The story begins in the Grand Line, where the sea never stops raging. With fury it splashes and instills fear in the heart of many – “don’t come any close”, but the man of the iron will doesn’t fret. The name Eustass Kid reckons fear from the humblest man to the most notorious hideout.
Also known as Captain Jaggy, Eustass Kid is from the South Blue and is famous for his knucklehead antics. He is also one of the ‘Worst Generation,’ a group of twelve notorious pirates. With a fiery temper and incredible devil fruit power, here’s our take on Kid’s rise to fame in the world of One Piece.
Early Life and Tragedy
Eustass Kid was born on an unarmed island in South Blue. This island was not in agreement with the World Government, therefore it was a lawless place. Due to the absence of a royal family, it was ruled by a criminal gang. His early life hasn’t been dwelled upon in the anime, but it is common knowledge that he had a tough childhood. One filled with poverty and violence he was forced to fend for himself at a tender age. Kid developed a hatred for the World Government which he blamed for the suffering on his island.
When he was old enough, he took to the sea to become a pirate. He quickly became a feared pirate in the South Blue and gained a reputation for his strength. After a faceoff with the Marines to show how bold and confrontational he is, he formed an alliance with two other rookie pirates – Scratchmen Apoo and Basil Hawkins. Their goal was to take down Kaido – one of the Four Emperors of the Sea. A significant alliance to the development of the series and set the stage for future events.
Assembling the Kid Pirates
The assembling of the Kid Pirates was without delay as his first mate, Killer, a skilled fighter who always wore a mask, joined because of his hatred of the World’s Government. Killer is also one of the most loyal vice-captains in the story. After Killer, Heat joined Kid’s crew. Heat is a pyrokinetic that can generate and control fire. He is also the engineer on the crew and he is responsible for maintaining the Kid Pirates’ ship – the Victoria Punk.
Another notable member is Wire, a cyborg with superhuman strength and speed, and one of Kid’s most powerful fighters. Some other members include Gig, Dive, and Pomp. The Kid Pirates consist of 31 members, with the identities of 22 known. They are a diversified group of individuals who are loyal to Kid and his dream of becoming the Pirate King.
These pirates are more than just Kid’s crew, they are his family, been through thick and thin, always having each other’s back. They are Kid’s greatest strength. Their first appearance was in Sabaody Park, just like the Strawhats pirates.
Devil Fruit and Powers
Eustass Kid’s devil fruit is a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit, the Jiki Jiki no Mi (Magnet-Magnet Fruit) which allows him to create and manipulate magnetic forces. He can use this power to attract and repel metal objects and can also use it in the creation of magnetic fields. With this fruit, Kid creates powerful weapons like giant metal fists, cannons, and swords.
He also controls his surroundings by creating metal traps or barricades. His devil fruit has been essential to his development as a pirate it has aided him in defeating powerful enemies. It has also made him a useful asset to his allies such as Law and Luffy. Some of his notable feats include fighting Sentomaru, Big Mom, and Kaido. In addition, he lifted the whole island of Punk Hazard, and in another battle, he created a large metal dragon.
Clashes With Authorities
The first major clash we see Kid facing in the series was against some marine units on the Sabaody Archipelago. These marines were led by Kuma and one of the three Navy HQ Admirals, Kizaru. This encounter was the result of the carelessness of the protagonist of the show, Luffy, who punched a celestial dragon. During this clash, we see Kid fighting alongside the likes of Trafalgar Law and Monkey D Luffy. During the process of Luffy’s two years of training, Kid challenges Shanks but loses one of his arms during the fight.
Kid had an alliance with Scratchmen Apoo and Basil Hawkins the aim of their alliance was to take down Kaido together. Unfortunately for him, Apoo ratted them out and Basil Hawkins chose to ally with Kaido but Kid had a very strong will of freedom and refused to work under Kaido. Due to the fallout, Kid fights Kaido but Kaido overpowers him and puts him in prison, where Luffy later joins him and they break out of the prison together.
Kid formed another alliance with Luffy (Ninja-pirate-Samurai alliance) with the aim of taking down Kaido. At the battlefront, they split up and Luffy fought Kaido alone while Kid fought Big Mom alongside Trafalgar Law. After a groundbreaking and death-threatening fight Kid and Law won the fight. After Luffy takes down Kaido, the alliance ends and they all go their separate ways.
Kid leaves Wano to challenge Shanks again at Elbaf and Shanks’ crew mates destroy the Kid Pirates, tearing their ship in half and leaving the crew to sink. As for Kid, Shanks dispatches him quickly with one blow. Shanks cut through Kid’s railgun with his breathtaking attack “Divine Departure,” a devastating strike from his Gryphon sword. Kid immediately lost consciousness and lost the battle, alongside Killer who tried to help him.
Unyielding Will
Eustass Kid stands up as a shining example of unwavering willpower in the turbulent world of One Piece. Kid’s career is an example of tenacity and perseverance, from his early appearances as a notorious rookie pirate to his eventual role as a prominent figure in the New World.
Kid’s tenacity was first displayed in his entrance. He stood his ground as a fearless challenger by refusing to submit to the strength of the Four Emperors and announcing his goal to become the Pirate King. The fact that he kept going after power despite losing an arm in combat with Yonko-Shanks demonstrated his drive and fortitude. This unwavering dedication reflected the central idea of One Piece.
Facing Humiliation and Redemption
Kid’s confinement in Udon and the ensuing abuse he endured at the hands of Queen and his henchmen served as defining moments in the formation of his personality. Instead of breaking, he put up with the pain and even worked with Luffy to oppose the harsh rules of the prison. This exhibited his ability to evolve as a leader and his will to overcome obstacles. Kid’s participation in the Wano Country Arc has further demonstrated his development.
He unites with other formidable pirates and samurai in the struggle against Kaido, one of the Four Emperors. His cooperation and strategic thinking have proven to be crucial assets in the fight to free Wano. Finally, Eustass Kidd’s repentance and development in One Piece are shown by his shifting beliefs, new allies, and developing goals. His transformation from a careless and brutal pirate to a more calculated and cooperative person exemplifies the One Piece world’s transformative nature and the ability of characters to grow, change, and atone for their mistakes as they seek their goals.
Eustass Kid’s Bounty
Kid’s bounty grew rapidly due to his notorious actions during his voyage. Kid’s first appearance in the story was with a bounty of 315 million berries. His bounty at this time was higher than Luffy’s and this was due to his cruelty in the Grand Line after coming from the South Blue. The crimes he committed to warrant such bounty were not revealed in the story, but he was known to be as carefree and hard-headed as Luffy at that point.
After the time skip, Kid’s bounty grew significantly(as he had already made it into the new world) his bounty was 470 million berries after causing mayhem in the New World and one of those was attacking a Yonko – Big Mom’s base to steal an item and made it out after injuring one of her generals.
Furthermore, after working with Law and Luffy to take down Kaido and Big Mom during the Wano arc, his bounty skyrocketed to 3 billion berries. This was because he was feared by the world government and they perceived a newbie taking down Kaido and Big Mom shouldn’t be taken lightly.
Is Eustass Kid Dead or Alive?
Kid is one of the pirates in the story with the strongest will to conquer. Kaido revealed after beating Luffy, that Kid possesses the color of the supreme king. Also, the way he manages to come out of situations perceived as life-ending shows how strong his will is. Although the hit he got from Shanks looks like one that ends his life, Oda is yet to conclude that Eustass Kid is dead. And we both know Oda is the master of mysteries.
