For the movie, see One Piece Film: Z.

Z ("Zed"), also known by his birth name and former epithet "Black Arm" Zephyr, was the Supreme Commander (総司令官, Sōshireikan^?) of the Neo Marines as well as a former Marine Admiral and instructor before his resignation.^[1]

He served as the main antagonist of One Piece Film: Z, in which he and his forces clashed with the Straw Hat Pirates as they were caught in midst of his Grand Reboot plan to destroy the New World. He was defeated by Monkey D. Luffy after several battles. Z sacrificed himself to protect his remaining subordinates and the Straw Hats from his former Marine students.

Quick Answers

What is the birth name of Z in One Piece Film: Z?

In One Piece Film: Z, the character Z is originally named Zephyr, also recognized by the nickname 'Black Arm Zephyr'.

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What was Z's role in the Neo Marines?

Z, the protagonist of One Piece Film Z, established and led the Neo Marines. This group, a faction of ex-Marine officers, was formed due to dissatisfaction with the original Marines' approach to pirates. Z trained these officers, such as Ain, Binz, and Shuzo, and commanded an armada in the New World.

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What was Z's plan called in One Piece Film: Z?

In One Piece Film: Z, Z's mission was the annihilation of the New World. His substantial power posed a significant threat, leading to a confrontation with the Straw Hat Pirates. They were cautioned about Z's power and his destructive intent.

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Who defeated Z in One Piece Film: Z?

In the One Piece Film: Z, Z was overcome by Luffy. Following an intense clash that pushed both to their extremes, Luffy succumbed to fatigue. Z, no longer capable of combat, also fell. Z admitted his advancing age and physical constraints, expressing regret while admitting his enjoyment of the duel with Luffy.

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What was Z's position in the Marine before his resignation?

Z held the position of an esteemed instructor in the Marines. He was admired by many, including veteran officers of Vice Admiral rank and above. His departure from the Marines left a profound legacy, causing regret among those who had to face their former mentor in battle.

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Appearance

Z is a large, muscular, tan-skinned man, standing around twice the height of a typical man such as Luffy, with short purple hair and a large mechanical right arm connected to the left hip with converted mast rigging. Underneath that mechanical arm is a regular-sized and pitch-black prosthetic arm. He dressed in a Marine-like coat with his Jolly Roger impressed on it, baggy trousers tucked into his boots, and a pair of triangular sunglasses.^[1]

He suffered from breathing problems due to his age, requiring the need of an aerosol inhaler.^[3]

As a Marine Admiral, his standard outfit consisted of a purple suit with a Marine coat draped over his shoulders like a cape, his arms not in its sleeves. Z also wore a pink shirt with a polka-dotted tie under his purple suit. Like Garp and Tsuru, his coat has uniquely colored epaulettes with his own being blue.

At age 28, Z kept his Marine coat draped over his shoulders and wore a white V-neck shirt with the marine logo printed on it.

During his time as a young man at the G-5 unit, Z was smaller and less muscular and wore a standard low ranking Marine's uniform, consisting of a white short-sleeved shirt emblazoned with the Marine emblem, a simplified seagull with "MARINE" underneath it, on the back; a blue neckerchief; dark blue trousers; and a baseball cap with "MARINE" across the front. He was seen carrying a rifle and a backpack.

When he was a child, Z played the role of his hero, Z. He wore a red helmet on his head with the "Z" letter placed in front, as well as big glasses. He wore a sleeveless yellow shirt, light blue shorts, brown boots and white gloves. He also carried a wooden sword, and he had a wooden prosthesis attached on his right arm.

Gallery

Full-body view of Z.

Z at age 14 while enrolled at the Marine Academy.

Z at age 18 as a G-5 Marine.

Z at age 28 as a Marine.

Z at age 38 as an admiral.

Z at age 41 as an Instructor with some of his cadets.

Z's current appearance, without sunglasses.

Z's prosthetic arm, without the Battle Smasher over it.

Z in One Piece Film Dice Game Adventure Island.

Video Games

Z in One Py Berry Match.

Z in One Piece: Super Grand Battle! X.

Z in One Piece Thousand Storm.

Z in One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4.

Personality

Going as far back as childhood, Z had always possessed a strong belief in justice and heroism; having joined the Marines simply to fulfill both desires and resigning eventually when he realized the organization was not as just as he had hoped. According to Garp, Z was the strongest believer of justice.

Originally a happy person, being popular among his subordinates and having created a loving family, his life changed for the worse when his wife and son were murdered by a pirate, and later all but two of his cadets killed and his right arm severed by another pirate, who would go on to be invited into the Seven Warlords of the Sea. Such loss and injustice led to a deep resentment and hatred towards pirates, and after he left the Marines, he formed a group to take matters into his own hands and annihilate them all, even if it also meant opposing the World Government and the Marines. His hatred led to irrational acts such as plotting to destroy the New World to eradicate his enemies at the cost of countless innocent lives.

His extremism believed that pirates must be eliminated on sight, and that merely imprisoning them was ridiculous. His loathing was so strong that he would go to the extremes to achieve his agenda, whether physical, like stealing a powerful weapon from the Marines, or moralistic, like raising a Jolly Roger himself. He also claimed that even if Luffy defeated him, no one would recognize him because he is a pirate, so firm is his belief in the worthlessness of pirates.

Z heavily believed in the power of dreams. His ultimate ambition was to end the Great Pirate Era, which he planned to achieve by destroying the three geographic Endpoints of the New World with the Dyna Stones and releasing enough magma to utterly destroy the fabled One Piece, a plan he called the Grand Reboot. Despite his claims, he appeared to be aware that he would not live to see his plan reach fruition, and he told Luffy that he was simply happy that his dream went that far.

Z exhibited bravery to the point of fearlessness throughout his life. Even at his old age, he faced a whole platoon led by Kizaru without hesitation or concern, even admonishing his former student as having become overconfident since he became an Admiral, a rare attitude to take against such a formidable opponent.

Despite his loathing for pirates, Z had a great sense of honor, loyalty and respect to everyone, even his enemies, and was noble in character to the bitter end; his last act, after having fought evenly with Luffy to a standstill, was to give up his life to buy time for his Neo Marines and the Straw Hat Pirates to escape from Kizaru, having come to respect the latter after their final battle.

Lastly, Z also loved alcohol, as shown during his encounter with Kuzan. His favorite drink is Jerez, of which he drank a bottle prior to his last fight with Luffy.

Relationships

Family

At age 38, Z got married, and one year later his son was born. He loved his wife and son very dearly, and after they had been killed at the hands of a pirate, he wished to resign his position as an Admiral out of grief. However, he was persuaded to stay as an instructor.

Organizations

Marines

During his time as a Marine, he was very popular with and well regarded by his subordinates.

Z left a legacy behind him when he finally quit the Marines, as many Marines of the current generation, and a good number of veteran and elite officers of Vice Admiral rank and higher, looked up to him. Many of these men regretted having to fight their former instructor as they confronted him for his final fight. Doberman, a notably grim and stoic officer, even shed tears as he partook in Z's death.

Sakazuki, Kizaru, Kuzan, Momonga, Doberman, Onigumo, Comil, Yamakaji, Strawberry, Hina, Smoker, Ain, and Binz were all trained by Z in his capacity as an instructor. Some of them refer to him as "Sensei", showing respect for him, and Ain, Binz and Shuzo, closest among his students, resigned from the Marines with him to support his cause.

Z had a great impact on the future Admiral Aokiji during his training. Kuzan deeply respected him as a result and although he opposed his former teacher's plan to destroy the New World, he never once attacked him. Aokiji also claimed that he drank Z's favorite drink, trying to be as cool as he was. In the end, Kuzan helps him protect Ain from the wrath of the marines by erecting an ice wall between her and Z, and consoles her and Binz in the wake of his death, speaking of his greatness. However, he claimed without doubt that Z's actions were crazy.

Notably among his students, Z harbored a dislike for Kizaru, from their days as instructor and recruit right up to their opposition as terrorist and Admiral and stated emphatically that he never could get along with him. Kizaru had high respect and admiration for Z nonetheless, who taught him valuable lessons in his early years, and continued to respect him even after his defection. Kizaru enjoyed testing his strength against Zephyr in training, and whether in spite of or because of the tension between them, he showed no regrets as Admiral Kizaru seriously fought him and killed him during the last encounter of his life. Kizaru bid Z a final respectful farewell before mortally wounding him.

Fleet Admiral Sakazuki had great respect for his former mentor and quietly wished that he did not have to kill him once Z had become a threat. However, during the meeting of the Marine top brass concerning his defection, he stated without remorse that Z is now an enemy and sanctioned his elimination as necessary.

Garp and Sengoku, Marines who were not young enough to be instructed by Z but did follow him in their careers and looked up to him as an example of bravery and justice, shared positive feelings about Zephyr regardless of his betrayal, though they both also showed concern for his wrathful will to destroy the New World.

Neo Marines

Despite feeling the Government and Marines betrayed his beliefs by siding with pirates, Z was caring, trusting, and loyal to his subordinates and ultimately gave his life in battle with Kizaru to give the Neo Marines time to escape. He showed no concern that Shuzo might give away information to the marines after he was captured.

Ain, as his right-hand woman, greatly respected Z, showing no pause in quitting the Marines to join his cause, even as it meant becoming criminals in the eyes of the World Government. She referred to him exclusively as "Z-Sensei". She attempted to aid Z when he chose to stay back and buy time for the Neo Marines and the Straw Hats to escape but was prevented from doing so by a wall of ice created by Kuzan. Ain cried, though showing great emotional restraint all the while, as she paid her respect to Z's grave afterwards.

Binz, Z's other greatest student, shared in his hatred toward pirates, and showed just as much respect towards him as Ain, referring to him as "Z-Sensei".

At his last stand, Z apologized to Ain and Binz for asking so much of their time and effort, whether they gave it willingly or not.

Enemies

Pirates

Having his beloved family killed by pirates and a score of his students slaughtered and his arm severed by another, the latter of whom was (in Z's opinion, unjustly) proposed to the ranks of the Seven Warlords of the Sea left Z emotionally traumatized and embittered towards piracy, developing a deep-seated loathing and a wish to exterminate them all.

Adjacent to this, Z thought of the Four Emperors as fools who held no true power over the New World and aimed to destroy them and their empires along with all other pirates. He especially referred to his desire to kill Shanks during his second fight against Luffy, as the pirate who inspired Luffy to lead a life of piracy and is in some way responsible for his dangerous actions.

Straw Hat Pirates

Z and his Neo Marines fought against the Straw Hat Pirates several times. The crew first encountered him when he was drifting badly injured on the sea. Z was grateful to the group for treating his wounds and praised Tony Tony Chopper's medical skills. However, his friendliness towards them immediately curdled and turned to furious hostility when he realized they were pirates. Once his men arrived to collect him, Z attempted there and then to obliterate the Straw Hats.

Initially, Z judged Luffy unworthy of the title of Pirate King after easily defeating him. Z remarked that Luffy's straw hat was getting really old when he noticed it, showing an awareness of its history, and also mentioned Shanks when Luffy tried to reclaim it during their second meeting. At the end of his final battle with Luffy, Z changed his judgement and he declared Luffy a worthy opponent and allowed the Straw Hats to escape alongside his subordinates in his last stand against the Marines.

World Government

Z resigned his position as a marine instructor in the wake of the World Government offering to the pirate who cut off his arm candidacy to the Seven Warlords of the Sea. Although he was still respectful of some of his students and former subordinates, Z regarded the World Government on the whole as spiritually weak, and their actions a betrayal to the notion of Justice.

Abilities and Powers

As the leader of the New World, Z had complete authority over the crew; an armada of several hundred warships, with three Devil Fruit users and a Pacifista army as part of the crew. He also managed to steal the Dyna Stones from the Marines, explosives capable of destroying an entire island and said to have power to rival the Ancient Weapons, increasing his group's lethality.

In the past, he was a Marine Admiral, which meant his command over the soldiers within the organization was once the second highest, just underneath the Fleet Admiral, and he was once crowned as the World Government's greatest military power, being among the strongest individual fighters within the government and Marine organizations of his time. He also had the authority to issue a Buster Call on any island he deemed a threat and could give that authority to any World Government agent. With his resignation, he forfeited such privileges.

After his resignation and prior to becoming an extremist, he was requested to stay in the military as an instructor, and he trained many powerful cadets who would become the high-ranking officers of their generation, and even after defection his legacy left many of his former disciples showing genuine remorse at having to fight their instructor, indicating he was an excellent and charismatic teacher.

Despite lacking a Devil Fruit power, he had vast knowledge about them. Similar to Rob Lucci before him, he was able to quickly understand the mechanics behind Luffy's Gear 2 and advised Kizaru to not rely on the powers of the Pika Pika no Mi so much.

Physical Abilities

Alongside Garp, Sengoku, and Tsuru, Z was one of the most powerful Marines of his generation. In his time as an Admiral, he was powerful enough to stand against even Gol D. Roger and Edward Newgate, men considered the two strongest pirates of the age. Despite his old age, Zephyr had tremendous physical prowess. He could charge at his opponents with great speed despite his size and the extremely heavy Battle Smasher prosthetic arm he carried. He was also capable of countering Luffy, Roronoa Zoro, and Sanji's attacks despite fighting them inside of a small cabin, with none of the three strongest Straw Hat Pirates actually being able to land a direct hit.

He had tremendous skills in hand-to-hand combat, using his physical prowess and Haki, to fight equivalently against Luffy's while in Gear 2, and able to follow Kizaru's movements despite his breathing problems. Even as a child, he was skilled enough to defeat bullies while playing as a hero. His strength was so immense that he was able to create large shock waves and craters simply by striking the ground, even without the aid of his Battle Smasher. His fighting skills also included the Six Powers, which he mastered at age 28.

Zephyr had tremendous durability and endurance, able to survive an enormous explosion from a Dyna Stone that destroyed the island he was fighting on despite the blast rendering him comatose and endure an onslaught of light attacks from Kizaru which left dozens of burning holes in his body before continuing to fight. He was able to go toe to toe with Admiral Kizaru several times, and later showed extraordinary stamina by stalling Kizaru, several Vice Admirals and an entire battalion by himself—all without the Battle Smasher—before ultimately dying in the battle.

He was aware of his age though, and after his final battle against Luffy he admitted that he has grown old and weak.

Haki

Further information: Haki

It was stated that all Marines with a rank of Vice Admiral and above can use Haki,^[4] so Z could also use this ability. At the age of 34, he mastered Armament Haki which earned him his moniker "Black Arm".^[2] Despite his physical age and limitations, Zephyr was still capable of using Haki in his final battle with Luffy and hold his own. He could easily create a large crater on the ground with his fists.

He was also easily able to break Kibin's Tekkai with a Haki-enhanced punch.

Six Powers

Further information: Six Powers

Like several other high-ranking Marines, Z had mastered the Six Powers martial arts style, at the age of 28.^[2] Though tarnished by old age, Zephyr still retained a significantly high mastery of the Six Powers. With the use of Tekkai and the Battle Smasher, Z could survive the massive detonation of a Dyna Stone despite being considerably close within the range of the explosion which was powerful enough to wipe out an entire island and was simply rendered unconsciousness from the impact. With his skill in Soru, Z could keep up with Kizaru's light enhanced speed and Luffy's Gear 2 enhanced speed.

Weapons

Battle Smasher

Further information: Battle Smasher

He had a mechanical arm named the Battle Smasher, which he used as a powerful bludgeoning weapon. The weapon was constructed by Marine scientists after Z lost his right arm and was embedded with Seastone in order to effectively combat Devil Fruit users such as Logia-type users like Kizaru. Inside the Battle Smasher there was a destructive cannon as well as a machine gun turret. Beneath the Battle Smasher is a black, advanced prosthetic that is almost indistinguishable from the real arm that he had lost.

Dyna Stone

Further information: Dyna Stone

Z also stole the Dyna Stones, which are weapons of mass destruction. Each of them has power said to rival the Ancient Weapons in terms of mass destruction, and as the Marines' trump card they are considered extremely valuable to them.

Flintlock

He also used a simple pistol which shot Seastone bullets.^[5]

History

Past

Childhood

Sixty-six years ago, an 8-year-old^[2] Zephyr played the role of a hero of his own creation named "Z", as he defeated bullies while protecting a little girl and her doll.

Marine Service

Sixty years ago, a 14-year-old Zephyr enlisted in the Marine Academy,^[2] desiring to become a hero. He eventually graduated to a full-fledged Marine and participated in his first battle four years later, in the G-5 Division.^[6] At age 28, by the time he had mastered the Six Powers, Zephyr realized that the Marines were not fantastical heroes. Six years later, Zephyr had mastered Armament Haki, receiving the epithet "Black Arm" as a result.

Zephyr became an Admiral at age 38, during Gol D. Roger and Edward Newgate's golden age. By this time, he had become very popular with his subordinates. He also got married, and a year later, his son was born. However, Zephyr's happiness was ended prematurely when a pirate who hated him murdered his wife and son three years later. Distraught, Zephyr wanted to resign from the Marines, but he was eventually persuaded to stay as an instructor. He trained many cadets, most of whom would ascend the Marine's bureaucracy, in both power and status.

Twenty-three years after the death of his loved ones, Zephyr's arm was cut off by an unknown pirate with a Devil Fruit power, and his entire division was massacred with only Ain and Binz surviving. Five years later, at age 70, Zephyr received his mechanical arm from government scientists and began hunting down pirates with Devil Fruit powers, forming a coalition of Marines together with Ain and Binz.

During the Timeskip

One year ago, the same pirate who severed Zephyr's arm was invited to become a Warlord of the Sea. This act finally drove Zephyr beyond the breaking point, prompting the instructor and former Admiral to renounce the Marines altogether and leave alongside his faction of self-trained Marines, including Ain and Binz.

Afterwards, Zephyr then began creating his own organization, the Neo Marines. He also renounced his true name and began embracing a new alias under the name he came up with as a child. With his new group, the now self-christened "Z" plotted to destroy all pirates and end the Great Pirate Era by destroying the New World itself and everyone in it.

Sometime after the Neo Marines were formed, Ain and Shuzo dueled each other for the position of Z's right hand. Ain became the victor and Z appointed her as his second-in-command.

Dressrosa Saga

Z's Ambition Arc

Ain and Z learned Shuzo's fate from the newspapers. Ain told Z that she should have made herself clearer to him, apologizing. She then wondered if the Marines found out what they were up to. Z told her not to worry, that no amount of torture will make him or his men talk. Confident in his subordinate's loyalty, this setback did not bother him in the least. He then got a call on his Den Den Mushi, announcing they would be arriving at an island soon. Z promised the end of the New World was near, and he would kill every last single pirate in it.

Z and the rest of the Neo Marines arrived at Firs Island, and he was prepared to eradicate all the pirates in the New World.^[7]

One Piece Film: Z

Z sang "Ocean Guide" as he prepared for battle. His fleet of Neo Marines pushed past the defenses of Marine ships and invaded Firs Island. He made an open vow he would destroy all pirates before storming the beach, attacking waves of Marine soldiers that are flung aside. His subordinate, Ain, was shown fighting as well. She effortlessly dodged the soldiers' attacks and used two daggers to fight them. She gracefully defeated all the soldiers attacking her, and she then vowed to follow Z wherever he went. Binz was shown using his Devil Fruit abilities, summoning large vines shielding himself from the barrage of artillery fire from Marine soldiers. He broke through their attacks, also stating he would follow Z.

As Z pushed through the defenses, two members of the Giant Squad intercepted him. With his Battle Smasher arm, he easily overpowered both of them and took them down. He and his solders then broke into the Marine base, and acquired the Dyna Stones. As his men began loading the weapons aboard their ships, Admiral Kizaru appeared and began a deadly onslaught, destroying their ships and blowing away the Neo Marine soldiers. Z rushed to their aid and clashed with Kizaru.

Kizaru outmaneuvered him, sending a deadly array of explosive blasts at him but were deflected. As the two fight, Ain and Binz evacuated the Neo Marines onto the remaining ships. Kizaru asked how long it has been since the two last met, wondering what brings him to the island. Z warned that he relied too much on his Pika Pika no Mi power. Kizaru responded that he was still stubborn like a rock, addressing him as Master Zephyr. Z responded that he abandoned that name. The two clash fiercely, as Z told Kizaru he had become overconfident ever since he was promoted to Admiral rank.

Kizaru stated he did not come to dwell on the past, firing a light beam at him. He blocked it, charging forward and blows Kizaru to pieces with a powerful blast from his Battle Smasher. Z collapsed from the stress of the battle, using an inhaler to get his second wind. Kizaru teleported and attacked with his Ama no Murakumo technique, as Z pushed back showing signs of struggle. Kizaru confidently stated he could not match his speed with that heavy weapon. He began questioning what he wanted the Dyna Stones for, with Z remarking that even in the old days, he never liked him.

Kizaru politely asked him to return what he took, with Z remarking that the Dyna Stones rival the power of the Ancient Weapons as he picked up a stray one and shattered it. Terrified, Kizaru tried to teleport away to safety, as Z hurled the exploding stone in his face the moment he reformed. The blast engulfed the entire island, destroying everything. Kizaru survived the explosion, while Z was blown far away.

Elsewhere, the Straw Hat Pirates and the Thousand Sunny entered a cloud of raining ash, caused by the explosion. Monkey D. Luffy spotted the battered body of Z clinging to life on a piece of wood out at sea and tried to rescue him. However, when he grabbed a hold of Z's mechanical arm, he became weak, so Sanji and Usopp pulled Z aboard. Tony Tony Chopper examined him, but found out that he should be fine. Nami showed signs of suspicion, worrying that they had picked up someone problematic. Nico Robin noticed his arm was built out of Seastone. Nami found it to be a dangerous thing, but Luffy and the others were in awe over it. Sanji reminded them all that Seastone was used against Devil Fruit users, with him and Roronoa Zoro debating whether to throw him overboard. Chopper defended Z, with Luffy ordering Chopper to save the man's life. Luffy stated that he would deal with the man if Z was an enemy.

Z awakened later in Chopper's infirmary, with Zoro and Sanji standing guard outside. Z thanked Chopper for his care, calling him a great doctor. Z met Luffy and immediately identified him as the ship's captain. Luffy asked him what he planned to do next, as Z told him he was carrying a Vivre Card and his comrades should find him soon. Luffy began asking questions about his mechanical arm, asking where he bought it. He told them about how he lost his arm to a pirate, and how Marine scientists helped build the new arm for him. He told Luffy its use against Devil Fruit users, able to weaken any foe once he gets a grip on them. He did comment that due to its heavy weight, it would be hard to survive if he fell into the ocean and only a special key can take it off him.

Luffy asked if he was a Marine, to which he responded he had left them for being too old and was pursuing a different goal. Luffy commented that it would be bad if he was a Marine, telling him they were pirates. Z was angered by this and threw Luffy through the wall. He asked Luffy why he was a pirate, and Luffy proudly responded he would be the Pirate King. This comment infuriated Z, as he madly swung his Battle Smasher around. Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji all began fighting him, with Z able to hold them all off with relative ease. Ain and Binz then arrived with a fleet of ships and board the Sunny, announcing that they would be confiscating it.

Z overpowered the Monster Trio, as he held Luffy in his grip, helpless against him. He chastised Luffy's dream, telling him he would never be Pirate King with his strength. Curiosity piqued, he asked Luffy his name. When he told him, Z connected him as Monkey D. Garp's grandson and spared his life. He revealed to the Straw Hats he would destroy all pirates, as the Neo Marines began to attack the Sunny. With the ship being damaged and most of the crew unable to fight back, Luffy had them retreat. He freed Franky from his bonds, as he used a Coup de Burst to escape.

Later, on Secon Island, a squad of Marine soldiers caught up to Z and ambushed him. Z easily beat everyone around him, with Kibin clashing with him. He used his Tekkai, but Z broke his defense with the power of his Armament Haki. The Dyna Stones exploded, causing the volcano to erupt. Z informed his men that the destruction of the second Endpoint has been a success and they only need to destroy one more island.

Suddenly, Luffy appeared. Luffy charged forth and attacked with his Gomu Gomu no Rifle technique. Z blocked it, showing mild surprise to see Luffy. Luffy demanded Z change his friends back to normal, as Ain and Binz attacked. Sanji and Zoro intercepted them, fiercely battling them both. Z told Luffy if he wants something, he has to take it like a pirate. Luffy and Z both striked, the shock setting off the volcano to explode forth with magma.

Luffy told Z he will not be able to catch him this time, entering Gear 2. Z sent a volley of bullets at Luffy that he dodged before attempting once again to land a hit. Z blocked him again, but this time using the power of his Armament Haki on his normal arm. He asked Luffy to become Pirate King if he has the determination to risk his life, and his friends. He knocked Luffy back, sending him running with more shots from his arm cannon. Growing more angry, he asked Luffy if he is willing to walk over his friend's corpses to achieve his dream before sending out a powerful blast.

Luffy and Z clashed furious blows, with Z mocking Luffy telling him if he keeps being afraid of his Battle Smasher, he will never land any hits on him. He hit the ground, sending Luffy flying away. He catched up and fired more bullets at Luffy that he deflected back at him. Luffy told him his bullets will never harm him, until Z pulled out a small pistol and fired a bullet into his shoulder made from Seastone. Mocking Luffy further, he told him about the strongest people in the New World would never have let themselves be hit with it and he relies too much on his Devil Fruit power. He took Luffy's straw hat, promising to bury it himself once he has finished destroying the age of pirates.

Luffy tried to grab it from him, telling Z the hat was given to him by Shanks. He grabbed Luffy in his powerful grips and told him Shanks, along with the rest of the Four Emperors, will all die before they know what is happening. Luffy was enraged, screaming at him not to mock Shanks as Z blasted Luffy away. Zoro and the others found Luffy and helped carry him to safety and were able to escape the island before it was destroyed.

Z is shown watching the island exploding from one of his ships, with Ain wondering of Luffy's fate. Z reflected on the One Piece and became angered over how much suffering and death its existence has brought to the world. That they consider it a symbol of freedom, but he will destroy that and bring a close to the great pirate age.

Some time later, the Neo Marines arrived on Piriodo. Ain is seen watching over Z as he rested, until sometime later he met with Kuzan singing a requiem. He told Z he always hated that song, before giving him a bottle of his favorite wine as a peace offering. He told Z he used to drink that because of him, looking up to him. He told Kuzan not to lecture him, and he will go forward with his plan no matter what.

Kuzan told him he might die, as Z responded that is no problem if he can rid the world of evil. Z told him to step aside, and the next time they meet they will share drinks together. Kuzan and Z faced each other, but each side unwilling to fight one another as enemies. Kuzan backed down and left Z to his machinations.

The Straw Hats headed out to intercept Z, pushing through the Neo Marine blockade around Piriodo. As the Straw Hats fought with the Neo Marines, Kizaru and a large fleet of Marines arrived on the island. Kizaru cheerfully said that he will kill every one of the Straw Hats, so Z is not disappointed. Meanwhile, Z himself was sitting in the mouth of the volcano surrounded by Dyna Stones placed to blow. After a swig of his wine, he stared eagerly at Luffy's straw hat awaiting his inevitable arrival. Luffy is shown fighting off more Neo Marines, trying to stop his advances. He used his Haki, dodging multiple shots from cannons gradually getting closer towards Z.

Luffy finally found Z waiting for him inside the volcano. He discarded his jacket, as the two engaged in a furious battle. Luffy pounded away against his Battle Smasher arm, with Z calling his efforts useless. Their fight grew more intense, Luffy's shirt incinerating off him from Z's raw strength. He told Luffy he cannot defeat his justice. Luffy unleashed his Gomu Gomu no Gatling punches, able to land a few brief hits on Z's body but he showed no sign of any harm.

He complimented Luffy on having courage for a pirate, remarking he is far braver than the Marines. Luffy inflated his fist to Gear 3, using his Gomu Gomu no Gigant Pistol move at Z. Z matched Luffy's hit with his Smash Blaster, both unable to push each other back. Z began showing signs of fatigue, as the two rushed and smashed each other's fists against one another as hard as they could. The force of the impact sent rippling shock waves along the volcano.

The Straw Hats catched up to the battle, seeing Luffy had managed to leave an imprint of his fist inside Z's giant metal fist. Z asked him why he wants to fight him so much. That even if he defeats him, nobody will thank him for his efforts for the stigma of being a pirate. Luffy responded, if he cannot defeat him, he would never be able to become the Pirate King. Z then discarded his cracked Battle Smasher, revealing a smaller mechanical arm he could still use. Z told Luffy he is going to dedicate his life to ending his ambition, challenging him for their final bout.

Z and Luffy activated their Armament Haki, their arms turning a hardened black. The two engaged in a brutal fist fight, both striking each other with imbued haki. Kuzan is seen watching their match from a distance, stating "Black Arm" Zephyr has returned. Z and Luffy both gave each other hard punches to the chest and stomach, giving Luffy a moment to recoil and puke. Luffy striked back a punch that knocked Z's glasses right off.

A brief flashback is seen in his mind of his early childhood, rattling his early memories. Z became elated, that he is being given such a good fight. Both Luffy and him were worn out, still pushing each other with punches back and forth. He cornered Luffy and began pounding on him, with Luffy showing little sign he could defend himself anymore. As Z began to gain the upper hand, Luffy pushed him back with a kick.

Fighting on their last reserves, Luffy shouted he is going to be the Pirate King with Z shouting his name in absolute confidence. After exchanging a few more blows to one another, Luffy finally collapsed from exhaustion. Z fell to the ground after, unable to fight anymore too. Z bitterly said he had gotten old, and his body could not keep up with him anymore. He found it disappointing, telling Luffy he was enjoying fighting him.

As the battle ended, the Straw Hats rushed over to Luffy's aid, with Ain and Binz doing the same for Z. Z told Luffy to finish him, but Luffy merely answered him he is already satisfied, giving him a smile. He offered to continue fighting him, if he wanted but Z turned him down, also being satisfied. Z apologized to Ain for giving her so such work. Ain began crying for him, telling him she's happy he is alright.

Kizaru then arrived with his army, telling he was going to kill them all. Z said he had done everything he wanted to do, and now would face the price for it as he marched towards the Marine army. He dismissed Luffy and told him to leave the rest to him. Ain tried to rush to his side, but Kuzan summoned a giant wall of ice dividing everyone from him. Z begrudgingly accepted he had been given a place to die, as he faced the Marines head on.

Even near death, his raw strength overpowered all the soldiers around him. Kizaru unleashed his Yasakani no Magatama attack, filling the sky with thousands of beams of light that rain down upon Z. He was badly injured, filled with burning holes in his body, but still stood against them. The Marines began to weep, shedding tears for being forced to kill their teacher. Z announced he would give them all their last training lesson, as he barreled forth giving his all for one last battle.^[5]

Legacy

Z's Battle Smasher was used to make part of the cross on his grave. The fate of his Neo Marines army is currently unknown, but, thanks to his actions, Ain and Binz were able to escape from Kizaru and his Marine fleet. Though Ain and Binz mourned for their fallen leader, Kuzan comforted them that he was a great man and to never forget his sacrifice.^[5]

Major Battles

• Z vs. Edward Newgate (unseen)
• Z vs. Gol D. Roger (unseen)
• Z, Ain, Binz, and a Marine platoon vs. the pirate proposed in a future to be Warlord
• Z vs. Firs Island's Marine platoon
• Z vs. Admiral Kizaru (on Firs Island)
• Z vs. Straw Hat Pirates
• Z vs. Commodore Kibin and his Marine platoon
• Z vs. Monkey D. Luffy (on Secon Island)
• Z vs. Monkey D. Luffy (on Piriodo)
• Z vs. Admiral Kizaru, Vice Admirals Momonga, Doberman, Comil, Onigumo, Strawberry and a Marine platoon (on Piriodo)

Translation and Dub Issues

On the official One Piece Film Z website and on official merchandise by Toei Animation, Shueisha, and Bandai Namco for the film, Z's name is written as "Zetto" despite the film being called "Z". Both are pronounced the same way in Japanese, despite the difference in spelling, with "zetto" being the phonetic spelling similar to "zed". In the Funimation dub, Z is referred to as "Zed".

Other Appearances

Video Games

Playable Appearances

• One Piece: Super Grand Battle! X
• One Py Berry Match
• One Piece Treasure Cruise
• One Piece Thousand Storm
• One Piece: Dance Battle
• One Piece: Set Sail
• One Piece Bounty Rush
• One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4 (DLC)

Trivia

• Z shares his name with Zephyrus (Ζέφυρος), the personification of the west wind in Greek mythology.
• Zephyr is the second known Admiral to not have had a codename, the first being Sengoku.
• He is the only known Marine Admiral that had not eaten a Devil Fruit.
• His favorite alcoholic beverage is Jerez.
• He is currently the highest-ranked non-canon Marine.
• He is the second movie antagonist who is a former Marine, the first being Gasparde.
• Z shares many similarities with the main antagonist of the movie Strong World, Shiki:
  • Both are the antagonists of movies overseen by Eiichiro Oda during the whole process.
  • Both's histories have been developed by Oda personally.
  • Both have remarkable prostheses that double as weapons, with Shiki having two swords replacing his feet and Z having his Battle Smasher.
  • Both characters have elements of ships on their own bodies, with Shiki having a steering wheel on his head and Z having two mast riggings across his chest.
  • Both are from Roger's era.
  • Both had four episodes related to their respective movies with their own sets of characters.
• In the 6th fan poll, Z ranked 81st.
• Z may have been partly inspired by the real life Claude Dansey, also known as "Colonel Z" and codenamed "Z", who secretly established his own spy organization when he grew frustrated with the incompetence of MI6.
• It is possible that the girl Zephyr defended as a child was also his wife as an adult, given their similar hair and shirt color.
• Little is known about the pirate who cut Z's arm off thirteen years ago, but he was already a Devil Fruit user at the time and he had been requested to be a Warlord during the timeskip.
  • Buggy has been effectively active for more than thirteen years and was a Devil Fruit user at the time.
  • Law ate his Devil Fruit only thirteen years ago, but due to his age and poor mastery of the abilities, he is unlikely to be the aforementioned pirate.
  • Weevil's past is still unknown, and there is no acknowledgment regarding whether or not he is a Devil Fruit user.

References

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