member of the Whitebeard pirates, just to steal the Yami Yami no Mi fruit. In this way, Blackbeard broke the pirate code of betraying crewmembers, forcing him to abandon the crew. In light of this, Ace went after him for revenge.
Blackbeard Turned Over Ace To The Marines To Become A Warlord
Blackbeard knew he couldn’t challenge Whitebeard or the emperors yet, so he played the long game. He needed legitimacy as a pirate, and the fastest way to gain power was to become a warlord, which meant he needed to defeat a threat to the World Government. SincePortgas D. Aceis proving to be a serious threat to the World Government and his bloodline as the son of the Pirate King, Roger, he was the perfect prize to give the government. Blackbeard defeated Ace and turned him over to the government, which caused theMarineford War. After this event, he became a warlord of the sea and used his status to break into Impel Down, recruiting some of the strongest prisoners to form his crew.
Blackbeard Stole Whitebeard’s Devil Fruit
In the Marineford War, Blackbeard waited for the perfect moment, and while everyone else was focused on the war, he made his biggest move. While Whitebeard was weak, Blackbeard led a full-on attack with his crew and stoleWhitebeard’s Gura Gura no Mi, making him the first person in history to wield two devil fruits.With Whitebeard’s defeat, Blackbeard became one of the strongest figures in the world andhad a strong influence on the sea. Since Blackbeard proved himself, the world had no choice but to acknowledge him as one of the four emperors.
Buggy the Clown
The Clown’s Path To Emperor Title
In theOne Pieceseries,Buggy is the luckiest pirate alive. Buggy, who has been a pirate for a long time, could not defeat Luffy in the East Blue. However, what Buggy lacked in terms of strength, he made up with his charisma. He was a member of the Roger Pirates, giving him instant credibility despite never doing anything noteworthy in that crew.
Buggy’s Role In The Marineford War
Moreover, Buggy’s role as a survivalist in the series should not be overlooked as he survivedthe Grand Line,Impel Down prison, and the battle at Marineford, which, in a way, made weaker pirates see him as some kind of untouchable legend. Buggy’s rise to immeasurable power began at Marineford, but not because of anything he did. Even though Buggy joined the war by accident, and just to save his own skin, he did many things that made the world see him as a big fish;
The Cross Guild Mix-up
When the Warlord system was abolished, Crocodile and Mihawk decided to formthe Cross Guild, an organization that put bounties on Marines. During the guild’s inception, Buggy’s foolish followers made a mistake. When they saw Crocodile and Mihawk standing next to their captain, they jumped to the worst possible conclusion, thinking Buggy was the organization’s leader. Before anyone could correct them, they had already started printing Cross Guild posters, with Buggy taking center stage.
The World Government got its hands on the posters and assumed Buggy had somehow recruited Mihawk and Crocodile as his underlings. Hence, the entire world believed Buggy was the true leader of Cross Guild. For Crocodile and Mihawk, if the world saw Buggy as the leader, then they wouldn’t be as heavily targeted. When Cross Guild became a huge threat to the Marines, and the World Government believed Buggy was running the show, they officially declared him an emperor of the sea.
Shanks
Red Haired Shanks Path To Emperor Title
Shanks' emperor statusis a mystery since much of his past remains unknown. However, Shanks built his empire through respect and controlled dominance. He earned his influence in a way that made him one of the most feared and respected figures in the pirate world. Like Buggy, Shanks was a member of the Roger Pirates, and this alone made him stand out, but his real journey began after Roger disbanded his crew. He built a strong, loyal crew, like Benn Beckman, Lucky Roux, and Yasopp, all of whom are considered elite fighters.
If there was doubt that Shanks was a major power in the world, his arrival at Marineford instantly erased it. He single-handedly ended the war just by showing up. Even Blackbeard, who had just stolen Whitebeard’s power and was at his most dangerous, chose to retreat rather than fight him. He also told Sengoku to call off the Marines, and Sengoku agreed. This proved thatShanks had a strong influence beyond raw power. He was respected even by the most powerful figures in the world. His level of influence, combined with his already legendary status and territorial control in places like Elbaf, cemented his position as one of the four emperors. Hence,Shanks' rise to the Yonko title wasn’t about luck like Buggy or deception like Blackbeard; it was about respect, influence, and knowing when to act. Since Shanks built his empire off-screen, he’s the most mysterious and politically influential one, which might make him the most dangerous of them all.
