One Piece episode 1101: Why does Rob Lucci hate Luffy so much? Explained

One Piece has featured several rivalries between opposing factions since its debut. Although many of these rivalries like Luffy vs Katakuri have gone on to establish themselves as some of the greatest of all time, earlier rivalries like Lucci vs Luffy ended up becoming much more than that.

Lucci first tasted his defeat at the hands of Luffy in One Piece episode 309 of the anime and this ended up triggering the former's deep hatred towards Luffy. This persisted till his second encounter and defeat by Luffy in episode 1101.

Disclaimer- This article contains spoilers for the One Piece series.

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One Piece: Luffy broke Lucci's worldview and ideology

Rob Lucci as shown in the One Piece anime (Image via Toei Animation)

Rob Lucci's hatred towards Luffy is fueled by his bitterness and pride. He believes that Luffy is a "mere pirate," and being defeated by him is absurd and contradictory to his ideology and personality. Lucci holds a strong sense of perverted justice similar to Akainu's extremism, believing that anyone who opposes the World Government's interests should be destroyed.

Lucci enforces this ideology through "Dark Justice," considering it a necessary evil to maintain order. His superiority complex, stemming from his title as the strongest CP9 agent, leads him to have a low tolerance for insults and a refusal to acknowledge defeat.

Lucci's personal vendetta against Luffy began when the latter defeated him two years ago. Unable to accept that a pirate defeated him, Lucci disregarded warnings and protocols to seek a rematch. Despite losing again, he stubbornly refused to acknowledge Luffy's power or status as an Emperor of the Sea, initially denying Luffy's victory over Kaidou.

Lucci's pride appears to border on childishness, as he cannot reconcile his defeat with his belief in his own superiority.

Luffy as shown in the One Piece anime (Image via Toei Animation)

His hatred towards Luffy stems from the clash between his ideology and the reality of his defeat. Lucci's position as the strongest CP9 agent fuels his belief in his invincibility, making Luffy's victory a direct challenge to his ego. This ignites Lucci's hatred for Luffy, as he cannot stand the idea of a weaker opponent besting him. Luffy represents everything Lucci despises - weakness, defiance, and a challenge to authority.

Lucci's entire worldview and ideology are based on a perverse sense of justice and a superiority complex, which are further fueled by his disdain for weaklings and pirates.

Lucci's initial defeat at the hands of Luffy managed to break his ideology to the point that he no longer acknowledges his defeats, triggering a deep-seated resentment towards him. This resentment drives Lucci to defeat Luffy and regain his sense of superiority.

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Final thoughts

CP0 unit as shown in the One Piece anime (Image via Toei Animation)

Although Lucci and Luffy's rematch was highly anticipated in the Egghead Island arc, it simply reestablished the overwhelming power difference between them. In the manga, Lucci soon clashed with Zoro while the rest of the Straw Hat crew fought Saturn.

The story is subtly shifting Lucci's focus away from Luffy, pitting him against Luffy's allies. It's possible that Lucci encounters the Straw Hat crew again and gets defeated by Usopp during the Elbaf story arc. This will serve as character development for Usopp, fulfilling a request from fans.