One Piece: The unsung heroes who keep the crew together – The true sacrifices of vice-captains

Time of India

17-05-2025

When folks discuss One Piece, the focus is almost always on the captains—household names like
Luffy
, Law and Kid. They're bold, reckless, and inspiring. What tends to be the most invisible are the right-hand men who take the helm on these leaders' behalf: the vice-captains. Though these commanders' deputies of the high seas seldom take center stage, without them, the amiral-d'aigles would never get the chance to sail so far.
In the culture of One Piece, vice-captains are not only crewmates—they are the secret to the crew's success. Whether it's to pay for bills during a crisis, save a family farm or provide for relatives abroad, they give up their dreams, keep everyone afloat in turmoil and stay committed when everything breaks down. From
Zoro
to Rayleigh, Katakuri to
Marco
, these characters shoulder emotional, physical and mental burdens with little fanfare, serving as the stalwart backbones of some of the strongest pirate crews present in the series.
Here's a deep dive into the underappreciated yet crucial role of vice-captains in One Piece and why you should care about them so much.
Keeping the crew afloat: Vice-captains are the true leaders behind the scenes
Though aspirations of pirate captains may include such lofty goals as becoming the Pirate King, finding long-lost treasures, or overthrowing their great nemeses, it's the vice-captains that are truly responsible for keeping the crew from mutinies. They shoulder some of the hard choices in the captain's absence, they soothe feuding crews, they ensure the ship continues sailing toward success.
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Consider Roronoa Zoro, Luffy's right-hand man. During the Water 7 arc when Usopp challenged Luffy and left the crew, it was Zoro who stood up to Luffy. More than enforcing a rigid hierarchy, he personally made it known that anyone who disrespected the captain wasn't going to stick around. Through the ups and downs he kept the crew together and showed young men how to respect the person in charge and how to be led.
These quiet warriors may not speak up or self-promote on their power, but behind the scenes they are all doing the heavy lifting day in and day out in a way that looks for accolades.
Dreams on hold: How vice-captains sacrifice their own goals
Vice-captains are not second banana types—they are leaders who decide consciously to not be in front. Most importantly, many of them are now powerful enough to feel inspired and equipped to start their own crews and chase their own dreams. They choose to march behind their leaders because they trust them.
Silvers Rayleigh could've just as easily been a legendary snotrag. He spent his life pursuing Gol D. Roger, the Pirate King. Even post-Roger's death, Rayleigh didn't assemble a new fleet and pursue fame and fortune. His dream did not have to end with Roger's.
In addition to the above, Zoro forfeited his dream of becoming the world's greatest swordsman when he took all of Luffy's suffering at Thriller Bark on stealth mode. He never sought fame for himself. Toei Animation / Shueisha He didn't resent Luffy for succeeding. He almost sacrificed his own life to save his captain's future. 'Nothing ever happened.'
That moment goes on to encapsulate the vice-captain's life — a silent martyrdom on behalf of someone else's dream.
Emotionally unbreakable: Carrying the crew's pain
Strong isn't necessarily about muscles or sword skills. Often, that looks like shouldering the weight of the nation's grief without cracking under the pressure. Emotional anchor Vice-captains frequently act as the emotional cornerstone for their teams. They shed tears of joy, weep when they identify the poor, mourn, and notice their own mortality. They refuse to sound the alarm when the ship is going down. They keep their cool for the benefit of the crew.
Katakuri, Big Mom's most powerful son, spent the entire arc never appearing weak to his family members or foes. Despite his doubts and internal anguish, he put on a mask—physically and psychologically—to preserve the facade of strength that his family required.
After Whitebeard fell, it was Marco the Phoenix who held the splintered crew together. Even after they lost their captain, in true Marco fashion, Marco didn't retreat, they didn't sort of panickedly flee. In doing so, he continued to keep the team going and preserved Whitebeard's legacy in quiet dignity.
Killer, the vice-captain of Kid's crew, lost both his voice and his smile due to the SMILE fruit, but never deserted Kid. Even as he was suffering in silence, he worked from behind the scenes to defend his captain's dream.
Unshakable loyalty: A bond stronger than blood
A captain may love his entire crew—but his bond with the vice-captain is on another level. It's built on mutual respect, trust, and countless life-or-death moments. These bonds go beyond duty; they are formed through pain, sacrifice, and years of standing side-by-side.
When Kaido gave King a reason to live, King swore to stay loyal no matter what. Even after their defeat in Wano, King didn't regret his loyalty.
Ben Beckman,
Shanks
' vice-captain, once held a gun to an admiral to protect his captain. That kind of courage is rare. These characters don't follow orders because they have to—they do it because they want to. Their loyalty can't be bought, and it won't be broken.
The hidden strength of One Piece vice-captains
In One Piece, it's easy to be impressed by the loud, wild, and fearless pirate captains. But if you look closer, you'll see that the real glue of the crew is often standing just behind them. Vice-captains may not ask for the spotlight, but they're the ones making sure the dream never dies.
Their sacrifices, loyalty, and quiet strength deserve just as much recognition as their captains'. So the next time you watch One Piece, take a moment to appreciate the silent heroes who keep the adventure alive.