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Being one of the world's longest-running series, it's no surprise that One Piece has one of the richest stories in existence, as well as a long list of characters. However, as developed as some of the characters are in the series, there are a slew of them about whom we know nothing.
Some of the most pivotal characters in One Piece have mysterious pasts that have never been explored in the show. Fans find this strange because the show has never been afraid to reveal the origin stories of its characters, even the most tragic ones.
To delve deeper into this topic, we will discuss five important characters from One Piece who we know very little about, as well as five whose tragic backstory is well known.
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Disclaimer: This list reflects the author’s opinion and contains spoilers.
Shanks and 4 other One Piece characters who are shrouded in mystery
1) Roronoa Zoro
Zoro has been a major part of One Piece’s history since the beginning of the show. Not only is he Luffy’s first crewmate, but also his oldest and most loyal companion. Nobody can imagine One Piece without Zoro, which makes it all the more strange that we know so little about his past.
We know about his motivation for being a strong swordsman, but beyond that, nothing else has been revealed. We do not know who his parents are or what his legacy is. Fans are hoping more about his past will be revealed before the end of the series.
2) Marshall D. Teach
One Piece is a series with some of the most complex and intriguing villains in all of anime. A great example of this fact is Blackbeard himself, a former member of the Whitebeard Pirates turned Yonko. Blackbeard is a ruthless man who is obsessed with power and willing to even kill the man who raised him to obtain it.
Apart from the fact that Blackbeard was adopted as a young man by the Whitebeard Pirates, we know nothing else about this Emperor. We have no idea how he ended up as an orphan, why he wanted power so badly, or how he could become such a heartless monster.
3) Rocks D. Xebec
Before the Pirate King himself sailed the seas, there was another prominent pirate captain that ruled over everyone else, Rocks D. Xebec. He was the captain of the Rocks Pirates, a crew that some of the most powerful pirates in history belonged to. People like Kaido, Big Mom, and Whitebeard were former members of the Rocks Pirates.
Rocks is a huge mystery for someone as important to the story as he is, given that he is essentially responsible for the war between Marines and Pirates. For unknown reasons, all the information about his character is being kept secret from fans.
4) Monkey D. Dragon
The Revolutionary Army, in addition to the pirates, is a major force fighting against the World Government within One Piece's world. This massive movement is led by none other than Luffy’s father himself, Monkey D. Dragon.
Other than the fact that Dragon hails from the Goa Kingdom and he is Luffy’s dad, nothing else has been revealed about Dragon’s past. His backstory is so mysterious that some fans have even speculated that he is not Garp’s son. It would be fascinating to learn more about this intriguing freedom fighter.
5) Shanks
Probably the most mysterious character in all of One Piece, as well as the one who fans want to learn the most about. Shanks is the man behind most of the events that have occurred in the show. He is the person that motivated Luffy to become a great pirate, as well as one of the most powerful individuals in the series.
Despite the fact that Shanks is a major part of One Piece, fans know very little about his past. As One Piece Film: Red focused on his past with Uta, we recently learned a little more about him and the events that occurred in his life. Even so, most details about him, such as his parents' identities, remain unknown to fans.
Nico and 4 other One Piece characters with tragic backgrounds
1) Usopp
Usopp is one of the oldest members of the Straw Hat crew, as well as one of the most developed characters in the series so far. He is cheerful, loyal, and fights for his friends even though he is a major coward.
He is best known for his constant lies about almost any topic, a habit he developed as a coping mechanism after his mother died. Usopp used to lie to his mother every day about his father’s return, something that never occurred. Usopp has suffered many losses in his life, but he still keeps going, thanks to his friends’ support.
2) Sanji
Family should always be there for you when you need it, letting you express yourself and taking care of your needs as you grow up. Sadly, Sanji did not have the chance to experience what a loving family is like, thanks to the inhumane experiments his father conducted on his brothers.
Sanji's father wanted his children to be perfect soldiers, with no feelings other than anger and hatred. Sanji, who was saved from this fate by his mother, was constantly harassed and tortured by his siblings. He ended up running away, getting lost at sea and almost starving. It is a miracle that Sanji is still as kind and cheerful as he is, with a horrible past like his.
3) Koala
People inside One Piece’s world have suffered greatly because of the despicable actions committed by the World Nobles. To fulfill their selfish desires, the nobles are capable of anything, even owning other people. Koala is living proof of how inhumane the nobles can be with their slaves.
As a child, Koala was sold to a family of nobles who tormented and exploited her. The little girl was prohibited from ever crying, as doing so would result in her demise. Koala was traumatized by the experience, forcing her to keep her feelings bottled up inside, even after being freed from her slavers.
4) Momonosuke
One Piece is notorious for having a large number of dead parental figures. Most of the characters in the show are either orphans or have one missing parent. Momonosuke was fortunate to live the first few years of his life alongside a happy family that cared for and loved him.
This all changed when Kaido decided to take over the Land of Wano and kill both of his parents in cold blood. Momonosuke became an orphan, alone in a world that he had no idea how to traverse.
He wanted to avenge his family, taking Kaido down and liberating his country, but was unable to do so because of his lack of strength. Momonosuke will never forget those horrible days in which he had to survive on his own.
5) Trafalgar D. Water Law
Trafalgar’s life has been plagued with tragedies and unexpected deaths, from his family to his mentor. Law grew up in a small town where Amber Lead poisoning affected most children. He was supposed to die young. His parents tried to give him a good life, even when his chances of survival were low.
Law did not have the chance to ever thank his parents as they were killed by an enemy nation tasked with killing everyone in his town. He spent countless days alone after that tragic night, until he was found by the Doflamingo Pirates.
He met Rosinante, a kind and charming individual who did everything in his power to save Law from his disease, only to be killed in front of the boy who looked up to him. These events made Law a cold and uncaring person, who has difficulty opening up to others.
Final thoughts
With so many intriguing characters, it is obvious that fans will want to learn everything about their favorite character’s past. Unfortunately, due to the plot or simply because Oda decided it, some characters' backstories are still and will remain a mystery, at least for the time being.
This contrasts with many other individuals from the show whose backstories have been exposed to the public in their entirety. Most of these well-known backstories are shared with fans to give them a reason to empathize with the said characters, as they are filled with tragedy and pain.
Fans can only hope that the origins of the most mysterious characters will be revealed soon and that they will receive as much focus as the tragic ones.
