5 One Piece characters King can defeat (& 5 he can't)

King "The Wildfire", Kaido
King "The Wildfire", Kaido's right hand man and the second strongest member of the Beasts Pirates (Image via Eiichiro Oda/Shueisha, One Piece)

In the Wano Arc, One Piece fans were introduced to King, Kaido's right-hand man and his strongest and most loyal subordinate. Having noticed his strength, Kaido recruited him as his second in command and assigned him the name "King", as a substitute for his real name, Alber. He is seemingly the last surviving member of one of the Lunarians, a mysterious lost race.

Owing to the flame on his back, King can endure devastating strikes without receiving any kind of damage, or trade some of his durability for a noticeable increase in speed. He can create and manipulate fire to perform destructive attacks at every range, an ability which granted him the moniker of "Wildfire". His flames are akin to magma, which is much stronger than normal fire.

King possesses remarkable Armament Haki and swordsmanship. He ate an Ancient Zoan Devil Fruit, the Dragon-Dragon Model: Pteranodon, which allows him to fly at extremely high speed and unleash attacks with enough power to destroy large pieces of Onigashima. His pteranodon wings are so tough that they can block attacks that previously cut Kaido's dragon scales.

This thread will list five One Piece characters King can definitely beat and five that he would certainly lose against.

Disclaimer: This article contains major spoilers from the One Piece manga up to Chapter 1058 and reflects the writer's personal views.


Josu, Magellan and more: Five One Piece who can easily be overpowered by King

1) Portuguese D. Ace

"Fire Fist" Portuguese D. Ace (Image via Eiichiro Oda/Shueisha, One Piece)
"Fire Fist" Portuguese D. Ace (Image via Eiichiro Oda/Shueisha, One Piece)

Known as "Fire Fist" all around the world, Portuguese D. Ace was the son of Gol D. Roger, the Pirate King. After being adopted by Monkey D. Garp as his grandson, Ace became the adoptive brother of Luffy and Sabo.

Being the commander of the Second Division of the Whitebeard Pirates, Ace was one of the most vital members of the crew. Despite his young age, he was an influential pirate in the New World. He even received an invitation to join the Seven Warlords of the Sea. Ace owned the powers of the Flame-Flame Fruit, a Logia-class Devil Fruit which allowed him to transform his body into fire and unleash fire attacks.

Despite his great potential, Ace is completely outclassed against King. Not only has Kaido's right-hand man shown much greater physical capabilities, but he also wields the magma-like nature of the Lunarian fire which can completely dwarf Ace's fire attacks. In fact, in the One Piece world, normal flames, such as the one created by the Flame-Flame Fruit, are weaker than magma.

After a fierce battle on Banaro Island, Ace was defeated and captured by Blackbeard. Trying to save Luffy from Admiral Akainu, "Fire Fist" sacrificed his life during the Paramount War.


2) Queen

Queen "The Plague" (Image via Toei Animation, One Piece)
Queen "The Plague" (Image via Toei Animation, One Piece)

Queen is a scientist known as "The Plague" for his manufactured deadly viruses. A former member of MADS, an unauthorized research team, he eventually joined Beasts Pirates and became one of the All Stars.

The Dragon-Dragon Fruit Model: Brachiosaurus grants Queen toughness, durability and physical strength. He enhanced his body with several high-tech mechanisms and weapons, such as laser beams and extendable limbs. Queen was able to overwhelm Sanji at first, but he was outclassed and defeated when the latter awakened his genetic enhancements.

For obvious reasons, Queen doesn't stand a chance in battle against King, who is his superior. King is the officially confirmed second strongest individual in the Beasts Pirates, and is an extremely fast and mobile character who can fly at high speed to dodge incoming attacks. In comparison, Queen is very static, meaning that he would get hit by his colleague's deadly magma-like Lunarian fire moves.

Queen often bickers with King, but in dire moments they manage to collaborate. He even praised and admired King's Lunarian powers and deemed him to be a monster capable of surviving any kind of situation.


3) Jozu

"Diamond" Jozu (Image via Eiichiro Oda/Shueisha, One Piece)
"Diamond" Jozu (Image via Eiichiro Oda/Shueisha, One Piece)

Jozu is the former Commander of the Third Division of the Whitebeard Pirates. Among One Piece fans, he is widely considered to be the third strongest member of the crew, below Newgate and Marco, and possibly above Ace and Vista.

Jozu's physical strength is incredible. He has one of the greatest lifting feats in the entire One Piece series. Having eaten the Twinkle-Twinkle Fruit, he can transform his body into diamond, an ability that allowed him to block a slash from Dracule Mihawk, the world's strongest swordsman. During the Marineford battle, Jozu fought against Admiral Aokiji, but ended up defeated and even lost his right arm.

Jozu is a strong figher in his own right, but he can't hope to win a fight against King, who is comparable to Marco. With his speed and flawless mobility, King would dodge any incoming charge. If he ever was to get hit, the Lunarian powers would allow him to shrug off the damage, granting him pseudo invulnerability. On the other hand, he can roast Jozu alive, as diamonds are weak against burns.

Following their brutal defeat against the Blackbeard Pirates, the remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates dissolved. Jozu's current whereabouts and his condition are still unknown.


4) Sanji Vinsmoke

"Black Leg" Sanji (Image via Eiichiro Oda/Shueisha, One Piece)
"Black Leg" Sanji (Image via Eiichiro Oda/Shueisha, One Piece)

Sanji Vinsmoke is the cook and the third strongest member of the Straw Hat Pirates. He only uses his legs to fight and usually challenges the third most powerful combatant from the enemy's side. After awakening his family's genetic enhancements, Sanji increased his physical parameters and unlocked the Ifrit Jambe, a further stage of his previous Diable Jambe flaming kicks.

With his newfound powers, Sanji defeated Queen. Unfortunately, that wouldn't be enough to win against King, who is Queen's superior in the Beasts Pirates. King is so strong that Sanji would need to use his Ifrit Jambe just to fight on the same grounds as him. Not being able to maintain that technique for more than a few moments before quickly tiring himself, he would thus end up overpowered.

Sanji's genetically enhanced physique, albeit being remarkably tough, doesn't hold a candle to King's tough pteranodon wings and his almost invulnerable Lunarian body. In One Piece's final arcs, Sanji could possibly reach and even surpass King's level, but at the moment, he doesn't seem fully prepared to fight against an opponent who can only be defeated by an all-powerful Advanced Conqueror Haki.


5) Magellan

Magellan (Image via Toei Animation, One Piece)
Magellan (Image via Toei Animation, One Piece)

Magellan is the vice-warden of Impel Down, the greatest prison of the World Government. He was formerly ranked as the chief warden, but he demoted himself after there was a mass escape from the prison. Prior to that, Impel Down had gained a reputation for being impenetrable and inescapable, mostly thanks to Magellan's deadly powers which no prisoner dared to challenge.

Magellan is a dangerous individual, who even former members of the Seven Warlords such as Crocodile and Jinbe were worried about fighting. Overall, he was as strong as Shiryu of the Rain before the latter joined the Blackbeard Pirates. The main source of Magellan's strength is the Venom-Venom Fruit, which allows him to create and control poison.

In a fight, Magellan would most likely lose to King. The latter's Lunarian powers could possibly grant invulnerability even to poison, at least until the flame on his back is activated. In any case, he could fight from long range, to minimize any kind of risk. During the Impel Down Arc, Magellan's poison seemed to have a weakness against fire, making him likely to be overwhelmed by King's magma-like fire attacks.


Five One Piece characters who are too strong for King

1) Roronoa Zoro

"Pirate Hunter" Roronoa Zoro (Image via Eiichiro Oda/Shueisha, One Piece)
"Pirate Hunter" Roronoa Zoro (Image via Eiichiro Oda/Shueisha, One Piece)

The "Pirate Hunter" Roronoa Zoro is the Strawhat Pirates' first mate and Luffy's right-hand man. Just like Luffy, Zoro is one of the Eleven Supernovas, the mightiest rookie pirates. His goal is to surpass Dracule Mihawk and become the World's Strongest Swordsman. As the One Piece author Eiichiro Oda recently confirmed, he is the indisputed second strongest individual among the Strawhats.

Given Zoro's outstanding endurance, speed and physical strength, he makes for a very powerful fighter. He is a strong Haki master, who unleashes his power through his three Graded Swords, performing destructive and lethal attacks. During the Wano Arc, Zoro was able to block the Emperors' combined attack and wound Kaido, leaving him with a scar. Later, he started fighting a fierce battle against King.

At the beginning King was on the winning side, but he ended up completely overpowered when Zoro understood his powers and unlocked the all-powerful Advanced Conqueror Haki. Their fight, as a battle between two right-hand men who deeply believe in their captain, remains memorable. However, if they were to clash again, King would find himself quickly outclassed against Zoro.


2) Oden Kozuki

Oden Kozuki (Image via Toei Animation, One Piece)
Oden Kozuki (Image via Toei Animation, One Piece)

Oden was a powerful swordsman and Haki master. He wielded two blades: Enma and Ame No Habakiri. Oden was not only the leader of a group of samurai - the Red Scabbards - but was also an influential pirate who sailed with two of the greatest crews ever: the Whitebeard Pirates and the Roger Pirates. Even individuals such as Roger, Whitebeard, and Kaido deeply respected him, which is a testament to his strength,

Oden was strong enough to fight on equal grounds against Kaido, the Yonko known as the strongest creature in the world. He was besting him, and ended up losing only because of an unfair distraction. Kaido was so impressed by his power that even many years later he considers Oden to be a pirate of the same caliber as Shanks, Xebec, Roger, and Whitebeard.

While King, being an Emperor's right-hand man, is a very strong fighter in his own right, he just can't win against someone who was powerful enough to fight on par with his captain. King found himself outclassed when Zoro unleashed his Advanced Conqueror Haki, meaning that he wouldn't stand a chance against Oden, who is possibly even stronger than Zoro was during that fight.


3) Silvers Rayleigh

"Dark King" Silvers Rayleigh (Image via Eiichiro Oda/Shueisha, One Piece)
"Dark King" Silvers Rayleigh (Image via Eiichiro Oda/Shueisha, One Piece)

Known and feared throughout the entire One Piece world as the Dark King, Silvers Rayleigh is the former first mate and vice-captain of the Roger Pirates. Being a close right-hand man of the Pirate King, he is a man that very few characters can compete with. Garp, one of the most influential figures in the Old Era of One Piece, considers Rayleigh a living legend and even compared him to Whitebeard.

After Roger's death, Rayleigh retired from piracy and got rusty due to inactivity and old age. However, he remained strong enough to fight on par with Admiral Kizaru. This could suggest that, in his prime, Rayleigh was a fighter stronger than the Admirals. This makes sense given his status as a powerful swordsman and Haki master capable of using the rare Conqueror Haki.

Even as an old man, Rayleigh can hold his own against an Admiral, making him a character above King's paygrade. If Rayleigh's younger self was considered, there's little doubt that, King would find himself immediately overwhelmed against the prime version of the man who was the number two of Gol D. Roger.


4) Akainu

Sakazuki "Akainu" (Image via Eiichiro Oda/Shueisha, One Piece)
Sakazuki "Akainu" (Image via Eiichiro Oda/Shueisha, One Piece)

Better known by his moniker "Akainu", Sakazuki is a former Marine admiral and the current Fleet Admiral, making him one of the strongest characters in the One Piece series. He is a follower of Absolute Justice, a strict philosophy which places the eradication of all evil and illegal activities at the highest priority. Before the time skip, Akainu had challenged his colleague Aokiji to a fight in order to decide the next Fleet Admiral.

The two Admirals confronted each other in a ten-day-long fierce battle. Eventually, Akainu emerged as the winner and took the office of Fleet Admiral. He proved himself to be a capable leader who consolidated the power and prestige of the Marines. Akainu is a dangerous fighter, whose mere presence is enough to intimidate a pirate of Blackbeard's caliber.

King won't be able to inflict any damage on Akainu, who has immense endurance and physical strength, to the point of being able to tank several attacks from an enraged Whitebeard, a Yonko hailed as the World's Strongest Man. With the lethal powers of Mag-Mag Fruit, which allow him to burn and melt everything in his path, Akainu would overpower King's Lunarian fire and defeat him rather easily.


5) Dracule Mihawk

"Hawk Eyes" Dracule Mihawk (Image via Eiichiro Oda/Shueisha, One Piece)
"Hawk Eyes" Dracule Mihawk (Image via Eiichiro Oda/Shueisha, One Piece)

Former Warlord Dracule Mihawk, world-renowned as "Hawk Eyes" and "Marine Hunter", is an extraordinarily powerful fighter. Holding the title of the World's Strongest Swordsman and being a man who is at least as strong as Shanks, there's little doubt that Mihawk is one of the most powerful One Piece characters. The famous battles between him and Shanks are remembered as legendary clashes.

Despite deliberately appearing as an executive of the organization, Mihawk is the co-founder of Cross Guild. If he wanted, he could have become a Yonko, but he is not interested in that, and wants to live peacefully without being too much in the spotlight. As the strongest swordsman in the One Piece world, Mihawk possesses outstanding agility, strength and Haki mastery, plus unparalleled swordsmanship.

Being overpowered against current Zoro, there's no way that King can pose a threat to Mihawk, who will be at the very least comparable to a much stronger version of Zoro, challenging him in a life-and-death close battle for the World's Strongest Swordsman title. After a few exchanges of blows, Mihawk would just blitz King and use his Black Blade Yoru to cut through him, without leaving him any chance.


Final thoughts

Being the second strongest man after the captain in a Yonko crew, King is a powerful individual who can defeat most One Piece characters. However, even he has limits. For example, although he is a strong Armament Haki user, he doesn't possess any kind of Haki at an advanced stage.

After showcasing his abilities in the Wano Arc, where he proved himself to be one of the most prominent antagonists, King is unlikely to receive further screen time in the One Piece series. However, some fans have speculated that he could reappear to explain the secrets of the seemingly lost Lunarian race.

Owing to his injury and weakness that followed his brutal defeat at the hands of Zoro, King was easily bested by Admiral Ryokugyu. This seems to prove that, while being indisputably stronger than most characters at Yonko Commander level, King pales in comparison to Admiral level and Yonko level fighters.

Quick Links

Edited by Upasya Bhowal
Sportskeeda logo
Close menu
WWE
WWE
NBA
NBA
NFL
NFL
MMA
MMA
Tennis
Tennis
NHL
NHL
Golf
Golf
MLB
MLB
Soccer
Soccer
F1
F1
WNBA
WNBA
More
More
bell-icon Manage notifications