One Piece Villains Who Almost Killed Luffy

Summary

Buggy attempted to execute Luffy in Loguetown, but was killed by a bolt of lightning.
Crocodile defeated Luffy twice with his Devil Fruit powers but was ultimately defeated.
Magellan, through repeated poisoning, came the closest to killing Luffy, leading to a drastic recovery process.

The path to claiming the title of Pirate King isn’t free from perils, a lesson Monkey D. Luffy has certainly encountered throughout his adventure in One Piece, an odyssey that continues. Numerous adversaries have harbored deadly intentions towards him, and some have even come close to ending his life.

This is partly because Luffy’s spontaneous personality often leads him to attack opponents even when he appears overmatched. Yet, Luffy has managed to recover from every significant attempt on his life so far, and it’s likely he will continue to do so. Here are some of the villains who came close to ending Luffy’s life.

5. Buggy

Attempted to Execute Luffy in Loguetown

In the grand saga of One Piece, it wasn’t until the East Blue Arc that I, Buggy, nearly took the life of the Straw Hat Pirates’ fearless leader, Luffy. This close call occurred when Luffy stumbled upon the platform where my former captain, the legendary Gol D. Roger, was executed. Quite a turn of events, wasn’t it? It seemed then that I might have been a more formidable foe for young Luffy than I’ve become known for in later arcs.

In this scenario, Buggy managed to subdue Luffy and tried to decapitate him, but was unexpectedly struck by a bolt of lightning. This surprise attack gave Luffy and his Straw Hat crew the chance to flee, allowing them to carry on their adventure across the Grand Line. Incidentally, this event motivated Bartolomeo to embark on a pirate life, establishing the Barto Club which eventually joined forces with the Straw Hat Grand Alliance.

It’s been suggested that there might be more to the story than meets the eye regarding the event. Some people think Dragon may have intentionally summoned the lightning bolt using unknown methods, and also took steps to prevent Luffy from being pursued by the Marines. However, this hasn’t been proven yet. Regardless, Luffy’s miraculous survival during what was supposed to be his execution suggests that luck plays a crucial role in becoming the Pirate King.

4. Crocodile

Defeated Luffy Twice

In several confrontations, Crocodile has managed to overcome Luffy in combat, utilizing his Devil Fruit abilities to dehydrate and impale Luffy on multiple occasions. However, during their third encounter, Luffy was so severely injured that his weakened state ultimately aided him in emerging victorious from the fight.

Crocodile’s devil fruit ability let him turn into sand, making it hard for physical attacks to reach him. Before Haki was introduced, the only way to attack him in this state was by countering his elemental powers. Luffy’s own blood from his wounds could neutralize Crocodile’s sand power. To make things worse, Crocodile poisoned Luffy with his hook, but still lost the fight. However, without Nico Robin’s quick action to give him an antidote, Luffy might not have survived the poison.

3. Magellan

Poisoned Luffy Repeatedly

As a devotee of the macabre, I, Magellan, stand as the formidable guardian of the notorious Impel Down prison. My peculiar fondness for toxic substances is well-known, even though they frequently inflict excruciating intestinal agony upon me. During my fierce battle with Luffy, the pirate, I unleashed a lethal arsenal of poisons, pushing him to the brink of death and causing him to succumb to unconsciousness on numerous occasions. In the heat of the conflict, Emporio Ivankov and Bentham, an erstwhile Baroque Works operative who forged an alliance with Luffy, were miraculously discovered by our savior, Emporio. With his compassionate heart, Emporio embarked upon a noble mission to rescue both Luffy and Bentham from the jaws of death.

To save his life, Luffy underwent extensive hormone treatment that took away a significant chunk of his lifespan. Remarkably, he finished the procedure in just 20 hours, beating Inazuma’s estimated time by one-third. It’s worth noting that Magellan’s poison significantly reduced Luffy’s life expectancy, making it one of the closest attempts to outright kill him. However, his unyielding spirit surpassed the low odds of him surviving. Post this ordeal, Luffy gained resistance to poison, rendering him immune to Caesar Clown’s poison gas, and he fell into a coma after consuming a deadly meal of armored stonefish.

2. Akainu

Almost Killed Luffy During the Summit War

Sakazuki, more commonly referred to as Akainu, is infamous for his extreme cruelty towards suspected criminals and those nearby. Following Luffy’s rescue of his sworn brother, Portgas D. Ace, they were swiftly targeted by attacks from marine admirals. Upon dropping Ace’s Vivre Card, Akainu attacked Luffy who was attempting to retrieve it. However, the attack inadvertently struck Ace instead, a selfless act to shield his brother from harm.

Ace collapsed into Luffy’s embrace, expressing gratitude for Luffy’s unwavering affection before he breathed his last. This event left Luffy deeply shaken and he fainted. Remarkably, during the war, help came from unexpected sources – Jinbe, Crocodile, and even Buggy. They assisted in moving Luffy to the Polar Tang, where he was saved by the Heart Pirates.

During a fight, Akainu struck Luffy while he was unconscious, causing injuries severe enough to necessitate immediate medical attention on the Polar Tang. Later, Luffy recuperated in Amazon Lily and spent two years learning from Silvers Rayleigh. If Ace hadn’t stepped in to shield Luffy from the intended blow, it’s possible that Luffy wouldn’t have survived. This demonstrates that although they aren’t blood relatives, Ace deeply cared for Luffy, treating him as a younger brother and acting swiftly to protect his life.

1. St. Jaygarcia Saturn

Tried Attacking Luffy After He Was Exhausted

An assault was initiated against Egghead, triggered by Jaygarcia Saturn of the Five Elders issuing a Buster Call. Accompanied by Saturn on this initial journey, Admiral Borsalino, also known as Kizaru, engaged directly with Luffy in combat. This prolonged and intense battle saw Luffy transform into Gear 5, Kizaru creating numerous copies of himself, and a standoff where both Luffy and Kizaru depleted their energy following the collision. Eventually, Saturn intervened to attack Luffy when his energy was depleted.

Following Franky’s rescue, it was an unanticipated ally who aided Luffy. In secret, Kizaru provided Luffy with meat that revitalized him, allowing him to steal more supplies from marine bases and continue his battles. This act might have stemmed from Kizaru’s internal conflict about fighting against old friends like Vegapunk and Sentomaru. This unexpected openness from Kizaru hinted at his discomfort with the commands he received. However, this brief moment of leniency could potentially have resulted in Saturn’s demise. After Emet vanquished the forces related to Buster Call, it was Imu who ordered Saturn’s execution for allowing Luffy to survive.

2025-07-30 14:34