One Piece: How Much Has Luffy Changed Since Season 1?

From his introduction up until the latest arc, the protagonist of the One Piece series, Monkey D. Luffy, has undergone significant changes. These changes have not only been seen in his abilities but also in his determination to achieve his goals and his interactions with other characters.

Right from the beginning, Luffy has always been a happy-go-lucky character. However, as the Straw Hat captain has faced many life-or-death battles, some may argue that his demeanor has developed a somewhat more serious undertone. While some may argue against this, the Straw Hat captain has evolved throughout the series in various ways.

The Adventurous Beginnings of Monkey D. Luffy

The Young Naive Captain Sets Out

After his run-in with Shanks and the red-haired pirates, Luffy ate the Gomu Gomu no Mi devil fruit, becoming a rubber human, and decided to become a pirate. As he grew up, Luffy continually trained to master his devil fruit abilities and set out when he was 17, thus beginning his many pirating adventures. As a new young pirate, Luffy was relatively weaker than the big names of the sea, naive, and easily trusting. He always followed his instincts and did things on a whim.

Shortly after becoming a pirate, Luffy began gathering his crewmates. As Luffy recruited more crewmates, the Straw Hats gained notoriety. After a few adventures, Luffy confronted his first big bad in Arabasta; Crocodile. Defeating Crocodile was no small feat, as Luffy was left for dead three different times, with him only surviving due to a strain of lucky events. In the end, Luffy defeats Crocodile by figuring out the weakness of his Sand Sand fruit, using his blood as a liquid, which allows him to hit Crocodile. In this arc, Luffy forms a bond with Princess Vivi Nefertari of Arabasta and helps her save her country from civil unrest.

From Naive Pirate to Seasoned Captain

Luffy Becomes Able To Make Tough Decisions

During Luffy’s battle against Crocodile, the Straw Hat captain and his crew mates saw significant developments in their way of thinking and abilities. Luffy could not defeat Crocodile simply by having a hard punch and had to earnestly rack his brains, figure out Crocodile’s weaknesses, and then exploit them.

This was a moment in which Luffy truly began to leave his naive ways and become seasoned in the pirate world. After defeating Crocodile in Arabasta, Luffy went on various other adventures that showcased his growth as a seasoned captain. In Water 7, Luffy had to accept the faith of the Going Merry and opt for another ship. A decision a member of his crew (Usopp) was against. This led to a battle between Luffy and Usopp, with Luffy coming out on top and having the willpower and mental toughness to leave the sniper out of his crew. This was a moment in which Luffy almost broke down, but with crew members like Zoro at his side, the Straw Hat captain could not falter and was required to make harsh but necessary decisions.

In addition, Luffy was able to let go of a member of his crew if said member went against his orders. Luffy also shows great growth in Sabaody Archipelago. Before that, Luffy had always beaten all his enemies with the sheer power of will and determination. By simply striking, falling, and getting back up again and again, the Straw Hat captain had won many battles; it seemed like a trope.

Unfortunately, the enemies he met at Sabaody could not be defeated by sheer willpower, as they outclassed him in every way. Ultimately, Rayleigh had to save Luffy from Kizaru, and Luffy had to make the tough decision of running away to get stronger, as they couldn’t get past the enemies in front of them.

Strength And Abilities: Assessing Luffy’s Power Progression Over Seasons

From Gear Second To Gear Fifth

Apart from becoming more seasoned as a pirate captain, Luffy has also dramatically grown his abilities since he first set out. Initially, Luffy was thought to simply have the Gomu Gomu no Mi, and even with its abilities, he managed to become a pirate captain worth over a billion berries. From his basic abilities to gear second, third, and eventually fourth, Luffy had truly grown his abilities to match the big names of the new world. However, with the Wano arc, Luffy’s abilities evolved even further, and it was revealed that his devil fruit was not the Gomu Gomu no Mi but the Mythical Zoan Human Human fruit: model Nika. With Gear Fifth (the awakening of his devil fruit), Luffy shows that he has truly grown throughout the series.

The Straw Hat Captain Remains The Wild Person He Is

At His Core, Luffy Remains The Same

Throughout the series, Luffy has without a doubt grown. In terms of abilities, the Straw Hat captain is nowhere near where he was at the beginning of the series. With Gear 5th and his haki, Luffy stands as one of the most powerful characters in One Piece today.

While the Straw Hat captain has undoubtedly matured throughout the series, he remains the same wild, untamed person he always was. Of course, Luffy is more keen on danger; however, most of the things he does are on a whim and dependent on his mood. Overall, Luffy has changed a lot throughout the series in the sense that he’s grown; however, the persona he embodies at his core has remained the same.

One Piece is available to stream on Crunchyroll.