Character Discussion I think I have finally understood Mihawk’s character

[Donquixote Shivercalero]

I’ve always liked Mihawk, not that I have ever thought him to be an über complex character, but he had enough aura that he didn’t need a ton of writing to be likable. However since Wano I have had my gripes with just how erratic and inconsistent his motives have been. During chapter 957 he was finally eager for the hunt, looking to kill his boredom as the strongest. Fast forward to chapter 1058 and now he’s looking to pack up and move away from Kuraigana to avoid these fodder marines claiming he has always wanted a peaceful life despite his first introduction being him hunting fodder. And by chapter 1089, he has done yet another about-face by submitting himself to help Crocodile with Project Utopia. You can never get a read on Mihawk, is he perpetually bored battle junkie who simply seeks a thrill, an indolent gentleman who wants to retire, or an ambitious conqueror who wants to reshape the world.

Previously I had simply assumed this was Oda being lazy and equivocal because he simply didn’t care enough about Mihawk’s character. However this 1 tweet from Sandman made me rethink my entire understanding of Mihawk’s character. The truth is, is all 3 of the aforementioned descriptions and at the same time he is none of them. Mihawk, in much in the same way as a petulant teenager, going through different yet uniformly ephemeral phases because he needs to find a purpose behind his monstrous strength. This also explains Oda’s famous comment on how Mihawk looks beyond “the realm of the strongest to a force that transcends strength itself”.

This also ties in with the hints we got concerning Mihawk’s past in the SBS. This great betrayal Oda hinted at is probably the reason why he lost his original reason for striving to achieve strength. This is supported by the fact that immediately before and immediately after Mihawk poses this question, Zoro flashsback to the pacts he made to Kuina and Luffy. Mihawk probably had a similar relationship, maybe with a marine, but was subsequently betrayed and thus lost his purpose.

This also makes Mihawk, a failed Zoro much in the same way Crocodile and Moria are failed Luffy’s. He represents what would happen to Zoro if the “Nothing Happened” moment never happened on thriller bark. If Zoro discarded his bonds to push forward towards his dream this ultimately rendering it hollow.

 

[Donquixote Shivercalero]

@Fujishiro @nik87 @mly90 @HA001 @Blazing Lion @Den_Den_Mushi

 

[Donquixote Shivercalero]

Ironically in a meta sense this also answers the claims of Mihawk detractors like @JoNdule and @Erkan12 who point to Mihawk’s lack of plot relevance as evidence for his relative weakness but in reality this actually fits Mihawk’s character. He’s supposed to be purposeless but powerful.

 

[Nadel]

I’ve always liked Mihawk, not that I have ever thought him to be an über complex character, but he had enough aura that he didn’t need a ton of writing to be likable. However since Wano I have had my gripes with just how erratic and inconsistent his motives have been. During chapter 957 he was finally eager for the hunt, looking to kill his boredom as the strongest. Fast forward to chapter 1058 and now he’s looking to pack up and move away from Kuraigana to avoid these fodder marines claiming he has always wanted a peaceful life despite his first introduction being him hunting fodder. And by chapter 1089, he has done yet another about-face by submitting himself to help Crocodile with Project Utopia. You can never get a read on Mihawk, is he perpetually bored battle junkie who simply seeks a thrill, an indolent gentleman who wants to retire, or an ambitious conqueror who wants to reshape the world.

Previously I had simply assumed this was Oda being lazy and equivocal because he simply didn’t care enough about Mihawk’s character. However this 1 tweet from Sandman made me rethink my entire understanding of Mihawk’s character. The truth is, is all 3 of the aforementioned descriptions and at the same time he is none of them. Mihawk, in much in the same way as a petulant teenager, going through different yet uniformly ephemeral phases because he needs to find a purpose behind his monstrous strength. This also explains Oda’s famous comment on how Mihawk looks beyond “the realm of the strongest to a force that transcends strength itself”.

This also ties in with the hints we got concerning Mihawk’s past in the SBS. This great betrayal Oda hinted at is probably the reason why he lost his original reason for striving to achieve strength. This is supported by the fact that immediately before and immediately after Mihawk poses this question, Zoro flashsback to the pacts he made to Kuina and Luffy. Mihawk probably had a similar relationship, maybe with a marine, but was subsequently betrayed and thus lost his purpose.

This also makes Mihawk, a failed Zoro much in the same way Crocodile and Moria are failed Luffy’s. He represents what would happen to Zoro if the “Nothing Happened” moment never happened on thriller bark. If Zoro discarded his bonds to push forward towards his dream this ultimately rendering it hollow.

Really good post!.......

In this manga, only the most powerful people can reach the top of the world, which is why those characters are made for greatness
That's why Gaban says it when they were talking with Shanks, he says it very clearly:

Mihawk reached the top of the world, meaning he reigns there, he is the most powerful swordsman,... that is why because of his greatness and power..

 

[Donquixote Shivercalero]

Really good post!.......

In this manga, only the most powerful people can reach the top of the world, which is why those characters are made for greatness
That's why Gaban says it when they were talking with Shanks, he says it very clearly:

Mihawk reached the top of the world, meaning he reigns there, he is the most powerful swordsman,... that is why because of his greatness and power..

I’m certain now that he got so high on the popularity poll Oda will definitely give him even more focus than originally planned. It’s only up from here as Mihawk fans

 

[ImmaIvanoM]

This also makes Mihawk, a failed Zoro much in the same way Crocodile and Moria are failed Luffy’s.

I don’t think it’s a “failed zoro” situation and more like what if Zoro wanted to be the Strongest but just for himself

this is the constant comparison between not only Mihawk and Zoro, but Mihawk and everyone else in the story. Mihawk is the only top tier who doesn’t have subordinates or a political agenda, or a captain. Basically he’s the only top tier who is a top tier FOR THEMSELVES and simply FOR THE SAKE OF BEING STRONG

So what if Zoro had no Kuina or Luffy or crew or even beliefs in general. What if Zoro just wanted to be WSS because that’s a thing that can happen and Zoro one day decided “Sure, why don’t I just become WSS?” And that’s the end of his motivation.

I think it’s interesting that we have actually never seen a flashback or explanation for why Zoro wanted to be WSS. In the Kuina flashback, he already wants it even before meeting Kuina. So the explanation could literally the same one with Mihawk, what if Both characters just arbitrarily decided to do this but then for Zoro extra reasons like Kuina and Luffy were added onto it but none were added on for Mihawk

 

[Donquixote Shivercalero]

I don’t think it’s a “failed zoro” situation and more like what if Zoro wanted to be the Strongest but just for himself

this is the constant comparison between not only Mihawk and Zoro, but Mihawk and everyone else in the story. Mihawk is the only top tier who doesn’t have subordinates or a political agenda, or a captain. Basically he’s the only top tier who is a top tier FOR THEMSELVES and simply FOR THE SAKE OF BEING STRONG

So what if Zoro had no Kuina or Luffy or crew or even beliefs in general. What if Zoro just wanted to be WSS because that’s a thing that can happen and Zoro one day decided “Sure, why don’t I just become WSS?” And that’s the end of his motivation.

I think it’s interesting that we have actually never seen a flashback or explanation for why Zoro wanted to be WSS. In the Kuina flashback, he already wants it even before meeting Kuina. So the explanation could literally the same one with Mihawk, what if Both characters just arbitrarily decided to do this but then for Zoro extra reasons like Kuina and Luffy were added onto it but none were added on for Mihawk

I’d say that makes him a failed Zoro. A Zoro for which the WSS title is meaningless

 

[ImmaIvanoM]

I’d say that makes him a failed Zoro. A Zoro for which the WSS title is meaningless

Is it meaningless or is it simply self-centered

Thing is that there is nothing inherently bad about caring about yourself over others in certain aspects. Mihawk isn’t even a bad person IN GENERAL since we see how he treats Perona

the weirdness with Mihawk comes in because the ONE thing he cares about himself over others is, Strength. And Strength is like the big thing in the story that defines everyone else and their relationships and political agendas. But for Mihawk, Strength is just a thing he has for the sake of just having strength

look at it this way, if mihawk was exactly the same Reclusive and thoughtful and generous guy BUT the one thing he cares about purely selfishly for himself was Being a carpenter or fishing or anything that can be trained for and improved at, would his Selfishness seem as bad?

No right? Because World’s Greatest Carpenter can just be treated as a quirk since at least he helps out homeless orphans like Perona from time to time. But because his thing is Strength, the thing that EVERYONE cares about and which drives everything in the story, it then becomes weird that someone this strong DOES NOT GIVE A SHIT about anything every other strong person cares about. Then we start judging him differently based on what everyone else does with their strength as if he has an obligation somewhere

 

[Goofball_Your_Nika]

Good for you I guess.

No way I gonna read this wall of text about Meh'awk though

 

[Impact]

I don't know when it became a habit to write long paragraphs without an end to them, but it shows a lack of writing skill.

 

[Royal Kick]

 

[Den_Den_Mushi]

Thanks for the tag, it’s been a while!

I think it takes a certain kind of personality to actively hunt marines when the organisation itself is so strong it sent the Whitebeard pirates of all people running for the hills. But while Mihawk is happy to slice fodders every once in a while, it doesn’t make him happy or satisfied. Satisfaction died with the loss of Shanks’s arm, at least until he met Zoro and had a rival to look forward to again.

I also think people mistake his willingness to go along with Utopia for desire to get involved in the throne war/One Piece politics. Crocodile’s project might be his dream but for Mihawk it’s merely a ticket to a cosy farm simulator life until Zoro gets strong enough to challenge him. He’s essentially a glorified bouncer with enough name recognition to keep those pesky marines invading Cross Guild territory and ruining his plants.

I also think Mihawk is like Zoro in that he values strength, yes, but at every opportunity he’s been shown to value moral character over physical might. It’s probably why he respects Shanks and actively observes Luffy’s journey. It doesn’t take much to discard one’s morals and become a miserable rampaging brute like Kaido; only those who possess something beyond strength like Roger and Whitebeard were truly able to stand at the top.

 

[Juanpiz]

Nice try