onetheory: onepeace
The swordsmen of One Piece are powerful, a major plot element, and freaking cool. Here, I detail out everything I’ve found about the swordsmen of One Piece, and what I think about them. Remember: do not read this page until you’re entirely caught up with the manga! I don’t want to spoil anything for you 🙂 Let’s begin.
Table of Contents
– Cape of the Strongest Swordsman
– Zoro’s Post Time-Skip Scar
– Alternative Theories
// There Exists a Cape of the Strongest Swordsman (Lord_Rayleigh @ MH Forum)
–> Take a look at this graphic Lord_Rayleigh made (Also Below)
Top Left: Flashback Mihawk | Top Right: Current Mihawk
Bottom Left: Current Rayleigh | Bottom Right: Flashback Rayleigh
–> Not a lot to say here other than this Lord Rayleigh guy at MH is OBSERVANT. Flashback Rayleigh clearly has the same cape as current Mihawk, and is clearly no longer the owner today.
–> We know for a fact that Mihawk is the world’s strongest swordsman.
–> As the first-mate of Gol D. Roger himself, we can smartly assume that Rayleigh was among the greatest swordsmen of his era.
onetheory: I… agree completely. I think that this theory is so legit that we can make theories based on this observation. And I do!
// Zoro’s scar is the mark of a challenger to Yoru who has lost. (nalld @ onepeacetheory)
Prediction Date: 2/22/2012
Assumption: Lord Rayleigh is indeed correct in calling this cape the cape of the strongest swordsman.
<-> Zoro fought Mihawk but received no scar earlier in the series.
–> Mihawk used a dagger.
<-> Rayleigh has a scar, and got it before he ever met Mihawk.
–> Presumably because Mihawk had to use Yoru to defeat Rayleigh for his cape.
<– He actually got this scar before he ever met Mihawk, pretty much killing this theory. (XZlayeD @ reddit)
–> All I can really say now is that Rayleigh lost to Yoru in the past, before Mihawk got Yoru himself. The problem is, I’m making the facts fit the theory so I don’t really buy this idea myself. Just leaving it up here for the sake of transparency.
<-> Zoro trained with Mihawk and now has a scar.
–> Presumably because Zoro is so strong that Mihawk had to train him with Yoru.
<-> Mihawk has no scar.
–> Presumably because he beat whoever he had to for Yoru in order to become its owner.
onetheory: If someone else has come up with this theory already, allow me to say, “Great Minds!” I think this fully explains why Mihawk has no scar but has the cape, and why Zoro has a scar now and no cape!
\\ Is Zoro’s scar similar to Shanks’?
<-> Zoro didn’t have his scar prior to training with Mihawk.
<– Blackbeard had a weapon capable of making the 3 slashes on Shanks’ face. (Commenter KINGMINNE)
<– That is a counterpoint to the idea that the slashes are marks of swordsmanship – or at least that Shanks’ aren’t.
onetheory: Probably not the same as Shanks’.
\\ Is there a “Number 2 Headband” in One Piece?
Assumption: That we are indeed correct in assuming Mihawk’s cape is the cape of the strongest.
<-> In Afro Samurai [spoilers, I suppose], the #1 Samurai owns a #1 Headband and can only be challenged by the owner of the #2 Headband.
onetheory: I think it’s possible, mostly because I love the idea. But I don’t think Oda would do something that has already been done.
Baseless Prediction:
// Zoro will get another mark on his face.
onetheory: I just think it would be cool if Rayleigh had 1 slash, Zoro had 2, and Shanks had 3 😀
Discussion
22 thoughts on “the swordsmen of one piece”
Leave a reply to nanallday Cancel reply
onetheory: onepeace 
Reading your Second Pass about Shanks’ scar and Blackbeard we do see that Blackbeard has a weapon capable of giving him that scar. In a flashback he has a Wolverine styled weapon with 3 claws, I forget exactly where it is though.
Posted by kingminne | December 27, 2011, 9:48 amI think you’re right! It was a really small picture; I’ll look for it today. Thanks!
Posted by nanallday | December 27, 2011, 4:16 pmIf the slash on the eye is the mark of skill level someone has achieved, then how come Mihawk has none?
Posted by Kuya Marjun | December 29, 2011, 9:00 pmYou’ve stumbled upon my biggest doubt about that theory too 😛
It’ll definitely be added to the page this weekend! Thanks for your help 🙂
Posted by nanallday | December 29, 2011, 9:33 pmIt might be the mark of someone who has seen/endured Mihawk’s strongest attack. That would fit right in with the cape of the strongest swordsman 🙂
Posted by Kuya Marjun | December 29, 2011, 11:28 pmDude I love this idea! The thing is Rayleigh had that mark when he was first mate on the Oro Jackson so Mihawk would’ve made that mark on him when he was.. like 12 😛 Or something.
Posted by nanallday | December 30, 2011, 4:46 pmHey, the relationship between those scars could be very interesting, although Zoro’s scarred eye seems to be closed all the time while Rayleigh’s is open. One idea I’ve been playing with, is that the slash was somehow required for the sake of a new special eye for Zoro for the sake of some special eye power or something maybe. Perhaps it helps him see as well as Mihawk and slash with pin-point accuracy. This is even more of a stretch but he could have even stolen one of Mihawk’s eyes after having been cut or something crazy like that. Then at the end, he has to finish the job and kill Hawkeyes! It’s a little far-fetched though. I do definitely feel like his eye scar will be referred to later and it will have something important to do with Mihawk.
Posted by Sid | February 20, 2012, 5:46 amA special eye is too Naruto for my taste 😛 but it’s absolutely possible. Check out my new thing about the scar being related to Yoru. I want your opinion 🙂
Posted by nanallday | February 22, 2012, 5:29 pmI was always partial to Zoro leaving one eye close as a handicap. To be fair to his “challengers” He is a fair swordsman minds you and it completely makes sense with his character.
Posted by KJOj | March 3, 2013, 1:37 amThis can’t just be a coincidence… But we need more info until we can really determine anything.
Posted by Braktot | February 23, 2012, 8:31 amRight? 😛 Hopefully soon. Although this new arc makes me think probably not.
Posted by nanallday | March 7, 2012, 5:27 pmYoru chooses it’s owner. whoever touches but not the owner it will get an eye scar(? lol)
Rayleigh obviously touched it but he was not chosen by Yoru
Zoro was able to get a hold of it because (a) he was able to defeat mihawk (b) mihawk let him hold it for practice
Posted by technotics | February 24, 2012, 1:56 am😀 Thanks for trying to justify my craziness. Hmm.. I have to think about this for a bit longer.
Posted by nanallday | March 7, 2012, 5:27 pmcan i add a little something the relationship between Mihawk and hanks. Shanks said something to Mihawk about causing the scar on his eye. Also, while the war was going on Mihawk refused to fight red haired pirates. Shanks scar was caused by a dual with Mihawk. I love one piece but not enough to re-read it a 4th time to find this one little page. I promise if u re-read it it’s there somewhere. Another point, zoro did recieve a scar just not on his face at fist encounter with Mihawk. I agree with the “zoro challenged Mihawk” when that happened he got a scar of his loss. Shanks also challenged and lost but barely. In conclusion, Mihawk must have scars but we can not see them. I think the facial scar is the lost challenge for the best. Maybe reliegh lost his first challenge then won the cape later.
Posted by erik wheeler | June 20, 2012, 9:12 pmhey erik! thanks for the comment. shanks himself says blackbeard gave him the scar here: http://www.mangapanda.com/103-2541-11/one-piece/chapter-434.html
otherwise it’s entirely possible that rayleigh lost his first challenge too. i really hope we find out soon 😛 there are just so many things we don’t know yet it’s crazy
Posted by nanallday | June 21, 2012, 7:56 amah i skim as i read so i was wrong thanks for the correction i do not find stuff out nearly as fast as you can. I know its only been what 10 years and 600+ chapters yet we are only half or a little more through with the epicness that is the grandline. So many mysteries and things to discover. Again thanks for le input
Posted by erikwheeeeeeeeee | June 21, 2012, 8:45 pmOne thing a friend and I came up with about Zoro’s eye is that maybe despite the scar, it’s not really injured – maybe he only opens it when he’s serious, similar to how he used his washcloth before the timeskip. The more I think about it, the more it can make sense – by keeping his eye closed, he’s constantly training by giving himself a handicap against opponents, which sounds exactly like something Zoro would do to make himself a better swordsman.
Posted by Kev | July 20, 2012, 2:02 pmSuper legit theory. I’m in to it – very similar to the “eyepatch over the eye so they could see at night if they need to” thing about historical pirates. I like it so much I’ll update this page with this idea soon! Thanks man
Posted by nanallday | August 14, 2012, 1:08 pmIs it not possible that MiHawk was part of Rogers crew? I remember MiHawk meeting up with shanks and they were quite friendly to each other, so maybe MiHawk was an apprentice crew member like shanks and buggy. (Note: I’ve only seen the anime, not read the manga apart from the latest stuff).
So when Roger died Rayleigh retired from being a pirate and gave the cape to MiHawk as he was going to continue.
Posted by xeraa | November 8, 2012, 5:08 am🙂 Read the manga! 😀
Posted by nanallday | November 21, 2012, 4:29 pmAll these assumptions about eye secrets, have all been done bebefore. That is why I believe there is nothing wrong or special about zoro s eye, he just keeps it closed as some sort of self deprivation training. That or he would win too easily with both eyes
Posted by Seth | March 22, 2013, 7:21 pmHi! I’m pretty new to OP, but I love all the possibilities and guesswork going on here. I just wanted to point out that on the way to Enies Lobby, Zoro’s left eye does ‘glint’ (in the anime – I don’t know about the manga…. yet) when fighting the marine captain T-Bone on the tracks. T-Bone is surprised that Zoro pretty much predicts his movements. Maybe there is a connection between flashy eye and great swordsmanship? (Maybe not. Just my two cents!)
Posted by Artsies | September 29, 2013, 12:26 pm