It has been six long years since Jinbe officially became the tenth member of the Straw Hat Pirates, joining the crew during the climactic Wano Country Arc. Since then, fans have been wondering: will Monkey D. Luffy ever recruit another crewmate? With the Elbaf Arc now reaching its peak in 2026, Eiichiro Oda has dropped enough clues to suggest the answer is a resounding yes — and the Straw Hat Pirates are about to welcome their first new commander since the crew earned their Yonko status.
If you’ve been following the manga closely, chapters 1183 through 1185 have been absolutely packed with setup that points toward a major crew expansion. From Luffy’s original promise to recruit “at least 10 more members” to the pattern of at least one female recruit per sea, all signs indicate that the final saga is about to introduce the last Straw Hat Yonko Commander.
Why the Straw Hat Pirates Need Another Commander Right Now
Back in chapter 1052, after defeating Kaido and Big Mom, the Straw Hat crew was officially recognized as a Yonko-level pirate force. Every existing member was elevated to the rank of Yonko Commander — Zoro, Sanji, Nami, Robin, Usopp, Franky, Brook, Chopper, Jinbe, and even the Thousand Sunny got promoted. But with only two female commanders (Nami and Robin) among ten members, the crew’s composition has always felt slightly unbalanced compared to Oda’s established pattern.
Consider this: in the East Blue, Nami joined the crew. In the first half of the Grand Line, Nico Robin came aboard. In the New World, despite two major arcs — Dressrosa, Whole Cake Island, Wano, Egghead, and now Elbaf — no female character has joined the Straw Hat Pirates yet. That pattern is almost certainly about to break.
The Top 5 Candidates for the Last Straw Hat Commander
Oda has been quietly building a roster of potential recruits, and fans have plenty to debate. Here are the strongest candidates ranked by likelihood:
1. Princess Shuri of Esperia
The most recent and hottest candidate. The Esperia Kingdom flashback spanning chapters 1183-1185 has centered heavily on Brook’s past and his connection to Princess Shuri. When Brook mentioned that Thriller Bark originated from his homeland in the West Blue, it opened a direct parallel between his backstory and the mysterious Davy Clan — a legendary group believed to have ruled the world during the Void Century. The visual similarities between young Brook and a young Marshall D. Teach (Blackbeard), combined with Brook’s previously unrevealed family background, suggest Shuri may have deeper ties to the crew than anyone expected. If she joins, she’d fill the New World female recruit slot and bring crucial political connections into the final saga.
2. Nefertari Vivi
Vivi has been part of the Straw Hat family since the Arabasta Arc, and while she technically left the crew at the end of that saga, she never truly stopped being a Straw Hat. After the dramatic events of the Levely and her father Cobra’s fate, many fans believe Vivi’s story with the crew is far from over. Her return would be one of the most emotional moments in One Piece history, and her knowledge of the World Government’s secrets would be invaluable against Imu and the Five Elders.
3. Jewelry Bonney
Bonney has been sailing alongside the Straw Hats since the Egghead Arc, and she’s already been treated as an honorary crew member in several key scenes. Her Devil Fruit powers — the Toshi Toshi no Mi, which allows her to manipulate ages — would be a massive asset in the battles to come. The problem? Bonney has her own mission: finding her father Bartholomew Kuma. If that quest concludes during or after Elbaf, she could officially commit to the crew.
4. Loki, the Accursed Prince of Elbaf
Luffy personally invited Loki to join the crew in chapter 1152, making this one of the most direct recruitment pitches in One Piece history. However, Loki recently told Imu in chapter 1180 that the only place he would ever leave Elbaf for is a cause worth fighting for — essentially rejecting Luffy’s casual invitation. That doesn’t mean he’s out of the running entirely. If the Elbaf Arc concludes with Loki freed from his chains and indebted to Luffy, he could still change his mind.
5. A Davy Clan Survivor
The most mysterious candidate of all. Introduced in chapter 1159, the Davy Clan was a legendary group from the Void Century era, with Davy D. Jones as their king. Blackbeard is currently known as the last confirmed survivor. But the Elbaf Arc has been dropping hints that another survivor might be hiding in plain sight — possibly connected to Brook’s previously unexplored pre-Rumbar Pirates past. If a Davy Clan member joins, it would fundamentally reshape our understanding of the Void Century and the meaning of the One Piece itself.
What Oda’s Jump Festa 2026 Message Tells Us
Eiichiro Oda’s Jump Festa 2026 message gave fans a massive clue about what’s coming next. He teased that the Straw Hats are heading to “that island which only the Pirate King was ever able to reach” — which could mean either Lodestar Island (where Roger figured out the Poneglyphs and restarted his journey) or Laugh Tale itself. Either way, Oda confirmed that “the man marked by flames will also appear” and that “characters who never had the chance to meet will finally encounter each other.”
These encounters almost certainly involve new crew dynamics. If a new commander joins, they’d be part of the most consequential meetings in One Piece history — potentially meeting figures like Shanks, the Revolutionary Army leadership, or even Imu himself.
Why This Matters for the Final Saga
The addition of a final Straw Hat Commander isn’t just about padding the crew roster — it’s about giving Luffy the pieces he needs for the endgame. Whether it’s Shuri’s political influence, Vivi’s Arabasta connections, Bonney’s age-manipulating powers, Loki’s giant warrior strength, or a Davy Clan survivor’s knowledge of the Void Century, each candidate brings something the crew desperately needs for the battles ahead.
Remember: Luffy’s dream isn’t just to find the One Piece. It’s to become the Pirate King, and that means having the right crew at his side. Every great pirate king in One Piece history — Roger, Whitebeard, even Shanks — had commanders who were more than just crewmates. They were partners in a shared dream.
Our Prediction
If we had to bet, Princess Shuri of Esperia is the most likely candidate. The Elbaf Arc has invested heavily in her backstory, her relationship with Brook is being developed in real-time across multiple chapters, and she perfectly fills the New World female recruit pattern that Oda has established. A Shuri recruitment would be emotional, narratively satisfying, and set up beautifully for the post-Elbaf arcs that Oda has already confirmed are coming.
But Oda has a habit of subverting expectations. Just when you think you’ve figured it out, he pulls something completely unexpected out of nowhere — and that’s exactly why we keep reading.
Who do you think will be the last Straw Hat Commander? Drop your theories in the comments — and don’t forget to bookmark this page, because when Oda finally reveals the answer, you’ll want to say you called it first.
