8 One Piece Characters Who Shockingly Turned Out to Be Weak

Summary

Smoker, a promising Logia Devil Fruit user, lost strength post-timeskip due to the introduction of Armament Haki.
Sir Crocodile, defeated prematurely by a pre-timeskip Luffy without Gears or Haki, seems quite weak in retrospect.
Basil Hawkins and X Drake, who both wield unique powers, did not live up to the fans’ expectations in battles.

In the captivating realm of One Piece, the creator Eiichiro Oda often presents characters that initially appear weak based on their appearance, demeanor, or abilities, but they surprise us by proving stronger than expected. Conversely, there have been instances where strong characters were underestimated due to these same factors.

In the world of One Piece, there have been several significant characters who appeared to be strong contenders but ultimately fell short, leaving fans underwhelmed. Over the course of the series, such instances have occurred frequently, but the following characters stand out as the most glaring examples of this trend so far.

1. Smoker

The Series’ First Logia Devil Fruit User Left A Lot To Be Desired

First Appearance: Chapter 97 (Manga) Episode 48 (Anime)

In the Loguetown Arc, Smoker initially appeared as a formidable figure, not just due to his imposing design and demeanor, but also because he was the first character in the series known to possess a Logia Devil Fruit, enabling him to control smoke. This ability made him a formidable combatant, capable of standing alongside heavyweights such as Monkey D. Dragon or Portgas D. Ace.

For quite some time, it appeared as though Smoker was set to become one of Luffy’s toughest adversaries. However, following the events known as the Time Skip, his strength seems to have significantly decreased, possibly due to the emergence of Armament Haki which weakens his Logia abilities. Despite retaining a fair amount of power, he’s been on a losing streak against opponents like Trafalgar Law, Caesar Clown, and Donquixote Doflamingo who have given him some heavy defeats. Many fans are anticipating that Smoker will soon receive a substantial power boost to match the current level of the series.

2. Sir Crocodile

Lost To A Pre-Time Skip Luffy With No Gears And No Haki

First Appearance: Chapter 126 (Manga) Episode 76 (Anime)

Actually, Sir Crocodile was incredibly strong during his initial storyline. His unique abilities from the Sand-Sand Fruit and his strategic intellect, combined with his fierce combat style, made him an extremely tough adversary who managed to defeat Luffy no less than three times. However, it’s worth noting that his later defeat at the hands of the main character during the Arabasta Arc seems less impressive when looking back on things.

Although Sir Crocodile served as the head of Baroque Works and was one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, he met his match quite early in the series – even against a Luffy who hadn’t yet mastered Haki or any of his Gears. This early defeat leaves him appearing notably less formidable compared to the stronger antagonists that were later introduced in the storyline.

3. Bellamy

The Supposed Main Antagonist Of An Arc Was Taken Down With Just One Punch

First Appearance: Chapter 222 (Manga) Episode 146 (Anime)

Bellamy the Hyena is undeniably one of the most notorious characters within the realm of One Piece. He made his debut at the onset of the Jaya Arc, portrayed as a ruthless, boorish, and merciless pirate, scoffing at Luffy’s aspirations. From the get-go, it was clear that he was intended to serve as the primary antagonist for the arc, and tensions between his crew and the Straw Hat Pirates escalated rapidly.

To everyone’s astonishment, neither crew had a prolonged skirmish or gradual escalation. Later on, Luffy crossed paths with Bellamy to recover the gold taken from Mont Blanc Noland. Despite Bellamy possessing the Bane Bane no Mi’s powers, it took just one powerful punch from Luffy to defeat him. Even after the timeskip, Bellamy grew stronger, but their rematch in the Dressrosa Arc ended with Luffy delivering another decisive single punch.

4. Basil Hawkins

He Didn’t Do Much, Despite Having A Unique Devil Fruit

First Appearance: Chapter 498 (Manga) Episode 392 (Anime)

Out of all the individuals belonging to the infamous “Worst Generation,” it is Basil Hawkins who stands out as particularly captivating due to his eerie aura, his propensity for foretelling destiny, and his distinct blend of voodoo abilities and the Devil Fruit, the Wara Wara no Mi. This fruit grants him the power to divert any harm he incurs onto any straw effigies he crafts. Given these unique traits, Hawkins could have posed a significant menace to Luffy and other members of the Worst Generation.

Despite being introduced as a new member of the Beasts Pirates during the Wano Country Arc, he didn’t make significant contributions to the subsequent storylines. In fact, he fought against Roronoa Zoro, Trafalgar Law, and Killer but lost every encounter due to his tricky abilities. Sadly, his injuries eventually proved fatal at the end of the arc, suggesting that we won’t see him in future episodes anymore.

5. X Drake

A Heroic Ancient Zoan Devil Fruit User That Couldn’t Earn Many Victories

First Appearance: Chapter 498 (Manga) Episode 392 (Anime)

X Drake is another infamous pirate from the generation regarded as the worst, who quickly garnered fan interest upon his debut at Sabaody Archipelago. What made him stand out was not only his impressive strength, demonstrated by his simultaneous use of a rapier and an axe, but also his unique ability to transform into an Allosaurus, making him the first character in the series known to possess an Ancient Zoan Devil Fruit.

To add to everything else, it was eventually unveiled that X Drake belonged to SWORD and had secretly joined the Beasts Pirates with the intention of dismantling them from within. Despite possessing many intriguing traits and the promise of great power, X Drake unfortunately failed to meet these high expectations. Apart from a single, relatively insignificant triumph over one of the Numbers, he consistently suffered defeats throughout the arc, encountering opponents such as Sanji and CP0. By the end of the Raid on Onigashima, he found himself recuperating in a hospital bed due to his injuries.

6. Hody Jones

The First Post-Time Skip Main Antagonist Was Quite Easy To Defeat

First Appearance: Chapter 608 (Manga) Episode 527 (Anime)

The Fish-Man Island storyline unfolds immediately following the significant two-year time leap, placing its primary adversary, Hody Jones, against the Straw Hat Pirates fresh from their intense training regimen. This setup suggested that Hody would be equally formidable as other series’ main antagonists or even stronger. However, his performance ultimately fell short of expectations.

Despite being intended to symbolize the widespread discrimination towards Fish-Men and Merfolk within the storyline, Hody Jones instead emerged as a rather feeble antagonist, having lost to Zoro in an underwater battle early on in the arc, and subsequently resorting to using Energy Steroids just to hold his own against Monkey D. Luffy. However, even these disadvantages were insufficient to deter the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates, who handily defeated him without needing any of his Gear abilities.

7. Diamante

The “Hero Of The Colosseum” Was Not Much Of A Fighter

First Appearance: Chapter 700 (Manga) Episode 629 (Anime)

The Donquixote clan consists of various branches, one of which is the Diamante Troops, renowned for combat. Commanded by Diamante, also known as “The Hero” of the Colosseum Corrida, he was gradually being positioned as a significant adversary for the Straw Hat Pirates throughout the Dressrosa Saga.

Nevertheless, Diamante didn’t seem to deliver any noteworthy accomplishments following his introduction, which leaves one questioning the hype surrounding him. His Devil Fruit, the Hira Hira no Mi, doesn’t appear to be particularly strong or awe-inspiring. He failed to prevent Sabo from consuming the Mera Mera no Mi and ultimately succumbed to Kyros, a limping gladiator lacking in Haki and any Devil Fruit abilities. This has left fans puzzled as to why Doflamingo selected Diamante as the crew’s combatant initially.

8. Jack

His Initial Appearance In The Zou Arc Made Him Seem A Lot More Dangerous Than He Actually Was

First Appearance: Chapter 801 (Manga) Episode 746 (Anime)

I had the privilege of witnessing the debut of Jack, dubbed the Drought, a momentous occasion in this tale. This was when the Straw Hat Pirates and their comrades would finally confront a pirate associated with one of the Four Emperors’ crew. Jack lived up to his name right off the bat, employing a lethal chemical weapon created by Caesar Clown to annihilate Zou and its people without a second thought. He even subjected Inuarashi and Nekomamushi, their leaders, to days of torment. To make matters worse, Jack’s Devil Fruit granted him the ability to transform into a colossal Mammoth, effortlessly demolishing massive structures.

Despite initially appearing formidable, Jack turned out to be rather insignificant in the grand scheme of things with the Beasts Pirates. To begin with, he suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of Zunesha. Additionally, during the assault on Onigashima, he struggled against both the Minks and the Nine Red Scabbards, and even failed to engage in a significant battle with members from the Straw Hat Pirates like Queen and King did. Given that he was initially presented as a destructive powerhouse, Jack ultimately turned out to be disappointingly weak as both a combatant and an antagonist.

2025-01-28 07:35