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After several breaks, One Piece is finally returning with a new chapter. The official release of the manga's latest installment is scheduled for May 14, 2023, and some leaks related to it are already circulating. According to the spoilers, readers will be fully introduced to the Holy Knights of Mary Geoise. These intriguing individuals are "punishers" whom the World Government sent to deal with the few kingdoms that refused to pay their tributes and taxes.
The Holy Knights were already mentioned several chapters before, but the manga has now shed some more light on their role.
Disclaimer: This article contains major spoilers from the One Piece manga up to Chapter 1083.
Spoilers for One Piece chapter 1083 emphasize the Holy Knights as a real menace
The enigmatic Holy Knights were introduced in One Piece chapter 1054
Although it was only a brief mention, the Holy Knights had already been introduced in One Piece 1054. The director of the Marine Criminal Investigative Service, Tensei, also known as Kurouma, met with Fleet Admiral Akainu and Admiral Kizaru to discuss his department's investigation into the recent events.
Tensei reported to Akainu and Kizaru about the Revolutionary Army's invasion of Mary Geoise, the murder of Nefertari Cobra, and the disappearance of Nefertari Vivi. They also mentioned Sabo igniting increased rebellion efforts across the entire world.
As per Tensei's words, while the Levely was ongoing, Celestial Dragon Saint Charlos was apparently a victim of a failed assassination attempt from unknown assailants. Allegedly, the culprits managed to avoid punishment due to the interference of another Celestial Dragon, Saint Mjosgard.
To mediate the ensuing dispute between the two Celestial Dragons, the Holy Knights intervened. As such, it seems that these individuals were high-ranking World Government members tasked to settle disputes between the World Nobles.
One Piece 1083 gives some more insight into the Holy Knights
After their cryptic mention in One Piece 1054, the latest installment of the manga has disclosed something more about the role of the Holy Knights. As the World Government destroyed Lulusia, the island where they tracked Sabo, who had seen Imu sitting on the Empty Throne, a chain of events was set in motion.
Owing to a mysterious weapon or ability, Imu instantly annihilated the Lulusia Kingdom with a rain of lasers. Not a trace of the island was left. Upon learning what happened, eight more kingdoms refused to pay taxes to the World Government, showing their open disdain for the incident of Lulusia.
As such, the World Government decided to send the Holy Kingdom to deal with them. The situation seems serious, as Monkey D. Dragon, the leader of the Revolutionary Army, stated that once the Holy Knights make their move, that's when the real battle begins.
Thus, the Holy Knights appear to be warriors who perform punitive raids against any nation that decides to revolt against the authority of the World Government. In the new chapter, these intriguing new enemies are only shown in the form of shadows.
Shockingly enough, one of them looks like Shanks in every possible way. His body and clothing resemble that of "Red Hair," and he owns a seemingly identical sword, carried with the same posture and on the same side.
If someone were to compare Shanks' darkened figure with the shadow of the mysterious new character, it would be impossible to tell the difference. Concerning the silhouettes of the other Holy Knights, one of them has horns, and another wears a cowboy hat.
One Piece's Holy Knights may be based on real-life Templar Knights
The Holy Knights are nine, like the original founders of the Templar Knights, a military monastic group created during the Crusades. The Templars indeed started as nine knights who lived in Jerusalem after the First Crusade.
Interestingly enough, the Templar Knights were tasked with the protection of Christian pilgrims in the Holy Land, like the Holy Knights perform operations in Mary Geoise, which is also known as the "Holy Land."
Just like the Holy Knights, whose missions don't seem to be in the public domain, the Templars, since their origins, are a group surrounded by mystery. They accumulated a large amount of wealth, which resulted in them developing significant political influence.
As the Templars obtained official recognition from the Catholic Church, their power and influence skyrocketed. At one point, they started responding to the Pope alone. This may be another thing One Piece author Eiichiro Oda took inspiration from, as the Holy Knights work in the direct employment of the World Government.
The Templars were among the strongest warriors in the Crusader Army. Moreover, they engaged in different business activities, including banking. This is also interesting, given that the Holy Knights are also involved with the financial aspect, as they are sent to deal with any kingdom that refuses to pay its tribute to the World Government.
Summing up
So far, the identity of the nine Holy Knights is unknown, and it is yet to be revealed how strong they are. Granted, their introduction so late in the story of One Piece, when the series has entered its endgame, makes it likely that they are mighty fighters.
Some fans claim that the Holy Knights are even stronger than the Marine Admirals, which seems like a massive exaggeration. However, it's possible that the Holy Knights are more powerful than Lucci and Kaku, who, at the moment, are the strongest known fighters at the direct employment of the World Government. They hold the power to intervene in disputes between Celestial Dragons and it is likely their ranks contain a few of them as well.
Only time will tell if the Holy Knights will play a major role in the plot of One Piece. They may very well be the strongest members of the World Government after Imu and the Five Elders, but, at the moment, there are many unknowns.
The Five Elders and Imu possess immense authority, but their fighting capabilities are undiscovered. It is unknown how strong they are, and it’s not even a given that they can fight. However, One Piece author Eiichiro Oda may be hinting at them having at least some battle experience.
The bodies of the Five Elders are muscular and bear visible scars, which usually are a trademark feature of seasoned fighters. One of them owns a sword, which appears to be the Shodai Kitetsu, one of the Supreme Grade blades. It hardly seems feasible for such a fine sword to be in the hands of someone who is not exceedingly powerful in his own right.
With regards to Imu, this cryptic individual has control over a tremendous ability or weapon that was used to completely destroy an entire island within seconds. While the real scope of Imu's abilities has not yet been disclosed, the leader of the World Government will likely be revealed as one of the absolute strongest individuals in the series.
One Piece chapter 1083 is set to be retheleased on Monday, May 15 at 12 am JST. Please find teh detailed release date information here and the spoilers for the chapter here.
