The Alabasta arc is One Piece's first sizeable arc once the Straw Hats enter the Grand Line. As the climax of the Alabasta Saga, the arc follows the build-up and finale to the crew assisting Princess Vivi Nefertari to return to her homeland. This is also after the Straw Hats attempt to stop Crocodile's plans to destroy the country by turning the people and the palace against each other.

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Totaling 38 episodes in all, the Alabasta arc is responsible for introducing new elements and characters into One Piece's overall story that would become fan-favorites: adding integral components to the lore and laying several seeds for future events.

10 Ace And His Vivre Card Are Set Up for Thriller Bark

Ace gets ready to fight smoker

Portgas D. Ace, also known as Fire Fist, is a popular character thanks to his Flame-Flame Fruit powers, boisterous personality, protectiveness towards his brother Luffy, and fierce allegiance to Whitebeard. Ace makes a brief cameo at the end of One Piece's Drum Island arc before officially being introduced in the Alabasta arc when he temporarily joins up with the Straw Hats as he searches for Blackbeard.

When Ace departs to continue his hunt, he leaves behind his Vivre Card, an occurrence that eventually will alert Luffy to the former's imprisonment during the Thriller Bark arc. Even further, these events play into the events in both the Impel Down and Marineford arcs as well.

9 The Much-Loved Princess Vivi Appears

one piece vivis adventure

Vivi Nefertari is a central character in Alabasta, having been a covert spy in Baroque Works for two years in order to discover Crocodile's identity and protect her country. Deeply caring and empathetic, Vivi fights to the bitter end until Crocodile is defeated to ensure that her beloved people are saved.

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Although Vivi is offered an open spot among the Straw Hats as a standing invitation to continue traveling with them, she chooses to stay in Alabasta and help rebuild. Vivi fondly bids the crew farewell as part of her royal coming-of-age speech while she, along with the Straw Hats and Karoo memorably hold aloft their X-marked arms in a gesture of ongoing friendship.

8 Luffy's Plot Armor Gets Removed

Crocodile vs luffy round 1

Up until this point, Luffy wins every fight in which he participates, even if it takes him an inordinate amount of time. However, Luffy's invincibility changes after two encounters with Crocodile during the Alabasta arc that nearly kill him: once, after being stabbed in the desert, and subsequently being buried in the sand, and then a second time after Crocodile sucks the moisture from his body.

Luffy just barely survives thanks to Miss All-Sunday's intervention and to an opportune water droplet that restores his strength. Luffy's eventual triumph over Crocodile is narrow, the strategy of fighting with a blood-covered fist barely giving him an edge over the Alabasta arc's main villain's Logia abilities. This marks a first in Luffy's battle track record.

7 Sanji's Identity Receives Its First Hint

Sanji as Mr Prince in One Piece

Sanji's royal status is not shown until the Whole Cake Island arc. However, in hindsight, Sanji's actions during Alabasta take on a greater resonance, pointing to his true identity once the eventual outcome is known. During Little Garden, Sanji intercepts important communication for Mr. 3, while simultaneously pretending to be the latter and allowing the Straw Hats to sneak into Alabasta under the radar by lying about their deaths.

Crocodile and Baroque Works' obliviousness to Sanji's existence allows him to adopt the moniker "Mr. Prince." He then goes on to play a pivotal role in saving Vivi Nefertari and freeing the Straw Hats from Crocodile's prison.

6 The Straw Hats' Actions Increase Bounties

zoro and luffy bounties

Resentful over one of their Seven Warlords being uncovered as a usurper, and at his ultimate defeat at the hands of a pirate, the World Government publically credits the victory to Smoker and Tashigi. They also increase Luffy's bounty to 100 million berries and give Zoro one of his own, at a whopping 60 million berries.

While the other Straw Hats do not earn their pirate bounties until after the events of the Enies Lobby arc (in their mission to help Nico Robin) the rise in Luffy and Zoro's bounties indicates an upgrade in notoriety for them both as pirates.

5 A Sixth Crew Member Joins

Nico Robin from Straw Hats reading in One Piece filler arc Rainbow Mist

Crocodile's main henchwoman Miss All-Sunday, aka Nico Robin, joins the Straw Hats at the end of the Alabasta arc, spontaneously appearing on Going Merry after they have already set sail. When pressed for answers, Robin states that Luffy saving her life and encouraging her not to die has provided her with a newfound purpose.

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Luffy accepts her addition to the crew. This turns out to be permanent in the long run as Robin realigns with her goal to learn about the Void Century and provides the crew with assistance through her Flower-Flower Devil Fruit while forging a strong bond with the crew.

4 Viewers Learn About The Poneglyphs For The First Time

crocodile touches poneglyph

The ultimate purpose of Crocodile's plan in taking over Alabasta is its Poneglyph, guarded by the Nefertari Royal Family. Supposedly holding the knowledge of the ancient weapon Pluton, Crocodile's plans are foiled after Nico Robin claims the Poneglyph does not mention Pluton at all. However, she mentions later that she lied after finding no information of interest regarding the Void Century.

As the only person in the world capable of reading the Poneglyph, Robin continues her quest after Alabasta, discovering additional Poneglyphs in other destinations the Straw Hats reach with each one hinting at revelations about One Piece's universe.

3 Bon Clay's Entertaining Personality And Redemption Make Him Endearing

Bon Clay Fighting

Baroque Work's Mr. 2, aka Bon Clay, is the dramatic ballerina who serves as one of Crocodile's top operatives. However, Bon Clay's amiable personality when the Straw Hats find him and his ability to copy people's faces with the Clone-Clone Fruit make him endearing rather than annoying.

Bon Clay's battle with Sanji results in an impressive fight with the latter earning a hard-won victory. Later, Bon Clay develops enough of an attachment to the Straw Hats that he willingly sacrifices himself to the Marines so they can elude capture. Bon Clay's introduction in Alabasta is followed up when he reappears during the Impel Down arc, once again becoming an ally to Luffy.

2 Galdino's Powers Are Nightmarishly Suffocating

Galdino smirks knowingly in One Piece.

Mr. 3, aka Galdino, first appears at Little Garden to kill the Straw Hats and Princess Vivi before they reach Alabasta. He also serves to inform the people of Baroque Works' true plans and mastermind Crocodile. With his Wax-Wax Devil Fruit powers, Galdino nearly smothers Zoro, Vivi, and Nami by burying them under candle wax.

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When Crocodile learns of his failure to kill the Straw Hats, he attempts to feed Galdino to his Banana Gators. Thankfully, Galdino's powers save him from certain digestion. Galdino is then knocked out by the Straw Hats and left to the Marines. He reappears later as a Buggy Pirate and assists in helping Luffy to save his brother Ace.

1 Crocodile's Insidiousness Makes For A Surprising Return

A close-up of Crocodile from One Piece, who has a groaning expression

Crocodile is known and loathed for his scarily effective tactics in turning Alabasta against itself from the inside out, which nearly brings the country to ruins, all while retaining his spotless public image.

With his near-invulnerability, successful manipulation, willingness to murder indiscriminately, and cold-blooded outlook, Crocodile makes for an impressively imposing villain. Crocodile's malicious reputation precedes his appearance at Impel Down and makes his subsequent assistance at Marineford come as a surprise.

NEXT: One Piece: 10 Closest Fights Luffy Almost Lost (But Didn't)