Who are The Five Elders in One Piece? Explained

The world of One Piece has one of the most fascinating governments in anime. Despite the existence of kings, mayors, and political figures the real rulers of this universe are the Celestial Dragons. They are the wealthiest and most ruthless individuals in the series. However, even the Celestial Dragons have people who maintain order, these being the Five Elders.

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Despite being major antagonists throughout the entirety of One Piece, almost nothing is known about these mysterious and ominous elder gentlemen. Many fans do not even know about their existence, as they are rarely ever on screen. Below, we have compiled all the information available about who the Five Elders in One Piece are.

Beware of major spoilers for One Piece.

The Identity of The Five Elders in One Piece Explained

The Five Elders Council is a group of older Celestial Dragons who act as the leaders of One Piece’s government. They control everything that occurs in the world, from the Marines to other political figures. No one can question their authority, as even the most powerful Marines and Celestial Dragons respect their authority.

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However, the official manga has made it clear that the Five Elders are acting under the orders of Im, the real ruler of the world. During the Egghead Arc, the names of the Five Elders were finally revealed, as well as their powers and transformations. Sadly, Eiichiro Oda, the beloved mangaka behind the series, is still keeping most of their backstories and abilities a secret from fans.

How Powerful are The Five Elders?

Despite the recent focus that the One Piece manga has given the Five Elders, not much is known about their real power. Nonetheless, they have been shown to have enough Haki to kill lower-power enemies with a single stare.

They also can transform into shadow creatures, which augments their strength, resilience, and overall abilities. In this form, they can receive direct hits from a powerhouse like Sabo without sustaining any noticeable damage.

Yet, most of their power comes from the control they have over others. Since most Marines tend to follow their orders without question, they can make them commit atrocities in the name of peace. We have seen this occur several times in the series, like when they sentenced all the scholars in Ohara to death just for researching the Void Century.