WARNING: The following contains spoilers for One Piece Chapter 1040, "Wasted Words on Young Ears," by Eiichiro Oda, Stephen Paul, and Vanessa Satone, available in English from Viz Media.
The status quo of One Piece always receives a massive shakeup following a major arc, and the ''Wano'' arc seems to be no exception as it hurtles toward its finale. As the climax of the ''Four Emperors'' saga, ''Wano'' is set to wrap up the story of at least one of the four toughest pirates on the seas: Kaido of the Beasts.
With the fall of Kaido's pirate empire imminent, the future of his position has been the subject of much speculation. Given that an Emperor has already previously fallen and been replaced -- with Blackbeard taking over the late Whitebeard's position -- One Piece fans have postulated that, whether he likes it or not, Luffy will be seen as the new Emperor in the world's eyes. Could two of his biggest rivals soon join him?
This raises questions about the fate of Big Mom, as well as her position and crew on the world stage. Chapter 1040 depicts Luffy's rivals, Law and Kid, sending the tyrannical matriarch of the Charlotte family plummeting out the bottom of Onigashima, finally taking her out of the battle for Wano.
While the duo won using strategy rather than sheer brawn, such nuance is often lost in the wider world of One Piece. After all, the Straw Hats escaping Totto Land by the skin of their teeth was enough for ''Big News'' Morgans to spin a story that they had triumphed over Big Mom, misrepresenting Luffy's tumultuous alliances with the Fire Tank Pirates and Germa 66 as meaning he commanded their forces as the unofficial Fifth Emperor of the Sea.
If the One Piece universe reacts to an Emperor receiving a proverbial bloody nose at the hands of a rookie with such hyperbole, then no doubt two rookies actually defeating said Emperor is bound to be the subject of even more speculation. It's entirely possible that, with Big Mom's defeat in Wano, Kid and Law will take her place as Emperors of the Sea -- mirroring Luffy potentially taking Kaido's spot as well.
It would be a massive shake-up for One Piece moving forward, also showing that Luffy isn't growing by himself. The Worst Generation, which Law and Kid belong to, were introduced to show that the Straw Hats weren't the only ones progressing in the Grand Line -- other crews were making headway as well.
Ever since the time skip, however, the other members of the Worst Generation have been forced to compromise and placate to succeed in the New World. Only the Straw Hats have carried the momentum from their adventures in Paradise, succeeding where their fellow Worst Generation members have failed. Law and Kid defeating an Emperor bucks that trend entirely and shows the Straw Hats aren't alone in conquering the New World's seas -- they have stiff competition.
It's also worth noting that ''Big News'' Morgans prophesized that one member of the Worst Generation would become Pirate King. While it's quite obvious Luffy will take the crown by the series' end, the notion that he'll be beaten to the punch by another pirate and have to beat them to finally achieve his dream is quite common among fans.
Until now, the identity of that character has been commonly agreed to be Blackbeard, Luffy's archnemesis and one of his fellow Worst Generation members. With Law and Kid's ascension, however, things get a lot murkier, as does Morgans' prophecy. While Law has no ambition to become Pirate King, Kid has been shown to be ruthless in his pursuit of the title -- including targeting civilians -- and after his tenuous alliance with Luffy is over, he'll almost definitely be even more fierce in his hunt for the One Piece.
Things might not be so simple, though. While the defeat of Kaido and his crew in Wano would signal the end of his reign over the country and as one of the Four Emperors, the same might not apply to Big Mom. After her defeat in Onigashima, there's nothing to stop her from crawling back to Totto Land, reuniting with her crew and resuming control of her pirate empire. There's simply no power vacuum for either Kid or Law to occupy, meaning the title would just be honorary.
Furthermore, the Straw Hats have actual territory to their name, with Fishman Island officially under their protection, as well as alliances with Alabasta and Dressrosa -- with Wano likely following suit. The Heart and Kid Pirates, meanwhile, lack the same luxury. While defeating an Emperor is an impressive feat, it takes more than just battle prowess to earn the title, and with no countries to their name, it's unlikely they have much power to exert over the seas.
Whether or not they officially become Emperors in One Piece remains to be seen, but what's certain is that after their victory over Big Mom, things will never be the same for Law and Kid. Luffy isn't climbing the world's ranks by himself, and the three of them will doubtless be quite the force to be reckoned with by the series' endgame.
