Highlights
- The Seven Warlords were once major players in One Piece, influencing the power dynamics with the World Government.
- Each Warlord had unique paths after the system was dissolved, some forging new alliances and others facing challenges.
- Former Warlords like Jinbe and Boa Hancock continue to impact the Final Saga, while the fates of others remain a mystery.
Once part of the Three Great Powers which maintained a delicate balance of power in the world of Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece, the Seven Warlords of the Sea, or the Shichibukai, were a group of notorious pirates who chose to ally with the World Government. In exchange for aiding the Marines whenever they were called upon, each Warlord had their bounty frozen and was given free rein to do as they pleased for the most part.
In the first half of One Piece, which followed the Straw Hat Pirates’ journey through Paradise, the Seven Warlords of the Sea were either major antagonists or unlikely allies to the crew. Further down the line, the dissolution of the Seven Warlords system during the Levely created a major shift in the power dynamic on the seas, and each former Warlord was forced to find new paths of their own, or face imprisonment by the Marines. Considering how important they once were, where are the original Seven Warlords of the Sea now?
Who Were The Original Seven Warlords?
Before the Straw Hat Pirates entered the Grand Line, the first Warlord to be introduced was Dracule Mihawk. In time, the remaining members of the Seven Warlords system gradually made their appearances, even as the group’s membership changed. At the very start of One Piece, the original Seven Warlords were Bartholomew Kuma, Boa Hancock, Crocodile, Donquixote Doflamingo, Dracule Mihawk, Gecko Moria, and Jinbe.
Each one had attained the title through different means, and although every Warlord’s strength varied in comparison to their peers, they were generally seen as far more powerful than the majority of other pirates in Paradise. Some members, such as Jinbe and Doflamingo, were settled in the New World, while others, such as Boa Hancock, held dominion over Amazon Lily in the Calm Belt.
Forging Fresh Paths Into The New World
Naturally, all the Warlords run into one or more members of the Straw Hat Pirates throughout the series. Some have fared better than others after the end of the Seven Warlords system, venturing out on their own journeys into the New World. For starters, Dracule Mihawk only had a few appearances after his duel with Zoro, till his next major involvement at Marineford. During the time skip, he even trained Zoro at his residence on Kuraigana Island. Once the Seven Warlords system was abolished, he founded Cross Guild alongside Crocodile and Buggy to hunt down high-ranking Marines.
The Straw Hats first fought Crocodile and his organization, Baroque Works, in Arabasta. Luffy’s defeat of the Warlord culminated in his imprisonment in Impel Down and the revocation of his status. He was then freed by Luffy, and fought alongside him in Marineford, playing a critical role in defending him from the onslaught of Admiral Akainu. Currently, Crocodile is one of the leaders of Cross Guild and the brains behind its operation.
Jinbe resigned from the Seven Warlords after refusing to fight against Whitebeard and was imprisoned in Impel Down. He later protected Luffy from Akainu at Marineford, and was the one who helped him mentally recover from Ace’s death after the war. Following the time skip, he pledged to join the Straw Hats as their helmsman after resolving matters on Fish-Man Island. He was once again present during the Whole Cake Island Arc, and aided the Straw Hats in their escape. Jinbe became an official member of the crew after arriving in Wano Country on the day of the Raid on Onigashima, and traveled with them to Egghead Island after Kaido’s defeat.
Biding Their Time Or Rendered Helpless?
Conversely, some of the original Seven Warlords have struggled to hold on to their power since the system was banned, with some defeated by Luffy, and others enduring various other difficulties. Bartholomew Kuma, for example, gave up his humanity and agreed to become a mindless cyborg for the World Government just prior to the time skip in order to save his daughter Bonney from the fatal Sapphire Scale disease. Although it has been shown that some of Kuma’s consciousness remained in his body during the Egghead Arc, his true condition is yet to be ascertained.
Donquixote Doflamingo is a unique case among the original Seven Warlords, as his fight against Luffy took place in the New World nation of Dressrosa. The hard-fought battle between them saw Luffy just about emerge triumphant, and with the exposure of Doflamingo’s many crimes, he was stripped of his title as a Warlord, and incarcerated in Level 6 of Impel Down. Although he has showed up sporadically to tease the revelation of truths about the Celestial Dragons, he still remains imprisoned and immobilized by Seastone shackles, preventing any means of escape.
Struggling To Cope With The Loss Of Their Status
Boa Hancock helped Luffy infiltrate Impel Down to save Ace, and later assisted him in Marineford, as well as during his training with Silvers Rayleigh on Rusukaina. When the Seven Warlords were disbanded, Amazon Lily was attacked by the Marines and the Blackbeard Pirates, culminating in a fierce battle where Hancock turned many combatants to stone, before being incapacitated by Blackbeard. Fortunately, Silvers Rayleigh arrived and drove off Hancock’s enemies, allowing her to remain on Amazon Lily until she plotted her next move.
Finally, Gecko Moria heeded the World Government’s summons during the Summit War, but was brutally attacked by Doflamingo and a group of Pacifista afterward, in the backstreets of Marineford. Doflamingo noted that he had been ordered by a higher authority to eliminate Moria since he was deemed to be too weak for a Warlord after losing to Luffy. For a time, his status and whereabouts were unknown, but it was later revealed that he was still alive. Moria was last seen attacking Hachinosu where he was defeated and imprisoned. It is possible that he was liberated during Koby’s escape from the island, but this has not been confirmed.
How Will The Former Seven Warlords Affect The Final Saga?
The disbandment of the Seven Warlords had a monumental impact on the world of One Piece, as it is likely to have intensified the race to Laugh Tale. Moreover, this development also changed the status quo on the seas, as the abolition of the system preceded the introduction of the Seraphim into the Marines, to replace the power vacuum left by the end of the Warlords system.
Some Warlords such as Jinbe, Boa Hancock, and perhaps even Bartholomew Kuma, will certainly have a huge impact on the Final Saga by virtue of being members or allies of the Straw Hat Pirates. Alternatively, Crocodile and Dracule Mihawk will also have a part to play as the founders of Cross Guild, with Mihawk’s final duel with Zoro having been built up for more than 1000 chapters. There are lingering questions over the fates of Doflamingo and Gecko Moria, but they might just reappear in time to participate in the series’ epic final battle, although only time will reveal what will actually transpire out of all this speculation.
One Piece is available to stream on Crunchyroll.
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