One Piece Chapter 1187 Confirms Sanji’s “King” Traits and Next Haki Awakening

One Piece Chapter 1187 launched on July 5, 2026, in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump Issue #32, and Eiichiro Oda used the release to officially confirm that Sanji possesses the traits of a King—bringing him closer to awakening Conqueror’s Haki’s most dangerous tier in the ongoing fight against Saint Killingham.

One Piece Chapter 1187 Officially Confirms Sanji’s “King” Status

In One Piece, Kings are treated as exceptionally rare and exceptionally threatening. That reputation largely comes from the kind of power tied to that rank: Supreme King Haki. Monkey D. Luffy unlocked full access to Supreme King Haki during the timeskip and has kept pushing it further ever since. Now Oda’s latest chapter takes that same “King potential” idea and applies it to Sanji, the Straw Hat Pirates’ cook—positioning him for an awakening that could tilt the sea’s balance of power.

The series frames “King qualities” as something only a select few can truly carry, which is why Luffy was viewed as dangerous by the Marines during the Marineford arc after he unleashed a Conqueror’s Haki blast to save Ace. That moment traces back to One Piece Chapter 569, released on January 4, 2010, in Weekly Shonen Jump Issue #5-6. The reaction wasn’t subtle either—Admirals reportedly began sweating, anticipating that Luffy would become a major problem later on.

That standard continues in the New World: climbing to the top tiers isn’t about raw strength alone, but about whether someone has the makings to stand above all others. When Luffy fought Don Chinjao in One Piece Chapter 717 (released August 12, 2013, in Weekly Shonen Jump Issue #37-38), he reinforced the idea that only the King who rises above all Kings earns the right to call themselves the Pirate King.

“There are countless on these seas with the qualities to become a King. Only the one who stands on top of all the Kings can call himself the Pirate King!” — Don Chinjao, One Piece Chapter 717

With that context in mind, Chapter 1187 builds toward a long-gestating conclusion: Sanji’s Conqueror’s Haki destiny. Oda had already planted hints earlier—Scopper Gaban pointed toward that potential in One Piece Chapter 1152 on June 23, 2025. Then Chapter 1187, released a year later on July 5, formalizes it during the battle against Saint Killingham.

In Chapter 1187, Sanji tells Saint Killingham that he understands the target’s biggest weakness. Killingham responds by suggesting that if Sanji truly has the Color of the Supreme King, then he should try using it—setting up a key exchange between Sanji and Gaban. In that dialogue, Scopper Gaban confirms Sanji has the qualities of a King, but also explains that Sanji is holding his Conqueror’s Haki down because of self-deprecation and a willingness to self-sacrifice. The logic is straightforward: as long as Sanji keeps viewing himself that way, he won’t awaken. Once he accepts who he is, he’ll be able to bring out the strongest Haki form available to a King in the One Piece world.

Sanji: Hey, Gramps! Can I use Supreme King
Gaban: You should have the potential for it. However, in your case, for some reason, I sense a very strong self-deprecation. You must be a King too if you truly want Luffy to become the Pirate King.

— Scopper Gaban confirms Sanji can become a King, One Piece Chapter #1187

Chapter 1187 also ties into broader worldbuilding with the Nerona clan. A new Nerona clan member was introduced on July 3, 2026, via One Piece volume 115.

Sanji’s Supreme King Haki Awakening Set for the Fight Against Killingham

Oda’s Sanji arcs have been built to feel especially deliberate, and after the timeskip they’ve continued to stand out as some of the strongest character growth in the series—arguably only second to Luffy in how much story weight is attached to each step. That growth has been gathering momentum since well before Whole Cake Island began, and it all threads into the Elbaf arc, where Sanji actively tries to become a King so that Luffy can become the Pirate King.

With Chapter 1187 confirming Sanji’s access to Conqueror’s Haki, the next question is whether he can actually trigger the awakening. The answer is framed as a direct requirement: the showdown with Saint Killingham. The chapter’s setup leans on a specific vulnerability—Saint Killingham’s weakness is tied to the Color of the Supreme King.

That weakness had already been introduced during earlier moments. In One Piece Chapter 1152, Scopper Gaban warned Luffy to be careful with how he uses the Color of the Supreme King, since it is the only weakness of the Holy Knights. The same idea was reinforced in One Piece Chapter 1170, released on January 5, 2026, in Weekly Shonen Jump Issue #6-7, where the story stated that Harald can only be brought down by infusing attacks with Conqueror’s Haki.

Now, to take out a Saint Killingham boosted with ominous power, Sanji needs Conqueror’s Haki in play—making his awakening feel like a necessary milestone rather than a random power spike.

“Give him enough hits, and we can manage to knock him out of commission. If these guys have any weakness, it’s against those of us who can infuse our attacks with the Color of the Supreme King!” — Scopper Gaban confirms Color of the Supreme King Haki as the weakness of Immortals, One Piece Chapter #1170

Why Sanji Was Always Destined to Be a King

Sanji’s “King” destiny has been treated as something rooted in ambition and in how he views himself. In the Baratie arc, specifically One Piece Chapter 66, Zeff explained that Sanji carried the same spear of grit as Luffy—matching that level of ambition. The key difference was how Sanji handled it: instead of letting his ambition grow outward, he chewed it down and buried it, choosing to kill that drive to protect others.

That pattern is tied to self-deprecation and self-sacrifice. Sanji placed serving Zeff—who saved his life and was someone he felt deeply indebted to—above his own future, even deciding to sacrifice himself so Zeff could be happy. The result, in story terms, was the suppression of his own ambition, which then limited his ability to access his Color of the Supreme King.

“No matter the weapons or the armor one is equipped with. They’re not a match for the special spear of grit. I happen to know of someone who has chewed his own spear of grit for no good reason.” — Zeff confirms Sanji’s spirit is the same as Luffy’s, One Piece Chapter #66

Sanji repeats this mindset multiple times across the series, including during Thriller Bark and on Sabaody. After the timeskip, the same self-sacrificing streak appears again when Bege brings an invitation for the royal wedding. In Whole Cake Island, Sanji is once more ready to give himself up to protect the crew—so that Luffy can still reach the Pirate King path without Sanji holding him back.

And then One Piece Chapter 844 makes the stakes explicit by confirming that without Sanji, Luffy can never become the Pirate King. That matters for this arc’s logic: it sets up the idea that Sanji must become a King to help Luffy become one.

In the Wano arc, Sanji demonstrates growth by trusting Nico Robin in One Piece Chapter 1005, released on March 1, 2021. That development marks another step toward shedding the self-deprecating habits that have been holding him back. The expectation for the Elbaf arc is that Sanji will fully let go of that suppressive mindset—awakening the Color of the Supreme King and defeating Kaido.

There’s also a bloodline component. Sanji comes from a royal line through Germa, who ruled the North Blue for 66 days long ago. Even if Judge and the current generation of Vinsmokes are confirmed as evil, the earlier Germa likely weren’t. With Conqueror’s blood and King-like lineage running through him, Sanji has long been treated as a potential Conqueror—one whose kingly spirit will finally surface after twenty-one years.

All chapters of Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece manga are available to read via Manga Plus and Viz Media.