One Piece: How Buggy the Clown Became a [SPOILER]

Few characters in One Piece are as beloved, and as lucky, as Buggy the Clown. Although there is virtually nothing redeemable about him as a pirate, throughout the series, Buggy has found success against all odds, seemingly by accident. However, even by the standards he himself set, Buggy truly outdid himself by becoming a Yonko.

As unbelievable as it may be, Buggy the Clown joined the ranks of Shanks, Blackbeard and Monkey D. Luffy. Buggy and Luffy replaced the defeated Big Mom and Kaido, even though it might not seem as though Buggy has earned that position. That’s especially true in the eyes of his partners, Dracule Mihawk and Sir Crocodile. However, in actuality, no other character could fill the void aside from Buggy.

How Did Buggy Become a Yonko?

Much like every other thing he has achieved, Buggy became a Yonko completely by accident. After coming across Sir Crocodile and Mihawk while escaping from the Navy and the World Government, Buggy was pretty much forced to partner with two powerful pirates in order to survive. Seemingly because Buggy owed Crocodile money, the former Warlord came to collect just as the Marines are closed in on him and his crew. Sir Crocodile needed the capital to fund his new operation. Because Buggy didn’t have any of the cash on hand, he offered up his entire company of pirates in exchange for his life. In typical Buggy fashion, that is where everything went awry.

For those who don’t remember, Buggy’s crew of ex-Impel Down prisoners idolize him — so much so that they felt he could even take on Whitebeard during the Summit War. That devotion allowed Buggy to start his company and attain the status of Warlord before the entire system was dissolved. However, it also backfired on him in this case. His followers were so loyal that when they’re tasked with making flyers for the newly formed Cross Guild, they can’t help but make Buggy out to be the most prominent person on the paper. That led everyone to perceive Buggy as the leader of Cross Guild, while making Mihawk and Crocodile to look like they were his subordinates.That did not go over well, obviously.

Not only was Buggy made a Yonko due to that misunderstanding, but he also nearly ended up dead at the hands of the two powerful and irate Warlords. However, he avoided that grim fate, further proving Buggy the Clown is the luckiest character in One Piece. Due to the World Government viewing Buggy as the ringleader of the organization, Mihawk and Crocodile were able to avoid the dangers that come with leadership, while still actually running the organization. In other words, Buggy became a frontman, while the other two called the shots from the shadows.

Why Buggy Deserves to Be a Yonko

While he is by no means the strongest pirate, the argument could be made that no one else could fill the role of the final Yonko other than Buggy. Not only was Buggy trained on the Pirate King’s ship, he also amassed one of the most fearsome crews on all the seas, according to the World Government. Buggy became quite the crafty pirate in his own right.

Something often forgotten is that there was a good chance Buggy would have been the second man to escape Impel Down if it weren’t for Luffy’s attempt to free his brother, Portgas D. Ace. In fact, by the time Luffy reached the floor Buggy was being held on, Buggy had already escaped his restraints, and was roaming the prison. That proves there’s a capable pirate behind the giant red nose.

Buggy also won over the vast majority of the escaped Impel Down inmates. That caused his crew to gain enough merit and power for the World Government to feel it needed to make Buggy a Warlord. While his crew is hilariously obsessed and delusional when it comes to him, it goes to show just how charismatic Buggy is. Mihawk stated during the Summit War that Luffy’s ability to attract and make allies in almost no time was the most dangerous power someone on the sea could have. In that sense, Buggy is arguably as dangerous as Luffy, considering how easily he manipulated the prisoners into working for him.

Buggy might be something of a clown in One Piece, both figuratively and literally, but he isn’t a pirate to be trifled with. Not only does he have vast resources, he also has a cunningly strategic and deceptively wise mind. Coupled with his strong crew and powerful new alliance with two of One Piece’s strongest pirates, he is a bigger threat than ever. Since the start of the series, Buggy has repeatedly failed upward, ultimately resulting in him becoming a Yonko. If this trend continues, he might just have to change his name from Buggy the Clown to Buggy the Pirate King.