Quick answer
- As of Chapter 1196, the four Emperors are Shanks, Blackbeard, Luffy and Buggy. Buggy is the public face of Cross Guild, which Crocodile and Mihawk actually founded (Ch. 1053).
- The lines between factions now cross sides: ex-admiral Kuzan captains Blackbeard’s tenth ship (Ch. 1081), and Shanks’ twin Shamrock leads the Knights of God while their father Garling sits among the Five Elders (Ch. 1125, 1138).
- The Seven Warlords were abolished (Ch. 956), and the 12 former Warlords are scattered across Emperor crews, Cross Guild, the Straw Hats, prison and parts unknown.
- The front line is Elbaph: Imu came down in person (Ch. 1179), and Luffy, Loki and Hajrudin are fighting him while Elbaph has declared war on the World Government (Ch. 1172).
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One Piece’s world is no longer “World Government vs. pirates.” As of Chapter 1196, the four Emperors are Shanks, Blackbeard, Luffy and Buggy, the Seven Warlords no longer exist, a former Marine admiral captains a Blackbeard ship, and the King of the World himself, Imu, is fighting Luffy on Elbaph.
This page maps every major faction, who leads it, and how the factions connect to each other right now. It contains spoilers up to Chapter 1196, the latest officially released chapter at the time of writing (October 2026). Chapter numbers refer to the manga.
One Piece factions: the current map
| Faction | Leader | Where it stands (as of Ch. 1196) | Still unknown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straw Hat Pirates | Monkey D. Luffy (Emperor) | On Elbaph, fighting Imu alongside Loki and Hajrudin (Ch. 1191–1193) | How the fight ends |
| Blackbeard Pirates | Marshall D. Teach (Emperor) | Based on Hachinosu; holding Garp prisoner (Ch. 1126) | What they plan to do with Garp |
| Red Hair Pirates | Shanks (Emperor) | Beat Kid off Elbaph (Ch. 1079); last seen punishing the Barto Club (Ch. 1126) | Shanks’ present location |
| Cross Guild | Buggy (Emperor, figurehead); Crocodile and Mihawk | Paying out bounties on Marines; officially hunting the One Piece (Ch. 1082) | — |
| World Government | Imu, with the Five Elders | Imu has personally come down to Elbaph (Ch. 1179) | Why Imu took the risk now |
| Marines | Fleet Admiral Sakazuki | Lost Garp at Hachinosu (Ch. 1088); hunting former Warlords | — |
| Revolutionary Army | Monkey D. Dragon | HQ at Kamabakka; starving Mary Geoise of supplies (Ch. 1126) | Their next move |
| Elbaph | Prince Loki, with Hajrudin and Jarul | Declared it will fight the World Government (Ch. 1172) | Whether Loki joins Luffy |
The right-hand column is the point. Almost every faction has a “current state” the story hasn’t shown yet, because the map is moving as you read.
Who are the four Emperors now?
The current Four Emperors (Yonko) are Shanks, Blackbeard, Luffy and Buggy. Luffy and Buggy replaced Kaido and Big Mom after Wano (Ch. 1053).
Buggy’s seat is the odd one. The World Government named him because it mistook him for the leader of Cross Guild. The real founders are Crocodile and Mihawk, and Mihawk carries the guild’s highest bounty: 3,590,000,000 berries, against Buggy’s 3,189,000,000 and Crocodile’s 1,965,000,000.
Faction relationships: the lines that cross sides
The most useful way to read the current map is by the lines between factions, not the factions themselves. Several of them cut straight across the old “government vs. pirate” border.
| Faction A | Faction B | Relationship | Key moment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blackbeard Pirates | Marines | Enemies; a former admiral is on Blackbeard’s side | Kuzan and the Titanic Captains defeat Garp (Ch. 1088) |
| Blackbeard Pirates | Heart Pirates | Blackbeard won | Law’s crew is crushed; Bepo escapes with Law. Law’s defeat is also covered in anime episode 1115. |
| Shanks | Knights of God | Family ties | Commander Shamrock is Shanks’ twin brother; their father is Garling (Ch. 1138) |
| Shanks | Kid Pirates | Enemies | One strike from Shanks; Dorry and Brogy split Kid’s ship (Ch. 1079) |
| Cross Guild | Marines | Enemies | Bounties placed on Marines (Ch. 1056) |
| Luffy | Straw Hat Grand Fleet | One-sided alliance | Seven crews drank the subordinate sake; Luffy refused his cup (Ch. 800) |
| World Government | Revolutionary Army | Enemies | Lulusia Kingdom is wiped out (Ch. 1060) |
| World Government | Elbaph | At war | Jarul declares Elbaph will oppose the government (Ch. 1172) |
Two lines stand out. Kuzan, a former Marine admiral, now captains the tenth ship of Blackbeard’s fleet (Ch. 1081). In the other direction, an Emperor’s own family sits at the top of the government: Shanks’ twin Shamrock leads the Knights of God, and their father Garling is now one of the Five Elders (Ch. 1125, 1138). Neither line has been fully explained.
Is Garp alive?
Yes. Garp stayed behind on Hachinosu so Koby and the others could escape, and lost to Blackbeard’s Titanic Captains, including his former student Kuzan (Ch. 1088). Chapter 1126 confirmed he survived and is imprisoned on Hachinosu. The Marines list him as missing in action.
Koby and Gecko Moria both escaped Hachinosu, which made Blackbeard angry. Having Garp, though, left him satisfied (Ch. 1126).
Recruitment and a naval return are different questions
The Episode 1115 synopsis shows Blackbeard inviting Kuzan aboard after they drink together. In the present-day encounter, Garp asks him to return to the Marines and Kuzan refuses. These two moments explain the connection between the former admiral and Blackbeard more directly than treating his former rank as his present allegiance.
The same episode ends with Law defeated and the Polar Tang sinking. A faction map must therefore distinguish who belongs to a crew from whether that crew still has its ship and fighting strength.
Is Aokiji a Blackbeard pirate?
Yes. Kuzan (Aokiji) is one of the ten Titanic Captains and commands the tenth ship (Ch. 1081). He left the Marines after losing the ten-day duel with Akainu for Fleet Admiral (Ch. 650) and later joined Teach.
Whether he is truly loyal or working his own plan has not been revealed. Treat any “double agent” claim as a fan theory.
Where are the former Seven Warlords now?
The Seven Warlords system was abolished at the Levely (Ch. 956). Twelve pirates held the title over the years, and they have scattered to every side of the map.
| Former Warlord | Where they are now (as of Ch. 1196) |
|---|---|
| Marshall D. Teach | Emperor; based on Hachinosu |
| Buggy | Emperor; public face of Cross Guild |
| Crocodile | Co-founder of Cross Guild |
| Dracule Mihawk | Co-founder of Cross Guild |
| Jinbe | Straw Hat Pirates (helmsman) |
| Boa Hancock | Amazon Lily; Rayleigh drove off Blackbeard and the Marines |
| Donquixote Doflamingo | Prisoner in Impel Down, Level 6 |
| Edward Weevil | Captured on Sphinx by Admiral Ryokugyu (Ch. 1073) |
| Trafalgar Law | Unknown; fled with Bepo after losing to Blackbeard |
| Bartholomew Kuma | On Elbaph with Bonney and Lilith (Ch. 1134–1135) |
| Gecko Moria | Unknown; escaped Hachinosu (Ch. 1126) |
| Hanafuda | Defeated by Ace before the story began; Kuma took his seat (Ch. 1100) |
Without the Warlords, the government lost its legal way to keep strong pirates on its side. It now relies on the Marines, the Seraphim and, increasingly, on Imu’s own forces.
Who runs the World Government now?
At the top is Saint Nerona Imu, the King of the World and one of the First Twenty. Below Imu are the Five Elders and the Knights of God.
The Elders changed after Egghead. Imu stripped Saturn of his immortality for failing to stop Luffy, and Saturn died. His seat went to Figarland Garling (Ch. 1125).
Then, in the Elbaph Arc, Imu acted in person. Imu first attacked through Gunko’s body, then told the Elders he was leaving the Holy Land and appeared on Elbaph himself (Ch. 1178–1179). The Elders tried to talk him out of it, which shows how unusual this is.
The Marines after Hachinosu
The Marines are still led by Fleet Admiral Sakazuki (Akainu), with Kizaru, Fujitora and Ryokugyu as admirals. Their secret special unit SWORD is captained by X Drake.
They are under pressure from two sides. Cross Guild’s bounties turn every officer into a target, rated in stars (about 100 million each) and crowns (about 1 billion each) (Ch. 1080, 1087). And they lost their strongest veteran, Garp, at Hachinosu.
What is the Revolutionary Army doing?
Dragon’s army lost its old base, Baltigo, to the Blackbeard Pirates and moved to the Kamabakka Kingdom on Momoiro Island.
After the Levely, they began starving the World Nobles by sabotaging the gondolas (bondolas) that carry supplies up to Mary Geoise (Ch. 1126).
The government struck back hardest at Lulusia. That kingdom had rebelled and welcomed Sabo, and Imu chose it as the test target for an Ancient Weapon powered by Mother Flame because it was close to Mary Geoise (Ch. 1086). The island vanished (Ch. 1060). Sabo escaped with some of its citizens.
Elbaph: the new front line
Elbaph is now an open enemy of the World Government. Jarul told the whole country the truth about King Harald’s death, cleared Loki’s name and declared that Elbaph would side against the government when the world splits in two (Ch. 1172).
As of Chapter 1196:
- Luffy, Loki and Hajrudin hit Imu with a combined attack (Ch. 1191), and Luffy and Loki’s joint strike breaks Imu’s defense and does real damage (Ch. 1192–1193). Luffy then runs out of stamina.
- Scopper Gaban, Roger’s former crewmate, loses his left arm clashing with Imu (Ch. 1190).
- Zoro defeats Knight Sommers with Conqueror’s Haki (Ch. 1194–1195).
- Sanji is still fighting Knight Killingham (Ch. 1196).
Whatever happens on Elbaph will redraw the map again. A loss for Imu would be the first time the government’s top has been beaten in person.
Reading the map: who is redrawing the lines?
This section is interpretation, not canon.
The Emperor seats have changed, but the bigger shift is in the lines between factions. The Warlord line was cut. New lines appeared: Kuzan’s defection, Shanks’ family ties to Garling, and Elbaph siding with Luffy.
Most of those cuts came from the government’s side. The Revolutionary Army lost Lulusia, the Warlords were dropped, and the Knights of God were sent to Elbaph. Now Imu is on the front line personally, which suggests the next version of this map will be decided on Elbaph.
FAQ
Who are the four Emperors in One Piece right now?
As of Chapter 1196, the Four Emperors are Shanks, Blackbeard, Luffy and Buggy. Luffy and Buggy were named after Wano in Chapter 1053, replacing Kaido and Big Mom.
Is Garp alive in the One Piece manga?
Yes. Garp lost to Blackbeard’s Titanic Captains on Hachinosu (Ch. 1088), but Chapter 1126 confirmed he survived and is being held prisoner there. The Marines list him as missing in action.
Is Aokiji a pirate now?
Yes. Kuzan (Aokiji) is one of Blackbeard’s ten Titanic Captains and commands the tenth ship (Ch. 1081). His true motives have not been revealed, so the double-agent idea is still a fan theory.
Do the Seven Warlords still exist?
No. The system was abolished at the Levely (Ch. 956). The former Warlords lost their titles and are now ordinary wanted pirates, scattered across the Emperor crews, Cross Guild, the Straw Hats and prison.
Who leads the World Government?
Saint Nerona Imu, the King of the World and one of the First Twenty, with the Five Elders below him. Imu personally came down to Elbaph in Chapter 1179.
More One Piece guides
One Piece Elbaph Arc Characters: Full List & StatusEvery One Piece Elbaph Arc character by faction: royal family, giants, Holy Knights, Imu and Gaban, with Devil Fruits, heights and status as of Chapter 1194.
Shanks' Twin Brother Shamrock: Every Appearance ExplainedShanks' twin brother is Saint Figarland Shamrock, commander of the Holy Knights. Every appearance, his Cerberus sword, family and status as of Ch. 1194.
One Piece Holy Knights (God's Knights): All MembersEvery One Piece Holy Knights of God member as of Chapter 1194: names, ranks, Devil Fruits, status, the leader, how many exist and how their immortality works.
One Piece Yonko History: Every Emperor Change in OrderEvery Yonko (Four Emperors) lineup in One Piece in order: who held the seats, when Blackbeard, Luffy and Buggy took over, and the chapter and episode of each.
One Piece Void Century Timeline: Every Confirmed FactWhat happened in One Piece's Void Century, 900 to 800 years ago? A timeline of canon facts only, from Joy Boy to the Great War, with a chapter for each.
Dracule Mihawk: Bounty, Every Fight, Shanks & Cross GuildDracule Mihawk in One Piece: his 3.59 billion bounty, every fight with chapter numbers, the Shanks rivalry, Zoro's training, Cross Guild and open questions.
Conqueror's Haki Users: All 28 Confirmed in One PieceEvery confirmed Conqueror's Haki user in One Piece, with the chapter each one first showed it, who can infuse it, and why Blackbeard and Sanji aren't on the list.
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This guide is the English edition of a BuzzBeaver article originally written in Japanese: 日本語版を読む. Facts are checked against the official manga and anime; fan theories are labeled as such.