One Piece May Have Confirmed the Number of Main Villains in Its Final Battle

As One Piece approaches its final narrative, it is laying the groundwork for its ultimate battle, and a recent chapter may have also confirmed the number of main villains the Straw Hats and their allied forces will face. The Elbaph arc has proven to be one of the most informative arcs yet, as expected from what is considered the final arc before the series dives into its last war and climax, bringing the journey to an end. This arc has also revealed new details about one of the most exciting events in One Piece, the God Valley Incident, recontextualizing much of the lore fans once believed about it.

In this flashback, the series places significant emphasis on the villains, especially those tied to Imu and the entity’s immortality. Fans previously assumed that Imu and the Five Elders would stand as the final villains against the Straw Hats, but the introduction of the God’s Knights, who wield powers closely associated with Imu, changes that expectation. This confirms that Imu, the Five Elders, and the God’s Knights together form the final opposing force. Chapter 1167 may have also confirmed the exact number of God’s Knights, bringing the total count of villains aligned with Imu to fourteen.

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One Piece Chapter 1167 May Have Included a Subtle Hint Confirming the Main Villain Count

One Piece Chapter 1167, titled “Ida’s Sons,” follows Harold as he does everything he can to align Elbaph with the World Government and have it officially recognized as a member nation. As he progresses, the Five Elders inform him that becoming one of the God’s Knights would solidify this deal. To join the God’s Knights, they explain that individuals must form a deeper bond with Imu through a contract. They reveal two forms of this bond, the Depths Covenant and the Abyssal Covenant, while confirming that only 13 individuals will ever receive one of these contracts.

While the difference between the two bonds is not yet clear, it is possible that the Depths Covenant is granted to the God’s Knights, while the Abyssal Covenant is reserved for the Five Elders. The key detail here is that the Five Elders explicitly state that only 13 individuals can receive these bonds, confirming that just 13 such figures will stand in the final battle on the World Government’s side. Combined with Imu, this brings the total to 14 main villains.

This also indicates that more members of the God’s Knights will eventually be introduced. A total of 14 major villains aligns with the idea of Imu leading a tightly controlled inner circle, as other divisions of the Navy do not show the same level of obedience to Imu as these bonded individuals do. With Imu and their closest followers emerging as the true final antagonists, it is increasingly possible that other major villainous forces, such as the Blackbeard Pirates, may end up joining the Straw Hats and key allies like Shanks to take down the dark forces led by Imu in the final war.

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