The Wano Arc had several antagonists, with the biggest threats being Kaido, King, and Queen, but Eiichiro Oda originally planned to include Doflamingo in the mix as well. He was Kaido’s business partner, but was defeated in One Piece’s Dressrosa Arc itself. After all, he had his own crew, the Donquixote Pirates.
The creator of One Piece left a huge hint that Doflamingo was meant to be an antagonist in the Wano Arc instead. Both the Beasts Pirates and the Donquixote Pirates follow a peculiar pattern for their crewmates, and Oda kept Doflamingo’s alias, despite scrapping the idea. How different would his story be if it were told later?
What Oda’s Comment Means for Doflamingo’s Future in One Piece
There’s a reason why Doflamingo operates under the name “Joker” in the underworld. He had significant influence after creating an alliance with Caesar Clown and Kaido, with the latter having the most power. His title also follows the same pattern as Kaido’s Three All-Stars: King, Queen, and Jack.
Eiichiro Oda was asked about the Beasts Pirates’ card motif in SBS Volume 98, as the pattern extends to the Tobiroppo, the Numbers, and the Headliners. He states:
The three All Stars are pretty obvious, but all the Flying Six, the Numbers, and the Headliners, only excluding Drake, Apoo, and Hawkins, are all named after card games, as well as the K (King), Q (Queen), J (Jack), and 1 to 10 cards.
If I were to list them all, I’d be filling this entire page. I imagine some of you might go “I’ve never heard of this one before!” in regards to many of these games, but there are many ways to play with cards all over the world.
By the way, in Dressrosa Doflamingo being called “Joker” is a remnant of an initial idea where Doflamingo was going to fight as a powerful companion of Kaido in the Wano Country. He’s quite the tricky opponent, so I’m glad we got rid of him!
However, Oda mentions that he’s “glad we got rid of him” in the Dressrosa Arc. This suggests that Doflamingo’s role in One Piece is over. He’s currently imprisoned in Impel Down and has higher security measures than other prisoners.
Many fans are rooting for him to join the Cross Guild, but Oda’s words don’t give much hope. Doflamingo participating in the Wano Arc wouldn’t have done his story any favors by extending his role beyond what the creator decided. We will have to wait and see if he reenters the storyline.
How Would One Piece Change Without the Dressrosa Arc?
Doflamingo is the main antagonist of the Dressrosa Arc, and became one of the memorable in One Piece. Not even Kaido can match up to his backstory and the level of aura that he left behind. While Kaido is stronger by a huge margin, no fan can deny the mark Doflamingo left behind.
If the Dressrosa Arc didn’t exist, we never would’ve gotten the flipped perspective of the Celestial Dragons that One Piece desperately needed. The violence inflicted on his family, despite revoking their status, had to be highlighted.
Along with Doflamingo’s backstory, we might have never seen Law’s past either. Corazon is an integral part of both characters. The Dressrosa Arc might have terrible pacing, but you can’t deny how brilliant the stories within it were. Oda made the right choice by focusing on Doflamingo in a separate arc, rather than throwing him into Wano.
Would you have preferred to see Luffy defeat Doflamingo in Dressrosa or Wano? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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