8 One Piece Villains That Are Never Coming Back

Watching One Piece, I’m constantly amazed by the huge range of characters. Over the course of his adventures, Monkey D. Luffy has made so many meaningful connections with people. And it’s not just allies – he’s run into a lot of compelling villains along the way, many of whom continue to play a role in the story even now.

What makes One Piece so great is that even seemingly unimportant characters often play a role, leaving the door open for their return later in the story. While most of the early villains will likely reappear in the Final Saga, there are a few that the author, Oda, won’t be bringing back in a significant way.

Captain Kuro

Last Seen: East Blue

I still remember when Luffy first ran into Captain Kuro! That fight in Syrup Village was seriously intense. People call him Kuro of the Thousand Plans, and honestly, he was one of the smartest villains early on in One Piece. Looking back now, though, he doesn’t really play a huge role in the bigger story, but he definitely left an impression on me when I first started watching!

Captain Kuro’s pirate bounty has been reactivated, but he appears to remain in the East Blue. This likely means he won’t be a significant player in the story’s final arc. Even during the recent Egghead Arc, which featured many returning characters, Kuro was notably absent, suggesting he won’t have a major role to play.

Shiki

Last Seen: Escaping Impel Down

The Golden Lion Shiki is a character with a lot of promise that the author, Eiichiro Oda, never fully developed within the main One Piece story. Initially presented as a powerful pirate from the same era as Gol D. Roger, Shiki was intended to be an ongoing threat. However, he was primarily used as the antagonist in the non-canon film One Piece: Strong World, limiting his impact on the core narrative.

Shiki escaped from Impel Down a long time ago after losing to Garp and Sengoku. While his power should have made him a major pirate in the New World, he’s mysteriously absent. Considering the author often uses movies to explore ideas he won’t include in the main story, it’s probable we won’t see Shiki again.

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Arlong

Last Seen: East Blue

Arlong is a hugely memorable villain in One Piece, largely because he was the central enemy in the popular Arlong Park arc. He was defeated early on by Luffy and has been imprisoned ever since, probably in Impel Down. It’s unlikely he’ll reappear in the main storyline, as the author, Oda, hasn’t featured him at all since his defeat.

Foxy

Last Seen: Grand Line

Foxy is a recurring character who appears throughout the story, though he doesn’t play a major role. He had a battle against Luffy during the Long Ring Long Land arc as part of a Davy Back fight. While not a complex villain, Foxy was memorable and provided some enjoyable moments.

In the end, he was ultimately sidelined and doesn’t seem to be a major player in the overall story. He’ll probably make a few appearances, but isn’t expected to have a significant impact on how the Final Saga unfolds.

Hody Jones

Last Seen: Ryugu Prison

Hody Jones is a particularly cruel villain created by Oda in One Piece. He represented generations of resentment within the Fishman community, but his defeat by Luffy on Fishman Island was ultimately anticlimactic. Though imprisoned, Hody and his crew are unlikely to reappear in the story. They consumed the island’s treasured national treasure, causing them to age quickly, effectively removing them as relevant characters in the ongoing Final Saga of One Piece.

Hody Jones effectively portrayed the intense prejudice against humans, and that was his main purpose in the story. Now that Jinbe and Fishman Island’s leaders are building a better future, there’s no room for Hody or his crew. It would be best for the author to leave them imprisoned rather than risk jeopardizing the progress made towards peace, something that has happened with other characters in the past.

Absalom

Last Seen: Pirate Island

Absalom was a key villain during the Thriller Bark saga in One Piece, presenting a significant challenge to the Straw Hat Pirates. He was widely considered a particularly unpleasant character and was ultimately defeated by both Sanji and Nami. More recently, he was killed by members of the Blackbeard Pirates.

Since Absalom is definitely deceased, his reappearance in the Final Saga isn’t possible, despite Moria’s search for him.

Hannyabal

Last Seen: Impel Down

Hannyabal is a character who opposed Luffy during his attempt to save his brother in the Impel Down arc. He used to be the Vice Warden of Impel Down, but has since been promoted to Warden, taking the position above Magellan.

During the Impel Down story arc, Blackbeard defeated Magellan, but he’s now risen in power. Ultimately, Magellan is the key figure at Impel Down, and Hannyabal isn’t particularly significant. Though he may appear occasionally in the final part of the story, his role will be small, and he won’t have a major return like he did during the Impel Down arc.

Axe Hand Morgan

Last Seen: East Blue

Axe Hand Morgan was one of the first villains introduced in One Piece. He appears in the Shell’s Town arc, where Luffy is trying to build his crew and recruit Roronoa Zoro. Morgan is incredibly arrogant and acts like a dictator.

The Marines under his command hated him for being so ruthless, and Luffy, along with Zoro, finally overthrew him. Even after being defeated, Morgan escaped the Navy and continued sailing the East Blue. Since then, no one knows where he is, and he’s probably not important to the bigger story. With much larger threats emerging in the final part of One Piece, someone as minor as Axe Hand Morgan – who wasn’t even featured when the author revisited older characters – is simply no longer relevant.

One Piece is available to read on Manga Plus.

2026-04-18 17:38