The Holy Knights’ Secret Agenda Could Be the Final Saga’s Biggest Plot Twist
If you thought the Holy Knights of God were just Imu’s personal army, you’re about to have your world flipped upside down. As One Piece charges deeper into the Elbaph arc, the pieces are falling into place for a betrayal so massive it could redefine everything we know about Mary Geoise, the Void Century, and the true purpose of the God’s Knights. Let’s break down why chapter 1196 might deliver the most jaw-dropping reveal since Joy Boy himself.
The Evidence Hiding in Plain Sight
For chapters now, Eiichiro Oda has been dropping breadcrumbs that the Holy Knights aren’t what they seem. Remember: these are warriors with authority over the World Nobles. That alone should raise red flags. Why would Imu, an immortal entity with godlike power, need bodyguards with jurisdiction over her own subjects? The answer is simple — she didn’t hire them. Someone else did.
The Knights of God were established alongside the World Government’s founding, around the same time as the God Valley incident 38 years ago. But here’s what’s fascinating: during the hunt at God Valley, the Holy Knights’ Commander-in-Chief was notably absent. Fans have been asking why for months. The theory that’s gaining the most traction? The Commander refused to participate because the hunt violated the Knights’ true oath.
An oath that was sworn not to the World Nobles — but to someone else entirely.
The Ancient Oath Theory: Guardians of Joy Boy’s Will
What if the Holy Knights were originally created as guardians of a different legacy? Consider this:
- The Knights answer to a chain of command that predates Imu’s public control of Mary Geoise
- They have the authority to judge World Nobles — a power that makes no sense if they were designed to protect them
- At least two new members have been revealed in recent chapters, and their designs hint at non-Celestial Dragon origins
- During the God Valley incident, key Holy Knights were suspiciously absent from the “hunt” of escaped slaves
The theory: The Holy Knights were founded as a compromise organization during the Void Century negotiations — one faction of the original 20 kingdoms wanted to ensure that Joy Boy’s ideals wouldn’t be completely extinguished. They embedded guardians within the World Government itself, hidden in plain sight, with a sacred duty to protect something on Mary Geoise that Imu doesn’t know about.
And that something might be on Elbaph.
Elbaph: The Battleground Where Everything Changes
The Elbaph arc has already delivered the Holy Knights’ invasion, Imu’s descent from Mary Geoise, and the revelation of Loki’s mysterious power. But what if the real story isn’t Imu vs. the Straw Hats — but the Holy Knights turning on Imu themselves?
Look at the setup: the Holy Knights have invaded Elbaph alongside Imu’s forces. But there’s a crucial distinction. They’re not fighting for Imu. They’re fighting for access. Access to whatever ancient secret lies buried beneath the giant warrior kingdom.
Think about it: Elbaph is the land of warriors. It’s where the Sun God Nika was worshipped. It’s where the Road Poneglyph is hidden. And it’s where the Giants have maintained independence from the World Government for 800 years. What if the reason the Giants have resisted for so long is that they’ve been protected by the covert faction within the Holy Knights?
This would explain why the Giants have survived centuries of World Government aggression when other civilizations were obliterated.
The Shamrock Factor: Shanks’ Twin and the Split Within the Knights
We can’t talk about the Holy Knights without addressing Shamrock. The reveal that Shanks has a twin brother — and that Shamrock is connected to the Holy Knights — adds a deeply personal layer to the betrayal theory.
If the Knights are divided between those loyal to Imu and those carrying the ancient oath, then Shamrock’s allegiance becomes the critical question. Is he the Imu faction’s weapon? Or is he a bridge between the two sides, someone who could pull the loyalist Knights back to their original purpose?
Shanks’ connection to the Figarland family, and the family’s ties to the Holy Knights’ leadership, suggests that the Figarland bloodline sits at the exact fault line of this internal war. The Figarland civil war that fans are theorizing about might be the catalyst that splits the Knights in two.
What Chapter 1196 Could Reveal
Here’s the scenario that would send the fandom into absolute meltdown:
- The Commander-in-Chief appears on Elbaph — and declares that the Holy Knights’ true mission has been fulfilled
- The ancient oath is revealed — the Knights were sworn to protect the “Dawn” (Joy Boy’s legacy), not the World Government
- A faction of Knights turns against Imu — creating a three-way battle: Imu’s loyalists vs. the rebel Knights vs. the Straw Hat alliance
- Loki’s power is the key — the giant warrior prince holds knowledge of the ancient pact, and his awakening triggers the Knights’ betrayal
This would be the most One Piece thing possible — the villains’ own army flipping sides because they were playing a longer game than anyone realized. It fits Oda’s pattern of making apparent enemies into allies (think: Crocodile, Buggy, even Bellamy).
Why This Matters for the Final War
If the Holy Knights betray Imu, the balance of power in the final war shifts dramatically. Imu loses her elite ground forces. The Straw Hat alliance gains battle-hardened warriors with intimate knowledge of Mary Geoise. And most importantly, the betrayal would signal to the world that the World Government is cracking from within.
This mirrors real-world revolutions — the fall of an empire rarely comes from outside alone. It comes when the empire’s own enforcers realize they’re on the wrong side of history.
The Revolutionary Army, led by Dragon, has been working toward this moment for decades. The Holy Knights’ defection would be the single greatest intelligence and military coup in the history of the One Piece world.
The Counterargument: What If We’re Wrong?
Of course, Oda loves subverting expectations. What if the Holy Knights are loyal to Imu — but Imu herself isn’t the villain fans think she is? What if Imu and the Knights are both protecting the world from something worse? The “failed Joy Boy” theory suggests Imu may have been Joy Boy’s partner, not his enemy. In that case, the Knights’ divided loyalty could point to a misunderstanding, not a betrayal.
Either way, chapter 1196 is going to be explosive. The Elbaph arc is reaching its climax, and the Holy Knights hold the key to understanding the true nature of the World Government’s 800-year-old secret.
What Do You Think?
Are the Holy Knights about to betray Imu and join Luffy’s side? Or are they the final obstacle standing between the Straw Hats and the truth? Drop your theories in the comments — the final saga is heating up, and every chapter could change everything.
Read more One Piece theories and anime news on WibuX. Check out our breakdown of the Figarland family war and our Final Saga roadmap for everything you need to know before chapter 1196 drops.
