Last Time on One Piece: As Spandam taunts Robin with the threat of the Buster Call, Robin tries to warn him of the danger of using it, and a flashback of Robin's past on the island of Ohara commences. As a child, Robin is ostracized by the other children on the island, and neglected by her aunt. Luckily though, Robin finds solace with a group of archaeological experts who study the history of the world. However, after passing her test to become an archaeologist, Robin questions them about the "Void Century". The group informs Robin that it must never be known that they were researching it. Robin runs off and encounters a giant that washed up on the beach named Jaguar D. Saul. The two quickly become friends and Saul suggests that, whenever Robin feels sad, she should try laughing to make herself feel better. Off in the distance, CP9 is about to arrive on the island.
Okay guys, so the vote is unanimous that I should continue the One Piece Character Catch-up segment. That being said, from now on, I'm not going to force it on myself. If I have enough time and I'm not busy with other things, I'll do them, and I'll try to keep it to a minimum of once every other week.
So anyway, let's pick things back up and look at perhaps the most iconic and most loved/loathed villain in all of One Piece:
CROCODILE
Crocodile is a former member of the Seven Warlords of the Sea and the main antagonist of the Alabasta story arc. He is also the former leader of the Baroque Works organization, whose members the Strawhats fought during their adventures in Whiskey Peak, Little Garden, and ultimately in Alabasta. Within Baroque Works, his alias was Mr. 0.
The Strawhats did not officially encounter Crocodile until their arrival in Alabasta, but his presence was known and felt well before then. When Vivi initially joined the Strawhats, she informed them that she knew that Crocodile was the head of Baroque Works and that he was plotting to take over her country, Alabasta, and turn it into an "ideal nation". The Strawhats then made it their goal to go to Alabasta and stop Crocodile's plans.
When the Strawhats arrived in Alabasta, Crocodile's plan to take over the country was already well under way. Using his Devil Fruit powers, he created sandstorms to dry out all the water in the country and make it appear as if Nefertari Cobra, the King of Alabasta, was hoarding water, which would then ignite a civil war. Ironically though, with his status as a Warlord and the tangible results of him driving away pirates from the kingdom, the citizens of Alabasta saw Crocodile as a hero.
Crocodile met with the elite members of Baroque Works at his base in Rain Dinners, where he gave them their final orders that would allow him to take over Alabasta. He was then met with the arrival of the Strawhats, Vivi, and Smoker, all of whom fell into a trap he had laid. He then left them all to die in a room that was steadily being filled with water and giant Bananagators. However, they all managed to escape and, soon after, Luffy and Crocodile had their first confrontation. Unfortunately, Luffy was outmatched by the Warlord and, after stabbing him through the chest, Crocodile left Luffy for dead in the desert.
Crocodile then went to Alubarna, the capital city, to carry out his plan, but his efforts were continuously impeded by the Strawhats. He was soon met again by Luffy, who had survived their previous fight, but again Crocodile managed to gain the upper hand. Crocodile, along with his accomplice Nico Robin (who had the alias Miss All-Sunday at the time) and Cobra, then made his way to an underground chamber, which contained a Poneglyph that Crocodile believed held the secret of the Ancient Weapon Pluton. However, Robin, who was meant to translate the Poneglyph, claimed that it contained no information regarding Pluton. Correctly believing that Robin had betrayed him, Crocodile stabbed her.
Soon after, Crocodile was once again met by Luffy and the two had their final showdown. Both combatants fought fiercely, using every method and trick at their disposal, as the chaos of the civil war reigned outside. In one final maneuver, Luffy knocked Crocodile into air and bombarded him with his fierce Gum-Gum Storm attack, making him burst from the underground chamber through a solid layer of bedrock, and Crocodile was decidedly defeated.
His plans thwarted, Crocodile was apprehended by the Marines and stripped of his Warlord title. He has not been seen since.
Crocodile is a cold, calculating, and ingenious man who will stop at nothing to achieve his goal. He cares nothing for the lives he destroys while carrying out his plan, nor for even his own subordinates. By his own admission, he never trusted any of his underlings. He is also incredibly spiteful, having created sandstorms for months to crush the hopes of an old man who was trying to bring water back to a dried-out village.
Crocodile possesses the power of the Sand-Sand Fruit; a Logia-type Devil Fruit that allows him to become, create, and control sand. The fruit also gives him the power to suck the moisture out of anything he touches, including humans, as seen when he nearly killed Luffy by dehydrating him. Though Crocodile seemed invincible at first, with all physical attacks merely passing through him, Luffy discovered the weakness of the Sand-Sand Fruit: Water. When Crocodile is doused with water, or even blood, his body solidifies, allowing normal attacks to damage him.
NOTES
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-You can pick up S6V1 on DVD now!
-One Piece: Film Z is now available on Blu-Ray and DVD!
-One Piece: Collection 10 is now available!
-One Piece: S6V2 will be available on November 18th!
-One Piece Collection: Box One (containing the first 103 episodes) will be available on January 6th!
-One Piece simulcasts every week on OnePieceOfficial.com and CrunchyRoll.com! (in HD!)
-Volume 72 of the One Piece manga is now available!
