Summary
For quite a while, fans have been wondering who the newest member of the Straw Hats would be since many have wanted to join the crew over the years. However, with Chapter 1152 of theOne Piecemanga, we may have finally gotten an answer to this, and it is someone who has been at the top of the list when it comes to possible additions to the crew; Loki.
Of course, there are quite a few detractors who still think that important characters fromOne Piece’spast, such as Vivi, Yamato, Carrot, or Momonosuke, are more deserving of the spot. However, this article will not only explain whyLoki would be the perfect next Straw Hat pirate, but also why his inclusion is needed for necessary upgrades to the Thousand Sunny to make it a suitable ship for the Final War.
Story Arc
Enies Lobby
With the Final War ofOne Pieceinching closer every day, many have begun to suspect what this overall conflict will end up looking like. There is a lot that many characters have to do to stand up to some of thestrongest forces of their enemies, most apparent of which are all the Straw Hats except for the Monster Trio, since fans have noted that the remaining members of the crew can’t even use Haki for the most part, save for Usopp and Jimbei.
Although they aren’t fighters in the traditional sense, there is still a need for them to get far stronger than they currently are, and the Sunny is no different. In the Enies Lobby arc, it was revealed that the ship is as much a part of the crew as any of the members, so the Sunny definitely needs a push in terms of what it can do when the Final War rolls around, and fans have been deliberating for years about what this upgrade could look like.
When a man’s made a ship, he makes it a part of himself with a Don!
However, it seems that Chapter 1152 may have answered this question. In this chapter, Luffy made the unsurprising offer to Loki to join his crew, which most fans believed he eventually would. What’s notable here is thatLoki outright refused this offer, which is quite telling since many of the Straw Hats initially refused Luffy’s offer but would eventually join him by the end of their respective arcs. If this is true, it could spell the next stage in the Sunny’s development as well.
Right off the bat, the biggest problem that Loki would have is his size, since he is far larger than even regular Giants, so fitting on the Sunny would be impossible. This is where Franky comes in, since he would upgrade the Sunny to be far larger than it currently is in order to support Loki’s gargantuan stature, and in doing so, would also get it ready for the Final War. With the Straw Hats currently on Elbaf, Franky has access to all the Adam Tree wood that he can get his hands on, ensuring the strength and durability of the Sunny’s next form.
Moreover, a plausible theory here is that Franky would make the Thousand Sunny the perfect counter to Pluton in the Final War because of this, since both would now be massive battleships made of the best materials. Currently,Pluton remains a giant question markfor theOne Pieceworld, with many theories regarding its role in the Final War. Seeing as how this ship is supposed to be the strongest weapon in history, capable of leveling entire islands with a single shot, many believe that it needs a counter.
Franky upgrading the Sunny to fit this role is the perfect thing to cap off the arc of both. In Enies Lobby, he was entrusted with the blueprints for Pluton but he ended up burning them, making him the only person with any knowledge of how to recreate it. If he takes this knowledge and uses it on the Sunny, which he has to upgrade anyway if Loki joins the crew, it would be the perfect next step for the story and the only way to counter Pluton.
Why Loki May Not Join The Straw Hat Crew
An Alternative View
Although Loki is the fan-favorite to eventually join the Straw Hats over everyone else, many believe that he would just be a redundant member, not really serving any role within the crew. With the Monster Trio poised as the ultimate powerhouses, even Loki’s role as a fighter would be greatly diminished, despite many thinking that he is currently farstronger than both Zoro and Sanji. Since Roger’s crew is a very clear parallel to Luffy’s, most think this indicates that Loki won’t be a member.
Even though most of the Straw Hats aren’t dedicated fighters, they each have their designated roles within the crew that simply no one else can replicate. Of course, it’s too early to simply deny that Loki could have such a role too, but the way things are going right now seems to suggest that there isn’t anything he particularly specializes in, so adding just another warrior to the crew may not be the best move.
