Future Events Smoker, The Future Straw Hat

[Elder Lee Hung]

Before you click off this thread from just the title-let me just say that I think most future Straw Hat discussions are complete shit.

Carrot joining the Straw Hats?

OTama joining the Straw Hats?

Yamato joining the Straw Hats?

Joking aside if you happen to believe any of the above, I’m not trying to insult you, and I’m not here to throw any of those theories out of the window, minus the Tama theories.

The point of me saying this is that I’m not one of those people who thinks every new character we meet will be a straw hat, in fact after Jinbe I really didn’t think we would get any new Straw Hats and I thought the crew was virtually complete.

That is, until I watched this video:

I’m not a huge fan of Mr. Morj, but I actually think he absolutely nailed this idea, and he absolutely convinced me that Smoker’s ultimate destination was to join the Straw Hat crew. He really does deserve the credit for this theory and this isn’t something I’ve seen anyone else really talk about.

The only things I want to add to Morj’s video, is that upon reflection, Smoker’s character arc has been specifically written so far to pull him away from the World Government and the Marines, and I believe that in retrospect, the entire point of Smoker’s character has been for Oda to show us a hardcore Marine who ultimately becomes one of the main cast of characters and becomes a Pirate himself.

Just to briefly illustrate how Oda is pulling Smoker away from the WG and shattering his world view:

-Smoker begins the manga as a Marine who believes Pirates are evil and does his job to capture them. When we meet Smoker, he had never let any Pirates successfully go from Loguetown to the Grand Line and almost captured Luffy himself.
-In Alabasta, Smoker’s worldview is doubly shattered by Luffy ordering Zoro to save Smoker from drowning, and from Smoker telling the Gorosei to eat shit
-In Punk Hazard, Smoker actually teams up with Pirates, to himself fight the shadiest Marine in the entire Manga and a Marine who was fundamentally designed to attack Smoker’s own view on what a Marine should be
-In the end, Aokiji specifically tells Smoker about how things became much more clear to him after he left the Navy, and Smoker’s own Marines actually end up liking Law and the Straw Hats after their alliance lol.

There honestly is not much left for Smoker to transition into the Straw Hat crew, and Morj details that well.

The only other thing I want to say, is all theories for Smoker that put him as a Marine EOS are extremely unlikely.

An EOS Admiral or Fleet Admiral? Honestly will the Marines even exist anymore at EOS? Not that Smoker has ever expressed any interest in such a role anyway. And Smoker is surely not Luffy’s Garp.

Nah man. I’m a believer now. Smoker will be a Straw Hat in the end.

@Owl Ki @Den_Den_Mushi @dizzy2341 @Light D Lamperouge @Luthon @Van @Bogard @Garp the Fist @playa4321 @Sentinel @RayanOO @HA001 etc etc etc.

 

[zaman]

Did u smoke smth good?

 

[Elder Lee Hung]

Did u smoke smth good?

Watch the video clown. Lmfao

 

[zaman]

Watch the video clown. Lmfao

i believe in the video as much as i believe in garp for nakama in Roger's crew

 

[Elder Lee Hung]

i believe in the video as much as i believe in garp for nakama in Roger's crew

Smoker is being specifically written for this bro. Every single arc he’s present in shows his own faith in the Marines waning and his stance on piracy softening lol. Aokiji’s words to Smoker is practically Oda handing this to us on a silver platter lol.

 

[Jew D. Boy]

Yamato joining the Straw Hats?

Agree with everything except this bit

 

[dizzy2341]

I understood Morj's argument but he didn't follow his criteria for determining candidates. Not only that, but literally everything he said for Smoker also completely applies for Tashigi too, yet he's not arguing for her.

Smoker is a marine. And yes, Morj made a good point that the labels of pirate and marine don't mean much in OP. However, that is only in regards to morality. There are undoubtedly traits that make you a pirate. Dreaming, lust for adventure, free spirits etc. Smoker doesn't have those qualities in the way that pirates and specifically the straw hats do. Smoker would have no reason to care about finding the OP, nor about Luffy becoming the PK, nor about any of the pirate related activities the crew involves in, since that's simply not his character.

Him and Tashigi will very likely be allies, but that doesn't mean they have to jump to straight up becoming pirates.

FYI, Carrot's still the last straw hat.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1337807888065179651

 

[Elder Lee Hung]

I understood Morj's argument but he didn't follow his criteria for determining candidates. Not only that, but literally everything he said for Smoker also completely applies for Tashigi too, yet he's not arguing for her.

Smoker is a marine. And yes, Morj made a good point that the labels of pirate and marine don't mean much in OP. However, that is only in regards to morality. There are undoubtedly traits that make you a pirate. Dreaming, lust for adventure, free spirits etc. Smoker doesn't have those qualities in the way that pirates and specifically the straw hats do. Smoker would have no reason to care about finding the OP, nor about Luffy becoming the PK, nor about any of the pirate related activities the crew involves in, since that's simply not his character.

Him and Tashigi will very likely be allies, but that doesn't mean they have to jump to straight up becoming pirates.

FYI, Carrot's still the last straw hat.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1337807888065179651

In Smoker’s case, I don’t think he needs an “adventurous spirit”, or some tragic past or anything like a typical Straw Hat might.

I think Smoker will join the group that is carrying out his “Justice” the most, or otherwise making the world a better place in the most. In this case, from Smoker’s perspective, that is without a doubt the Straw Hat crew.

 

[dizzy2341]

In Smoker’s case, I don’t think he needs an “adventurous spirit”, or some tragic past or anything like a typical Straw Hat might.

But that's something that unites all of them. Why should Smoker be the odd one out?

I think Smoker will join the group that is carrying out his “Justice” the most, or otherwise making the world a better place in the most. In this case, from Smoker’s perspective, that is without a doubt the Straw Hat crew.

He can join the straw hat's group and what they stand for without being a member in their crew. A massive war is coming. To be on their side all he has to do is fight for what they're fighting for. It's not necessary to be on their ship to achieve what you're suggesting.

And again, everything that you can say about Smoker applies to Tashigi too. So if anything you should be arguing for them both to join.

 

[Elder Lee Hung]

But that's something that unites all of them. Why should Smoker be the odd one out?

Well, imo, two things:

1. Smoker’s desire for Justice/World Peace/or whatever, could be his very motivation for joining that would sort of complete the dreams that unify the crew.

Each of the Straw Hats dreams contribute to the journey in some way, kinda like how Nico Robin wanting to know the true history ties into the Luffy “carrying all the history on his back” or whatever. I really think that what they are missing is that motivation to defeat the World Government that they will need come that final conflict. Smoker could represent that desire for True Justice.

2. Maybe it’s just a personal preference, I don’t care if Smoker doesn’t have any ambition than just simply believing that the Straw Hats are the ones carrying out Justice. I think that’s good enough for me personally lol.

He can join the straw hat's group and what they stand for without being a member in their crew. A massive war is coming. To be on their side all he has to do is fight for what they're fighting for. It's not necessary to be on their ship to achieve what you're suggesting.

Yeah he could just jump on the ship and be like a Pedro in the end, but like Morj says, I think the message of Smoker’s arc, of truly realizing that the WG does not represent Justice and that Pirates can also be heroes (remember Smoker literally allied himself with Pirates in Punk Hazard), is best carried out if Smoker himself actually does join the crew. The only thing the series would be missing in carrying out that idea of “Justice” just basically being WG propaganda would be that hardcore Marine character actually joining the crew, and Smoker is the perfect opportunity to do that.

Also, fun fact, in One Piece Stampede, pretty much every single Marine shows up to fight Bullet, but all of them ultimately end up retreating. The only Marine to actually fight alongside Luffy, Law, Hancock, Sabo, even Crocodile etc...was Smoker. Which if nothing else, I think just illustrates that Oda wants fans to perceive Smoker as a Marine who sees that Pirates are not all bad and is not above fighting alongside them. Punk Hazard was not a fluke lol.

And again, everything that you can say about Smoker applies to Tashigi too. So if anything you should be arguing for them both to join.

I think the message has been hammered much harder through Smoker. Like Tashigi is mainly just Smoker’s partner, she sees a lot of the same problems that Smoker does but Smoker seems like the one getting most of the focus. Smoker was the one who directly heard Aokiji’s speech about leaving the Navy, Smoker has always been the one shown to have a more direct relationship with Luffy, Smoker was the one who had the extended fight with Vergo who exists as a direct refutation of Smoker’s perception of what a Marine should be, etc...

But I’ll admit, Tashigi does go through a lot of similar growth as Smoker, but I’m not convinced that she’ll join lol, where with Smoker, I think it’s highly likely. I acknowledge the hypocrisy lmfao.

 

[Garp the Fist]

I do think it would be an interesting thing for Oda to do, that’s why I put him as an option on the next strawhat poll. Here’s what I said at the time, don’t have time to go in detail now

Smoker isn't totally impossible. His story has all been about him trying to work out what true justice is. He's seen (begrudgingly) from Luffy that not all pirates are bad, he's seen from the Warlords that the World Gov aren't infallible. His big friend in the Marines, Kuzan, is questioning his own justice and went a totally different route. Feasibly, you could see a situation arising where, when confronted with evil within the Marines themselves (which hasn't happened to him yet. Vergo was notably considered by Smoker a pirate, not a real Marine) Smoker decides his justice can only be found through Luffy changing the world.

Having said all that, I'd only give a... 2-5% chance that actually happens. Smoker is going to end up on Luffy's side, but not as an official ally.

 

[Esc]

Idk about Smoker joining but I like the idea of of a marine disillusioned in the World Government joining the straw hats, and I'm honestly surprised this never happened with how much Oda insists that Luffy is the one who will bring the change and his ability to make people fellow him.

 

[nik87]

As much as I would like it to happen, I cant see how...

 

[Perun]

Nope,he would maybe work with Luffy for the greater good(turning against Im),but joining his crew no chance.

 

[Monkey D. Luffy]

If Smoker's not joining Luffy's crew, he'll at least mirror Aokiji in Blackbeard's circle.

 

[ShinmenTakezo]

There is nothing to shatter Smoker´s worldview with since he is pretty realistic about what the World Government is. He is not a dynamic character in that sense, but more like the anchor that is influencing the dynamic characters like Tashigi, who had a pretty black and white worldview. Of course he probably does not know about the really juicy bits of the WG, but that´s endgame stuff anyway, and obviously he is going to fight that.

Smoker starts out in East Blue, the weakest sea, actually because his view does not fit the World Government and his insubordinate attitude, so he is basically demoted to take care of the weakest sea. This was expressed in Alabasta when he stated that his peers, who might even be weaker, are already ahead of him. And of course we have him directly insulting the highest authority of the World Government right then and there.
And Luffy is the motivator for him to say "fuck it, let´s play ball and rise through the ranks", meaning he purposely held himself back, meaning his personality, and looked for deeds to rise up, so he gets the necessary freedom to hunt Luffy however he wants.

And his relationship to Luffy is not based on "hunt the most evil dude" but based on him recognizing Luffy´s potential in creating another era similar to how Roger created the Great Pirate era.
People forget the context sometimes. The era in which Smoker grew up in is the biggest pirate era the world has ever seen, and the suffering from that era is immense on the general populace. And that stimulated, if we are reading between the lines, a lot of people to confront that by joining the Marines. And in the end, from what we have seen, 99% of pirates are the usual plundering and raping type.
And Smoker is mostly realistic about this, not idealistic, though there is still some left in him (we saw some in Punk HazarD), but for the most part, nope.
He just thinks right now that fighting that kind of behavior is the best kind of thing to do.
And until a bigger evil appears, Smoker will not leave the Marines, no matter how disillusioned with the World Government he might be, especially now that the Shichibukai he hated are gone as well.
And that bigger evil will only reveal itself in the end, which makes him joining obsolete at that point.
Additionally, it´s not like the threat of pirates will disappear, so yes, you still will need a force that battles them in terms of Marines.

I think Smoker will remain a Vice Admiral, regardless of his possible strength EoS, since it´s the position with the most freedom.

 

[Luffy bin Dragon]

no

Post automatically merged: Dec 23, 2020

I understood Morj's argument but he didn't follow his criteria for determining candidates. Not only that, but literally everything he said for Smoker also completely applies for Tashigi too, yet he's not arguing for her.

Smoker is a marine. And yes, Morj made a good point that the labels of pirate and marine don't mean much in OP. However, that is only in regards to morality. There are undoubtedly traits that make you a pirate. Dreaming, lust for adventure, free spirits etc. Smoker doesn't have those qualities in the way that pirates and specifically the straw hats do. Smoker would have no reason to care about finding the OP, nor about Luffy becoming the PK, nor about any of the pirate related activities the crew involves in, since that's simply not his character.

Him and Tashigi will very likely be allies, but that doesn't mean they have to jump to straight up becoming pirates.

FYI, Carrot's still the last straw hat.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1337807888065179651

CARROT4NAKAMA

 

[Lion of Olympus]

I thought you were better than this

 

[Elder Lee Hung]

Smoker starts out in East Blue, the weakest sea, actually because his view does not fit the World Government and his insubordinate attitude, so he is basically demoted to take care of the weakest sea.

The idea that the Government can order Smoker around is preposterous and shows that you remember nothing about who Smoker actually is lol. Smoker actually explicitly leaves Loguetown because the Government cannot control him lol. Even one of his own Marines is like "is it really okay for us to leave? Won't the Higher-ups" and then Smoker interrupts "Don't Order Me Around" And then leaves anyway.

In fact they explicitly send Smoker to G-5, ya know, where they send all the Marines they cannot control, because they cannot control Smoker. And that's always how Smoker has been portrayed, a loose cannon who the Marines have no power over lol.

Sounds like the perfect archetype for a Pirate actually. Maybe even...No, there's no way Oda would ever fully commit to the idea that the Straw Hats are the actual heroes in the World and the Government is just a fraud lol. I'm sure Oda intends to half-commit to this message and just have Smoker join the Grand Fleet or something.

 

[ShinmenTakezo]

The idea that the Government can order Smoker around is preposterous and shows that you remember nothing about who Smoker actually is lol. Smoker actually explicitly leaves Loguetown because the Government cannot control him lol. Even one of his own Marines is like "is it really okay for us to leave? Won't the Higher-ups" and then Smoker interrupts "Don't Order Me Around" And then leaves anyway.

In fact they explicitly send Smoker to G-5, ya know, where they send all the Marines they cannot control, because they cannot control Smoker. And that's always how Smoker has been portrayed, a loose cannon who the Marines have no power over lol.

Sounds like the perfect archetype for a Pirate actually. Maybe even...No, there's no way Oda would ever fully commit to the idea that the Straw Hats are the actual heroes in the World and the Government is just a fraud lol. I'm sure Oda intends to half-commit to this message and just have Smoker join the Grand Fleet or something.

He has always known his position has limits, but Luffy motivated him to escape them.
Otherwise Smoker has no reason to stay in East Blue.
Exactly because he was just a captain he chose to rise in the ranks.
If he completely disregarded the WG and the Marines as institutions, there would be no reason to rank up, he just needs to get stronger and sail like a pirate would do.

Smoker volunteered to go there and asked Aokiji , as seen in post war shenenigans.