So you use Sanji not being a Supernova as one of the arguments that the strength dynamic could have changed once Sanji was excluded from being one, but then see no connection with the fact that Oda's comfortable with showing us that Sanji does not lack strength when compared to others who hold that title ?
Isn't that making it clear that Sanji's exclusion was not about his strength in the first place, and thus should not be used to arbitrarily limit Sanji's strength potential ?
Actually, ignore the Supernova point if you want. It's not important to my complaint, so seizing on it feels weird (I don't actually care that much about the point, so I don't want to debate it's importance).
The thrust of my argument was around how lackluster Sanji's depiction as a combatant has been postskip.
So far it looks like: 1 ~ 2 >> 3 ~ 4 > 5.
Sanji is much closer to Jimbe and Franky than to Luffy and Zoro. And this isn't going to change.
Best case scenario for Sanji, he soloes a Calamity, and this still doesn't close the gap.
Even if Sanji beats Queen and Zoro King, it would only reinforce that Zoro >> Sanji (because Zoro is heavily injured and Oda is not going to magic away those injuries).
Honestly, by feats Jimbe > Sanji, but I'm giving Sanji the benefit of the doubt.
Sanji seems closer to Franky than Zoro, and this is like one of the few times (the only time) I could actually
genuinely say this. Franky is holding his own against a stronger Tobi Roppo than the Tobi Roppo Sanji failed to defeat.