In the world of One Piece, numerous forces contend for the right to rule over the seas. Among them, three major forces are greatly feared — the Marines, the Seven Warlords (also known as the Shichibukai) and the Four Emperors. Both the Shichibukai and the Four Emperors are renowned terrors of the seas, but the former choose to serve the World Government. As the title suggests, the Seven Warlords are a group of seven powerful and notorious pirate captains who have been granted special privileges by the World Government. These privileges include a pardon for past crimes, as well as immunity from prosecution and the ability to act independently of the Marines. The catch, of course, is that they are at the World Government’s beck and call.
Since they are the World Government’s attack dogs, it goes without saying that each Warlord possesses terrifying fighting prowess. They may not be as strong as the Emperors, but each Warlord can easily handle the majority of pirate crews in One Piece. Among them is the Desert King Crocodile. However, while it’s undeniable that he is a strong pirate, it’s also true that he was beaten by an unripe Luffy. Luffy was yet to discover his Gears, Haki and Awakening during his bout with Crocodile, but even so, the Rubber Man managed to bury Crocodile in the sand. Looking at it in retrospect, did Crocodile deserve the title of Warlord?
Crocodile Has One of the Strongest Abilities in One Piece
It’s common knowledge among One Piece fans that Logia Devil Fruits trump the average Paramecia and Zoan Devil Fruit. After all, they allow their wielder to turn into certain elements, making them immune to physical attacks. Crocodile’s Sand-Sand Fruit is no exception to that. His Devil Fruit not only grants him the ability to turn his body into sand but also allows him to absorb any moisture his hand touches. The terror of this ability is further highlighted by the fact that other Logias only have the ability to turn into and manipulate their respective elements. It may be because of how powerful his Devil Fruit power is that Crocodile has over-relied on it. Pre-time skip, Luffy beating him up is proof of that.
Even so, that doesn’t make Crocodile weak. Crocodile has defeated Luffy twice, both times almost killing the esteemed Straw Hat. Luffy only managed to survive because he is Luffy. In addition to that, Crocodile’s Devil Fruit power shines the brightest in large-scale battles. One perfectly-timed Desert Spada can literally take out an entire army, and he has proven that his Sables can get strong enough to terrorize entire villages. Crocodile can also absorb the moisture in objects, turning them into sand, and he is adept enough with this attack that he can easily make a large area cave in whenever he wants to.
What Makes Crocodile Truly Terrifying Is His Cunning
Crocodile’s true strength lies in his mind. He may not be the strongest in terms of fighting prowess, but he’s certainly one of the smartest characters in the series. After all, he created an entire criminal syndicate complete with an organizational chart without his subordinates knowing his true identity. However, the best exemplar of his genius is his ploy to usurp the Kingdom of Alabasta. To achieve that goal, Crocodile concocted a complex plan that involved creating a drought in Alabasta, threatening the kingdom’s agriculture and causing widespread panic among the people. He then offered his assistance to the kingdom, using his identity as a Warlord to build a heroic facade. He gained the public’s trust by fending off pirates and defending the kingdom from various threats, all while secretly manipulating the events in Alabasta to further his own goal.
Crocodile first robbed the desert kingdom of its rain by using a banned substance known as Dance Powder. When not a single raindrop could be seen falling on the land of Alabasta, he further terrorized the people by sending in sandstorms. He later revealed the existence of the Dance Powder, but he pinned the blame on Alabasta’s king, Nefertari Cobra. Once the citizens’ disapproval of the royal family was rife, Crocodile fanned the flames of civil war by providing support to the rebels. As if that was not enough, Crocodile also planted numerous spies among both the Royal Army and the rebels whose job was to keep the two sides fighting one another.
Crocodile Is a Victim of Happenstance
Crocodile’s plan was nothing short of perfect. He had numerous backup plans should anything have gone awry. It just so happened that all the stars in One Piece aligned to ensure his plan wouldn’t succeed. The three major culprits of his downfall were Nico Robin, Monkey D. Luffy and Nefertari Vivi. If either one of these three happened to be absent, Crocodile’s plan would have undeniably succeeded.
As has already been established, Crocodile’s Devil Fruit power makes him one of the strongest characters in the series. It’s just that Luffy’s persistence and ability to learn through battles are much more astounding than Crocodile’s fighting prowess. Even so, Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates alone couldn’t have defeated the former Warlord. Crocodile has almost killed Luffy twice, and the only reason Luffy survived is thanks to Robin’s help and sheer luck. Robin’s contribution to the debacle was that she deliberately lied to Crocodile about the Poneglyph’s content, resulting in Crocodile’s entire plan ending in failure.
Even after Crocodile’s defeat, his terror continues. The former Warlord planted a bomb that would obliterate everybody within a few-kilometer radius, including his own subordinates. It was ultimately stopped with Vivi’s understanding of the kingdom’s geography, as well as her rowdy upbringing. Of course, Pell the Falcon’s supposed sacrifice was also indispensable. After all, Crocodile is one sly animal, making sure that the bomb would detonate one way or the other. If that happened, then Alabasta would no longer be a kingdom in One Piece.