One Piece Needs to Make Loki the Final Straw Hat Crew Member

The final saga of One Piece has ignited endless debate over one question: who will be the last member of the Straw Hat Pirates? With the crew now sailing into Elbaf, the land of the giants, Eiichiro Oda has begun tying up decades of storytelling. The moment feels right to make the final addition to Luffy’s crew official. Fans have long speculated on candidates, from Yamato to Vivi, but one contender has stood quietly in the background for years: Loki, the Prince of Elbaf.

Loki’s story stretches back to Whole Cake Island, when Big Mom mentioned her daughter Lola’s failed engagement to him. Since then, his name has lingered in the lore, a quiet setup that finally pays off in the Elbaf arc. What was once a throwaway reference has grown into one of One Piece’s most emotionally charged possibilities. The series does not need another powerhouse or comic relief character, it needs a conclusion that reinforces its main message of freedom. Loki’s dream to sail the seas, his rejection by his homeland, and his bond with Luffy all make him the perfect fit for the Straw Hats’ final seat.

Loki’s Journey Has Been Building for Years

Loki first entered the story eight years ago, a name spoken in passing but wrapped in mystery. At the time, few fans paid attention, but Oda was quietly setting up one of the saga’s biggest payoffs. The Whole Cake Island arc revealed him as the crown prince of Elbaf, tied to Big Mom’s ambitions through Lola’s failed marriage proposal. Even in absence, his importance was clear, as Loki represented Elbaf’s royal lineage and the bridge between two of One Piece’s most powerful worlds.

Fast forward to the Elbaf arc, and Loki’s long-awaited debut finally arrived. Fans expected a towering, fearsome warrior, but Oda subverted expectations. Loki is fierce but kind-hearted, a giant burdened by rejection and exile. Beneath his monstrous reputation lies a dream that mirrors Luffy’s own: to become free and sail under the sun as a true believer in Nika’s will. His wish to be the “Sun God” is not arrogance, it is hope for liberation.

That parallel alone places Loki in direct alignment with Luffy’s ideals. Every Straw Hat shares one core trait: a longing for freedom. From Robin’s search for truth to Jinbe’s quest for equality, Luffy’s crew members embody liberation in different forms. Loki fits perfectly into that theme, representing the freedom of belief and the courage to defy his people and follow the Sun God’s path.

Loki Was Rejected by His Own, But Chosen by Luffy

What truly solidifies Loki’s candidacy as the final Straw Hat is his alienation from Elbaf. Despite his royal blood, Loki has been treated as an outcast since birth. The giants deemed him cursed, locking him away in chains at the bottom of Elbaf as a punishment for simply being different. Like Nico Robin, he grew up hated for something he could not control. That shared pain forges a deep emotional thread that connects him to the rest of Luffy’s crew.

Elbaf’s rejection is the very reason Loki belongs with the Straw Hats. The crew has always been a home for the unwanted. Zoro was a criminal, Sanji an exile, Chopper a monster, and Robin a fugitive. Each was offered the same thing by Luffy: a place to belong. Loki’s isolation makes him a natural successor to that legacy. In the same way Jinbe brought the Fish-Men’s struggle into the Straw Hats’ story, Loki could represent the Giants’ redemption.

Luffy’s personal invitation seals the deal. When Luffy asked Loki to join his crew, it was not a throwaway moment. Throughout One Piece, Luffy’s offers carry weight, and he never recruits without genuine intent. Whether it was Brook’s laughter amid death or Jinbe’s defiance of the World Government, Luffy’s invitations have always transformed lives. By extending his hand to Loki, Luffy effectively crowned him the next nakama.

Loki and Luffy is a Partnership Written in Destiny

If narrative parallels and emotional depth were not enough, One Piece’s mythic imagery cements Loki’s place alongside Luffy. The ancient mural in Elbaf depicts the Sun God Nika fighting alongside a giant, widely believed to represent Loki himself. This visual foreshadowing ties their destinies together, bridging myth and present-day narrative. When the Great War begins, the mural suggests that Loki and Luffy are meant to fight side by side.

Oda’s storytelling thrives on symmetry. Just as Robin’s arc closed the gap between history and truth, Loki’s presence could unite human and giantkind under the banner of freedom. His connection to Nika, paired with his internal struggle between duty and self-determination, mirrors the series’ core philosophy: that freedom is not inherited, it is seized. Loki’s decision to abandon Elbaf for the open sea would embody that message perfectly.

Moreover, the Straw Hats’ dynamics are built on balance. Each member adds a unique strength, both literal and emotional, to the crew. With Loki, the Straw Hats gain not just a warrior, but a bridge to one of the world’s most formidable nations. His size and might would make him a crucial ally in the final battles, while his outsider status aligns him spiritually with every Straw Hat who came before.

The One Piece Story Deserves Its Final Straw Hat

One Piece has always been about found family and people discovering their worth through the bonds they create, not the blood they share. Loki represents the culmination of that theme. He is a prince without a kingdom, a warrior without a cause, and a believer without a god, until Luffy offers him both freedom and belonging. His story ties together decades of worldbuilding around Elbaf, Big Mom, and the myth of Nika, making his addition not just fitting, but essential.

It is rare for One Piece to make its symbolism so clear. From Ace’s fire to Nami’s maps, every member’s dream reflects a broader truth about freedom and destiny. Loki’s desire to become the “Sun God” is not blasphemy, it is the embodiment of the same dream that drives Luffy. Together, they would complete the Straw Hat legacy, a crew made up entirely of people who defied the world to live by their own light.

As the Final Saga accelerates toward its climax, Oda has one last chance to fulfill the emotional arc that began decades ago. Luffy does not just need another fighter, he needs another believer. Loki’s story of exile, hope, and rebellion is the final piece of that puzzle. It is time for One Piece to make it official: Loki of Elbaf should be the last Straw Hat Pirate.

Created by

Eiichiro Oda

First Film

One Piece: The Movie

Cast

Kazuya Nakai, Akemi Okamura, Kappei Yamaguchi, Hiroaki Hirata, Ikue Ôtani, Yuriko Yamaguchi

Video Game(s)

One Piece: Unlimited World Red, One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3, One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4, One Piece: World Seeker, One Piece Odyssey

Character(s)

Monkey D. Luffy, Roronora Zoro, Nami (One Piece), Nico Robin, Usopp (One Piece), Vinsmoke Sanji, Tony Tony Chopper, Franky (One Piece), Jimbei (One Piece)