Why These Admirals May Change Sides in the Final War

Key Takeaways

• Admirals are vital to the Navy’s strength, though some may potentially defect to the side of the pirates in the Final Saga.
• Akainu and Ryokugyu show unwavering loyalty to the World Government, while Kizaru and Aokiji’s allegiance remains unclear.
• Fujitora is likely to defect due to his strong sense of justice and disagreements with the World Government.

Throughout the One Piece world, the Admirals are the greatest assets the Navy has at its disposal, serving as a vanguard against the forces of the pirates. These characters are so powerful that many even consider them to be the Navy’s answer to the Emperors of the Sea, and while that debate will rage on until their strength is outright confirmed, one cannot be mistaken to assume that they’re on a relative level of power.

Since they serve as pillars of resilience and strength for the Navy, all the Marines under them look to the Admirals as the most steadfast supporters of the regime. While this is true for the most part, a few Admirals have historically shown a detachment from the way the World Government handles things, to the point that many fans of One Piece believe that these characters may even end up defecting to the side of the pirates in the Final Saga.

Fleet Admiral Akainu & Admiral Ryokugyu

Those Whose Position Will Never Waver

The basic requirement for being an Admiral is unwavering loyalty to the World Government and any of its orders, which Akainu is the perfect example of. Although he was shown to talk back to the Gorosei upon becoming the Fleet Admiral, he still carried out all his orders with lethal efficiency, no matter how heinous they seemed. The most fitting example is his destruction of the ship containing the survivors of Ohara, as well as his unmatched skill and prowess against the Whitebeard Pirates during the Marineford War.

The world may hate me, but I will uphold justice, even if I must bear the weight of that hatred alone!

Ryokugyu is the newest Admiral in the series. Although he was never a member of the Navy prior to his enlistment as an Admiral, his loyalty to the tyrannical and bigoted regime of the Celestial Dragons has cemented the belief in him that the evil humans he serves are actual Gods, which he even stated to everyone in Wano when he made his appearance. In fact, during the Reverie Arc, he had a minor squabble with Fujitora when he thought the latter let the villains escape punishment while trying to protect innocents.

Admiral Kizaru & Former Admiral Aokiji

Those Whose Inevitable Loyalty Is Unknown

These 2 characters are those whose loyalty to the Navy is a bit more nuanced. While the case can definitely be made that Kizaru will remain on the World Government’s side in the Final War due to his actions on Egghead, a compelling reason exists for the other side of the debate. While he did end up betraying and killing his best friend on orders from the World Government, he hated doing so and may have even been the one to give Luffy the food to allow him to transform into Gear 5 again. This shows that Kizaru may eventually defect.

The thing called ‘justice’ changes its shape, depending on where you stand.

Aokiji, on the other hand, is no longer an Admiral, though many speculate that he is still secretly working for Sword as a double agent in the Blackbeard Pirates. Aokiji is in the most confusing place of all the Admirals since nothing about his true allegiance is confirmed yet, though highly speculated upon. Fans believe that he is simply an informant against Blackbeard’s crew and will likely defect to Sword by the end of the series and may eventually fight on the side of the Straw Hats in the Final War.

Admiral Fujitora

The Person Who Will Likely Defect

Just like Ryokugyu, Fujitora is a recent addition to the rank of Admiral and was not a member of the Navy before becoming one. Due to his actions in the Dressrosa and Reverie arcs, Fujitora has endeared himself to fans and the Straw Hat crew alike, proving to have the most humanity of perhaps anyone in the World Government. The values he puts on justice are synonymous with his need to care for innocent lives, since one cannot exist without the other.

Not having sight is a blessing. The world of men is full of filthy things not worth laying eyes upon.

Since Dressrosa, fans of the series have felt as if Fujitora will most likely change sides in the Final Saga. The main reasons for this are his already strong sense of justice, the need to protect civilians, and the disagreements he has with the World Government’s methods. When exposed to the true nature and crimes of the organization, Fujitora will likely not be able to stomach supporting them, possibly causing him to defect to the side of the Straw Hats.

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