The Holy Knights in One Piece: A Complete Guide

Discover the complete guide to the Holy Knights in One Piece. Explore who they are, their members, and their significance in the series.

Holy Knights in One Piece
Shamrock as seen in the manga (Image via Shueisha)

One Piece has no shortage of antagonistic factions that cause great harm to the world, forming an obstacle in the Straw Hats’ journey. Amongst them, the Holy Knights are one group that has yet to confront Luffy and his crew directly. However, they have already captivated fans through their connection to the central themes of the series. So, who are the Holy Knights in One Piece?

The Holy Knights, or the God’s Knights, are the elite guards of Mary Geoise who oversee the World Nobles. They are considered one of the strongest groups, holding similar ideologies to the Celestial Dragons and possessing great influence. Here is a comprehensive guide to everything we know about them.

Who Are the Holy Knights in One Piece?

The Holy Knights are a group created by Saint Garling prior to his promotion as one of the Five Elders. The group has at least nine members at this moment, though a large number of them remain unrevealed. 

Garling in One Piece
Garling as seen in the anime (Image via Toei Animation)

There is a common misconception that the Holy Knights serve under the World Nobles in Mary Geoise. On the contrary, this group is higher in the food chain than general Celestial Dragons, only reporting under Imu and the Gorosei.

The Holy Knights are responsible for upholding and promoting the ways of a noble. While they do protect other nobles from danger, they also have the authority to punish those who behave in a manner unbefitting of a resident in Mary Geoise. 

The Knight order consists of a Supreme Commander, a Commander, and members below them. While those raised as nobles are part of the group, they are not restricted only to them. This was proven when they attempted to recruit Loki in Elbaph.

Shamrock
Shamrock as seen in the manga (Image via Shueisha)

While most of the Holy Knights’ powers aren’t revealed, what we have seen has been both terrifying and impressive. Dragon considers the Holy Knights to be a very threatening existence to the Revolutionaries’ plans of causing chaos in Mary Geoise.  

The Holy Knights’ Role in One Piece

The Holy Knights have been a scarce presence in One Piece so far, greatly mentioned through word-of-mouth. However, in scenes where they appear, they manage to leave a lasting impression.

The group’s first presence came during the God Valley Incident. During the pirate attack, Garling trusted these guards enough to protect the nobles on their own. Based on what we know, they also achieved this objective.

Young Garling as seen in the manga (Image via Shueisha)

Following the Revolutionary Army’s attack on Mary Geoise, the Holy Knights investigated the assassination attempt on Saint Charlos. Having found Donquixote Mjosgard guilty of treachery, Garling executed him. This was a shocking sequence that showed the influence of the Holy Knights. Their Supreme Commander Garling had the flexibility to kill other World Nobles if he desired so.

Soon after, Garling was promoted to an Elder to replace Saturn. However, the Holy Knights’ most direct involvement as a group comes in the Elbaph Arc, where several shocking revelations have been made.

Notable Members of the Holy Knights

As mentioned earlier, most Holy Knights in One Piece are yet to be revealed. But those who we do know have stunned us with their actions. These include:

Holy Knights in One Piece
Cerberus as seen in the manga (Image via Shueisha)
  • Figarland Garling – The Supreme Commander of the Holy Knights and member of the Five Elders. Garling oversees science and defense within the group and is also powerful enough to have been the champion of God Valley. As Shamrock and Shank’s father, it is safe to say that he is one of the most intimidating figures in One Piece.
  • Figarland Shamrock – The Commander of the Holy Knights as well as Shanks’ older twin brother. Shamrock is an extremely strong person, holding the sword Cerberus which could greatly harm Loki. He is also very loyal to the World Government.
  • Gunko – A member of the Holy Knights who is very dedicated to Shamrock. Gunko has the Aro Aro no Mi Devil Fruit, using arrow strips for powerful attacks and binding abilities. 

Apart from the above three, at least two more unnamed Holy Knights were present during the God Valley Incident.

The Holy Knights’ Significance in the Final Saga

Holy Knights in One Piece
Shamrock and Gunko as seen in the manga (Image via Shueisha)

The Holy Knights have already jumped into action in the Final Saga. In the Elbaph Arc, they invaded the island in hopes of recruiting Loki into their ranks. At this moment, Shamrock being Shanks’ brother was confirmed.

However, the group was rejected by Loki, who managed to offend them. As a result, Shamrock attacked Loki with fatal intent using Cerberus. Soon after, he decided to kidnap the children of the giants, hoping to bring Elbaph under the control of the World Government. 

Hence, as soon as we entered the Final Saga, the Holy Knights attempted to increase the power and influence of the World Nobles. By gaining the loyalty of the giants, we can only imagine the evil plans they have in mind. 

Nevertheless, considering Luffy’s connection with Shanks and his presence in Elbaph, it is only a matter of time before he fights the Holy Knights. Since the group has been foreshadowed to face the Revolutionaries as well, they will likely be fighting against the two primary heroic factions in the series as we head deeper into the Final Saga.  

Conclusion

The Holy Knights are a mysterious yet intriguing addition to One Piece, posed to be a major challenge against the main characters. With the excitement brought forward by Shamrock’s introduction and his schemes for the future, we cannot wait to learn more about the group.


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