The Holy Knights' secret to immortality in One Piece may be Haki (& it's also how to beat it)

One Piece's recent chapters depicting the Holy Knights' onslaught on Elbaph have managed to reveal multiple aspects of the organization's nature. Although their exact power level compared to the other heavy hitters of the One Piece series remains to be accurately revealed, their immortality has already been made clear.

The immortality demonstrated by the Gorosei as well as the Holy Knights remains one of the numerous esoteric abilities they hold.

While this ability or trait, along with its actual nature or its origin, remains shrouded in mystery, the depictions of haki and its close resemblance to frequencies might've revealed the actual secrets behind the apparent immortality.

Disclaimer- This article contains spoilers for the One Piece series and is speculative.

One Piece: Haki might just be the most fundamental force within the series

A collision of Haki as seen in the One Piece anime (Image via Toei Animation)

Haki has been one of the earliest power systems to have been introduced in the series.

While the actual origin of haki and its mechanics are yet to be fully unveiled within the series, its depiction and in-series definition have already alluded to the concepts that it might've been inspired by.

Haki itself remains a rather loose subject within the One Piece series, with many people describing it as a manifestation of will. People of Wano describe it as a form of control over flow.

While the power system is yet to gain a concrete description, it is clear that it closely follows the principles or usual depictions of chi, otherwise known as life force within popular media.

The Gorosei as shown in the One Piece anime (Image via Toei Animation)

Many texts, ranging from religious, scientific, occult, or even pseudoscience, allude to the concept of frequencies and its properties.

Few mention how every single object is vibrating at a distinct frequency, while the entire universe itself has attuned itself to a different such frequency.

Given that these concepts also somehow relate to the concepts of chi and life force, it can be inferred that haki itself is a power system closely inspired by these real-world concepts.

Given the apparent immortality of the Gorosei and now the Holy Knights, it is possible that all their seemingly esoteric abilities are derived from haki itself.

The numerous lightning flashes accompanying the summoning pentagrams also signify that these abilities might not be completely based on magic and the occult.

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It is possible that the Gorosei, throughout their centuries-long life, managed to find an actual method to internally reinforce their bodies via haki.

This unlocked a kind of control that simply allowed them to maintain their physical forms despite the physical harm that might come their way.

While the Holy Knights' regeneration from fatal injuries can be somewhat categorized as a very advanced application of armament haki, it should be noted that the Gorosei's immortality is much more different compared to their enforcers.

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The Gorosei have managed to keep their actual bodies from aging, essentially stopping their bodies from experiencing the passage of time.

While an explanation has not been given within the series, it is possible that the Gorosei have ascended into a higher being. They simply thrive off of haki in order to achieve immortality, a trope that is usually depicted in the cultivation or wuxia genre.

Given the close similarity of haki and the Holy Knights' apparent immortality, it is possible that attacks made via a strong haki user will manage to disrupt the special flow facilitating the Holy Knights' regeneration.

Coincidentally, this concept might also be the explanation behind how haki can break through the defenses of logia devil fruit users.

Final thoughts

One Piece's Elbaph arc is currently depicting a showdown between the Holy Knights against the giants, Scopper Gaban, as well as the Straw Hat Pirates.

Given the recent revelations from the Harley texts, as well as the peculiar abilities possessed by the Holy Knights, it is possible that the actual secret behind their abilities comes to light in the next few chapters.

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About the author

Anupam is an anime and manga writer at Sportskeeda. Currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Logistics & Transportation, Anupam has simultaneously gained professional experience of almost 2 years as a content writer, having worked previously for Otakukart and Sportslumo.

Being part of the anime fandom for over a decade, Anupam believes his greatest strength lies in theorycrafting around animanga series and predicting their plots. His personal experiences have guaranteed him detailed knowledge about the reputation, reception, and plot points of several anime, which he combines with extensive research to report on a topic. They have also taught him the significance of respecting and accurately reporting on community sentiments attached to a particular series, which has now become a non-negotiable part of his writing process.

Anupam’s favorite artist is video game designer Hideo Kojima, whose ability to nonchalantly embed deep messages in his games he deeply admires. When not debating fresh anime theories, Anupam can be found reading or playing combat games.

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Edited by Prem Deshpande