0. The villain cries—and suddenly seems pitiable
In ONE PIECE's Elbaph arc, the Holy Knight Sommers has threatened children. Then he faces Zoro. Unofficial early accounts of chapter 1195 describe Sommers crying and fleeing in terror. We think, “That's almost sad.” A second later: “Wait. What about the children you frightened?”
That emotional whiplash leads to bigger questions about Zoro's progress, Sanji's potential awakening, and the number of Conqueror's Haki users once associated with Roger.
Spoiler status: On October 10, 2026, the publisher lists October 13 as chapter 1195's Japanese release. Its specific scenes below are based on unofficial advance reports, not confirmation from the published chapter. [1][2][3]
1. Feeling pity does not mean forgiveness
A bully who suddenly fears death looks vulnerable. Sommers's panic can be real, while the fear of the children and adults he threatened remains just as real.
Separate what the manga actually depicts from unverified claims about how many people he may have killed. The contradiction needs no invented body count: we can feel sorry for his fear without excusing his cruelty. Compassion and judgment have different jobs.
2. The supposedly untouchable man loses his safety net
Sommers relies on injuries healing. Ordinary attacks do not easily end the fight, so arrogance comes cheaply. But the rare force of will known as Conqueror's Haki can be applied to attacks and appears to offer a way to hurt opponents who regenerate.
Someone who once spread fear now begs for mercy. The reversal is funny, and genuine panic can make it oddly moving. Still, a scream in an unofficial preview does not prove death, permanent defeat, or an end to regeneration. [3]
3. Zoro's breakthrough is control, not just power
In chapter 1010, Zoro scarred Kaido. Kaido recognized signs of Conqueror's Haki, though Zoro did not clearly understand his own attack. [4]
In Elbaph, Gaban's advice and Zoro's understanding of himself seem to turn an instinctive burst into power he can deliberately put into his swords. Doing something amazing once is different from doing it when necessary.
Sommers becomes the strangest training target imaginable: wrong answer, he heals; right answer, he cries. The world's nastiest practice dummy has become a remarkably clear scoreboard. And the scoreboard runs away.
4. Could Zoro cut Kaido? He already did. Winning is another matter
Can Zoro wound Kaido? He did. Could better control leave a deeper wound today? Plausibly, but unproved. Could he defeat Kaido one-on-one? That is a separate and unresolved question.
Kaido kept fighting after Zoro's major blow. Stamina, defense, repeated attacks, and counterattacks matter. A swordsman who can wound an Emperor is not automatically someone who can beat one. The gap to Mihawk also remains something the story must demonstrate.
5. Is Sanji next?
In chapter 1187, Gaban suggests Sanji has the potential for Conqueror's Haki, but points to his habit of turning against himself. [5]
Sanji has faced rejection by family and often sacrifices himself for friends. His obstacle may not be raw strength but recognizing that his own life has value, too.
Unofficial accounts of 1195 mention trouble with Kirin-gam's regeneration and a memory of Ivankov warning about Sanji's weakness. If confirmed in print, the sequence could prepare a breakthrough. It does not yet confirm an awakening. [3]
6. Caring for others is not the same as hating yourself
There is a counterargument: self-sacrifice can show love and courage rather than self-disgust. Sanji need not become selfish to grow.
“I want to protect my friends, but my life matters too” would preserve his kindness. Or the story could strengthen his kicks, flames, speed and toughness without granting him Conqueror's Haki. A hint inspires theories; it is not a promise.
7. Roger's crew: four or five?
Count former Roger Pirates known to have Conqueror's Haki at some point in their lives and at least five names emerge:
| Person | Place aboard | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Gol D. Roger | Captain | Known user |
| Silvers Rayleigh | First mate | Known user |
| Scopper Gaban | Leading fighter | His use is addressed in Elbaph |
| Kozuki Oden | Joined later | Not there for the whole journey |
| Shanks | Apprentice | Known user later; when he awakened is separate |
“Five people who served” does not mean “five people simultaneously using it as crewmates.” And movie character Douglas Bullet should not silently be counted as a confirmed manga crew member with this power. [6]
8. Luffy, Zoro and Sanji mirror Roger, Rayleigh and Gaban
A captain, his swordsman, and another essential pillar: the comparison is appealing. Should Sanji awaken Conqueror's Haki, that three-person parallel becomes stronger.
But similar roles do not guarantee identical futures. Roger also sailed with Oden and young Shanks. His crew is an interesting comparison, not a compulsory blueprint for the Straw Hats.
9. What evidence comes next?
Watch whether Zoro can repeatedly damage regenerating enemies, what Sanji's weakness really is, and whether Sanji grows through Conqueror's Haki or another route. “Soon,” “different power-up,” and “not yet” are all still possible.
As for Sommers, his tears may make us wince. They do not erase his victims' tears.
Zoro carries three swords, yet somehow he slices our moral certainty into even more pieces.
Sources and confidence
[1][2] are official release notices; [5] covers chapter 1187, [4] summarizes 1010, [3] is an unofficial 1195 advance report, and [6] is secondary reporting about Gaban. Predictions are not confirmed events.
References (6)
- https://www.shonenjump.com/j/weeklyshonenjump/ shonenjump.com
- https://one-piece.com/index.html one-piece.com
- https://anime-drama.jp/onepiece-1195 anime-drama.jp
- https://onepiece.fandom.com/wiki/Chapter_1010 onepiece.fandom.com
- https://www.animatetimes.com/news/details.php?id=1783388192 animatetimes.com
- https://gamerant.com/one-piece-6-new-conquerors-haki-users/ gamerant.com
