WARNING: SPOILERS FORONE PIECECHAPTER #1124
One Piecehas dozens of dangerous characters fans would never want to meet, but a couple of its most intimidatingMarine Admiralsfinally showed a softer side, proving they were morecomplex villainsthan initially believed. The Egghead Island arc shed some light on many of the series' mysteries and showcased a lot more of the formidable abilities of the Five Elders and Admiral Kizaru. However, one of the brightest villains successfully added more depth toOne Piece’s capable but often stoic Admirals.
What began as an infiltration mission with the Government Assassin’s CPO quickly escalated into an ordeal that summoned the full might of a Buster Call, battles with theWorld Government’s Five Elders, and the Glint-Glint Fruit using Admiral Kizaru. While the Marines were ordered to kill Dr.Vegapunk, chapter #1124 revealed thatthe Admirals, known for their vibrant personalities, have more empathy than they have previously let on.
Dr.Vegapunk was more thanOne Piece’s smartest man; he was one of the only friends that Kizaru had ever gained during his years of loyal servitude. Although the Admiral did blow a hole through his friend’s chest, his face was wrecked with tearful regret when Fleet Admiral Sakazuki called to berate him about the World Government’s failures. It was a conversation that also saw the hot-headed Sakazuki melt for the first time.
Admirals are some ofOne Piece’s strongest characters, and Eiichiro Odahas written their personalities to be synonymous with the brand of justice they practice. Sakasuki demonstrated absolute justice when he killed Marines who disobeyed him during the Marineford arc. Kizaru practiced unclear justice by blindly following orders, making it difficult to determine where his morals lie. With Kizaru reflecting on what he’d done to Dr.Vegapunk, it prompted him to ask Sakasuki if he’d ever had to kill a best friend. The conversation proved thatboth men are more than the justice they’ve enforced.
One Piece’s Luffy Just Teased A Massive Betrayal Heading Into The Finale
One Piece’s story has delivered foreboding foreshadowing through Luffy who believes that the friends he’s partying with could soon become his enemies.
The ideals of the harsh Fleet Admiral have been challenged multiple times since he was introduced, but his conversation with Admiral Kizaru was the first time he showed any sign of wavering or feeling bad for his actions. After Sengoku retired as the Marine’s Fleet Admiral, Sakazuki and Kuzan battled on Punk Hazard for ten days straight, with the Magma Fruit user winning and sparing the other Admiral. This made Kuzan quit the Marines, fracturing the brotherly bond the Admirals that fought together on Marineford shared. Still, that fight may have affected Sakazuki more than readers realize.
Emotionally Compromised Admirals Add A Wild Card To The Narrative
Admiral Kizaru May Now Think Twice Before Blindly Following Orders
It’s possible that the loss of Kuzan left an emotional toll on Sakazuki, which led him to be more supportive of Kizaru’s sudden outburst of emotion. Either way, the Admirals have been serving the World Government’s will, which took a considerable hit to its credibility during the events of Egghead Island,causing many Marines to reevaluate their lives and what they are fighting for. The final chapters ofEgghead, arguably one of the series' best arcs, showed the ordinarily stable and powerful Marine Admirals crack, and it could be a crack that grows larger inOne Piece’s final arcs.
One Piece
Created by Eiichiro Oda, One Piece is a multimedia franchise that began as a manga series and follows the adventures of the Straw Hat Pirates as led by Monkey D. Luffy. Luffy, an enthusiastic pirate with a thirst for adventure, is afflicted by a mysterious curse that gives him various powers he uses to protect himself and his friends. The manga eventually gave way to the anime series, with the two being some of history’s longest-running anime and manga series. Along with over fifty video games made over the years, the series entered the live-action world with Netflix’s 2023 adaptation.
