10 Surprising One Piece Power-Ups That Came Out Of Nowhere

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Summary

  • Power-ups in One Piece can feel natural with proper foreshadowing, but abrupt power-ups lead to questions from fans.
  • Notable examples include Gecko Moria’s Shadow’s Asgard, Luffy’s Snakeman form, and Bepo’s artificial Sulong Form.
  • Some power-ups, like Doflamingo’s Devil Fruit awakening and Luffy’s Gear 5, felt convenient but added a lot of excitement to battles.

Shonen action series frequently struggle to make power-ups seem organic, and One Piece by Eiichiro Oda is no different in this regard. However, there have been numerous instances where a character gains a new power or ability that was appropriately set up throughout the previous few chapters/episodes, making it immensely gratifying for viewers.

In several instances within the storyline, characters have unexpectedly obtained new abilities without any previous hints or gradual development. Although it doesn’t inherently detract from the series as a whole, it has generated plenty of unanswered questions among fans regarding these sudden and seemingly convenient gains. Here are some of the most questionable examples in “One Piece” where power-ups appear abruptly.

1. Shadow’s Asgard

Gecko Moria

  • Debut: Chapter 481 (Manga) Episode 373 (Anime)

he tapped into his Devil Fruit powers (the Shadow-Shadow Fruit) to take Luffy’s shadow and place it inside the ancient giant Oars, thus controlling him from within. This led to an extended fight between the Straw Hats and Moria/Oars to wrap up the arc.

However, once they had vanquished the Sea Warlord and his minion, an unexpected power emerged – Shadow’s Asgard. This ability, seemingly out of nowhere, allowed Moria to amass and absorb all the shadows stolen across his ship, growing larger and stronger in a way not previously seen in the story. Although the battle that ensued was thrilling, this sudden move extended the climactic fight for many viewers, making it seem slightly prolonged.

2. Gear 4: Snakeman

Monkey D. Luffy

  • Debut: Chapter 894 (Manga) Episode 869 (Anime)

Towards the conclusion of the Dressrosa Arc, Luffy unexpectedly unveiled an incredibly potent new transformation he had honed during the time leap, which went by the name Gear 4: Boundman. From that moment forward, it appeared as though this was the sole technique associated with Gear 4, as he frequently employed it throughout the Whole Cake Island Arc. It’s worth noting that he did utilize another form called Tankman, but it served as a temporary power boost in specific situations after consuming numerous Charlotte Cracker’s cracker soldiers.

During the battle with Charlotte Katakuri, Luffy unexpectedly unveiled a second version of his Gear 4 ability, which he apparently honed with Boundman during the time skip. This new form is called Snakeman, granting him the power to stretch his limbs even more extensively and rapidly. It’s undeniably powerful and stylish, but its sudden appearance left many wondering, as there had been no previous hint that Luffy’s Gear 4 technique could have additional forms that enhanced other aspects.

3. Sulong Form

Bepo

  • Debut: Chapter 1081 (Manga) Episode 1115 (Anime)

Initially, it appeared entirely plausible for Bepo to obtain the Sulong Form. Given that he is a Mink, and moreover, the first of his kind presented in the Zou Arc, it was widely expected that all Minks can access the Sulong Form. This transformation significantly boosts their strength, speed, and durability during a full moon. Consequently, many fans anticipated Bepo would showcase his own Sulong Form at a later stage.

The issue lies in the fact that he activated his Sulong Form at a time when no full moon was present, which was during the daytime battle between the Heart Pirates and Blackbeard Pirates. Bepo explained that during the Wano Country Arc, Tony Tony Chopper administered a drug to him that enabled him to activate his Sulong Form artificially, without requiring a full moon. This unexpected power-up was both thrilling and satisfying for him, but it seemed to appear rather coincidentally.

4. Diable Jambe

Sanji

  • Debut: Chapter 415 (Manga) Episode 298 (Anime)

During the Enies Lobby storyline, many Straw Hat crew members acquired new abilities, which is just one of the numerous factors that make it such an engaging and cherished tale. Upon reflection, though, it’s clear that some of these power enhancements appeared unexpectedly with no prior hints, as exemplified by Sanji’s Diable Jambe.

In the clash with Jabra, it was disclosed by the ship’s chef that whirling at great speeds could ignite his legs through friction, a tactic he uses to amplify his already powerful kicks. Interestingly enough, the tale has been attempting to elucidate the workings of Devil Jambe ever since its inception: Whole Cake Island shed light on Sanji not being an ordinary human, but one with genetic enhancements from his father. Additionally, Queen suggested during the Wano Country Arc that Sanji might have Lunarian DNA, which could potentially enable him to produce fire.

5. Demon Aura Nine-Sword Style: Ashura

Roronoa Zoro

  • Debut: Chapter 417 (Manga) Episode 300 (Anime)

During the Enies Lobby Arc, it wasn’t just Sanji who mysteriously gained a new power; even Roronoa Zoro, his friend and rival, experienced something similar. In the heat of his fight against Kaku, he unexpectedly unveiled an extraordinary skill known as the Nine Sword Style. This ability allowed him to sprout four extra arms and two heads, which he used to execute a powerful multi-strike called Kiki Kyutoryu: Ashura.

In essence, throughout his fights, Zoro primarily relied on raw power and skilled swordsmanship, leaving no indication of him possessing abilities beyond these. This was particularly true in instances where he didn’t utilize Haki or a Devil Fruit. However, at one point, Kaku suggested that Zoro’s illusions might stem from his spirit. Later on, during the Wano Country Arc, it was hinted that his illusions could be a result of his newly acquired Conqueror’s Haki.

6. Demonio Fleur

Nico Robin

  • Debut: Chapter 1021 (Manga) Episode 1043 (Anime)

In her battle against Black Maria within the Wano Country Arc, Nico Robin gained no less than three enhancements to her abilities. Initially, she demonstrated Gigante Fleur, a technique that enabled her to craft a colossal duplicate of herself adorned with numerous arms. Given her history of creating enormous body parts using her Devil Fruit powers since the Fish-Man Island Arc, this development was quite logical. Additionally, Robin disclosed that she had mastered Fish-Man Karate, a skill that aligned well with readers’ prior knowledge of her training alongside Koala and Hack – both accomplished users of Fish-Man Karate – during the time skip.

In this intense fight, it appeared that two power-ups were sufficient to give Nico Robin an edge, but then she unveiled a third, previously unknown maneuver titled “Demonio Fleur“. This move allowed her to generate a colossal replica of herself that took the form of an evil demon. The revelation of this ability took many fans by surprise as its existence hadn’t been suggested before, and it didn’t seem to adhere to the rules established for Robin’s Devil Fruit since it created new body parts (such as wings, horns, or fangs) that her original body lacked and even altered the color of her skin. Interestingly enough, she has not utilized Demonio Fleur since its debut.

7. Devil Fruit Awakening

Donquixote Doflamingo

  • Debut: Chapter 785 (Manga) Episode 727 (Anime)

In the thrilling finale of the Dressrosa storyline, Monkey D. Luffy initially employed Gear 4 against Donquixote Doflamingo. It became clear that the Sea Warlord was no rival for Luffy’s newly acquired form. However, when it appeared as though Luffy had the victory in hand, Doflamingo triggered his Devil Fruit, the Ito Ito no Mi, unexpectedly. This unique power enabled him to transform anything within reach into strings that he could effortlessly control and manipulate.

In the narrative previously, the activation of a Devil Fruit was seldom brought up, except when demonstrated by the four Jailer Beasts of Impel Down. Notably, these users were of the Zoan type. However, Doflamingo stood out as the initial Paramecia fruit user to activate his power, and he was also the first character in the series shown activating it on-screen. This enhancement significantly intensified the intrigue and thrill during the climactic battle against Luffy. From a literary perspective, it appeared that this development served as a means of artificially prolonging their conflict.

8. Gear 5

Monkey D. Luffy

  • Debut: Chapter 1044 (Manga) Episode 1071 (Anime)

In the thrilling Wano Country Arc, I swiftly grasped that I was no match for Kaido in our current state. It became clear that I needed to significantly boost my strength and skills if I even dared to challenge him. Consequently, I dedicated most of this captivating storyline to mastering Advanced Armament Haki and Advanced Conqueror’s Hiki, techniques essential for penetrating Kaido’s resilient, armored physique. These two strategic power-ups paid off as I managed to deliver a few crushing blows to the villain during the epic Raid on Onigashima.

Despite this, surprisingly enough, Luffy’s victories weren’t sufficient, and he was defeated twice more during that fight. He eventually gained the advantage when he activated his Devil Fruit, unleashed the full powers of the Sun God Nika, and transformed into a new form called Gear 5. Given that most of the arc focused on Luffy mastering two advanced forms of Haki, it was rather unusual and shocking to see him suddenly awaken his Devil Fruit. To add to the surprise, Nika had only been recently introduced just 26 chapters earlier, when Who’s-Who mentioned him during his battle against Jinbe. However, Gear 5 is one of the most intriguing and entertaining abilities in the series, so many fans don’t mind that it was introduced quite suddenly and seemingly out of nowhere.

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2025-05-30 08:35