Zoro's Final Boss Confirmed To Know One Piece's Strongest Power
Published Oct 10, 2026, 8:30 AM EDT
Since graduating from The Los Angeles Film School, Jason has worked as an editor for the local news, as well as a producer of several short films and podcasts. His extensive knowledge of film production and narrative storytelling has enabled him to travel the world, writing about the projects he is passionate about in the realms of film, anime, and gaming.
"Every Day Is A Level Up"
Sign in to your ScreenRant account
WARNING: SPOILERS FOR ONE PIECE CHAPTER #1194As One Piece gets closer to its highly anticipated final arc, it's becoming clearer which characters will have a role to play in the finale, and who will be the final opponents of Luffy's Straw Hat crew. The Egghead and Elbaph arcs have featured plenty of battles that fans did not think they'd see till the end. But Zoro's ultimate challenge has been clear since one of One Piece's earliest arcs, one I'd personally consider a masterpiece. And the story just confirmed that the swordsman's ultimate rival is even more formidable than originally thought.
Long before Luffy became a Pirate Emperor and Zoro struck fear into a (mostly) immortal Knight of God, the Straw Hat Pirates encountered one of One Piece's strongest characters who changed everything. Dracule Mihawk not only set an incredibly high bar for villain introductions; his strength and skill represented a clear narrative goal for the young Straw Hats to reach towards. And even though Zoro has gotten a lot stronger, it was recently revealed that he's only beginning to dip his toes into a pool that the world's greatest swordsman has been submerged in for years.
The Strongest Swordsman Knows How To Unlock The Ultimate Power
Image By Joshua FoxAuthor Eiichiro Oda has not featured many feats from the world's greatest swordsmen since the franchise introduced its complex Haki power system. This has led some to theorize that Dracule Mihawk may not be able to utilize the strongest and rarest type of power known as Conqueror's Haki [ (aka Color of the Supreme King Haki). A power that allows only a handful of characters in the world to weaponize their willpower at a scale that can knock out thousands of weaker-willed opponents in seconds. However, chapter #1194 proved the Mihawk is no fraud.
The Elbaph arc has presented an opponent that's made Zoro get serious for the first time in years: the Knight of God, Saint Sommers. Being blessed (or cursed) with a mysterious power of the secret King of the World, Sommers is able to heal and pull himself back together even after being diced into pieces. However, his metal-like heart is a weakness that can only be damaged by Conqueror's Haki, which Zoro has accidentally used in the past. The challenge triggered a brief flashback in Zoro that proves Mihawk has known about Conqueror's Haki for many years.
Throughout the last couple of arcs, Zoro has been figuring out how to use his Conqueror's Haki at will. Chapter #1194 of One Piece featured a memory of Zoro's during his training with Mihawk that now makes a lot more sense to the Straw Hat swordsmen. "There is one thing that the Supreme Kings share. Something unchanging. A sense of self." This was Mihawk attempting to subtly give Zoro a tip on utilizing the power that would be needed to become the world's greatest swordsman. Or at least help towards Mihawk's goal of helping make Zoro an opponent worthy of going all out against.
Mihawk Finally Proves His Haters Wrong
In the canon material, Mihawk has coasted on an aura that was generated from his first interactions with Zoro, and his devastating involvement during the battle at Marineford. Since then, the series has introduced multiple types of Haki that allow characters to drastically heighten their offensive, defensive, and observation skills to superhuman levels. With everything that Mihawk has accomplished and the reputation that follows him, most have assumed he is capable of using many, if not all, types of Haki, but some people needed proof.
With how much the audience has seen Zoro grow, his rematch with Mihawk has been one of the series' most anticipated battles for decades. With his standing as the World’s Greatest Swordsman and the fear/respect his presence enforces on those around him, Dracule Mihawk nearly feels like the prime example of a One Piece character who deserves to wield The Color of the Supreme King. Still, it’s nice to finally have more proof that it’s in his arsenal, or his battle against Zoro risks narrative disappointment.
First Film One Piece: The Movie
Cast Kazuya Nakai, Akemi Okamura, Kappei Yamaguchi, Hiroaki Hirata, Ikue Ôtani, Yuriko Yamaguchi
Created by Eiichiro Oda
Character(s) Monkey D. Luffy, Roronora Zoro, Nami (One Piece), Nico Robin, Usopp (One Piece), Vinsmoke Sanji, Tony Tony Chopper, Franky (One Piece), Jimbei (One Piece)
What's Your Reaction?
Like
0
Dislike
0
Love
0
Funny
0
Wow
0
Sad
0
Angry
0
Comments (0)