The right-hand man of Sir Crocodile both in Baroque Works and after, Daz Bones makes one hell of a Mr. 1. His cold demeanor, unwavering focus, and vicious Devil Fruit give him a real edge in battle. Still, he’s a pretty mysterious figure, all things considered, and that makes Daz Bones intriguing even as he appears in later chapters of One Piece.
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Who is Daz Bones?
While he’s a man of few words, Daz Bones has a pretty extensive history throughout the world of One Piece. He’s one of the few with unwavering loyalty to the Baroque Works leader, Sir Crocodile. That’s also how he ends up as Mr. 1 in the organization, eschewing his real name to take on the moniker and do Crocodile’s dirty work. It’s still unknown why he’s so incredibly devoted to the former Warlord, but it seems that he follows him more in his own interest.
Most importantly, before he ever meets up with Crocodile in his life, Daz Bones is a hitman. Called a terror of the West Blue, he was a reliable hire if anyone wanted another person dead, and an absolute nightmare for anyone in his sights. Bones relies on his skills in battle and assassination to get him through the worst situations. He’s finally honed his skills over the years as well, with a Devil Fruit that only adds to his deadliness.
History with Crocodile
After his time as a boogeyman in the West Blue, Daz Bones moves into the Grand Line and joins up with Sir Crocodile. It’s unknown if he’s part of Croc’s crew when he has his ass sent packing by Whitebeard, but it’s doubtful. Croc was already a young Warlord at the time of Roger’s execution, so it would have been too long before, probably. That said, he does join up with the Warlord and becomes his most trusted ally over anyone else. Even Nico Robin, who is considered Croc’s equal in the Baroque Works hierarchy.
When he’s part of Baroque Works, Daz Bones does most of the dirty work when it comes down to the serious stuff. He’s the one sent to fight against the swordsman of the Straw Hat Pirates. Little does his foe know that Daz Bones himself is a proficient swordsman. Even more, he doesn’t even need a sword in order to fight, utilizing his incredible Devil Fruit powers.
Edge-Edge Fruit
The Edge-Edge Fruit allows Daz Bones to turn any part of his body into a sharp, cutting edge. It’s nearly harder than steel, and one of Zoro’s first real challenges when the crew reaches the Grand Line. The Fruit is typically used by Daz Bones to turn his arms into dual swords, which are as sharp as any katana around the seas. He can also hone these blades with ease, growing their keen edges as he does his understanding of the Devil Fruit.
If he learns to Awaken the power, it’s likely they’ll take on the power to give edges to other structures or objects. Much like the other Paramecia Awakenings allow them to assign their abilities to other objects, he could as well. Until then though, he’s likely become an even more formidable fighter by combining the Edge-Edge Fruit with the power of Haki. It’s yet to be seen since his only action has been a brief scene with the founding of Cross Guild since entering the New World though.
Fight With Zoro
The fight against Zoro in Arabasta is the best show of force that Daz Bones has in the series. He’s able to match blades and arms with the Straw Hat swordsman, blow for blow as they cut through buildings. It’s an impressive feat, and the Mr. 1 of Baroque Works manages to keep Zoro on his toes throughout the entire thing. In the end, it isn’t necessarily Daz Bones’ weakness that loses the battle, so much as Zoro’s ability to adapt and overcome the strength of his blade.
It’s still one of the biggest steps in the Straw Hat’s character arc, and it’s all thanks to the enormous fight from Bones. He’s taken in by Smoker’s Marine unit, and locked up in one of the numerous prisons along the Grand Line. Most likely, it’s G-5 that he’s initially held in along with the majority of other Baroque Works agents.
Prison Time
Their time in this first prison would be incredibly short, with the rest of the Baroque Works members eventually being broken out by Ms. Golden Week. Daz Bones would choose to forego the breakout alongside Crocodile though, opting to take a peaceful sabbatical during his time in prison. Not long after that, the two would be transferred over to Impel Down. Here they would be separated, with Crocodile going to Eternal Hell while Daz Bones was left in the Freezing Hell above it.
During Luffy’s breakout at Impel Down, Daz Bones joins the group upon being found in Frozen Hell by Crocodile. As is typical of his deadpan character, he’s totally unbothered by the incredible cold all around him. He’ll be a main fighter during the Marineford War, helping the Whitebeard and Impel Down alliance to save Luffy as they try to escape the battle.
After Marineford
When the fighting of Marineford is over and the fires die down, Croc goes into hiding with Daz Bones following close behind him. The two retreat into the shadowy underbelly of the New World, loaning out money to Buggy the Clown to form Buggy’s Delivery Service. It’s a vital part of what’s going to happen later on for the two, but for now, they’re going to keep an eye on the goings on in the two years before Luffy enters the New World.
Once the Straw Hats return to the Grand Line, the two keep a closer eye on whatever he’s doing from Sabaody forward. Croc and Bones are actually watching the Punk Hazard Incident go down live as it happens, one of many arms traders viewing the carnage. Eventually, they come out of hiding when the time is right, using their newfound power advantage to collect on a loan.
Cross Guild and Current Status
When Crocodile decides to hit up Emptee Bluffs Island for a visit with Buggy, it’s not a visit for pleasure. He’s put a lot of interest on the initial loan he gave the jester, and now it’s time to collect on the amount in full from the now-former Warlord. They end up arriving just in time too, as the Marines are attacking Emptee Bluffs to take Buggy into custody at that moment. Daz Bones and Sir Crocodile save the Not-So-Genius Jester from his own devices, and in doing so create the newest force of the Grand Line.
Along with Dracule ‘Hawkeye’ Mihawk, another former Warlord, they form Cross Guild. Daz Bones does most of the leg work for Crocodile once more, while Buggy is basically the outward face of the organization. It’s just the newest force to play at the power balance of the Grand Line, but they’re going to have a lot of say in future events.
The Straw Hat Pirates have had some powerful underlings to deal with over the years. None quite as vicious as Daz Bones though when it comes to a fight. Unlike others though, he’s become just as much of a haphazard ally to the Straw Hats as an enemy. The wielder of the Edge-Edge Fruit will follow wherever Sir Crocodile goes, so will definitely see some more action before One Piece hits the end game.
