The One Piece world used to be kept in balance by the Three Great Powers - the Marines, the Yonko, and the Shichibukai. Although the Shichibukai have been dissolved following the latest Reverie meeting, they are still incredibly relevant characters, both in terms of strength and narrative importance. In the story so far, some of the Shichibukai have stood as major challenges for Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates.