In One Piece, there have been countless moments where I genuinely thought that this is it forMonkey D. Luffy. These are moments when Luffy was beaten to the brink of death or was outmatched by his opponents.
Moreover, there have been many times his enemies should have won, but they have failed to put him away for good. This is because Luffy possesses a strong will and has the innate ability to never give up, especially when there is a lot at stake.
In this vein, here are some villains who could have won against Luffy if not for his willpower.
7Charlotte Katakuri
Luffy’s Moment of Evolution
Anyone who remembers or wants to relive one of the best moments in the Whole Cake Island arc would definitely think about Luffy versus Katakuri. At that moment, Katakuri is stronger, andhis observation hakiis so advanced that he could literally see into the future.
His attacks were sharper and faster, so Luffy had to improve his haki and attacks mid-battle to outclass him. Katakuri beat Luffy so much that he tossed him around like an average fighter; despite this, the Straw Hat captain stood up bleeding and with more determination.
However, as the fight continued, Luffy began to match his haki, and even Katakuri had no choice but to acknowledge his resolve. One of the greatest highlights of the fight was when Katakuri stabbed himself after injuring Luffy at the moment of distraction.
The encounter is unforgettable because, despite how close Luffy came to defeat, he evolved during the fight and grew stronger.
The God Who Could Not BreakLuffy’s Spirit
Enel was a strong villain, and his Goro Goro no Mi devil fruit made him more formidable; however, Luffy’s rubber body was immune to his lightning attacks. Even with Luffy’s immunity against his lightning attacks, he still could have lost.
InSkypiea, Enel had a mantra, a great observation Haki that made him dodge all Luffy’s attacks with ease. However, Luffy’s determination to ring the golden bell and stop Enel’s oppression fueled his determination to beat the god-like being.
Luffy fought with grit and instinct, and even though Enel should have won, Luffy’s willpower won.
5Donquixote Doflamingo
Luffy Survived The Treacherous King Of Dressrosa’s Awakening
Doflamingo was a warlord, a former celestial dragon, and a criminal overlord with underworld ties to the powerful Kaido. When I discovered what Doflamingo had done to the people of Dressrosa, the fight felt personal to me, just as it did to Luffy.
Luffy was the only person that could free the country from slavery and the people’s impending death from Doflamingo’s cage of strings. At some point, Doflamingo’s power outmatched Luffy until Gear 4, Boundman, changed the tide of the fight.
When Gear 4 ran out and Luffy collapsed, I remembered holding my breath because I felt it was over. However, Luffy’s unrelenting stubbornness and ability to keep fighting, not just for himself but for others, won the day once again.
The King of the Beast Pirates Lost To Something He Did Not Understand
The King of the Beast Pirates is not called the strongest creature alive for nothing, and he showed this when he knocked out Luffy with one hit of his kanabo club. Afterward, duringthe Onigashima raid, Kaido kept asserting dominance in every encounter.
When Luffy figured out a new type of haki and fought beside Yamato, and alongside Zoro, Law, and Kid, Kaido still stood tall. Every time Luffy rose, Kaido repeatedly put him down.
By all logic, Kaido should have won the fight. However, Luffy’s will kept him going against Kaido for a long time, and he pushed himself to the limit until a moment of distraction and a huge blow from Kaido killed him.
However, even when Kaido killed Luffy, his death awakened his devil fruit power, and that was the end of Kaido.
3Crocodile
Two Defeats In A Row, But Luffy Still Pulls Through
In the Alabasta arc, Luffy’s first fight against Crocodile left the Straw Hat captain impaled and buried under sand. If Nico Robin had not stepped in to pull Luffy out of the sand, this might have been the end of his journey.
Yet, after the harrowing ordeal, Luffy still faced Crocodile, but this time with a trick to tackle Crocodile’s Suna Suna no Mi devil fruit. Even with Luffy’s trick, Crocodile still won by drying out the water in his body.
However, Crocodile does not know that no one can kill Luffy’s will because he always finds a way to get back up. Finally, Luffy won the third fight, because he refused to give up.
2Rob Lucci
A New Power Upgrade Did Not Save The CP0 Agent
Luffy lost badly to Lucci at Water 7, and when the Straw Hats journeyed to Enies Lobby to saveNico Robin, I could not help but wonder how Luffy would come back from the defeat. At Enies Lobby, Lucci transformed into a leopard due to his zoan devil fruit, and it felt like the gap between him and Luffy had widened.
Moreover, in Enies Lobby, Luffy fights for Robin, who wants to live for the first time in her life. Robin’s declaration was the spark that lit the fire in Luffy, and he knew that winning against Lucci was a make or break.
Luffy used all his strength and pushed himself beyond his limits against Lucci, and the near-death battle ended with Luffy winning due to his resilience and the stakes at hand.
When Death Was Inches Away, Luffy Fought On
Magellan’s Venom-Venom fruit makes him a terrifying opponent, and every attack he throws is fatal. At Impel Down prison, Magellan poisoned Luffy from the inside out, making his body almost shut down.
However, withBon Clay’sintervention, Ivankov’s miracle hormone treatment, and Luffy’s resilience, the Straw Hat captain survived the ordeal.
Also, during another confrontation against Magellan, Luffy could withstand some of his poison. Hence, at the right moment, he was able to evade and outmaneuver him with the help of other prisoners.
While Luffy did not technically win against the prison warden as he did against the likes of Crocodile and Doflamingo, among others, he was able to survive and evade Magellan’s poisons because of his strong will.
7 One Piece Arcs With Best Fights
From emotional duels to era-defining clashes, these 7 One Piece fights stand among the best.
