Of all the characters in One Piece that have undergone dramatic changes, it is hard to pinpoint anyone that could outdo the transformation seen in Koby.

As one of the earliest cast members to be introduced by Eiichiro Oda, Koby has made gigantic leaps forward in his dream of becoming a Marine Admiral, through a combination of sheer perseverance, effort, and tenacity.

Since the time skip in One Piece, Koby has been hailed as a hero by his allies in the Marines, as well as some of the people he has aided over the years, following in the footsteps of his mentor, Monkey D. Garp. However, Eiichiro Oda has yet to provide more information on why he attained this reputation, and whether it is something he really deserves at this juncture in the story.

Koby’s Character Arc

When Koby first appeared on-screen during the introductory Romance Dawn Arc of One Piece, his lack of self-belief made him a perfect target for the abuse of the Alvida Pirates, who had forced him into becoming their ship’s caretaker through intimidation. Even Luffy initially viewed Koby as cowardly and foolish, which was not too far from the truth at the time. Cowering in fear and lacking any gall to stand up for himself, Koby had given up on his dream of becoming a Marine, and resigned himself to a life of servitude under Alvida.

Naturally, the catalyst that brought about a significant change in Koby’s mindset was Luffy himself, as his boundless optimism — or rather, main character energy — rubbed off on him. Seeing Luffy’s unflinching faith in his ability to become the next Pirate King, Koby started to believe that his own dream was also within his grasp. This sparked the first turning point in his journey, where he finally rebelled against Alvida even while facing the prospect of death.

He then continued to overcome the trauma of his past, during his exploits in Shells Town, where he enacted his own version of justice by boldly freeing Zoro from his unfair imprisonment. Koby even stood up to Helmeppo, who threatened to shoot him, displaying a sense of fearlessness that he himself may have never been able to fathom previously. Although his travels with Luffy ended here, their brief journey gave him the resolve he needed to finally join the Marines and pursue his own dream.

From Timid Recruit To Capable Soldier

Since then, Koby’s growth has been nothing short of remarkable, as he devoted himself to the intense training regimen given to him by his mentor, Monkey D. Garp. He even went beyond this and pushed his body to his limits, honing his raw physical strength to absurd levels by punching retired battleships in his spare time — in spite of the pain he endured as a consequence. His efforts eventually bore fruit as he rapidly rose through the ranks to become a Marine Captain under Garp’s tutelage, and one particular event that took place in the time skip catapulted him into the spotlight.

During the Rocky Port Incident perpetrated by Trafalgar Law on Hachinosu, Koby protected many civilian lives and assisted in defeating Ochoku (a former member of the Rocks Pirates) which led to him being regarded as a hero. Essentially, this was a major stepping stone on his path towards his dream, as he had won fame and renown as an exceptional Marine who was committed to safeguarding citizens, and upholding his own sincere ideal of “Justice.”

Does Koby Deserve To Be Called A Hero?

Although the details of the Rocky Port Incident are still shrouded in mystery, the impact it has had on Koby’s journey as a soldier is evident in the kinds of battles he has been a part of in the post-time skip era of One Piece. He saved the delegation from the Dressrosa and Prodence Kingdoms at the time of Levely, when they were under attack from a torpedo fired at their ship. Not too long afterward, Koby was dispatched to Amazon Lily to capture the Pirate Empress Boa Hancock, after the Seven Warlords system was abolished.

Notwithstanding his off-screen achievements, it is this confrontation, and the subsequent events triggered by it, that lent the most weight to Koby’s title as a “hero.” For starters, Koby willingly gave himself up to Blackbeard in order to save 800 Marines on Amazon Lily, at a time when the Emperor was threatening to take them all hostage. Later, he was instrumental in freeing all the prisoners on Hachinosu and aiding their escape alongside his comrades in the Marine Headquarters Secret Special Force, SWORD.

This incident also featured a fearsome display of the strength that Koby now had at his disposal, when he utterly decimated the gigantic hand of Avalo Pizarro of the Blackbeard Pirates, formed from the island of Hachinosu itself. Naturally, this invites comparisons between Koby and Garp, who earned the epithet of the “Hero of the Marines” decades prior to the start of One Piece.

If Garp’s strength and accolades are the standards by which Koby’s title needs to be evaluated, it might be a bit too soon to call him a “hero” of the same caliber. That being said, it would not be wrong to think that Koby is well on track to equaling his mentor’s achievements if given enough time, as he is only 18 years old at the start of the Final Saga. Since his exploits on Hachinosu were only a taste of how powerful he has become, it is likely that Koby will reach even greater heights in the remainder of the Final Saga, when Eiichiro Oda brings all of One Piece’s major players together for a final battle of epic proportions.

Where Will Koby Go From Here?

As he recovered from his injuries on Hachinosu, Koby heard Dr. Vegapunk’s final message from Egghead Island, which outlined how the individual to find the One Piece would hold the capacity to overturn the current world order. Fearing the implications of these words, Koby was shown steeling his resolve as he pledged to prevent Luffy from achieving his dream at any cost, in a bid to protect the world from the horror of another massive war. Given Koby and Luffy’s relative strengths at this juncture, the Marine Captain’s ability to make good on his promise is dubious, but his ability to surpass expectations is something that has defined his character, which indicates that he may yet grow into a hero in the image of his mentor, by the time One Piece wraps up.