Oda Sets Up Sanji’s Biggest Challenge In Elbaf 

One Piece is currently in the Elbaf arc, and given that this is one of the biggest parts of the final saga of the story, it is quite clear that Oda intends for the Straw Hats to be tested to a whole new level. As a Yonko crew, Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates haven’t faced a challenge that truly tests their limits, and the whole Egghead was most certainly exciting, the goal was always clear, and that was to escape from the country immediately.

Related

One Piece: Oda Reveals The Name Of The One Piece Planet 

The name of the One Piece planet is revealed. This only adds to the deep One Piece lore.

In Elbaf, the Straw Hat Pirates are most certainly there to stand on business, which means every member of the crew will be tested to the limits. Sanji, the beloved cook of the Straw Hat Pirates, is no different in this regard, and fans know for a fact that he is eventually going to surpass his limits here, just like every other member of the crew.

Sanji’s Foes In The Post Timeskip So Far

• Sanji Has Faced Some Tough Challenges In the Post Timeskip
• Queen Was His Biggest Enemy

Sanji has been quite exciting to watch in the post-timeskip of One Piece, although one big issue that fans had with him was the fact that Oda never truly gave him big fights like Luffy. In general, the Straw Hat Pirates had limited big fights in the post timeskip. Luffy was the only one getting consistent battles, while the likes of Zoro for 1 major battle in the New World and that was against Pika. Sanji wasn’t involved in Dressrosa, so for him, the first major battle only came when he fought against Queen. Of course, Sanji had many skirmishes here and there, and even beat someone like Wadatsumi, but a true battle only came in Wano.

It is safe to say that Sanji’s fight against Queen in Wano was one where he was forced to evolve. Undoubtedly, Sanji is a massive threat to anyone in the One Piece world, but in Wano, he was up against one of the three right-hand men of Kaido, Queen. Queen’s strength was such that he forced Sanji to evolve and reach a much higher level. Sanji awakened his dormant Germa powers, which gave him an exoskeleton, more muscle mass, and made him faster in general. These powers eventually led to the awakening of Ifrit Jambe for Sanji, and this in itself was a massive Power-up that saw him dismember Queen, a pirate worth 1.320 billion berries rather effortlessly. While this was most definitely great, Sanji still needs to grow further if he is to make Luffy the Pirate King.

In Elbaf, fans saw a glimpse of Scopper Gaban in his old age, and this man was known to stand on par with even Roger in his prime. Roger, Rayleigh, and Gaban were all monsters in combat, and if the Straw Hat Pirates are to do what they did, Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji need to become much stronger and at the same time, be relative to each other in terms of power. That is precisely why all of them must go beyond Yonko level, and Elbaf will help Sanji take another big step towards that.

Why Saint Killingham Could Be Sanji’s Biggest Foe

Saint Killingham Is A Divine Devil Fruit User

As antagonists, Oda had introduced quite a few powerful characters in Elbaf, and fans already know that they’re going to shake the country in one way or another. Initially, Oda introduced Saint Shamrock Figarland, and Gunko. Later on, these two were joined by Saint Rimoshifu Killingham and Saint Shepherd Sommers. Of course, Shamrock was asked to report back to Marijoa, meaning the other three remain in the country as an active threat. Fans will most definitely see them fight soon enough, which means that they will serve as major enemies for this arc. Leaving Gunko aside, Sommers and Killingham are likely going to be enemies for Zoro and Sanji to take on. Sommer is a swordsman and likely a very powerful one at that. He’s definitely going to make a fine enemy for Zoro, while for Sanji it could be Saint Killingham.

Sanji’s fight vs Saint Killingham isn’t based on just the fact that he can’t fight Gunko, and that Sommers is better suited to taking on Zoro. There is a very exciting and interesting premise here. One thing that Sanji fans need to keep in mind always is that Sanji is an aerial fighter.

Related

One Piece: How Shanks Became The Youngest Conqueror’s Coating User, Explained 

Shanks was the youngest peson to be able to use Conqueror’s Coating in One Piece. Here’s how.

During Sanji’s confrontation against Judge in One Piece chapter 833, he clearly stated that fighting in the air is his forte. Saint Killingham, who is known to hold powers of Kirin, is most definitely going to be an aerial fighter as well. But that isn’t all. If the powers of the Kirin are supposed to be lightning, then it would mean that Killingham could be a speed-focused fighter. Of course, within the Straw Hats, Sanji is the one who focuses on speed more than anyone else. This is quite clearly a good setup for Sanji to take on and beat Killingham.

Sanji Needs To Triumph Over Saint Killingham To Advance

Sanji Will Be Admiral Level After Beating Killingham

Sanji is quite powerful already, but it goes without saying that he isn’t as strong as a Navy Admiral just yet. However, based on how strong the Holy Knights are, Sanji will likely take a step closer to the Admirals by beating them. If there’s one thing that fans know, it is that Shamrock Figarland is stronger than Loki, or at least is portrayed to be. Gunko, on the other hand, was stated by Shamrock to be strong enough to beat Loki even if he was freed. If the other two Holy Knights are somewhat comparable, then they’re monstrously powerful foes.

The fact is that whoever sent them, be it Garling or Imu, knows that Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates are in the country and that yet three Holy Knights are deemed enough to help further the subjugation of Elbaf. If their strength is as high as fans are led to believe, then Killingham will definitely be a fighter comparable to the Admirals of the Navy. An aerial fighter relying on speed would be absolutely perfect for Sanji.

Once Sanji triumphs over Killingham, just as Zoro beats Sommers, it will push them to new heights and ensure that they’re worthy of standing next to Luffy on the same level as him. The Straw Hat Pirates have a bright future ahead, and when it comes to the Wings, fans know they’re not done growing just yet.

One Piece is available to read via Viz Media. The series can be read by the fans officially and for free on the Shonen Jump and the Manga Plus apps. The release date for the next chapter of One Piece, One Piece 1141, is set to be March 2, 2025.

One Piece

Release Date

October 20, 1999

Network

Fuji TV

Directors

Hiroaki Miyamoto, Konosuke Uda, Junji Shimizu, Satoshi Itō, Munehisa Sakai, Katsumi Tokoro, Yutaka Nakajima, Yoshihiro Ueda, Kenichi Takeshita, Yoko Ikeda, Ryota Nakamura, Hiroyuki Kakudou, Takahiro Imamura, Toshihiro Maeya, Yûji Endô, Nozomu Shishido, Hidehiko Kadota, Sumio Watanabe, Harume Kosaka, Yasuhiro Tanabe, Yukihiko Nakao, Keisuke Onishi, Junichi Fujise, Hiroyuki Satou

• 

  Mayumi Tanaka

  Monkey D. Luffy (voice)

• 

  Kazuya Nakai

  Roronoa Zoro (voice)