One Piece: Has Smoker Been Completely Forgotten

One Piece: Has Smoker Been Completely Forgotten

Key Takeaways

  • Smoker, Luffy’s early rival, is losing relevance as newer characters take center stage.
  • Smoker’s last major role was on Punk Hazard, over 500 chapters ago.
  • Koby, with ambitious goals and feats in the story, has surpassed Smoker as Luffy’s true Marine rival.

As a longtime One Piece enthusiast who’s followed this epic pirate adventure since its early days, it’s hard not to notice the gradual fadeout of one of Luffy’s initial rivals – Vice-Admiral Smoker. While I still hold dear memories of his tenacious pursuit and their encounters on Loguetown and Punk Hazard, it seems that he’s been overshadowed by the new characters gracing the pages of One Piece.


As the Final Saga of One Piece unfolds, it’s intriguing to reminisce about the diverse characters and locations that the Straw Hat crew have encountered throughout their voyage. From brief transient halts to extensive two-year training phases, the Straw Hats and Luffy keep enriching the captivating One Piece universe at every turn. Each character in the narrative thus far is akin to a puzzle piece, collectively contributing to the stunning mosaic of the storyline.

In the vast world of “One Piece”, it’s easy for some characters to get lost among the many faces. Regrettably, a significant character named Smoker appears to have vanished from the contemporary storyline of “One Piece” nearly completely.

Smoker Is One of Luffy’s First Rivals

Navy Versus Pirates

In the course of the entire anime series, Smoker emerged as one of the initial significant challenges for Straw Hat Captain Luffy. Making his debut during the Loguetown Arc, Smoker managed to apprehend Luffy but was foiled by Luffy’s father, Dragon. The tales of Luffy and Smoker became interwoven subsequently, with Smoker persistently pursuing Luffy in an attempt to bring him to account for his actions. Despite being a stern Navy Captain and initially portrayed as an adversary to Luffy, Smoker exhibits a compassionate side, suggesting that there are still honorable members within the Marine ranks.

Don’t ever think there’s any perfect society made by humans! – Smoker

Following some time leaps and additional encounters with Luffy, Vice-Admiral Smoker would cross paths with Luffy once more on the island of Punk Hazard. Here, they forged a tentative partnership to defeat Caesar, thus disrupting Doflamingo’s grip over the base. After Punk Hazard, Smoker seemed to fade from the narrative, appearing only sporadically in reaction shots to the unfolding events within the One Piece world. To date, Punk Hazard marked Smoker’s most significant contribution to the series.

Smoker is Losing Relevance in Modern One Piece

Overshadowed By Plot

One Piece: Has Smoker Been Completely Forgotten

Smoker last played a significant role in the “One Piece” narrative more than 500 chapters ago. Although he’s not been completely written off, as the story nears its conclusion, Vice-Admiral Smoker appears to be fading in importance. In fact, numerous new characters have emerged who surpass Smoker in both power and plot significance.

Currently, Luffy finds himself against some of the most powerful characters in One Piece, the Admirals and Emperors. Compared to this, a battle with Vice-Admiral Smoker might appear rather one-sided. Although they were on par earlier in the series, Luffy has significantly surpassed Smoker in terms of strength now. For a fair fight, Smoker would need to advance to Admiral level, which seems unlikely, but with dedicated training and determination, the Plume-Plume Fruit could potentially reach that level. However, given his current state, Smoker might struggle to hold his own against Luffy.

Koby Makes a Better Marine Rival Than Smoker

The Future Marine Admiral

One Piece: Has Smoker Been Completely Forgotten

In narrative terms, some of the Navy Soldiers in One Piece, like Koby, embody both roles as Luffy’s adversary and possessing a compassionate nature. Koby can be seen as a stand-in for Smoker in the plot progression at times. However, he is more than just a substitute; he is also a Marine with a kind heart, a rival to Luffy, aiming higher within the Navy to become an Admiral, and has a past connection with the Straw Hat Pirates.

Why don’t you do something besides crying about it try getting stronger. – Smoker

In the world of One Piece, it’s clear that both Smoker and Koby pose significant challenges for Luffy, but when it comes to their potential in the Final Saga, Koby seems to outshine Smoker noticeably. For instance, while Smoker has been only sporadically featured in recent chapters of One Piece, Koby is portrayed as performing extraordinary acts, even engaging in direct combat against Blackbeard and the pirate island of Hachinosu.

As the story of One Piece moves forward at a swift pace, it’s becoming clear that Smoker, though not completely forgotten, may need a refresh or new purpose to stay relevant. With the series advancing so quickly, without some form of power boost or fresh objective, it might be challenging for Smoker to keep up with the rest of the characters. It’s unfortunate to see such a remarkable character potentially left behind, but there’s hope that Oda has thought ahead and has some exciting plans in store for Navy Vice-Admiral Smoker that fans will surely love.

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2024-11-27 04:34