Editor's Note: The following contains full spoilers for Netflix's One Piece Season 1.The lovable Straw Hat crew may be done with the East Blue in the Season 1 finale of Netflix's live-action One Piece series, but it looks like a classic shadowy villain from the acclaimed anime and manga will be appearing in the inevitable second season. Should Season 2 become a reality (which positive reviews and high viewership appear to suggest), the sophomore season of One Piece will primarily follow the Arabasta Saga, which chronicles Monkey D. Luffy (Iñaki Godoy) first of many adventures within the Grand Line.
Before they cross into the Grand Line, though, the Straw Hats make a quick pit stop in Lougetown — the very same place where Pirate King Gold D. Rodger (Michael Dorman) was executed. The pre-credits sequence of One Piece's Season 1 finale indicates that a fan-favorite antagonist from the Lougetown storyline will be waiting for them. Someone who will end up being quite a big thorn in the side of the Straw Hats on their future adventures.
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Smoker Is Awaiting the Straw Hats' Arrival in 'One Piece's Pre-Credits Scene
Season 1 of One Piececoncludes with the newly assembled Straw Hat crew living out a classic moment from the anime series. The energetic Luffy, the noble Zoro (Mackenyu), the brilliant Nami (Emily Rudd), the creative Usopp (Jacob Romero), and the smooth Sanji (Taz Skylar) do that classic salute from the East Blue's finale, each stating what they hope to accomplish on this remarkable journey they are about to embark on.
As the series logo peers over the horizon, the finale appears to have one more trick up its sleeve. The clouds on said horizon begin to transform into smoke as a shadowy figure begins to appear in the thick fog. With spiky hair and not one, but two, cigars in his hand, we see this individual staring intently at the freshly posted bounty poster of Luffy, as he takes one of his cigars and plunges it into the eyeball of Luffy, setting it ablaze. To the many new One Piece fans who discovered Luffy's story for the first time through the live-action series, this seemingly villainous character is likely a total mystery. For hardcore fans of the anime and manga, there is no debate that this terrifying new threat is none other than the ruthless Marine commander, Smoker.
We'll go ahead and put one more spoiler warning here, as the following section will be discussing Smoker's role in the anime and manga and may spoil certain plot elements for a future season of One Piece.
Who Is Smoker in the 'One Piece' Anime?
Smoker made his official debut in Chapter 97 of Eiichiro Oda's original manga and Episode 48 in the One Piece anime series. Smoker is the Marine Captain of Lougetown, the town where Gold D. Rodger was publicly executed, the place where the search for the One Piece treasure began, and also the city where Smoker grew up. As a child, Smoker was one of the hundreds in attendance at Gold Rodger's execution, witnessing the complete and utter chaos that ensued when the Pirate King invited the crowd to search for his elusive treasure. Most responded with glee and a yearning for adventure, but not Smoker, instead, the young child was disgusted by the display of potential lawlessness and vowed to fight piracy.
As an adult, Captain Smoker, also known as "Smoker the White Hunter," became one of the most feared military leaders among all pirate-kind. Exceedingly well-known for his unwavering ruthlessness in dealing with pirates and their sympathizers, Smoker isn't an irredeemable monster such as the likes of Arlong. Much like the young upstart Koby all the way to the high-ranking Vice Admiral Garp, Smoker believes he is doing his part to make the oceans a safer place. Agree that the Marines are just in their desire to keep the oceans' peace, and you and Smoker will get along just fine. Show any love for piracy or its constituents, and the loyal captain will not take that lightly.
You might think Smoker is named after his signature cigars (which, by the way, is perhaps the most blatant break of Netflix's no-smoking-in shows pledge yet), but there's actually another reason behind his pseudonym. Much like Luffy, Buggy, and hundreds of other characters in the long-running series, Smoker has tasted the sweet nectar of a Devil Fruit, specifically the aptly named Smoke-Smoke fruit. The power of the fruit essentially turned Smoker into a being of pure toxic vapor, being able to turn into clouds of smoke at will. Not only does this make Smoker a very tough foe to hold down, but Smoker is also capable of entrapping individuals in his smoke to keep them restrained.
Though Luffy and his crew do succeed in escaping Smoker, this Marine captain is not your average villain of the week. Following the protagonists' official venture into the Grand Line, Smoker leaves his post at Lougetown to pursue the Straw Hat Pirates. Smoker would continue to be a fierce pursuer and even an occasional ally for the crew, with the Captain eventually climbing the ranks of the Marine hierarchy.
Smoker Technically Appears in the First Episode of 'One Piece'
Though Smoker makes a grand entrance towards the end of Season 1, we technically got a brief look at him at the very start of the season. During the sequence where Gol D. Roger is being put to death, we see three familiar faces scattered throughout the crowd. The sequence showcases a younger Mihawk (Theo Le Ray), a younger Red-Haired Shanks (Matt Herrington), and finally, a very young Smoker (Matthew Leck), the latter of whom was only a boy at the time. In a way, the series begins and ends with Smoker, indicating he'll be just as vital a part to the live-action continuity as he is in the anime.
Netflix's One Piece Season 1 is streaming now.
