Becoming Pirate King is one of the highest aspirations in the One Piece universe. Throughout the series, dozens of people Luffy has encountered have strived for such a dream, both friend and foe alike.
However, there are certain qualities the prestigious title requires from potential contenders. For example, one must be extremely charismatic, powerful, and in some instances, ruthless. With so many characters worthy of finding the One Piece and taking Roger's place, much will be expected of the Straw Hats before their journey is complete.
10 Rayleigh Was Roger's Second Mate & A Powerful Fighter
Not only was Rayleigh Roger's first mate, he is extremely powerful, as proven through his clash against Marine Admiral Kizaru. With all of Roger's bravery, Rayleigh felt comfortably duping Celestial Dragons and even got away with it.
His greatest claim to being Pirate King, however, is for the fact that he has already personally been to Laugh Tale. He could easily make the voyage again, procuring his title despite lacking a crew.
9 Buggy Has A Tendency To Fail Upward
It is reasonable to be skeptical about Buggy's odds of becoming the Pirate King. However, he has continued to fail upward ever since his liberation from Impel Down. Having been excessively praised by the World Government, no one anticipated he'd ever become a warlord.
Perhaps more exceptionally, he was recently given the title of Yonko. Buggy's chances of becoming Pirate King are also significantly improved when considering that he was a member of Roger's crew, only failing to reach Laugh Tale due to a poorly timed sickness.
8 Marco Is The Strongest Living Whitebeard Pirate
Marco the Phoenix was one of Whitebeard's most powerful lieutenants due to the strength and regenerative properties of his devil fruit. Having fought against Blackbeard and befriended the samurai of Wano, he has both the experience and the allies needed to collect information about poneglyphs.
In addition to being loved by his crew, Marco was also powerful enough to contend with Kizaru and sustain relatively little damage. An active proponent of the Marineford war, Marco's reputation is already so stellar that if he became the Pirate King, few would be surprised by it.
7 Crocodile Was The Scheming Leader Of Baroque Works
Crocodile has the iconic characteristics of any real pirate. He was charismatic enough to fool an entire nation of his innocence, intelligent enough to lead the Baroque Works organization, and so powerful that he took on Akainu directly.
In addition to being present for Roger's execution, Crocodile also has contacts in the Revolutionary Army. Considering that no one has recaptured him since the Marineford war, he remains an outlier that may yet return to the spotlight. Whether he befriends Luffy or opposes him depends on the goal he is currently pursuing.
6 Oden Was Part Of Both Roger & Whitebeard's Crews
Should he have lived, there are a number of qualities to deem Oden a proper Pirate King. For example, he was the only person in history to travel as a full-time pirate in both Whitebeard and Roger's crews.
Not only was Oden strong enough to stand against Kaido, but he was also able to read and interpret poneglyphs. Should he have to find Laugh Tale from scratch, the man wouldn't need to keep a translator on his new crew.
5 Luffy Has Come A Long Way In A Short Time
Despite humble beginnings, Luffy has come an extremely long way in a little over two years. So far, he has visited Sky Island, deposed several Warlords, unleashed the potential of his devil fruit, and even defeated Kaido in battle.
Luffy's origins are equally impressive. He's the son of the Revolutionary Army's leader, an ally to the remaining Whitebeard pirates, and a close friend of Shanks, one of the world's most powerful men. Additionally, his crew is staffed by some of the most competent people in the Grand Line and beyond.
4 Whitebeard Was Roger's Trusted Friend & Confidant
In his younger days, Whitebeard was a close friend to Roger. Although fighting as pirates, they eventually shared sake, a universally acknowledged indication of becoming brothers.
Whitebeard easily could have found the One Piece if he had an interest in doing so. However, he prioritized keeping his family safe over everything else. The dangers associated with collecting poneglyphs and embarking on a journey to Laugh Tale were too great for him to subject his crew to, especially when they only had wealth and status to gain.
3 Doflamingo Is Well Connected & Cunning
Doflamingo may not be as powerful as Kaido, though he's much more charismatic and cunning. Through his clever usage of the String-String fruit, he rapidly manipulated the citizens of Dressrosa into loving him.
The warlord's greatest advantage is his vast connections. Not only is Doflamingo associated with a powerful emperor, his status as a former Celestial Dragon allowed him to manipulate world news. Like Luffy, he also surrounds himself with a family of loyal pirates who are unlikely to abandon him.
2 Katakuri Is An Appealing Successor Of Big Mom's Legacy
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Katakuri was Big Mom's most trusted Sweet General. Renowned across Whole Cake Island for being unbeatable, the man combined his devil fruit with armament haki in brilliant and versatile ways.
Katakuri's greatest advantage is his observation haki. He can anticipate opponents so clearly that he is even able to read the future. In addition to being charismatic, he carries himself with honor and dignity, winning the respect of even his enemies. With Big Mom's defeat, he's more likely to redefine what it means to be a member of her crew.
1 Blackbeard's Ruthlessness Is A Major Advantage
After murdering Thatch, Blackbeard quickly rose to infamy on the global stage. He became a warlord, betrayed the World Government, and stole Whitebeard's power all within a shockingly limited span of time. Additionally, he handpicked the strongest denizens of Impel Down to serve on his crew.
By giving them the most dangerous devil fruits on the planet, Blackbeard ensures that his followers are as powerful as they are horrifying. With his darkness fruit able to negate powers and his tremor fruit capable of widespread destruction, Blackbeard is the most evil pirate currently active in the One Piece universe worthy of becoming Pirate King.