One Piece Season 2’s Crocodile Update Confirms Netflix Is Getting One Of The Anime’s Best Villains Right

Netflix’s One Piece seems to be getting Crocodile right, which is great news for the upcoming season 2. Ever since One Piece season 2 was confirmed, the idea of seeing Crocodile in live-action became one of the most exciting aspects of the Netflix adaptation. One Piece season 1 handled its villains incredibly well, even though it made big changes like Arlong fighting Luffy at the Baratie instead of Don Krieg and having Buggy show up in Cocoyasi Village. However, the best antagonists from the source material have yet to appear in live-action.

This includes Crocodile, also known as Mr. 0, who will be played by Joe Manganiello. Although Netflix has been consciously referring to Manganiello’s character as “Mr. 0” for now, One Piece fans know that the one behind Baroque Works is Sir Crocodile, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea at the time and an incredibly powerful Devil Fruit user. As cool as Crocodile’s powers might look in live-action, there is more to the character than just being the main villain of the Arabasta saga, and Manganiello is aware of that.

Joe Manganiello Is Playing Crocodile As More Than Just A Villain

Crocodile Once Had Hopes And Dreams Like Luffy

Crocodile from the One Piece anime and Joe Manganiello from How I Met Your Mother. — Crocodile from the One Piece anime and Joe Manganiello from How I Met Your Mother

Speaking to Screen Rant about his role in One Piece season 2, Joe Manganiello said he uses the term “villain” liberally when it comes to Crocodile. The actor pointed out that those who are caught up in the manga know that Crocodile is more complex than just the ordinary bad guy and has goals and dreams like anyone else. Manganiello particularly likes to compare Crocodile to Luffy as two sides of the same coin. While Crocodile is a villain by all means, the fact that Manganiello is portraying him as someone who thinks they are right is good news.

I use that term liberally because when you really get into his backstory, he's not that much different from Luffy in some ways when they were young pirates. It's just that events happened to Crocodile that put him onto a very different path.

One Piece has amazing villains – and characters in general – partially because they are all layered and complex in their own right. Crocodile is one of the best examples of this, as he is not only a tough antagonist but also a very interesting character with a rich background. From the reason why he wants Arabasta to his grudge against Whitebeard, Crocodile can be much more than just a disposable villain for One Piece season 2. Manganiello being a fan of the source material also makes his Crocodile casting even more exciting.

One Piece Focusing On The Parallels Between Luffy And Crocodile Is A Great Choice

Crocodile Is A Reminder Of What Luffy Could Have Become

Inaki Godoy as Luffy in One Piece and Crocodile

The parallels between Luffy and Crocodile may not be very obvious at first, but they do exist. Both are characters who once decided they were going to become King of the Pirates and were ready to do anything to achieve that goal. However, Crocodile’s dream was crushed when he was humiliated by Whitebeard, changing the trajectory of his life forever. Of course, Luffy and Crocodile’s moral compasses are completely different. Despite wanting to find the One Piece no matter what, Luffy still prioritizes his friends and their journey over anything.

Portraying Crocodile as what Luffy could have become had he made the wrong choices and found the wrong people is a great way to make the villain more interesting. One Piece season 1’s villains were fun, but given that it was still the beginning of the story, they were not too complex. Crocodile will be the first of many “bigger pirates” that Luffy will encounter, many of whom also dream of becoming King of the Pirates.

How Big Of A Role Will Joe Manganiello’s Crocodile Have In One Piece Season 2?

One Piece Won’t Get To Arabasta In Season 2

As exciting as Joe Manganiello’s role as Crocodile is, it remains to be seen how big of a presence he will have in season 2. While many assumed that One Piece season 2 would cover all of the Arabasta saga like the first season did with East Blue, the show will not get to the actual Arabasta arc until season 3. One Piece season 3 has yet to be confirmed by Netflix, but with season 2 ending at Drum Island, it seems likely that the show will continue for a third season in which they will get to Arabasta.

One Piece season 2 will start from Loguetown, which was not included in season 1.

Crocodile could have a somewhat big role in season 2 regardless. The leader of Baroque Works should not reveal himself too early, but that doesn’t mean Crocodile can’t appear throughout season 2 as the big bad pulling the strings. Crocodile should only meet Luffy face to face in Arabasta according to the manga, yet plenty of events that will be covered in season 2 are tied to Mr. 0’s crime syndicate. Netflix’s One Piece has made big changes to its villains already, meaning Crocodile’s role in season 2 could be different from what we’re expecting.