Who Is Kid?
Eustass "Captain" Kid is one of the most prominent and hot-headed pirates of the "Worst Generation" in the One Piece universe. Hailing from the South Blue, Kid is the captain of the Kid Pirates and was introduced at Sabaody Archipelago with a bounty even higher than Monkey D. Luffy’s, primarily due to the civilian casualties caused by his destructive nature. As a character, Eustass Kid serves as a dark mirror to Luffy; while both share an iron will and the ambition to become the Pirate King, Kid is characterized by his brutality, cynicism, and a "shoot first, ask questions later" attitude. Throughout the series, Kid One Piece fans have watched him transition from a secondary rival into a major power player in the New World.
Magnet-Magnet Fruit
At the core of Kid's combat prowess is the Jiki Jiki no Mi, or the Magnet-Magnet Fruit. This Paramecia-type Devil Fruit allows him to manipulate magnetic forces, effectively turning his body into a living magnet. He can attract and repel metallic objects at will, which he typically uses to create massive mechanical limbs or weapons. His signature move involves stripping the weapons from hundreds of Marines and assembling a giant, crushing metal arm. During the raid on Onigashima, Kid revealed the "Awakening" of his fruit, which allows him to assign magnetic properties to other people and objects. This evolution of his powers was crucial in his high-stakes battles, proving that Eustass Kid was more than just a brawler with scrap metal; he was a strategic powerhouse capable of manipulating the battlefield itself.
Alliance Against Kaido
Kid’s journey in the New World was marked by extreme hardship. After losing an arm in a confrontation with the Red-Haired Pirates, he formed an ill-fated alliance with Scratchmen Apoo and Basil Hawkins to take down Shanks. However, this alliance was shattered when Kaido literally dropped from the sky onto their base. While his partners surrendered or betrayed him, Kid refused to bow, leading to his imprisonment in Wano’s Udon prison. It was here that his rivalry with Luffy deepened as they competed in manual labor. Eventually, Kid joined the Ninja-Pirate-Mink-Samurai Alliance, not out of friendship, but out of a burning desire for revenge against the Yonko who had humiliated him and broken his crew.
Kid vs Big Mom
The pinnacle of Kid's career occurred during the climax of the Wano Arc, where he teamed up with Trafalgar Law to face the Yonko Big Mom. This fight remains one of the most significant displays of power for Eustass Kid. While Luffy handled Kaido, Kid and Law were tasked with the impossible: stopping a woman who had ruled the seas for decades. By combining his Awakened magnetic powers with Law’s spatial manipulation, Kid was able to pin the "Iron Woman" down and blast her through the floor of Onigashima with his "Damned Punk" railgun. This victory earned him a staggering 3 billion berry bounty and cemented his status as a legitimate contender for the One Piece, briefly placing him on equal footing with the series' protagonist.
Shanks Destroys Kid
The "Fall" part of Kid's story happened as rapidly as his rise. After leaving Wano, Kid headed straight for Elbaf, the land of giants, where he encountered the Red-Haired Pirates once again. Fueled by overconfidence from his victory over Big Mom, Kid prepared to fire his railgun at Shanks' fleet. However, the Kid vs Shanks encounter was far from the prolonged battle fans expected. Sensing the massive destruction Kid was about to cause with his Future Sight, Shanks launched a single, devastating attack called "Divine Departure." In one blow, Kid was incapacitated, his railgun exploded, and his ship, the Victoria Punk, was snapped in half by the giants Dorry and Brogy. The Kid Pirates were effectively wiped off the map in a matter of seconds.
What Went Wrong
The downfall of Eustass Kid serves as a cautionary tale in the One Piece world about the difference between a "Great Pirate" and a "Yonko." Several factors contributed to his sudden defeat:
- Overconfidence: Winning against Big Mom required a 2-vs-1 effort and environmental luck; Kid mistakenly believed he could take on Shanks alone.
- Lack of Advanced Haki: While Kid possesses Conqueror's Haki, he never demonstrated the "Advanced" coating techniques used by Luffy, Kaido, and Shanks.
- Tactical Recklessness: Kid’s tendency to target the weak (Shanks’ allied fleet) provoked a "serious" response from a Yonko who might have otherwise been more lenient.
While Kid had the fruit awakening and the raw physical strength, he lacked the spiritual depth and foresight necessary to survive at the absolute top of the pirate hierarchy.
FAQ
Is Eustass Kid dead?
While his ship was destroyed and he was submerged in the sea, his current status is "Unknown." In One Piece, characters rarely stay dead unless explicitly confirmed, though his dreams of being Pirate King are likely over.
What is Kid's bounty?
Following the events of Wano, Eustass Kid had a bounty of 3,000,000,000 Berries, the same as Luffy and Law.
Why did Shanks attack Kid so quickly?
Shanks saw a vision of the future where Kid’s "Damned Punk" attack slaughtered his younger, weaker allies. To protect his friends, Shanks ended the fight instantly.
