The Yonko are among the strongest individuals in the world of One Piece. Known as the most influential and powerful pirates, the Yonko rule the New World like kings, their strength so immense that even the Marines dare not confront them directly. Fans know the current Yonko lineup includes Luffy, Buggy, Shanks, and Blackbeard.
One mystery has always been who the Yonko member was before Shanks took the title six years ago. This powerful figure remains unknown. However, Oda seems to have dropped clues in the Elbaf arc. Based on story details, the one who held the Yonko title before Shanks was Loki, the cursed prince of Elbaf, with plenty of convincing evidence supporting this theory.
Loki Was a Yonko Over Six Years Ago
Loki is the prince of Elbaf and an incredibly powerful character. His strength is considered unimaginable, reinforcing the idea that he was once a Yonko. To understand this, we need to look back at how the Yonko system came about.
The Yonko did not exist during Roger’s era because the Great Pirate Era had not begun. After Roger’s death and Shiki’s capture, Whitebeard, Big Mom, and Kaido were the three most influential pirates. It’s very likely that Silver Axe, Shiki’s rival, was the fourth.
But many years later, the Yonko order likely included Loki. As the prince of Elbaf, he represented immense power. After Harald’s death, Loki officially set sail.
The story clearly states that Loki caused unimaginable destruction, following in the footsteps of Rocks D. Xebec. The world recognized him as a major threat. Even Big Mom believed that allying with Loki would make her unbeatable.
Loki’s Bounty Reached Yonko-Level
Loki’s bounty reached an astonishing 2.6 billion Belly. For comparison, when Blackbeard became a Yonko, his bounty was only 2.247 billion Belly. Clearly, Loki’s bounty was at Yonko level.
More importantly, the Yonko are not appointed by the government. The people of the world call the four most powerful and influential pirates the “Yonko.” Fourteen years ago, Loki was infamous and feared by all. As an unstoppable force backed by Elbaf, Loki had to be recognized as one of the four strongest pirates.
Shanks Became Yonko After Defeating Loki
The biggest proof that Loki was a Yonko until six years ago is Shanks. Shanks had been strong for years but only became a Yonko six years ago. This happened after he defeated Loki and chained him up to return him to Elbaf.
The fact that simply defeating Loki was enough for Shanks to become a Yonko shows how much fear and threat Loki represented on the seas at that time. Even Gaban said Loki was unstoppable until Shanks defeated him. Loki was a national-level disaster, so it makes perfect sense that he was considered a Yonko before Shanks.