 25 years since we first saw our Rubble Boy recruit his first crewmate, and here we are now witnessing an Emperor of the Seas with his Yonko crew. To say that this hits heavy and that words don't do justice to the monumental significance of this progression may sound like an exaggeration, but that's exactly what it feels like. While Luffy and his crew's development throughout the story was always guaranteed, being the main characters of the series after all, knowing that they will achieve Yonko level one day, to actually finally witnessing it on paper is a completely different story. Luffy and the Straw Hats have always been the underdogs, capable for sure, or most of them anyways, but always finding new ways to overcome their challenges, more often than not through a dominance of she will and determination. But now when we view the Straw Hats, they are unmistakably a Yonko level crew, and as we enter the final saga, Oda has almost completely flipped the Straw Hats dynamic on its head. I'm sure that Luffy and his crew will still be facing challenges, and their opponents to come will present difficulties, meaning that they will somewhat retain their underdog dynamic, because at the end of the day, tension in their battles will always have to be present for it to make a more interesting story. But it is undeniable that the crew has a different aura to them now, as they have truly reached new heights. And the next great Yonko crew is here. Hello Manaka Matachi, this is Joygirl, and for all the hype surrounding big moments in one piece lately, such as the impressive character development, epic showings of strength and abilities, crazy lore reveals or insane plot developments, my favorite scene from all this recent bad-assness will still have to be that panel of Luffy and his top combative officers chilling on top of a hill, taking front row seats, whilst commenting on all the drama as they unfolded. It's a very simple moment, but one very meaningful when you reflect on what it signifies. Once upon a time, this was a crew that couldn't do anything to save themselves against the Marine Admiral. This was once a crew who didn't even know what Haki was, let alone use it consciously. Now we see them casually discussing that they won't need to get involved in a certain conflict, spoken with such ease, suggesting their confidence that they could take on a Marine Admiral with little difficulty. And the craziest thing is, we believe them. Even a year ago, this wouldn't have seemed possible. The fact that the Straw Hats could defeat one of the strongest powers of the Marines would have still seemed like a high difficulty battle to say the least. But with everything that has happened in Wano, especially since the Onigashima raid, we are now definitely looking at a crew on a completely different level. The crew who led the downfall of two of the Yonko. A sturdy crew made up of individuals who are each building their own legendary journey. And while the recent chapter in question only featured the monster trio and Jinbei, or the captain and his new monster trio or the monster quarter, well no matter how you want to refer to them, all the other members of the crew, not typically known to possess monstrous strength, still deserves notable mention. When it comes to Nami, Usopp and Choppa, who are sometimes collectively referred to as the cowardly trio or the weakling trio, we have seen plenty of moments throughout the series as a whole, but particularly in the Wano arc where they have each acted in contrast to this title, showcasing extreme bravery and courage in the face of much more fissome opponents. I have to say that Nami was a very unexpected but pleasant dark horse in the focus she received at multiple points during this raid. Protecting Otama, standing up to Ulti and Big Mom, and defending her belief in her captain, were all such beautiful moments that really hammered in her character's growth and dedication to her captain when faced with the option between loyalty or death. And physically, acquiring Zeus is a major development for the straw hat navigator that we really shouldn't overlook. Zeus is the former homie of a former emperor. In Nami's hands, he was seen being able to shift in shape and size, coming in extremely useful. I'm reminded of an early conception that Oda had for Nami, a massive axe wielding Nami, and I wonder whether this idea has always somewhat remained in Oda's mind, paving way for the updated climate attack that now houses a sentient weapon that could be used like an axe if the situation calls for it. Choppa also got some great developments that laid the groundwork to establish his potential use for future combat scenarios. The fact that his rumble ball induced monster point can be extended to 30 minutes, I'm sure will be very helpful down the line. Similar to how it was instrumental in briefly holding off a yonko commander in queen, sure he might have gotten banged up pretty badly afterwards, but the fact that he was able to even tickle the interests of a yonko commander for as long as he did really shouldn't be dismissed. I know that Choppa's lack of combat screen time during the raid may be viewed as a disappointment to many fans, and while I also hope that we do get more action scenes for him in the future, I actually really like the direction that was taken for the straw hat doctor in this arc, because the fact remains that Choppa is first and foremost a doctor, and I actually feel that it means a lot for his characterization and the development of his story arc that as someone who had always been feared to be a monster is now more and more embodying his true identity as a physician who helps and treats others rather than causing others harm. So when it comes to Nami and Choppa, it's probably still likely that we won't get a great deal of fighting scenes in the future, but their growth in the combat sphere still shouldn't be dismissed. The fact is that they are now capable fighters in their own right, and you could argue this has always been the case for Choppa despite his membership in the cowardly trio, but Oda has gone to the effort to put them both in very high stakes situation in this recent arc, forcing them to face bigger and better opponents and still persevere, even come out looking pretty fierce themselves. So as we head into the final saga, I have no doubt that they will be more help than liabilities regardless of the opponents we will face. Usopp is the really interesting straw hat member where I actually think his character will be developed beyond this point. It's no secret that Usopp probably had the most disappointing amount of focus in the wano arc, and by that I mean that he really didn't get much more than a couple of moments. Although his perspective on honor was interesting and that in itself being a form of unique determination and will to survive and continue striving for your goals was pretty cool, but we really didn't get to see him fight, nor did he truly embody the brave warrior identity we know he's aiming for. And I agree with the comments that always follow whenever I bring this point out that Usopp is already a brave warrior of the seas. I completely agree that he's been steadily growing towards this, and there are plenty of moments throughout the series that are testament to this, but there's just no way that Oda is not going to include a specific moment that really drives this home. A beautifully epic moment where we will witness Usopp fully step into his character as a brave warrior of the sea. Most likely at Elbaaf, which is sure to be one of if not the next arc in the series, and I can only imagine that's the reason why the last couple of arcs have been pretty quiet for our Straw Hat Sniper, because he might just have a big involvement in an upcoming major arc where he will have plenty of room to shine. And once this happens, I think Usopp will be more consistently presented as more of a dependable fighter. I mean we all know how much Oda loves Usopp, and so I'm sure he's itching to give the Straw Hat Sniper more extremely cool scenes, but still without sacrificing any of the humour of course. But the strength of the Straw Hat crew overall becomes very clear when you consider the impressiveness of the individuals who are only considered to be the mid-tea combatants of the crew. Robin, Frankie and Brooke are all power houses in their own right, and if Oda chose to utilize them in more combative settings, they would all be very well equipped to do so. Prior to joining the Straw Hats, or prior to even joining the Rumba Pirates for that matter, Brooke was the leader of a battle convoy, suggesting he was deemed skilled and experienced enough to head a fleet of battleships. Robin was the right hand man, or rather the right hand woman, of a shichibukai during her partnership with Crocodile. Her devil fruit ability coming in handy in more ways than one, making her very adept to combative situations as well as being an overall asset when it comes to the art of war. And Frankie too was the head of the Frankie family, leading the group of ship dismantlers, slash bounty hunters, slash mafia group. In his introduction arc, Frankie defeated two of the CP9 members, a very impressive feat considering the hype given to the overwhelmingly skilled secret government group. And while since their respective initial introductory arcs, all three of these characters have somewhat taken a step back when it comes to their combat screen time. The fact remains that each of them are capable fighters to the extent that they all held leadership roles at some point in their past. The fact that these individuals now have become not only subordinates to another individual, but are not even considered the next strongest of the crew, but the level after that, that is only a testament to how strong the other members of the Straw Hats are. Because the last couple of arcs have particularly reminded us of the impressive prowess of these members, as well as of the exciting potential for their continued development. Brooke unfortunately didn't get so much of a focus in the 1-0 arc, playing much more of a support role, but he certainly got his moment to shine in Whole Cake Island. He collected so many double use under his belt during that arc, many of them involving great combative skills or fighting will. And probably none more impressive than that epic moment when he chastised Big Mum, an emperor of the sea, calling her a young lady, standing up to the feast in Yongco and not only still surviving to tell the tale, but also obtaining a rubbing of the polyglyph in her possession to show for this feat. Seriously, he might not have much else in the way of body parts, but you can't say that he lacks a backbone. Who else has the nerve to ask Big Mum for a peek at her panties? And precisely because of his lack of screen time in 1-0, I do anticipate or at least hope that he gets much more of a combat focus in the arcs to come. His impressive potential was highlighted when he defeated multiple enemies at once, using just a single attack during the raid on Onigashima. And Brooke also has a very intriguing pass that may involve some great lore, so a focus on his past would also be very much appreciated. Robin was a delightful surprise in Wano, getting some much deserved, much welcomed combat showcase in her fight against Black Maria. Fighting against one of the Tobiropo, one of the top officers of Kaido's crew, Oda finally gave us what we have been waiting so long for, a much needed badass Robin, one on one, where she can show off her epic fighting skills. The extent of the training she received during her time with the revolutionaries had not been fully revealed, but the sheer improvement in her abilities was astounding. From her new knowledge of Fishman Karate to her shocking demonio form, we always knew that Robin was more than a capable fighter, but the showcase of her skills and abilities in the Onigashima raid was nothing short of breathtaking. And while it may be somewhat naive of me to hope that we will get to see more of this side of Robin being utilized in the future, at least we do know with certainty that she can be called upon to come in clutch, and by that I mean perhaps grand jacuzzi clutch, but to come in clutch when needed. Frankie is another great example of someone who got the chance to show off some of his skills at 1-0, but is also now perfectly poised to undergo some major power-ups from this point forth. His battle against Sasaki came down to Frankie winning through strategy more so than his strength, which is a perfect scenario in my opinion because it achieves two things simultaneously. For one, it showcases Frankie's skills in battle strategy, being able to use tactics to win when needed, but at the same time it serves as a motivation for his next power-up. Sasaki being the worst possible match-up for Frankie in terms of the Tobi-Roppos' uniquely overwhelming durability as well as his horns being so damaging for Frankie actually meant that he was the perfect match-up for Frankie in that Frankie now knows what he needs to develop to become much more stronger. And the straw hats being at 1-0, a land full of minerals, and having had a week to recuperate since the raid came to a close, I'm sure we will see the fruits of this through a shiny, new Super Battle Frankie 39. In which case, I've got super bad news for whoever the hentai's fighting next. And now this leaves us with Luffy and his top officers. At this point, I think Luffy's elevation to Yonko's status really speaks for itself. At the beginning of the 1-0 arc, particularly after Luffy's one-shot defeat at Kaido's hands in Act 1, there was a big question and seemingly a lot of doubt as to how Luffy would manage to achieve victory against the strongest creature in the world. I mean sure, we all knew that Luffy would somehow have to come out on top. After all, that's just the natural progression of a battle shounen manga. But it's undeniable that it just seemed out of the question that any development of Luffy, whether it be advanced armament haki or even advanced conquerors haki, was going to cut it. To the point a speculation was discussed about having another training arc that would be required, because it seemed no standard power-up was quite enough when it came to Luffy going against the Oni Beast. And that's exactly what we got. No ordinary power-up. A development that no one would have ever guessed, ever anticipated. The most ridiculous power in the world. Luffy's Gear V, unlocking for him the most unique and insane devil fruit abilities, is exactly what was needed to be able to finally defeat Kaito. And so the fact that Luffy now has a title to match his accomplishment only seems fitting. What becomes even more exciting though, is when you consider Luffy's new found abilities alongside his top officers. Zoro and Sanji, the two other straw hats outside of Luffy, who received the most action time, of course received their central focus in Wano, as well as their critical developments in terms of both their characterisation and physicality, which has been so thrilling to witness throughout this latest arc. Their respective power-ups tested them to their absolute limits, both of them having to face the very real possibility of death in order to utilise their newly awakened powers. The unlocking of Sanji's latent German modification now finally kicking in, it's undeniable that as we now enter the final saga, this is exactly the sort of level-up that's needed to make the straw hat chef, who just happens to also be extremely strong and skilled, a still relevant main combatant of the crew. In terms of combat style, it's a perfect addition to his attacks, upping the speed and adding armament haki to his already tough exoskeleton that ultimately gives him the physical force and hardening to add that needed greater oomph to his trademark kicks. And Sanji is also now confirmed to move at such a speed that he becomes invisible to the eye, meaning that he somewhat gets to keep the ability provided by the Retsu that he ended up destroying. Going from a character who was constantly utilised to portray the relative strength of the opponents in the New World, to now defeating the second commander of one of the Yonkou, the fact that Oda managed this sort of development without sacrificing Sanji's characterisation, and in fact, using this German plot development to hammer in one of the most important aspects of Sanji's character is truly just a mastery of storytelling. And whilst whether Sanji also possesses Kongro's haki is something that remains a question and would certainly be a welcomed ability, for now though, it seems that the straw hat chef is still well equipped with all the tools needed to challenge top tier fighters and stand next to Luffy as one of his wings. With Zoro, his inward reflection of what it means to be a strong swordsman, being tested by his own sword, facing the personification of death himself, and then coming back out on the other end, Wano really didn't disappoint when it came to giving Zoro awesome memorable highlights. With the current events of the series making multiple suggestions that Kongro's haki will be a very important part of the story going forward, it's super exciting that Zoro is not only confirmed to possess this ability, but even managed to unlock another level to use its advanced application and all of these developments happening in the span of just one arc. With this much growth in such a short amount of time, it speaks volumes of just what an overwhelming force Zoro is and what type of monster he will become with each increasingly stronger opponent that pops up against whom Zoro will definitely have the opportunity to get a crack at. This is just a super exciting idea for our favorite swordsman. After all, Zoro adding more badass moments to his already rich resume is about as guaranteed as death and taxes. For example, in the immediate future, we still have to witness Zoro turn his sword, or swords, into black plates. And it really feels we're on the precipice of witnessing this, so we already know that we have something momentous to look forward to in the hopefully very near future. And while usually the discussion about the top combatants of the straw hats would stop there, with Luffy, Zoro and Sanji as the monster trio, Oda has more recently introduced a new dynamic with the addition of Jinbei and is also increasingly teasing us with the possibility of Yamato joining Luffy's monstrous officers as well. In Chapter 1055, we see Luffy, the future pirate king and his loyal, unwavering wings beside him. But joining the familiar faces of the monster trio behind Luffy is a new straw hat member, but a veteran when it comes to the battlefield in the form of Jinbei, a sturdy, dependable individual, wise with his years of knowledge and vast experiences, whose history and reputation speaks for itself. And in the same chapter, Momonosuke's dialogue continues to suggest that Yamato will be leaving Wano, with Yamato declaring a desire to join the straw hats in their adventures as well. And this has the potential to really change how we view the crew as a combative force. Now I don't mean that the dynamic of the monster trio is changing, so calm down, that will never happen. But we will no longer be looking at this trio as the only main source of strength and fighting ability within the crew. And the more the merrier is the saying, and so the idea that more monsters will be added to the crew cannot be more exciting. And Oda actually showcased this quite well in that panel in the recent chapter, as he also has throughout the last arc. Whilst the mangaka maintains the classic monster trio dynamic with the three boys sitting down together in front, Jinbei has also entered the picture, quite literally illustrating that Jinbei is behind them and can be depended upon to join the battle, similarly shown throughout the raid. Because although it was the monster trio taking down the yonko and his two top commanders, and Jinbei was matched up against the much weaker opponent, he had a much easier time doing so and then still had the capacity to come to the rescue against the fire that threatened the entirety of the Onigashima Island. By doing this, Oda again retains the dynamic of his monster trio, with the addition of another incredibly capable fighter who can be depended upon to handle other significant threats. Because in terms of skills and abilities, Jinbei is right there with them. He is someone who was strong enough to be a shichibukai and a captain of his own crew. And Oda has actually made power leveling extremely interesting and exciting when it comes to Jinbei and the crew. That's right, I said it, power leveling. One of the biggest indications of Jinbei's strength and combat ability is that we know he and Ace fought for five days straight, non-stop, almost killing each other in the process, suggesting at the least that at one point he was as strong as Ace. And while stopping at that level of strength is already plenty impressive for the straw hats to have in their crew, it's fair to say that Jinbei has grown increasingly stronger since that battle. And Jinbei's not the only one with that sort of comparison because we've witnessed a similar stalemate between Yamato and Ace. And so if we finally get the confirmation on whether Yamato is joining, talk about a powerhouse of a monster crew. In which case, having Yamato in the crew is even more exciting because if we take the view that Jinbei as an older and more experienced character who has likely already hit the peak of his abilities, having Yamato join the crew is almost like getting to witness Ace's development through Yamato's development. As in, Yamato would be a good indication of how Ace would have comparably progressed in combat and skills had he survived and continued in his pirate life. So this sort of backstory for these two characters isn't just great from a symbolic standpoint about Luffy being surrounded by individuals who knew and loved Ace, but it's almost as if we've gained two new crew members who are just as strong as Luffy's late brother, an individual who was deemed strong enough to hold the position of second division commander of the Emperor Whitebeard's crew. And then so add those to the talent we already have within the Straw Hats, a collection of individuals most of whom fit to have held leadership positions in some shape or form in their own right, now all choosing to follow one man, their leader, the future pirate king Monkey D. Luffy, and with an over 5600 strong grand fleet behind them. Well, I guess we can safely and surely say that the next great Yonko crew has arrived. But those are just some of my thoughts. Let me know yours by leaving a comment below. Please do subscribe for more One Piece discussions. You can also join our joy fleet discord server or even become a Patreon member. And I do want to thank all our patrons for help supporting the channel. This is Joygirl and I'll see you again soon.