One Piece: Villains Who Redeemed Themselves

Key Takeaways

Morality in One Piece isn’t tied to legality; villains sometimes align with heroes temporarily sharing goals.
Characters like Hatchan, Nico Robin, and Duval transition from villains to heroes due to changes in heart and conduct.
Bellamy and Speed are examples of characters who transition from antagonistic to more heroic roles in the series.

As a seasoned pirate captain with a Bane Bane no Mi, Bellamy had quite the adventurous journey. From his arrogant beginnings to his tumultuous alliance with Doflamingo and eventual retirement, he’s seen it all. He’s been through the wringer, from being abused by the sadistic Doflamingo to battling against Luffy, the Straw Hat Pirates’ fearless leader.

The ethics of the characters in “One Piece” can be quite diverse. Since this series revolves around pirates, it’s evident that morality isn’t always tied to the legality of their actions. Occasionally, individuals who seem less ethical join forces with the seemingly righteous heroes, only because they temporarily share common objectives.

Indeed, sometimes characters shift from being adversaries to becoming allies, undergoing changes in their feelings and behavior as a result. This transformation often occurs due to multiple factors. Here are some characters who initially stood with the antagonists, but eventually joined forces with the good guys.

6 Hatchan

Ex-Officer of the Arlong Pirates

One Piece: Villains Who Redeemed Themselves

Debut: Chapter 69, (Manga), Episode 31 (Anime)
Devil Fruit: None
Affiliation: Takoyaki 8, the Sun Pirates (former), Arlong Pirates (former)

Hey there! I’m Hatchan, or Hachi as some folks call me. I’m a fish-man octopus and used to be pals with Arlong, though I never shared his anti-human views. I’ve got skills with six swords, see, and that’s what we call the six-sword style in our world. Despite my captain’s beliefs, I was actually buddies with Silvers Rayleigh, who sailed with the legendary Roger Pirates. I joined Arlong’s crew when they left the Sun Pirates, and settled down at Arlong Park in East Blue. Even though I didn’t share his prejudice, I still followed his orders. And unfortunately, that led to me capturing a gal named Nami, which played a part in some pretty tragic events later on.

Following his loss against Zoro, Hatchan decides to leave piracy behind and establishes a Takoyaki Shop instead. He develops friendships with Camie, a mermaid who resembles a kissing gourami, and her starfish companion Pappag, both of whom aid him in running the Takoyaki 8. Later on, when Camie asks the Straw Hat crew to help rescue Hatchan after he’s captured, he feels uneasy about being saved by his former adversaries. However, his efforts to conceal his identity are unsuccessful as Zoro recognizes his distinctive voice.

Nevertheless, Hachi has consistently demonstrated loyalty towards the Straw Hat crew. He facilitated their introduction to Rayleigh and his wife Shakuyaku, protected the Thousand Sunny while they were away, and eventually joined them on Fish-Man Island upon their arrival. Luffy bravely struck the World Noble, Charlos, because of Hachi, despite the potential repercussions.

5 Nico Robin

Former Vice President of Baroque Works

Debut: Chapter 114 (Manga), Episode 67 (Anime)
Devil Fruit: Hana Hana no Mi
Affiliation: Straw Hat Pirates, Ohara Archaeologists (former), the Revolutionary Army (former), Baroque Works (former), other criminal organizations

Nico Robin is the last living person from the tragedy at Ohara, marked as a criminal for her unique talent to decipher poneglyphs. The common tale spread was that she and other scholars aimed to destroy the world using Ancient Weapons, which was untrue. Because of the price on her head, Robin had to be wary of everyone she encountered. Over time, she found herself joining various pirate crews and criminal groups. At age 24, she crossed paths with Crocodile, who required her help in obtaining Pluton, an Ancient Weapon. She proved valuable to the Warlord, serving as his contact with agents in Baroque Works, and also as a skilled assassin.

Initially, Robin seemed reluctant about his plan and eventually led to a violent confrontation between them. However, Luffy intervened and saved her life, which she initially declined. This act of heroism resulted in her feeling obligated to join the Straw Hat Pirates, believing that Luffy was responsible for her fate. Despite their reservations, she managed to manipulate their weaknesses to make herself more accepted among them.

Throughout her voyage with the team, she developed such deep affection for them that she voluntarily surrendered herself for their well-being. In response, the Straw Hats courageously confronted the World Government to save her. Upon declaring her desire to live and sail the seas with them, she has been a loyal member of the crew ever since.

4 Duval

Leader of the Rosy Life Riders

Debut: Chapter 491 (Manga), Episode 386 (Anime)
Devil Fruit: None
Affiliation: Rosy Life Riders

This hulking man resembled a crude sketch of “Black Leg” Sanji, which made his life take a turn for the worse, once wanted posters using this exact illustration came out. This led him to being hunted by marines and bounty hunters, due to the resemblance. He hid his face in an iron mask, developed a hatred for Sanji, and carved out a name for himself in the slave-trading business, leading the Flying Fish Riders.

Following their alliance with the Macro Pirates to apprehend Hatchan, they crossed paths with the Straw Hat crew. Sanji squared off against Duval, employing his Parage Shot to alter Duval’s visage, making him strikingly different yet attractive. This transformation led to a newfound vanity in Duval, who started using “handsome” as a synonym for his own name. Yet, this was merely the start of a significant transformation for him.

Duval’s heartfelt gratitude led him to abandon his involvement in the slave trade and eventually join forces with the Straw Hats. Renaming their crew as the Rosy Life Riders, Duval and his team assisted the Straw Hats during the events at Sabaody, taking a stand against those who aimed to capture Camie, another slave trader. With Hatchan and Bartholomew Kuma by his side, Duval took charge of protecting the Thousand Sunny while the Straw Hats were away. Later, he was seen injured and receiving treatment at Shakuyaku’s bar. Despite sustaining additional injuries while helping Sanji in the past, Duval remained steadfast in his determination to assist him once more.

3 Bellamy

Former Member of the Donquixote Pirates

Debut: Chapter 222 (Manga), Episode 146 (Anime)
Devil Fruit: Bane Bane no Mi
Affiliation: Donquixote Pirates (former), Bellamy Pirates (former)

Bellamy was presented as an arrogant sea robber, commanding his own group mainly to pass the time. He was granted the privilege to display the Donquixote family’s emblem, on condition that he wouldn’t lose to anyone. Eventually, he arrived at Jaya, clashing with other pirates and even claiming a hotel as a temporary headquarters for his gang. Luffy considered him insignificant due to his skepticism towards dreams, but Bellamy and his crew didn’t seem to notice this dismissal. Despite repeatedly provoking the young adventurer into combat, his assaults proved futile against Luffy, who defeated him with a single blow.

Following their mistreatment by Doflamingo, Bellamy and his companions journeyed to the Sky Islands, a treacherous voyage that claimed many lives. Upon returning, Bellamy managed to obtain a golden pillar, thereby restoring his favor with Donquixote Doflamingo. From then on, he harbored an intense desire to ascend the ranks of the Donquixote Pirates. However, it was later unveiled that Doflamingo harbored no faith in Bellamy’s abilities and secretly wished him harm. Despite their earlier claims, there was a lingering animosity between Doflamingo and Luffy, which became apparent when they met at Dressrosa. Regardless of this, Bellamy persisted in battling Luffy, yet found no success against him.

After he got well, Bellamy declined to be under Luffy’s command, as one of the few companions from Dressrosa who didn’t join the Straw Hat Grand Fleet. Instead, Bellamy chose to leave piracy and take up dyeing as a profession. However, he accepted Luffy’s Vivre Card, allowing them to stay connected. It seems possible that Bellamy hopes to make amends if Luffy finds himself in peril again.

2 Speed

Former Officer of the Beasts Pirates

Debut: Chapter 917 (Manga), Episode 904 (Anime)
Devil Fruit: Horse SMILE
Affiliation: Kurozumi Tama, Beasts Pirates (former)

In the Beasts Pirates, Speed was endowed with special abilities due to consuming a SMILE fruit. This not only made her physically powerful but also fortunate enough to gain animal powers from it. The SMILE transformed her into a horse-like figure, granting her equine ears, body shape, and enhanced vision. Her immense power earned her a headliner position, which is the lowest of the three administrative ranks within the pirates.

Tama harnessed her ally’s power, as her Kibi Kibi no Mi granted her the ability to produce kibi dango that could command animals. Given that SMILE users have a part of their essence linked to animals, they are vulnerable to this control. Speed built a strong bond with Tama, playing a key role in distributing these kibi dango, which led several Beasts Pirates to switch allegiance. Remarkably, she was prepared to challenge Kaido, once her captain, despite the formidable nature of the confrontation.

Following Kaido’s downfall, Tama clarified that the effects of the dangos would subside within approximately a month, giving those under their influence the freedom to decide their next steps. Speed expressed her contentment in staying with Tama, prompting the trainee kunoichi to question if this bond would be permanent and if she’d take on the role as her mother figure. While the details of their conversation remain undisclosed for now, it seems plausible that Speed may choose to stay with Tama, given their strong connection.

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2024-10-12 05:10