Baroque Works: Crocodile’s Criminal Syndicate in One Piece Explained

One Piece season 1 foreshadows a major plotline for season 2 by making several ominous references to an organization known as Baroque Works.

Monkey D. Luffy’s first live-action adventure features a variety of villains, from the vicious Kuro and the Black Cat Pirates to the ruthless Arlong the fish-man. However, Netflix’s One Piece also prepares the ground for future conflicts.

One Piece season 1 deviates significantly from Eiichiro Oda’s original manga by mentioning Baroque Works throughout the season, while the manga introduces the organization much later. The first notable example occurs in episode 1, when Zoro rejects an offer to join Baroque Works by defeating Mr. 7.

In another scene, Netflix’s One Piece shows that Vice-Admiral Garp has been probing Baroque Works’ activities in East Blue. The organization does not appear or get mentioned again, as the One Piece season 1 finale reveals Captain Smoker – another Marine character. However, Baroque Works will clearly play an important role in One Piece season 2.

In One Piece, Baroque Works is a criminal syndicate led by the pirate Crocodile, who is one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. Its goal is to overthrow the Arabasta Kingdom and obtain an ancient weapon.

For those of you who aren’t accustomed to the manga or the anime, the name must have evoked curiosity. But you’re at the right place. I am here to explain to you everything about Baroque Works and what it means for the plot of One Piece!

What is Baroque Works in One Piece?

Unlike the manga, Baroque Works is introduced quite early on in the live-action Netflix series. One Piece season 1 hints that Baroque Works will be the major villain in season 2, if the series is renewed by Netflix.

One Piece season 1 mainly depicts the conflict between pirates and the Marines, but Baroque Works is an organization that defies this dichotomy. Resembling a criminal syndicate, Baroque Works operates in the Grand Line and pursues ambitious goals of overthrowing the kingdom of Alabasta and acquiring an ancient weapon.

The leader of Baroque Works is Crocodile, a formidable pirate and Devil Fruit-user who surpasses Arlong in the One Piece power scale. While Arlong’s bounty is 20,000,000 berries, Crocodile’s is 81,000,000, and this amount is outdated by the time Luffy meets him.

The top members of Crocodile’s pirate crew act as the officers of Baroque Works, with the males given numbers as code names – such as Zoro’s doomed ally, Mr. 7 – and the females given days or holidays as code names, such as “Miss Valentine.” Most Baroque Works members do not know who their boss is, nor what their true objectives are. If Netflix renews One Piece for season 2, Baroque Works will likely be the main antagonist.

Why Baroque Works is Important for One Piece Season 2

The introduction of Baroque Works in One Piece season 2 would have significant implications for the Netflix series. The new villains would introduce a surge of Devil Fruit powers into live-action.

Among Luffy’s season 1 foes, only Buggy the Clown has consumed one of One Piece’s notorious fruits. In contrast, Crocodile and most of his top officers in Baroque Works have Devil Fruit abilities of various kinds, such as candle wax, blade-like hands, shape-shifting, and explosive mucus. This would make One Piece season 2 a visually distinct spectacle.

Baroque Works is also the main source of new allies for the Straw Hat Pirates. Nico Robin and Vivi, who will join Luffy’s crew in the future, are both involved in One Piece’s Baroque Works arc, and season 1 hints that these characters are very likely to appear in season 2.

Apart from new characters, Baroque Works would also introduce a lot of new lore to One Piece. Crocodile’s ultimate scheme is linked to One Piece’s ancient three weapons – a mystery that remains unsolved even after 1000 manga chapters. Meeting Baroque Works would also make poneglyphs, Luffy’s brother, and the history of One Piece’s world much more relevant in season 2.

Baroque Works is a Unique Villain in One Piece

One Piece season 1 featured mostly isolated villains. Arlong was the first major antagonist, but the formidable fish-man only emerged in the latter half of Netflix’s premiere season. Along with Alvida, Morgan, Buggy, and Kuro, One Piece’s live-action villains gave season 1 a segmented structure. Baroque Works will change that in One Piece season 2.

If the live-action adaptation follows the anime, the Straw Hats will not face a series of unrelated foes, but rather ascend the Baroque Works hierarchy, starting with Mr. 5 and ending with a decisive clash against Crocodile.

This does not mean every villain in One Piece season 2 will belong to Baroque Works. If Netflix’s TV show travels to Drum Kingdom to recruit Chopper as the next Straw Hat crew member, the irritating Devil Fruit-user Wapol will probably show up.

Nevertheless, Baroque Works will offer the consistent, long-term arc that One Piece has lacked so far. In fact, Eiichiro Oda’s Baroque Works and Alabasta storylines might have sufficient content for the Netflix adaptation to extend into a possible season 3.

About One Piece

One Piece is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda. It has been serialized in Shueisha’s Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine since July 22, 1997.

The man who had acquired everything in this world, the Pirate King, is Gol D. Roger. The final words he said at the execution tower were “My treasures? If you want it, I’ll let you have it. Look for it; I left all of it at that place.” These words sent many to the seas, chasing their dreams, headed toward the Grand Line, in search of One Piece. Thus began a new age!

Seeking to be the greatest pirate in the world, young Monkey D. Luffy also heads toward the Grand Line in search of One Piece. His diverse crew is joining him along the way, consisting of a swordsman, marksman, navigator, cook, doctor, archaeologist, and cyborg-shipwright, this will be one memorable adventure.