Since the beginning of One Piece, Luffy has aspired to become the king of the pirates. However, his goals were frequently ridiculed for their difficulty and with good reason. So far, he’s faced many extremely difficult opponents in his pursuit of Roger’s treasure, with many nearly even killing him.
Whether winning or losing, Luffy’s battles have demanded an unimaginable amount of exertion. Although consistently attempting to surpass his limits, he is not always successful in defeating his opponents. Regardless, his perseverance and optimism provided an example for his crew to follow, which delivers an even greater asset than their captain’s most devastating ability.
10 Aokiji Taught Luffy The Strength Of An Admiral
After their victory on Long Island, the Straw Hats were optimistic about their future. However, Aokiji nearly put an end to their dreams when attacking the crew and demanding Nico Robin’s cooperation.
Heroically, Luffy came to her defense and gave his all to stop the admiral. However, his efforts were futile without armament haki, and he was quickly subdued by his frigid adversary. Aokiji defeated Luffy so soon that he didn’t even have time to meaningfully exert himself.
9 Luffy Used Dark Power To Defeat Gecko Moria
Between Gecko Moria and Oars, the Straw Hats fought a losing battle. Luffy used Lola the Proposer’s leftover shadows in order to even the odds, which imbued him with unnatural and temporary strength.
He became a monster nearly beyond recognition, with his body and skin assuming an entirely new form. Although giving Luffy the strength to defeat Oars and Moria, he was too exhausted to fight when Kuma finally arrived. Zoro chose not to tell him about the sacrifice he made so that the captain would remain safe.
8 Luffy Nearly Died Against Don Krieg
For an East Blue villain, Don Krieg was surprisingly challenging. His arsenal of weapons pushed Luffy to the limit and nearly killed everyone in their immediate vicinity. It was especially difficult to break without armament haki, meaning that Luffy had to bloody his fists just to sunder his enemy’s defenses.
The fight was significant since it was the first time in the entire series that Luffy lost consciousness. Grateful for his efforts in saving the Baratie, Sanji swam underwater and saved the man who would later become his captain. Regardless, Luffy’s victory was so decisive that Krieg has never been seen since.
7 Luffy Needed A Break Against Doflamingo
Luffy’s fight against Doflamingo pushed both parties to their limit. Already exhausted from a skirmish with Bellamy, Luffy’s usage of Gear 4 fatigued him even more. Although significantly damaging Doflamingo, he needed an entire ten minutes of rest before returning to the fray.
Fortunately, Luffy won the respect of the gladiators and locals, who volunteered to distract the villain while he recovered. Predictably, Doflamingo cut them down en masse, though they still gave the hero the time he needed. With his next punch, Luffy defeated Doflamingo, putting an end to his corrupt criminal enterprise.
6 Luffy Couldn’t Move By The Time He Was Finished With Lucci
Lucci set a precedent through his actions at Water Seven. He humiliated Luffy so badly that it seemed as if nothing could be done to overcome him. This made the raid at Enies Lobby particularly inadvisable, as there was no training arc in between.
Regardless, Luffy unlocked two gears when defeating Lucci and saving his friend from harm. However, the battle took such an immense toll on him that he could not physically move by the time it was over. Luckily, his crew was there to rescue him.
5 Crocodile Fought Luffy Three Times In The Same Arc
Crocodile was the first villain to decisively defeat Luffy. He overwhelmed him easily in the dunes of Alabasta and defeated him again at its capital. The latter instance was particularly humiliating since Luffy knew his weakness but still couldn’t fight around it.
Nonetheless, Luffy was not deterred. Ignoring his significant injuries and history of defeat, Luffy finally defeated Crocodile within Alabasta’s most ominous crypts. Without his heroic final stand, Robin never would have joined the crew.
4 Katakuri Pushed Luffy Beyond His Limit
Despite being Big Mom’s second in command, Katakuri’s future sight made him nearly as formidable. It allowed him to control the beginning of his fight against Luffy, repeatedly beating him down after anticipating his next moves.
Katakuri proved so dangerous that he made Luffy retreat from him. Considering the captain’s general overconfidence, this portended how unbeatable he actually was. Fortunately, he did not share Luffy’s durability, meaning that Luffy could defeat him in far fewer punches. He became stronger for their battle, learning his own version of future sight and applying it to his next opponents.
3 Luffy’s Fight With Magellan Had Permanent Consequences
Magellan was the warden of Impel Down and the user of a powerful Venon-Venom Devil Fruit. When facing off against Luffy, he smothered him in noxious venoms that subdued him almost instantly. Considering that Luffy hadn’t yet mastered armament haki and was exclusively a melee fighter, there was no reasonable way for him to win.
Additionally, Magellan’s victory had permanent repercussions for Luffy’s life. Ivankov may have managed to revive him, though it shaved an entire decade from his overall lifespan. Few other villains can attest to such a grim accomplishment.
2 Kaido Made Luffy Unlock His Full Potential
As an emperor of the sea, Kaido commanded respect from marines and pirates alike. His Devil Fruit allowed him to transform into a massive dragon, and his body proved too impenetrable for almost any fighter on the high seas.
Having humiliated Luffy twice before, it took everything in the Straw Hat’s arsenal in order to turn the tide of battle. In the end, he needed to unlock Gear Five in order to defeat Kaido, as using advanced armament haki alone would not suffice for an opponent of his caliber.
1 The Enraged Army Defeated Luffy In A War Of Attrition
The enraged army was an entire legion of Big Mom’s finest soldiers who were dispatched to confront and capture Luffy. Given their vast numbers and varied Devil Fruits, they were already significant obstacles on their own.
Additionally, Luffy had been fighting Homies and Charlotte Cracker up until that point, which left him fatigued and exhausted. It didn’t help that Sanji also beat him, which left him demoralized and vulnerable before the encounter. After being captured, Luffy was so determined to escape that he was even willing to rip off his own arms.
