One Piece has masterfully revived characters from earlier story arcs, reintegrating them in compelling ways hundreds of chapters after their last appearance. For instance, the formidable Crocodile recently resurfaced to join Cross Guild, having not been seen since the climactic Marineford saga.
Among other pre-time skip figures making impactful comebacks is Marine Vice Admiral Smoker.
Initially introduced as a formidable foe against Luffy’s fledgling Straw Hat crew, Smoker’s reintroduction post-time skip has left some fans disappointed.
No longer the intimidating adversary from years past, Smoker at times seems outmatched against the exponentially powered-up pirates.
Once seemingly Luffy’s equal, Smoker now struggles to keep pace as the Straw Hats and fellow rookies have vaulted into the top echelons during his absence.
The shifting power dynamics have diminished the threat Smoker posed in earlier isolated skirmishes. How Smoker responds to this new world order poses an intriguing question for his character arc moving forward. Can he reestablish his credentials against Luffy’s ascendant generation?
Who Actually Is Smoker?
“White Hunter” Smoker earned his moniker through years of serving the Marines with tireless dedication. Though firmly adhering to his own code of justice, Smoker has risen to the ranks to become a highly respected officer.
His steadfast subordinate Tashigi shares Smoker’s principles, dutifully following him on assignments while also commanding troops with compassion.
Stationed in Logue Town shortly before entering Grand Line, the Straw Hats fatefully crossed paths with this formidable team.
Straw Hats vs. Captain Smoker
Already a Captain at this early stage of Luffy’s journey, Smoker ate the rare Smoke-Smoke Logia Devil Fruit, granting exceptional mobility.
He exploits its intangible properties in combat, freely transforming his body into billowing clouds of smoke. This allows Smoker to engulf enemies, whip them with tendrils, or evade attacks with ease.
Further supplementing his powers, Smoker wields a Seastone-tipped jitter staff. As this unique substance weakens Devil Fruit users on contact, Smoker can disrupt their abilities with precise polearm strikes.
Between long-ranged smoke attacks and melee disruptions, few pirates can match his versatility in battle.
With Smoker’s ascension to Vice Admiral came intensive Haki training. He developed formidable Armament proficiency, enabling him to damage Vergo’s formidable physique during their brief yet seismic clash. His ability to imbue blows with hardening energy reflects Smoker’s escalating might.
The Impact of Gol D Roger’s Execution
Though born in tumultuous Grand Line waters, a twist of fate saw Smoker stationed at Logue Town for Gol D Roger’s historic public execution.
Witnessing firsthand the Pirate King’s serene smile as he drew his final breath left an indelible imprint on young Marine Smoker. From then on, pirate pursuit became Smoker’s obsession.
Over an illustrious career, Smoker made perhaps his lone true friend in like-minded ally Hina. Her steadfast support prevented his numerous insubordinations from culminating in discharge.
Their bond weathered storms that nearly capsized Smoker’s naval tenure when renegade instincts overrode protocol one too many times. But now, as Vice Admiral, Smoker finally has the influence to follow his moral compass freely.
Amongst the colorful rogues’ gallery Luffy battled while touring East Blue, only stalwart Captain Smoker decisively bested the brash rookie.
Their fierce Logue Town showdown ended with Smoker pinning down a helpless Luffy, primed to finally administer long-awaited pirate justice.
However, the revolutionary Dragon’s timely intervention spared his son that fate. Smoker was powerless to prevent Luffy’s escape as raging winds swept him away from the prize within his grasp.
While this cemented Smoker’s animosity towards the indignant Strawhats, a deeper respect was forged from the encounter.
Across their intertwined journeys, Smoker pursued Luffy relentlessly yet refrained from lethal force – seeking not bloody execution but honorable capture between equals.
Rivalry and Respect
During Crocodile’s Alabasta coup, Smoker swallowed pride to falsely decorate Luffy for personally defeating the Warlord.
Protecting global image took priority over personal score-settling. Though rivals, both ultimately fought to topple a shared foe threatening innocent lives. Their complex relationship persists in evolving.
Initially, Smoker spurned the accolades showered on him for Crocodile’s defeat, mortified by the falsified credit for a feat achieved by pirates.
He reluctantly accepted both a promotion and a glacial reputation boost to enable him to pursue Luffy unfettered by rank restrictions.
Fate threw the rivals back together amidst Marineford’s chaos. Though Smoker efficiently pinned Luffy once again, Hancock interfered before cuffing could commence – another frustrated capture.
During the two-year interval, Smoker rose to Vice Admiral, overseeing G-5 forces in the New World. There, LOrmidale Punk Hazard brought an uneasy alliance with the Strawhats and Warlord Law to topple Caesar’s operation. Bitter past grudges momentarily faded for the greater good.
Afterward, Doflamingo brutally punished Smoker’s perceived treason. But former Admiral Aokiji emerged from obscurity to rescue his fellow Marine from the Warlord’s vicious onslaught. Once again, Smoker survived thanks to outside intervention at an opportune moment.
In the aftermath of Vergo’s treachery, Smoker assumed command of G-5, dedicated to purging all remnants of Doflamingo’s puppeteering.
Smoker Last Appeared 8 Years Ago In July in Chapter 795.
With subordinates Tashigi and newly freed Punk Hazard children in tow, Smoker set a course for Vegapunk’s mythical facilities, scorning protests from baffled brass.
Smoker’s true allegiance lies only to justice on his own terms, not the Marines. This nuanced perspective sometimes drives unlikely ad hoc alliances with Luffy against existential threats, putting abstract duty above petty differences.
Whenever the Strawhats cross paths while Smoker pursues a greater villain, he switches priority to confronting the larger oppression.
However reciprocal this temporary ceasefire may be, Smoker promises future capture of Strawhats once the shared impediment is overcome.
His benevolence extends only to protecting innocents and eliminating sources of suffering. And so, with absolute pirates like Warlords given free rein, Smoker seethes at institutional corruption, trumping common decency.
He remains duty-bound by principle to ultimately defeat Luffy despite any past necessity-borne partnerships. His moral compass points unwaveringly to justice regardless of shifting winds.
How Smoker Just Went Missing In One Piece?
Pre-time skips, Smoker’s relentless Luffy pursuit evoked comparisons to legendary Garp’s generational chase of Roger.
Fans theorized Smoker might assume the symbolic role of Luffy’s marine foil turned friend. Post-time skip portrayals severely damaged that credibility through abrupt repeated beatdowns denting the once fearsome veteran’s aura.
Punk Hazard opened with Law effortlessly repelling Smoker without breaking a sweat. While injured from a confrontation with Doflamingo, Law remained composed and in control throughout a one-sided skirmish.
He dismissed Vice Admiral Smoker, as merely a footnote nuisance rather than the storied challenger.
Opting for debt repayment over tactical wisdom, Smoker handicapped himself against Vergo by willingly ditching tried-and-true trusty jitter.
Fighting barehanded to retrieve Law’s extracted heart, Smoker endured merciless punishment. But when victory was finally imminent, the stalling allowed Law’s room to shrink and dismember Vergo for good. So, Smoker sacrificed composure and combat edge for altruism’s sake.
While bravely recovering Law’s confiscated heart, Smoker’s handicapped clash with Chessmaster Vergo concluded ambiguously before Law ultimately one-shot the artificial zone. With restored abilities post-heart retrieval, Law casually dismantled Smoker’s arduous efforts – an embarrassing indignity.
Still, Smoker persisted in throwing himself into peril against Doflamingo, only to require life-saving intervention once again. The Warlord brutally thrashed Smoker, fully prepared to execute the vulnerable Vice Admiral before Aokiji’s eleventh-hour emergence gave Doflamingo pause.
Repeated inability to safeguard himself from harm, let alone claim meaningful victories, stripped the once intimidating Smoker of gravitas garnered through decades of dutiful service.
Where Smoker was etched into memories, posing legitimate challenges for fledgling Luffy, current matchups expose an exponentially widened gulf in power and fortitude.
No amount of gruff scowls can restore the vanished apprehension Smoker’s presence used to evoke. Fans now deride the smoke soldier as a human punching bag offering name value and title prestige but a scant threat.
Beyond non-canon theatrical exaggerations, manga Smoker’s post-time-skip showings utterly fail to demonstrate growth befitting his station and stated reputation.
During pivotal Punk Hazard developments, Smoker embarrassingly stumbled from one steamrolling to the next.
Where pre-time skip Smoker constituted legitimate resistance against fledgling Luffy, the current portrayal reveals an absurd disconnect between title and exhibited ability.
Smoker lacks feats, even placing him convincingly on Commander tier, much less the levels rival supernovas have ascended towards.
Luffy and Zoro completely eclipsed Smoker’s range long ago while rocketing straight to Emperor contention.
Fellow Worst Generation standouts Law and Kid boast feats and portrayals, situating them closer to Luffy’s escalated sphere than Smoker’s increasingly trivialized stature. Between them, only Smo-ya himself remains stuck clinging to obsolete comparisons from an era long gone.
Without a dramatic showing or statement confirming otherwise, the collapsed presumption of Smoker ever pushing Luffy near his limits again looks more ridiculous with each underwhelming return.
Far from inspiring Garp-Roger redux vibes, the once-prodigious Captain Smoker now serves as a cautionary tale about early potential petering out against indomitable self-improvement.
