One Piece: Is Smoker good or evil? Explored

One Piece is known for its numerous chapters and wide range of characters, which is both a virtue and a flaw in the story. While there are some characters who have seen significant development over time, there are examples such as the Marine officer Smoker and how his role has declined.

Smoker was initially a very compelling character in One Piece, often serving as a reluctant ally to Luffy and the rest of the Straw Hats while also adding some moral complexity to the Marines. Considering the actions of the Marine and the World Government throughout the manga, it makes a lot of sense that people wonder if Smoker is good or evil when taking into account that he is working for these entities.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the series. Any opinion expressed here belongs to the author and not Sportskeeda as a whole.

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Explaining if Smoker is good or evil in the One Piece series

Smoker is fundamentally a good person who has been working for a corrupt organization throughout his life. People like Garp, Koby, Fujitora, Kizaru, and Smoker himself have served the Marines and want to fulfill their duties, but sometimes they have had moral conundrums in some of their missions, which is why most of them don't really agree with the vision of the World Government.

This is something that is seen in the character of Smoker since he was first introduced. He has a strong moral code and wants to help people by arresting pirates. However, he has also been able to separate the good from the bad, as he helped Luffy and the rest of the Straw Hats when they were fighting Crocodile in Alabasta, thus showing that he put the citizens' safety and well-being ahead of his original mission.

While Smoker fought with Luffy during the events of Marineford, they teamed up again in the New World during the Punk Hazard arc, as they were trying to rescue the kids from Caesar Clown and get out of there. The character has not had a prominent role in the story ever since, but has shown time and time again that he is a good person who wants to help others, even if the organization he works for has a considerable amount of corruption.

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Smoker's potential return to the story

Smoker as seen in Alabasta (Image via Toei Animation).

While Smoker had a strong start when he was first introduced in One Piece, most fans agree that the character has seen a steady decline since the days of the Alabasta arc. He was initially presented as a natural rival for Luffy and the Straw Hats, oftentimes siding with them if they were fighting for the right cause, which is something that made him and his second in command, Tashigi, all the more compelling.

However, both Smoker and Tashigi have been sidelined since the Punk Hazard arc and there are no indications of them making a comeback anytime soon. Considering that some members of the Marine, such as Koby, Garp, and even Akainu have shown distrust of the World Government, perhaps a potential divide in the organization could give Smoker a moment in the spotlight.

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Final thoughts

Smoker is a good person in the One Piece series and is simply tied to an organization that has been corrupted by the World Government. However, when push comes to shove, Smoker has been shown to help pirates like Luffy if it means they can save and protect innocent people.

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