All known Holy Knights in One Piece, explained

The Holy Knights are emerging as some of the most menacing villains in One Piece’s final saga. This group of elite warriors possesses the political authority to resolve disputes among the Celestial Dragons. The Holy Knights, also known as God’s Knights, enforce the World Government’s will by conducting punitive raids in any rebellious kingdom.

When on the move, the Holy Knights don black cloaks, reminiscent of the distinctive appearance of Naruto’s Akatsuki. Most Holy Knights are Celestial Dragons with remarkable combat prowess, but the order occasionally welcomes select non-highborn individuals. In fact, during the Elbaph Arc, for instance, a pair of Holy Knights sought to recruit the fearsome Loki into their ranks.

The two Holy Knights, a girl named Gunko and a man who happens to be the elder twin of “Red-Haired” Shanks, Figarland Shamrock, have arrived in Elbaph by teleporting through a magic circle, and they have now summoned two more colleagues using the same method. With the Holy Knights about to plunge Elbaph into despair and chaos, read on to learn everything known about the members of this terrifying organization.

Disclaimer: This article contains major spoilers from the One Piece manga up to chapter 1141.

All current Holy Knights as of One Piece chapter 1141

Saint Figarland Shamrock

Shamrock in the One Piece anime (Image via Toei Animation)

The son of Saint Figarland Garling, the longtime Supreme Commander of the Holy Knights, Saint Figarland Shamrock took over as the group's new leader after his father was recently promoted to the Five Elders. Since bursting onto the scene, Shamrock has drawn attention for his striking resemblance to Shanks, the powerful pirate whose charisma inspired One Piece’s main protagonist, Monkey D. Luffy, to embark on his journey.

Shamrock looks exactly like Shanks but has longer hair styled in a small braid, along with no scar and no missing arm. In a stunning twist, it has recently come to light that Shamrock is the older twin brother of the “Red-Haired” Shanks. While the humble and honorable Shanks spent his youth with the Roger Pirates, Shamrock adopted the same classist beliefs as his father, Garling.

Shamrock in the One Piece manga (Image via Shueisha)

The contrast in their attire alone tells the story, as their appearances couldn’t differ more. Shanks, with his disheveled look and messy vibe, embodies the flair of a pirate, while Shamrock commands attention in his immaculate, high-ranking military uniform adorned with elegant details that hint at his sophisticated preferences.

Shamrock’s weapon of choice is a saber-like sword, much like Shanks’ iconic Gryphon. However, in Shamrock’s case, his sword is even more special as the rare power of the Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit of the Cerberus animates its blade. This Awakened Devil Fruit allows Shamrock’s sword to summon a monstrous three-headed dog and transform its blade into it.

Each of the three heads boasts an enormous blade protruding from its mouth. Normally patient and composed, Shamrock has no issue resorting to brutal force when talking proves futile against those who defy the Celestial Dragons. This was evident when he used his sword to torture Loki, punishing him for his insolence.

Shamrock using his Cerberus-enhanced sword (Image via Shueisha)

On that occasion, Shamrock showcased the uniqueness of his Devil Fruit-enhanced swordsmanship by employing a technique named Scramble to detach the three heads of the Cerberus from the main body, allowing them to act independently. As Shamrock left the scene, the three heads propelled themselves toward Loki to stab him with razor-sharp blades.

A creature that even terrified Loki, it’s likely no coincidence that Shamrock’s Cerberus first appeared in Elbaph’s Underworld region. It is inspired by the three-headed Cerberus of Ancient Greek mythology, who was said to guard the entrance to the underworld.

Looking forward to seeing the full extent of Shamrock’s capabilities, there’s no doubt that he is a powerful swordsman, especially since his Haki was described as “uncommon” by Scopper Gaban.

Gunko

Gunko, a young woman with light hair, is distinguished by her heterochromatic eyes and dark newsboy cap with goggles. She is ruthless and arrogant, taking great pride in her affiliation with the Holy Knights, as demonstrated when she savagely beats up Loki to punish him for rejecting an offer to join the prestigious group.

Gunko isn’t introduced with the formal honorific of “Saint,” nor does she possess a complete first and last name. These missing attributes set her apart from the other Holy Knights introduced thus far, possibly suggesting that she wasn’t born a Celestial Dragon.

As a Devil Fruit user, Gunko has consumed the Arrow-Arrow Fruit, a Paramecia-type item that allows her to create arrow-like bandages that she can control telepathically, directing their trajectory through hand gestures from afar. The arrowhead-shaped ends of the strips can be utilized for piercing attacks, while the strips themselves serve as laces to bind, crush, or strangle targets.

Gunko using the Arrow-Arrow Fruit (Image via Shueisha)

Furthermore, the stripes can be combined to create constructs, such as sharp-pointed horns for stabbing and pinning down opponents or large gauntlets and boots to coat limbs and thus increase their striking power in close combat. What’s even more impressive is that Gunko can use the arrows as vectors to enhance the force of her strikes.

The arrow-shaped stripes can indeed form pathways for Gunko’s attacks, and if she follows the designated path, the momentum of her blows will be significantly boosted. However, there is a downside: the arrows also telegraph the trajectory of the attack, enabling Gunko’s enemies to predict her next move.

So far, Gunko has used her Devil Fruit powers to subdue some Giants, defeat Loki’s animals, and beat the latter to a pulp (although the “Accursed Prince” was already incapacitated by that point). Interestingly, she can also use her arrow-shaped bandages to create pathways for her to move in midair, as well as create bird-like platforms for her and her allies to fly.

Saint Shepherd Sommers

Sommers in the One Piece manga (Image via Shueisha)

Saint Sommers is one of the two Holy Knights summoned to Elbaph by Gunko, the other being Saint Killingham. A middle-aged man with a muscular build, long hair, a beard, and a goatee, Sommers wears a pair of glasses along with an elegant military uniform adorned with details such as ribbons, various medals, and a single rose pinned to his chest.

Though Sommers has yet to demonstrate his fighting skills, his high rank in the World Government, combined with the thorn-covered sword he carries at his side, suggests he is a formidable swordsman. That said, his introduction in One Piece was somewhat grotesque, as he appeared on the scene in his underwear, having been summoned without warning.

As a member of the Shepherd Family, Sommers is a Celestial Dragon from the same lineage as Saint Ju Peter, the Gorosei who holds the title of Warrior God of Agriculture. Given Ju Peter’s immortality and higher status, it’s likely that Sommers is either the son, nephew, or younger brother of the Gorosei member.

Interestingly, the insignia on Sommers’ uniform resembled the symbol found on the Saint Briss, the ship that the Briss Kingdom once sent to Skypiea. On the last page of One Piece chapter 1140, Sommers was seen with Shamrock, Gunko, and Killingham as the four Holy Knights prepared to kidnap the Giant children at Elbaph’s Walrus School.

Saint Rimoshifu Killingham

Killingham in the One Piece manga (Image via Shueisha)

A clumsy individual with both punctuality issues and evident narcolepsy, Saint Killingham first appeared in the One Piece manga in chapter 1140, as he was summoned to Elbaph through a magic circle. His human features remain unknown, as he has only been seen as a human-dragon hybrid.

Killingham likely consumed a Devil Fruit that granted him the powers of the Qilin, a legendary guardian deity from Chinese mythology. His human-Qilin hybrid form resembles a serpentine dragon-like humanoid with horse-like characteristics, notably a very long neck and a horse-like head adorned with antlers and two long whiskers.

Despite his Devil Fruit transformation being active, Killingham’s body still shows his Holy Knight uniform, a fancy outfit consisting of boots, gloves, a high-collared trench coat, and a cape with epaulets. He also carries a trident, likely his weapon of choice.

The snout of Killingham’s Qilin-like head is concealed beneath a respirator. Much like the Celestial Dragons from Mary Geoise, but unlike his fellow Holy Knights, Killingham wears a translucent resin bubble around his head.

According to Chinese myths, the Qilin is said to possess various supernatural powers. However, the precise extent of Killingham’s abilities as a Mythical Zoan user remains a mystery. It is worth noting that Killingham’s body is surrounded by a ribbon of white smoke, in contrast to the dark smoke that has so far characterized the “evil” Awakened Zoan users associated with the World Government.

The former Holy Knights as of One Piece chapter 1141

Saint Figarland Garling

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

Saint Figarland Garling is the father of Figarland Shamrock, the twin brother of Shanks, which confirms beyond a reasonable doubt that Garling is also the father of the infamous “Red-Haired” pirate. His heart is as icy as the blade of his sword; Garling is a wicked man who takes twisted delight in cold-blooded killing.

He considers anyone who is not highborn to be scum and despises those who help the commoners even more, seeing them as the lowest of the low. His ruthlessness was laid bare when he executed a fellow Celestial Dragon, Saint Donquixote Mjosgard, for daring to protect Shirahoshi from Saint Charlos.

Several decades ago, Garling was a Holy Knight who earned a reputation as the champion of the horrific human hunting tournaments held by the Celestial Dragons, such as the one organized in God Valley 38 years before the present One Piece narration. Nowadays, he appears as an old man whose long, pointy hair and beard resemble a crescent moon from the side and a star from the front.

Garling becoming a Gorosei in the One Piece manga (Image via Shueisha)

In the present narration, Garling is introduced as the sitting Supreme Commander of the Holy Knights, hinting at his formidable might. His reputation skyrocketed after Imu-sama chose him to replace Saint Saturn as a new member of the Five Elders. As Saturn’s replacement, Garling is bound to receive the same immortality and fiendish powers from Imu as the other Elders.

Along with Saint V. Nusjuro, Saint Garling is likely the only Gorosei with his own personal fighting style to complement the group’s signature demonic transformations and immortality. Just as Nusjuro is a powerful swordsman and Haki user wielding the Shodai Kitetsu, one of the Twelve Supreme Grade Blades, Garling carries a large saber.

This weapon closely resembles Shanks’s Gryphon and Shamrock’s yet-unnamed sword, seemingly portraying sabers as the signature weapons of the Figarland household. The last time he was seen, Garling took a seat in the Room of Authority alongside the other Elders, exuding confidence as the new Warrior God of Science and Defense.

One Piece author Eiichiro Oda teased that Garling is a force to be reckoned with, suggesting that the father of Shanks and Shamrock will soon reveal his true capabilities.

Other members

These characters are likely Holy Knights (Image via Shueisha)

During the God Valley Incident, Garling was just a member of the Holy Knights and had not yet become their leader. As the group engaged in the battle sparked by the unexpected arrival of the Rocks Pirates and the Roger Pirates, two additional Holy Knights besides Garling were introduced.

One was a woman with dark hair dressed in elegant armor, while the other was a tall individual handling a staff. The latter had their face concealed by a macabre bovine skull mask. It remains unclear whether these two are still part of the current hierarchy of the Holy Knights. The manga also depicted an individual with a covered face, possibly a young Saint Killingham.

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Edited by Bharath S