As One Piece goes deeper into the Final Saga, it becomes increasingly clear that Luffy will have to face Blackbeard at some point if not for the ultimate Road Poneglyph then to avenge Ace's death. However, even with the power of Gear 5, it is still difficult to say whether Luffy and the Straw Hats can actually defeat Blackbeard and his crew, who are powerful devil fruit users.
However, One Piece's Elbaf arc may have just given Luffy the perfect advantage over Blackbeard, with Loki shaping up to be the ultimate “trump card” to turn the tide in favor of the Straw Hats. Chapter 1136 of the manga sees Luffy, Zoro, and Nami set out to find the key to free Loki from his chains.
According to Luffy and Loki's agreement in chapter 1131, Loki offered to destroy any pirate crew that Luffy chose in exchange for freeing him. Now, the Straw Hats are on their way to do just that. As such, Loki may soon have to follow through on his bargain, with Blackbeard being Luffy's most viable option.
One Piece reveals that Loki can become Luffy's trump card when fighting Blackbeard
While Luffy's motive in freeing Loki was clearly to learn more about Shanks' whereabouts, it is possible that Loki would “repay” more than that for his precious freedom. If so, with Law and Kid destroyed, the only opponents left on the path to Luffy's final treasure are Shanks and Blackbeard.
Luffy clearly holds no grudge against Shanks but instead desperately wants to see him again, making Blackbeard his only choice if Luffy is forced to choose a pirate crew for Loki to destroy according to their promise.
Even though Loki is portrayed as a villain with a reputation as a “cursed prince”, it is important to note that Luffy still firmly believes that Loki is a good person, making such an alliance between they are more likely to occur. Luffy's instincts had never failed him before. Despite hearing stories about Loki's misbehavior as a child in the latest chapter, Luffy still believes in Loki's character and believes he will keep his promise.
Loki's true power has not yet been revealed in One Piece
The only question that remains is whether Loki is truly strong enough to turn the tide against Blackbeard. So far, the Elbaf arc has revealed very little about Loki's powers, except that he is said to possess a legendary devil fruit passed down through the Elbaf royal family.
For the most part, Loki's “bad reputation” belies his power, with chapter 1136 revealing that Loki's capture six years ago was the feat that earned Shanks a place among the Yonko. The latest chapter also sees two Holy Knights on Elbaf trying to convince Loki to join their ranks, which speaks volumes about his power.
It can be safely said that, although Loki has yet to demonstrate his true abilities, he will certainly be an indispensable ally if Luffy truly frees him and wins his loyalty. Older brother. One Piece's Elbaf arc certainly has a lot going for the character of Loki and the upcoming chapters could completely change the perception of him in classic One Piece style.
