One Piece Chapter 1185 Is Quietly Setting Up Two New Yonko-Level Powerhouses — And Neither of Them Is Luffy
Just when fans thought they understood the power structure of the Final Saga, One Piece Chapter 1185 dropped an emotional earthquake that may have done something far more significant than it initially appears. The destruction of the Esperia Kingdom wasn’t just about Brook’s tragic past — it was the catalyst for a power shift that could create two entirely new Yonko-level players before the series reaches its conclusion.
Here’s a theory that connects the dots between the Esperia Kingdom’s fall, the Giant Warrior Pirates’ evolution under Dorry and Brogy, and the mysterious forces that destroyed Shuri’s homeland. Once you see it, the implications are staggering.
The Esperia Kingdom’s Destruction Was Not Random — It Was a Power Vacuum Event
In One Piece Chapter 1185, the raw scans revealed that the Esperia Kingdom was a civilization with deep ties to the ancient world. Its destruction came not from a conventional military assault, but from something far more insidious — a combination of betrayal, World Government orchestration, and forces that hint at connections to the Void Century itself. Shuri, a character whose loyalty was called into question when she appeared to stab the king of Esperia, may have been acting under duress from agents connected to Imu and the Five Elders.
But here’s the critical point that most readers are missing: when a kingdom with this level of ancient significance falls, the power doesn’t just disappear. It scatters. And in One Piece, scattered power always finds new hosts.
Brook witnessed this destruction firsthand. His survival through the Yomi Yomi no Mi placed him at the intersection of the kingdom’s final moments and its lingering energy. The question isn’t what happened to Esperia — it’s who absorbed what Esperia left behind.
The First New Powerhouse: Dorry and Brogy’s Combined Awakening
The Giant Warrior Pirates have been a fan-favorite duo since their introduction in the Little Garden arc. But Eiichiro Oda has been quietly building them into something far more dangerous than anyone anticipated. Chapter 1184 showed the giants engaging in combat that exceeded anything we’ve seen from them before, and Chapter 1185’s emotional weight surrounding Brook’s past created a narrative bridge that suggests their power is about to undergo a transformation.
The theory is this: Dorry and Brogy are on the verge of a Conqueror’s Haki awakening that will place them at Yonko-level threat status. Here’s why this makes sense:
First, the Giants of Elbaf have always been positioned as the strongest physical warriors in the One Piece world. Roger himself stated that the Giant Warrior Pirates could have been the strongest crew in the world if not for their internal conflict. With that conflict now resolved and the crew united under Elbaf’s banner, their raw power ceiling has no limits.
Second, the destruction of Esperia Kingdom represents an existential threat to the entire giant civilization. When Loki was imprisoned in the cursed prince storyline, it established that Elbaf itself is under threat. The fall of Esperia Kingdom — a sister civilization to Elbaf based on the ancient connections revealed in Chapter 1185 — means that Dorry and Brogy aren’t just fighting for themselves anymore. They’re fighting for the survival of their entire species’ heritage.
In One Piece, this is exactly the kind of emotional catalyst that triggers Conqueror’s Haki awakening. We saw it with Luffy at Wano. We saw it with Katakuri. And the giants have all the ingredients: immense baseline power, deep emotional bonds, and now a civilization-level threat that demands they evolve or perish.
The Second New Powerhouse: Shuri’s Hidden Potential and the Esperia Legacy
This is where the theory gets controversial. Shuri — the woman who apparently betrayed her own kingdom by stabbing the king of Esperia — has been painted as a villain by readers who don’t yet understand the full picture. But One Piece has a long history of characters who appear to be traitors but are actually playing a much longer game.
Nico Robin betrayed Baroque Works. Sanji appeared to betray the Straw Hats at Whole Cake Island. Even Bon Clay’s entire arc was built on the tension between appearance and reality. Shuri fits this pattern perfectly.
The theory proposes that Shuri absorbed or was entrusted with the core power of the Esperia Kingdom before its destruction — power that may be connected to the Ancient Weapons or the Will of D. This would explain several things:
The Esperia Kingdom didn’t just fall — its power was transferred. The mysterious fog and dark transformation seen in Chapter 1185’s cliffhanger weren’t just visual effects. They were the visible manifestation of ancient energy being released and potentially claimed by someone who was positioned to receive it.
Shuri, despite appearing to betray the kingdom, was the only person with direct access to the royal throne at the moment of destruction. If the king of Esperia deliberately allowed Shuri to strike him — a transfer of power through blood, similar to how Joy Boy’s will was passed down through generations — then Shuri didn’t destroy Esperia. She became its successor.
Given that Brook was present and survived through his Devil Fruit, there may be a connection between Shuri’s inherited power and the Yomi Yomi no Mi’s soul-manipulation abilities that could become critical in the final battles against Imu.
Why This Matters for the Final Saga
If this theory holds, One Piece is setting up a multi-front war that goes far beyond Luffy versus the World Government. The emergence of Dorry and Brogy as Yonko-level combatants would give the Alliance unprecedented military strength. Meanwhile, Shuri as the inheritor of Esperia’s power could hold the key to understanding the Void Century’s connection to the Ancient Weapons — information that even Vegapunk may not have possessed.
Eiichiro Oda has spent 28 years building a world where power is never what it seems. The destruction of Esperia Kingdom in Chapter 1185 wasn’t an ending. It was the first domino in a chain of power shifts that will define how the Final Saga resolves. And the two new powerhouses emerging from the wreckage may be just as important as Luffy himself in the battle to come.
What do you think? Is Oda quietly building new Yonko-level threats from the ashes of Esperia Kingdom, or is this theory reaching too far? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
