Character Discussion Why did Buggy not believe in himself?

[Roo]

Or he’s not that guy and he knows it lol

 

[Sir Tuna Sandwich II]

Because he didn't have the Straw Hat.
/thread

 

[Midnight Delight]

He lost the one thing he was truly talented at, swimming

He got a DF but was in a Crew where nobody had a DF and nobody could teach him about Awakening

Most likely that caused him to lack a lot of self confidence, imagine if Usopp lost the ability to snipe or Chopper lost his medical abilities.

Buggy blames Shanks for it

 

[straightforward]

He lost the one thing he was truly talented at, swimming

He got a DF but was in a Crew where nobody had a DF and nobody could teach him about Awakening

Most likely that caused him to lack a lot of self confidence, imagine if Usopp lost the ability to snipe or Chopper lost his medical abilities.

Buggy blames Shanks for it

ok, this is the first post in the thread that actually presents us with a plausible answer to my original question. i had but abandoned all hope to see one. thank you

 

[Seth]

so in 1082 we learn that buggy remembers and holds dear roger's vision/will but expected shanks to follow it, as he thought shanks would succeed while he would not.

did he have any good reason to think he himself would fail? like, any tangible proof of his limited capabilities?

well...no?

because in practice, buggy has a lot going for him. for one, his luck is extraordinary. his charisma is off the charts - he arrives at marineford and whitebeard himself asks him to become his ally! he's not stupid - he can come up with clever plans and even as a child he was observant and smart enough to ponder how teach not sleeping ain't normal. he can strike up a friendship like it's nothing (see: ace). he's decisive and ambitious. he's realistic and not delusional - he understands that some things have gone his way 'accidentally' and is honest enough to say as much.

and for sure he loved roger. and the remaining roger pirates don't have a single bad word to say about buggy but... it seems they never encouraged him in any way? it seems like buggy was legit raised in an environment where it didn't even occur to him he could achieve something on his own merit. the oro jackson adults ain't looking good here.

but i think there's a possible explanation as to why they didn't want to encourage buggy's ambitions or show support for his dreams... buggy is xebec's son and the roger pirates knew this. they raised him as their own but they thought that if they fuelled his ambitions and encouraged him to believe in himself, he might turn out like his father, who was ambitious but in a bad way. so instead they went with the 'be humble and be happy for your friend shanks' success!'. and it seems he was - except that it also meant he'd end up 'delegating' his own dream (which he, of course, did have!) to shanks only to be disappointed by his friend's bum attitude. so he became unhappy and kind of lost 'his place in the world'.

it's quite sad. roger('s crew) kinda fucked up there.

Imagine sailing aboard the strongest crew's ship at the time and being fodder there.

Might be pretty depressing.

 

[Rottkins]

Tho it was visible even before in the flashbacks where when buggy was doing something it was that "he's goofing around" while shanks was just shanks, probably crew seeing him as a coward etc. And Roger said something only to shanks.

For them might be a normal thing, but it is just favoritism and neglecting other kid's emotions. Stuff like that stays forever and I'm not surprised that he has such low self-esteem despite his achievements 😔

 

[Midnight Delight]

ok, this is the first post in the thread that actually presents us with a plausible answer to my original question. i had but abandoned all hope to see one. thank you

He pretty much had the same issues as Carrot and Izo except he never had a Pedro/Vista pull him aside to give him confidence in his DF abilities

We already know he had self image issues from his nose, imagine Rayleigh and Scopper roasting him for not being able to swim for years

And combine that with losing his underwater treasure

And tada

 

[straightforward]

We already know he had self image issues from his nose,

that's another thing i didn't even consider, even though it's so obvious, especially in the light of his well-known paranoia that people are saying something bad about his nose (even when they aren't talking about his nose at all).

 

[Midnight Delight]

that's another thing i didn't even consider, even though it's so obvious, especially in the light of his well-known paranoia that people are saying something bad about his nose (even when they aren't talking about his nose at all).

His Self Image Issues are pretty highlighted

 

[Kiiro]

I dont think Buggy is Xebex son, but he also isnt weak.

He is damn strong if he wants too, kinda Usopp with prep.

Buggy has his buggy bombs in his body, which already can destroy multiple buildings with ease, could knock out awkanes zoans which took Gear 3 of Luffy.

Buggy with Prep should be Veteran tier for sure.

 

[Sakura no Hiluluk]

it's what we are told but never shown.

i have seen NO potential (especially of the intellectual variety) from kid!shanks so i consider this explanation inadequate. buggy overestimated his little rat friend and failed to see his own strengths so he's not an adequate judge of the situation either

also, someone else showing potential in whatever field of expertize is not a reason for a person to give up on their personal dreams, it doesn't make any sense. shanks's mythical 'potenatial' shouldn't affect buggy's decisions regarding his own life path

In a closed environnement, or social circle, not showing the same potential as one of your peers is known to provoke a very neegative feedback which will makes you try harder, exhaust yourself, fail again, creating a vicious cycle, until you either take a step back and change your ways of trying to change, or just give up entirely.

And in an universe like the pirates of OP world, Buggy never had the opportunity to change his ways before it was too late and he had given up on his dreams.