As true One Piece fans, we all have our favorite moments and debates that we can’t help but talk about. One such topic that never fails to spark intense discussions among us is whether or not Luffy should have been able to defeat the infamous Warlord Crocodile.
In this article, we will dive deep into the factors that led to this fierce fight for Luffy’s triumph. We’ll look back at the early days of the Straw Hat Pirates’ journey, and see how far they have come.
Together, we will try to achieve a higher level of understanding of the world of One Piece. As we journey through this article, we hope to share and exchange our thoughts, fan theories, and passion nourished for 15 years up to now with other like-minded One Piece fans.
Stick till the very end.
Did Crocodile hold back during this fight?
If we take an overall look at the fight, Luffy’s victory was genuinely a turn of events. Even though, that triumph was well-deserved.
Contrary to his performance in that arc, Crocodile isn’t that weak at all.
His Suna Suna no Mi is a Logia and it provides an insane advantage to its user: intangibility.
Better, at Alabasta, Crocodile had a vast supply and amount of sand, which he could easily interact with. Of course, he does have some weaknesses, liquids, but he can absorb them though. He is overall well-balanced as a character.
Further, thanks to his right hand, the former Warlord Crocodile can parch enemies, as he did a lot with Luffy and some others throughout the Alabasta arc.
Besides, his fruit attribute was durable enough to slash through the Hawaian-shirted Admiral Akainu without melting.
More impressively, at Marineford, Crocodile squared up with Dofflamingo and Mihawk, attesting his undoubtful strength. Keep in mind that he didn’t even train at Impel Down.
All of that brings us to wonder if Crocodile held back during this fight.
There was a crucial point that influenced the issue of this fight: Crocodile’s arrogance.
As many of us noticed, he was acting presumptuously for the first two rounds of their altercation. Obviously, as the imposing Shishibukai he was, he found our rubber boy pretty insignificant.
Maybe he was willing to turn Luffy’s dreams into despair, but he couldn’t imagine that Luffy was that brave and relentless.
Thus, he went easy on him until he realized that the little brat he thought was a real threat to him. But that was too late, he already took so much damage.
I am already guessing the reaction of the fans of Mom Crocodile’s theory: they boil up when it comes to the impetus of such a “kind” attitude towards Luffy.
Another reason that makes it hard to believe that Crocodile was at 100 percent is the absence of Haki.
At that time, Oda hasn’t yet introduced the Haki, especially the Armament Haki which is the main weakness of all logia users.
Maybe Oda didn’t first intend to give Crocodile such importance later on, at that moment.
Nonetheless, it doesn’t make Crocodile a lousy character and enemy, moreover, it shows us the bravery of the future Pirate King, Monkey D. Luffy.
The Alabasta arc was a momentous battle for Luffy, not just for his own personal victory but also for the freedom of the innocent people.
His determination, resourcefulness, and unwavering spirit were put to the test against the formidable Warlord Crocodile. He emerged victorious, not just for himself but for the kingdom, his triumph symbolizing hope, justice, and freedom for all.
A moment that will forever be etched in the hearts of the Straw Hat crew and fans.
Now, let’s check how it happened in reality :
When happened the fights between Luffy and Crocodile?
The confrontation between Luffy and Crocodile took place in a three-act plot.
The first battle occurred as Crocodile’s hook was grabbing Vivi off the crab during their escape. Luffy substituted himself with her, and got pulled to “Mr. 0”.
It was noticeable that Luffy was struggling, and Crocodile playing with him; until he got unexpectedly engulfed in Luffy’s mouth, in a hilarious scene.
Tired of getting humiliated, he impaled Luffy with his hook and threw him into quicksand. But as we know, the Straw Hats’ captain survived with Pell’s rescue.
In the second act, we beheld the magnificence of the “Aqua-Luffy”, who exploited Crocodile’s weakness to fluids to deal him a great amount of damage.
Maybe he got mind-blown by the says of our wacky Straw Hat Luffy, stated to be the “eighth Warlord”.
Even if Luffy ended up desiccated, fortune was undoubtedly by his side at that time, and the water bubble saved him. That same scene got me shocked since I was afraid he really died.
Later on, they fought for the last time in the Tomb of the Kings Mausoleum, where Luffy used his blood as a liquid to weaken Mr. 0’s power.
This final round set an end to the long-term battle between the two pirates, thus leading Alabasta to freedom.
Eventually, if you feel like having a reviewing session, here are the references for the anime and manga:
- first round: episode 110 and chapter 178;
- second round: episodes 121-122 and chapter 199;
- third round: episode 124 and chapter 205.
How did Luffy beat Crocodile?
Being one of the first main intrigues of the storyline, Alabasta’s arc was a cornerstone for the Straw Hats Pirates adventure.
Through this arc, we have been introduced to the first main antagonist and future ally under circumstances, the warlord Crocodile.
Luffy’s victory over Crocodile was a quite memorable feat since it was the first time we really had a win at the end of a breathtaking arc.
If we put aside our dedication to the Straw Hat, it’s still hard to believe that a pirate with small notoriety as Luffy at that moment would defeat a Warlord, moreover a Logia user.
Do we need to rewind how the mastermind Crocodile managed to manipulate Alabasta’s Kingdom for years, leading to a civil war? Or the fact that he had a bounty of 81 million berrys, ahead of Jinbei’s first one.
Oda even said in the SBS interview – Vol 36, that his bounty would have reached 162,000,000 if the World Government knew he was the head of Baroque Works.
Despite how ironic it looks, it’s that aforesaid status that seems to have caused his downfall.
