One Piece’s Worst Generation is one of the strongest groups of rookie pirates to enter the Grand Line around the same time. They consist of twelve different pirates, with all but two being captains of their crews, the exceptions being first mates. The Worst Generation has varying degrees of strength and influence though, so how important does each member rank in terms of the One Piece world?
Warning that this article contains spoilers through One Piece chapter 1092. The manga is the fastest way to catch up on the series and is available to read on Viz or MangaPlus online.
12. Scratchmen Apoo
In terms of the Worst Generation and how strong they are, Apoo was honestly a bit of a disappointment. He was somewhat powerful in the Raid on Onigashima when fighting against X Drake, but Apoo ultimately ran off to save his own skin in the end. He’s more of a cowardly character, and it would be interesting to see just how he got the reputation to put him in the same camp as the other Worst Generation.
Despite all though, Apoo survives Onigashima and makes it out to live another day. He may come back later on in a different arc of the final saga, possibly in the final battle, but for now, it’s unknown. If he does come back it would be interesting to get some sort of backstory on him, especially because he’s part of the Long Arm Tribe who haven’t been explored much. Here’s hoping, but he could just be a one-off minor villain that Drake used for exposition, so don’t get hopes too high.
11. Basil Hawkins
Hawkins was more of the supporting antagonist in the Wano arc than Apoo was. Hell, he even got more development to his powers instead of just the sound-based attacks of Apoo. Hawkins had the Straw-Straw Fruit, which allowed him to not only turn into a scarecrow but create straw dolls to take damage instead of him. It’s a fantastic ability, and Hawkins uses it to terrifying effect throughout the Raid on Onigashima when going up against Killer.
Unfortunately for Hawkins, Killer finds out the flaw in his straw armor, so to speak. When it comes down to Hawkins using Kid as his straw doll, ensuring Killer would kill his captain instead of Hawkins, things are bleak. Then Killer figured out that he could chop off the arm Kid is already missing. It causes some pain for Kid, but manages to (possibly) kill Hawkins. That brings his time to an end seemingly, though One Piece has pulled surprise survivals before so it could bring him back.
10. Urouge
The most mysterious son of a bitch in the Worst Generation is really just a walking joke at this point. His Devil Fruit doesn’t have a name but makes him stronger in relation to how much damage he takes. He seems overpowered as hell even for One Piece, but he’s constantly having his ass handed to him by Emperor crews so is he really that powerful? Still, he’s out there somewhere alive and apparently knows something about Luffy.
Honestly, he’ll probably come into play in the next few arcs of the series, with his role as a sky islander playing into the worship of Nika the Sun God. It could happen that Urouge comes through to help Luffy out when he needs a hand, or becomes a foe in the final run. The possibilities are all still there, and he seems like an interesting enough character that he should get more screen time.
9. X Drake
One of the most unexpected turnarounds in the series. X Drake debuts in the series as a former Rear Admiral for the Marines, former Navy, and now a pirate. After the time skip it’s he joins Kaido as one of the Tobiroppo, an even more strange choice. Once again that Ancient Zoan Type Devil Fruit was probably a big clue right in front of everyone.
Then the reveal came that Drake is actually still working for the Navy but as a member of SWORD. It’s a ridiculous reveal that brings an entirely new level to the character, and he seemingly sacrifices his life to try and save Luffy from CP0. Hopefully, Drake is still alive out there somewhere, because he was only just beginning to get character development and definitely deserves more. His motivations and mission still need an explanation!
8. Killer
There are two things that give Killer standout moments in the series, and one of them is him getting his ass handed to him. Killer is a fantastic fighter and gets the name for a good reason as the first mate to Eustass Kid. He doesn’t spare anyone, and he and Kid make their bounties by murdering a LOT of people. Still, when the moment comes for him to fight Zoro in Wano, nobody knows it’s Killer at first. He puts up one hell of a fight with the Straw Hat First Mate, but gets bodied by Zoro’s Purgatory Onigiri.
His second big moment comes during the Raid on Onigashima in Wano, as he faces down Basil Hawkins. Kid is fighting Big Mom on the roof above, and it’s a testament to Killer’s quick thinking and dedication to his captain that he defeats Hawkins as he does. Still, he and Kid just got completely wrecked by Shanks and routinely punched above their weight with terrible results.
7. Jewelry Bonney
Bonney has just recently gotten more spotlight in the manga, as the Egghead Island arc brings her to the forefront. It also gives a ton of new character information, such as her real age being somewhere around ten. Oh, and her father being Bartholomew Kuma. It’s a massive amount of revelations to take in, but Bonney is one of the bravest kids around. She’s able to look older or younger whenever she wants. All thanks to the Devil Fruit she ate, still un-named in the manga. She can also apply that power to others though, temporarily aging them to decrepitly old or infantile. She’s a compelling character, and there’s still more to be found out about her.
Bonney right now is falling in with the Straw Hat Pirates while they try to bring Vegapunk to safety in Elbaph. She went to Egghead after infiltrating Marijoa, desperately trying to save her father from his Pacifista programming. Kuma had to be the father of the year to get this kind of reaction from the kid because she was going all out to get him back.
6. Capone Gang Bege
This man is either absolutely batshit insane or has balls of steel. Either way, he’s the perfect representation of the stereotypical mafia boss, though also a loving family man. The insanity really strikes when the Straw Hats find out he’s been working for Big Mom this entire time just to assassinate her. He’s been cozying in close, even marrying Charlotte Chiffon, Big Mom’s daughter and the sister of Charlotte Lola. They have a child for crying out loud, and Chiffon is totally chill with him murdering her mother! Honestly, that deserves respect.
Also, Bege is a literal castle. He ate the Castle-Castle Fruit, which means he can bring people inside of him like a fortress. Hell, he gives himself tank treads to run on, producing weapons of war from any part of his body. Most of his crew stays inside him (terrible sentence, I know) and mans the artillery during battle. Meanwhile he runs through the field, blasting right along. He was a huge help to the Straw Hats during the Whole Cake Island arc, and could very well reappear in the Final Saga.
5. Eustass Kid
Okay, maybe an unpopular thing to say but Kid isn’t all he’s hyped up to be. Sure he has a good moment in Wano when he Awakens his Devil Fruit during the fight with Big Mom. What else has he done, though? His Mag-Mag Fruit essentially gives him a prosthetic arm, it’s basically useless if he doesn’t have any metal around. Don’t even start on the fact he’s not the brightest outside of a heated battle. Kid gets far on brutality, and that’s really the only reason he takes the highest bounty. At least in the initial introduction of the Worst Generation.
Seriously, maybe Kid would be more respected if he wasn’t constantly jobbing every single fight he’s in. Even in the battle against Big Mom, they win because Law stabs her straight through the earth down to hell. He tries going against Kaido the first time and gets his entire crew wiped. Then when he gets a new crew, he immediately gets wiped AGAIN by Shanks. Seriously dude, know where your limits are.
4. Roronoa Zoro
Zoro is no doubt one of the strongest characters in One Piece, but he just doesn’t quite reach the levels of the top Worst Generation. He’s a master swordsman though, and as the Straw Hats’ swordsman, he’s determined to become the greatest on earth. There’s no shortage of grit and determination he has, and he says himself that he’s willing to become the King of Hell to get Luffy to the title of Pirate King. He’s constantly developing too, and Zoro grows stronger with each passing day.
Notably, he’s also one of the few non-captain characters to possess Conqueror’s Haki, which he puts to great use. Zoro hasn’t shown that he can release it into a burst like Luffy or Rayleigh have done, but he has learned how to channel it into his swords. Most recently Zoro did this with Armament and Conqueror Haki to form the King of Hell Three Sword Style, a massive improvement on his already strong style.
3. Trafalgar D Water Law
Law has one of the most stupidly overpowered Devil Fruits in the series, the Op-Op Fruit. This allows him to create a set ROOM around him, with the ability to manipulate anything in that ROOM freely. He can blink people back and forth from one side of the ROOM to the other, or even dissect those inside. When he first makes a show of the power in Sabaody Archipelago, he changes out Marine’s heads for cannonballs as they’re flying forward, showing no mercy. Then in the Rocky Port Incident, he collects one hundred pirate hearts and brings them to the World Government, earning a Warlord status.
Law also has one of the best intros in the manga that was censored for the anime. When first seen looking back at Eustass Kid in the Sabaody Auction House, Law gives him a middle finger with a smug grin. It’s such a great show of the character in one small motion. Law is a disrespectful punk yet incredibly assured in his abilities. As he should be too, considering the name “Surgeon of Death” and a carrier of the Will of D.
2. Blackbeard (Marshall D. Teach)
There’s a very close tie between Luffy and Teach as far as how they rank in the Worst Generation. Obviously, Luffy as the main character has more chances to show off his power, so that gives him the edge. Blackbeard still has massive, terrifying strength though, and it’s scary. It makes things even worse for everyone on the Grand Line when he becomes an Emperor. Teach is the only person known wielding two Devil Fruit abilities. His Dark-Dark Fruit is first, stolen from Whitebeard’s First Division Commander Thatch.
The second of course is stolen from Whitebeard on the battlefield of Marineford. It’s one of the most insane plot points that One Piece has ever pulled too, with so many questions still left to answer. There’s no way Blackbeard won’t have a huge part in the final saga of One Piece, with the Will of D that almost directly opposes Luffy. He’s bound to come up somewhere around Laughtale, and most recently he managed to leave Law in an unknown state by smashing the Polar Tang to bits underwater.
1. Monkey D Luffy
Of course, Luffy will make it to number one on a ranking of the Worst Generation, why wouldn’t he?! The main character of One Piece is also one of the most powerful captains on the Grand Line. He took two months to make a mess of the Grand Line for the World Government, freeing island after island. Then he directly declares war on the World Government, and that’s before he even gets to Sabaody Archipelago. Luffy leads the Straw Hat Pirates through cataclysmic event after cataclysmic event and never loses his smile.
His newest unveiling of the true nature of the Gum-Gum Fruit, Human-Human Fruit, Model Sun God Nika, takes things in new direction. Now he’s a direct enemy of the World Government even more so than previously. They become their public enemy number one that threatens their existence. Luffy is the liberator the Grand Line has been waiting for, and the Gorosei are about to see the extent he’s willing to go to. It’s going to be ridiculous too, as only Luffy knows how to do it.
The Worst Generation is on shaky ground right now, with some having unknown fates if not outright dead. Still, there are likely to be more reveals in upcoming arcs that give the more undeveloped members some new character background. Until then, this Worst Generation ranking is based on screen time first and foremost, so Luffy is the winner.
