Sanji's performance in One Piece's Egghead arc may be explained by how the others view him

Modified Jun 30, 2024 01:49 GMT

In the Egghead Island arc of the One Piece anime and manga series, Sanji has taken a less direct approach to action, thus leaving him to deal with a more supportive role other than the major battles. Sanji is generally found at the center of the action displaying heroism and his unique fighting skills.

However, an in-depth study of Sanji's character and the communication within the Straw Hat crew show that his quiet involvement in the Egghead arc might mostly be the outcome of the other crew members' perception of him. It is particularly noticed during his fight against the Queen in Wano country and his most recent battle against the Seraphim S-Shark.

One Piece: Sanji's heroic Tendencies and the crew's concerns

A panel from the manga (Image via Shueisha)

A trait very characteristic of Sanji is his strong yearning to be a heroic figure. He is a "knight" for whom the only thing more important than his own safety is to rescue and protect the women whose lives are in dire danger. The impulse of heroism is something of an innermost for Sanji. Because of this, he frequently puts himself in grave danger to save his crew mates or other allies.

Nevertheless, the same tendency has been a spring of troubles mainly when Sanji (being too keen to be a hero) may have his grip or turned very merciless during his offscreen battle against S-Shark. The other members of the Straw Hat Pirates, especially Nami and Brook, might have seen or been part of something that took place after the S-Shark fight, thus causing them to be extra cautious of Sanji's somewhat extreme Germa 66 skills.

Jinbei may have been tasked to keep Sanji in check (Image via Shueisha)

This is why Sanji is often around other members, like Jinbe, who are there to "keep him in check" and help him not to go way by the side. Instead of just moving to the rescue, Sanji's habit of outlining his plans to save others could be taken as evidence that he may be trying to let the crew know that he is going to take control over the course of action.

One Piece: Sanji's reluctance to fight and feelings of inadequacy

Sanji flees from his battle against Kizaru (Image via Shueisha)

Another reason that could be the cause of Sanji's comparatively low performance in the Egghead Island arc is his mounting anxiety in the face of the increasingly powerful foes that the Straw Hats have to fight.

As the battles have gotten fiercer, Sanji is probably beginning to think that he is holding the crew back. It can only give setbacks rather than wins in the fights. It is his inability to exert full control over them that causes his fear of losing power.

Sanji calls Zoro a "dead-weight" (Image via Shueisha)

This is indirectly depicted in a scene in which Sanji seems to be referring to Zoro as a "dead weight," but the lack of his typical assertive response may suggest that Sanji was actually talking about himself. At the time, Zoro decided to fight more actively in the battles in order to make up for Sanji's presumed flaws, even though he established a death pact with Sanji during the Wano Country arc.

One Piece: The crew's support and Sanji's potential future transformation

Luffy assures Sanji that he'd be by his side (Image via Shueisha)

Sanji's trust among the Straw Hats is depicted as well, with Nami giving him a specific task in the ongoing battles. This shows that the crew members are with Sanji and they understand that he is going through an inner conflict. Hence, they are not ignoring him. They are providing support to him rather than pushing him away or excluding him from the action.

Besides, Sanji's resilience to use his Germa 66 power might be a consequence of his fear of losing control whilst having the wish of being a hero. This inner conflict could be laying the groundwork for a future change. Or it could lead to a breakthrough moment, where Sanji is challenged to confront his demons and manifest his true powers so that he can safeguard his friends and realize his heroic aspirations.

Final thoughts

Sanji destroys his Germa suit (Image via Shueisha)

The approach that Sanji took in One Piece's Egghead arc can be seen as a quite complex route. In fact, it can be a result of the crew's worrying about him that is stemming from his previous meltdown against S-Shark. Nevertheless, the Straw Hats' constant backing and the potential for a breakthrough point in Sanji's character development hint that his true personality is yet to be revealed.