One of One Piece’s most iconic factions, let’s reexamine who the seven Warlords of the Sea are and exactly what makes them so cool.
After Gold Roger’s execution and the Great Pirate Era began, swarms of new pirates cropped up everywhere. The Marines of One Piece were responsible for driving back those pirates — no small feat, given how many there are. The world was changing, and the Marines had to change with it if they were going to maintain power. Meanwhile, the Four Emperors of the New World were just beginning to establish their power and territory; the World Government created a system consisting of the Seven Warlords of the Sea in response to the growing number of pirates.
Seven different pirate crews would have their crimes pardoned and their bounties nullified. They were free to go about their goals, as long as this doesn’t directly interfere with Marine Headquarters or World Government interests. Essentially, they are the One Piece version of privateers. Warlords are expected to perform any tasks assigned to them, such as when Bartholomew Kuma was ordered to kill the Straw Hat Pirates on Thriller Bark, as well as obey summons by the Government in times of crisis, such as the execution of Portgaz D. Ace. This principle has gotten those who take the title of Warlord the moniker of “Government Dogs” by other pirates, as they throw away their pride as a swashbuckler in favor of government protection.
Who Are the Seven Warlords of the Sea?
The first Warlord, Dracula Mihawk, was introduced in Chapter 50 — when he destroyed Don Krieg’s ship and then battled with Zoro. However, readers didn’t get a proper explanation of the Seven Warlords system until chapter 69 by Yosaku, who off-handedly mentions Jimbei — a character who doesn’t make his true appearance until Impel Down. The Warlords are essentially the One Piece version of privateers. Privateers were approved pirates employed by old European nations to plunder and attacks ships, colonies and other pirates.
There are 11 known characters in One Piece who have held the title of Warlord at one point or another. However, the seven most recognizable Warlords are as follows: Dracula “Hawk-Eye” Mihawk, “The Tyrant” Bartholomew Kuma, Boa Hancock the Pirate Empress, Sir Crocodile, Gecko Moria, “First Son of the Sea” Jimbei and “Heavenly Yaksha” Donquiotxte Doflamingo. A few other characters would later hold the title of Warlord for a period of time, including “Surgeon of Death” Trafalgar Law, Buggy the Clown, Marshall D. Teach and Edward Weevil.
Interestingly, each Warlord has a specific reason for taking the title, noble or otherwise. For instance, Boa Hancock uses her title of Warlord to maintain her home, Amazon Lily, as a closed-off nation where the World Government or Marines can’t impose their authority on her people. Jimbei likewise took the position of Warlord as an act of good faith, believing it could strengthen relations between Fishman and Humans in the future.
The Actions of the Seven Warlords Led to Their Nullification
More villainous Warlords like Crocodile or Doflamingo use their position to go about their ambitions in their respective kingdoms without fear of government investigation. Even Buggy the Clown was able to make use of his new Warlord position; after the time skip, Buggy started Buggy’s Delivery Service — a mercenary guild conducted by Buggy and his crew that dispatches powerful pirates and warriors to any country or group willing to pay.
Despite the Warlords becoming almost a mainstay of One Piece, the system would eventually be nullified. At the most recent Revery, the topic was brought forth whether the Seven Warlords system should be dissolved due to the actions of Crocodile, Doflamingo and Blackbeard. It was thus decided, and all remaining Warlords were stripped of their status and their bounties reinstated in Chapter 956. Following this, Marines were deployed to all former Warlords’ current locations, including Boa Hancock, Mihawk and Weevil, to either capture or eliminate their targets.
Src: cbr.com
