One Piece 1198 centers on Sanji reaching a new peak in Chapter 1197, when he consciously uses Conqueror's Haki and realizes that his first priority should be to preserve his own life. The change lands in Chapter 1197, titled Love Is Defense, and it pushes the Straw Hat closer to a power level the story has reserved for very few Supreme Kings.
Love Is Defense in Chapter 1197
Chapter 1197 follows two consecutive chapters built around one character, and that structure matters because Sanji’s evolution is not being treated as a side note. The chapter says he has moved from leaking Conqueror's Haki into his attacks without knowing it to using it consciously, which is a sharper and more controlled form of combat expression.
“Love should power your defense,” Ivankov’s line gives the chapter its thesis, and Sanji’s own realization sharpens it further: “My first priority should be to preserve my own life.” That sentence does more than signal confidence. It marks a break from the self-destructive habits he had carried for years.
Killingham and Sommers
Against Rimoshifu Killingham, Sanji reaches a pinnacle that spills over to Sommers as well, with both Knight of God fighters left begging for their lives. The scene shows the practical effect of the change: the same fighter who once kept harming himself more than necessary is now fighting with a clearer sense of value and a stronger ceiling.
The article ties that shift back to Ivankov’s lessons in the Kamabakka Queendom and to the last chapter, when Sanji accepted his worth and took his first steps toward self-love. Chapter 1197 turns that emotional correction into combat output, and it does so while keeping the focus tight on one character rather than scattering attention across the wider Final Saga.
Sanji and Zoro
The longer read is simple: Sanji and Zoro are being equalized in the Final Saga, and this chapter gives Sanji the cleaner proof point. Zoro has stayed on top for the longest time in reputation, bounty, or recorded feats, but Sanji’s conscious use of Conqueror's Haki narrows that gap in a way that feels earned rather than decorative.
Scopper Gaban’s combat prowess enters the discussion as the reference point for how high Sanji can go next, but Chapter 1197 already answers the immediate question. Sanji is no longer framed as someone inheriting damage and fighting through it; he is a fighter who has decided that his own life is worth protecting, and that is the power-up on display.
If the story needed a clean dividing line, Chapter 1197 provides it. Sanji’s next step is no longer about surviving his bloodline’s damage but about weaponizing self-respect, and that is the version of him this Final Saga now has to account for.
