In One Piece, the heroes typically make responsible decisions. Their prudent judgment is necessary to survival since their opponents are usually so much stronger and better equipped for confrontation. It also makes their victories more satisfying since the solutions they come up with are creative and entertaining.
However, there have been a number of instances where the heroes' choices are so disastrous that they result in the destruction of crews or even entire kingdoms. By identifying their greatest flaws and the consequences of their actions, it becomes easier to appreciate them as imperfect and relatable characters.
10 Luffy's FIght With Zoro At Whiskey Peak Was Ill Advised
Zoro's fight with Luffy at Whiskey Peak resulted from a misunderstanding. After their hosts tried to murder them, Zoro woke up and started slaughtering his attackers en masse. Luffy, unaware of their treachery at the time, simply thought that Zoro had lost his senses and "defended" his would-be killers.
Considering that two Baroque Works agents were actively trying to attack the heroes while they fought each other, this confusion could have portended disaster. Fortunately, it didn't.
9 Zoro Was Out Of His League Against Mihawk
When Zoro first encountered Mihawk, he sought the chance to become the world's greatest swordsman on the spot. Naturally, his ego got the better of him, and he was defeated in one of the most brutally one-sided fights of the series.
Unlike his fight with Luffy, this duel had lasting consequences. It left a massive scar on Zoro's chest that he will carry for the rest of his life. Additionally, he was too injured to be of much use at Arlong Park and could barely defeat Fish-Man swordsman Hachi.
8 Luffy Punching Charloss Nearly Got His Crew Killed
Luffy was rightfully indignant about Charloss' abuse and mistreatment of his fish-man friends. However, despite being well within his ability to retreat from the Celestial Dragon, he punched him instead. This summoned Kizaru to Sabaody, who would have successfully detained the entire crew if not for Kuma's unexpected assistance.
Nonetheless, the Straw Hats were scattered for a full two years, and there was a brief period they weren't sure if the other crew mates were alive. The time skip gave the heroes the chance they needed to hone their skills and become worthy of traversing the New World.
7 Sanji Nearly Got Luffy Enslaved By Going Against Him
Sanji betrayed the Straw Hats in order to save Zeff and everyone on the Baratie. To this end, he beat Luffy near the brink of unconsciousness when encountering him to satiate Germa 66.
However, there were a number of flaws in his logic. Not only did he have no means of contacting Zeff in order to ensure the man's safety, he weakened Luffy to such a state where Big Mom's vengeful army could capture him. Were it not for Jimbei's unexpected intervention, it easily could have meant the end of the crew's adventures.
6 The Remaining Whitebeard Pirates Should Not Have Taken On Blackbeard
After the Marineford war, the remaining Whitebeard pirates sought to avenge their fallen captain. In their arrogance, Marco led them against Blackbeard in what would come to be known as the Payback War.
However, such a decision was predictably unwise. Not only did Blackbeard possess their captain's Devil Fruit, the Whitebeard pirates were still reeling from their battle against the marines. The ensuing loss stripped them of their title as emperors of the sea.
5 Nico Robin Shouldn't Have Trusted Spandam & CP9
Nico Robin went with CP9 since Spandam promised to show mercy on her crew. This was a poor decision for two reasons; not only did it deny Luffy the means of finding the One Piece, the World Government proved that they could not be trusted.
It took a full scale invasion of Enies Lobby for Robin to realize that she wanted to live and that she was worth saving. However, it nearly cost the crew everything and made them notorious on the world stage.
4 The Straw Hats Should Not Have Spared Gecko Moria
The Straw Hats never kill their enemies, which typically does not pose a problem later in the story. However, Gecko Moria proved that he will not stop terrorizing the innocent until he is dealt with permanently.
For example, he was a huge help to the World Government at Marineford by crippling Oars Jr. Additionally, he has recently joined Blackbeard for a mysterious and nefarious mission. Given his long history of malevolence, Luffy should have put him down when he had the chance.
3 Ace Let Akainu Provoke Him Into A Fight
Despite Whitebeard's death, it seemed as if Ace would escape. He got liberated from the scaffold, and the ships were ready to sail. However, Akainu goaded him into a duel by mocking his father's legacy. Unable to control himself, Ace turned and fought the admiral with everything he had.
Though they were evenly matched, Akainu forced Ace's hand by attempting to kill a petrified Luffy. Ace gave his life to save him, which made the entire Marineford invasion pointless and one of the worst global embarrassments an emperor ever had to endure.
2 King Riku Should Not Have Capitulated To Doflamingo
Doflamingo visited Dressrosa and blackmailed King Riku into compliance. Under threat of violence, he forced Riku to collect excessive taxes from his people in order to destroy his reputation. Worst of all, Riku could not tell his people his motives.
Riku's reputation was delivered a death blow when Doflamingo forced him into attacking his own subjects. Should Riku have simply told them the truth from the beginning, the warlord would have had nothing to leverage, and the World Government would have imprisoned him with relative haste. Dressrosa paid dearly for his lapse in judgment.
1 Oden Never Should Have Trusted Orochi To Honor His Agreement
After duping his way into power, Orochi was quickly confronted by Oden. Though Oden believed he could defeat Kaido, both parties knew that the damage to Wano would be extensive. As a result, he agreed to dance as a fool for five years while the villains slowly established their forces.
By the time five years past, Oden was no longer in a place to make his opponents honor their word. After losing to Kaido's overwhelming forces, he died in disgrace, with his descendants forced to live as fugitives.