The Egghead Arc of One Piece seems to have been building up to a long-awaited rematch between Monkey D. Luffy and Rob Lucci. These two had one of the biggest fights in the series, so fans were excited by the prospect of a rematch. Chapter 1068, “A Genius’s Dream,” finally had these two canonically meet up again.
However, fans are fairly certain that if Luffy and Lucci were to fight, Luffy would win. Naturally, the main character is going to beat the antagonist in a series like One Piece. However, fans haven’t been so certain Luffy would easily take out a major opponent like this in a long time. If they’re right, then the Egghead Arc could reach its climax much sooner than expected.
Why Don’t People Think Luci Is a Threat?
The main problem is that Luffy has become far too powerful for Lucci to reasonably challenge him. He’s received far too many power-ups and abilities since their fight in Enies Lobby. This includes two new Gear stages and advanced Haki proficiency in all three categories. This is in addition to how much exponentially stronger he’s grown physically. Some fans aren’t even certain Luffy will need to use anything past Gear Three for this confrontation.
The other issue with reintroducing Lucci as a threat is all of Luffy’s new opponents, especially Kaidō. When the Straw Hat captain proved he was strong enough to take on the strongest creature and win, he usurped his place as an Emperor and became one of the most notorious pirates alive. This is to say nothing of how powerful the rest of the Straw Hat Pirates have become. Only a handful of people should still be strong enough to challenge the crew, but Lucci doesn’t seem like one of them.
A similar issue came up when Admiral Ryokugyū invaded Wano. Fans were confident that Luffy or any of his powerful allies in the country would be able to take him down. The Admiral was scared away by Shanks before this could be settled, but things definitely seemed like they would have gone Luffy’s way no matter what. As far as the fans are concerned, Lucci shouldn’t even be on the level of an Admiral, which says even more about his odds against Luffy.
With all of that said, perhaps there is something Lucci is meant to do in this situation. After all, he’s been made out as the main threat of the Egghead Arc; if he goes down here, it would be anticlimactic and the Arc would be over. Whatever happens next, it will likely be something that allows this confrontation to continue into later chapters.
How Could Lucci Last Past Chapter 1069?
Lucci, like Luffy, must have spent their time apart training hard. If the movies are anything to go by, he’s at least strong enough to take on the likes of Sabo and Sanji, which is no small feat. It’s hard to say how proficient he is with Haki, but if he combines it with his Rokushiki techniques, that could give him abilities Luffy isn’t ready for. He could have also achieved a Devil Fruit Awakening, which would make up for at least one of Luffy’s new Gear changes. At the very least, a rematch between these two shouldn’t be the blowout many fans think it will be.
It’s also worth noting what happened in Chapter 1068. Lucci was strong enough to make quick work of Vegapunk Atlas. Additionally, when Luffy saw him, he was the one who was sweating. Even if the fans are confident that Luffy can win, he might not be.
Whether Lucci can fight Luffy or not, Chapter 1068 probably won’t be their only encounter for the arc. Lucci might like a rematch, but his priority is assassinating Vegapunk. He’ll fight Luffy if and when he inevitably tries to get in his way.
As likely as it is that Luffy can beat Lucci, there’s no telling just how or when it will happen. Assuming the Egghead Arc is meant to last at least another year, they’ll probably have to meet up again to have their real rematch. And then Luffy will beat him.
