Ivankov and Bon Clay were two of Luffy's greatest allies during the daring escape of Impel Down in the One Piece universe. The former was the leader of the Kamabakka Kingdom and a skilled member of the Revolutionary Army, while the latter was a Baroque Works agent in service of Crocodile.
Were it not for their assistance, the Straw Hat captain would have perished dozens of times over before his escape could have ever been completed. Through identifying their greatest contributions to the jailbreak, we can better determine which of the two heroes is a more reliable friend.
10 Bon Clay Helped Luffy Defeat Minotaurus
Minotaurus was a creature in service to Sadi who was ordered to ensure the prisoners of level three did not escape. Possessing as much durability as his hulking frame suggests, even Luffy's Gum-Gum fruit seemed insufficient to bring the brute down.
Through a combination of Bon Clay's devastating kicks and Galdino's wax enhancement to Monkey's fists, the convicts were able to defeat the monster before he could jeopardize their mission to save Ace any further.
9 Ivankov Saved A Countless Number Of Convicts From Being Tortured
There was a phenomenon in Impel Down known as being "ghosted away." It was when prisoners vanished in the middle of the night, never to be seen again. Many of the guards justified these disappearances as the work of demons, as there was no better explanation.
In reality, it was the work of Emporio Ivankov, who was rescuing them in secret and bringing them into a haven between floors five and six of Impel Down. His actions prevented the torture and potential execution of everyone in New Kama Land.
8 Bon Clay Defeated Hannyabal By Himself
Hannyabal was the vice warden of Impel Down and an unlikely obstacle for the heroes. Realizing the man's strength despite his paunchy build, Bon Clay assumed the disguise of Nami and lured him into another room.
Once the villain was distracted, Mr. Two promptly knocked him unconscious and tied him up. Now able to assume the vice-warden's likeness, he was able to navigate the prison alongside Galdino and Buggy the Clown with impunity. This was a tremendous asset that facilitated the safety of his comrades and the success of their mission.
7 Ivankov Discovered Ace's Whereabouts By Interrogating A Jailer
When Luffy and Ivankov breached floor six, they still had no idea about Ace's whereabouts. Since the wardens of the lowest floor had the highest resolve, it seemed as if it would be pointless to interrogate them.
However, Emporio was able to compel a nearby jailer into sharing information by changing their gender. In return for her "awakening," she told the heroes everything they needed to know about where to find Fire-Fist Ace. Unfortunately, he was already taken by Magellan and delivered into the custody of the marines by the time they reached his cell.
6 Bon Clay Went Back For Luffy After Magellan Poisoned Him
Luffy's battle against Magellan was an unprecedented disaster. The warden's Logia fruit allowed him to resist the blunt force of his opponent's attacks and smother him in deadly toxins.
Though Bon Clay had the sense to flee from the monster, he knew that Monkey would never survive on his own against him. Despite his better judgment, he turned back to save his friend, escorting him to level five of the prison in a desperate search for Ivankov.
5 Ivankov Saved Luffy's Life With Hormone Treatment
After Luffy was brought before Ivankov, he was promptly quarantined and injected with powerful hormones. They were used to facilitate his survival though were only as strong as the recipient's willpower allowed them to be.
His healing was not without a grave cost. Emporio warned that, while the treatment may have saved the Straw Hat captain's life, it would reduce his longevity by roughly an entire decade. Nonetheless, since it meant saving Ace, and because the only alternative was an agonizing death, Luffy began his treatment instantly and recovered several days before expected.
4 Bon Clay Screamed Relentlessly Until Luffy Was Fully Healed
Once Luffy began his healing process, Bon Clay understood the importance of shouting encouragement. Outside the hospital room, he continued to shout variations of "You can do it, Straw Boy," much to the bewilderment and curiosity of New Kama Land's denizens.
This was in spite of the fact that Mr. Two was recovering from his own injuries from the wolves that ambushed him on floor five. Eventually, his encouragement became so strained that he began to spit up blood with every word. Ivankov's people were inspired by his example and lent their voices to his own.
3 Ivankov Defeated Sadi By Herself
As formidable as Magellan was, he wasn't the only foe preventing the escape from Impel Down. Emporio faced off against Sadi and used a female hormone to transform himself into a woman. She used her supple body to navigate the fight gracefully and turn her attacker's whip against her.
By the time Iva was finished, Sadi was bound and helpless. When the other jailers arrived to untie her, she expressed a personal grudge against Emporio for the way she was utterly humiliated in the presence of her colleagues.
2 Bon Clay Facilitated The Prisoners' Escape By Posing As Magellan
Though the heroes had stolen a navy ship, there was a final obstacle preventing their escape - the massive gate in front of Impel Down. The only way to release it was for Magellan to give his explicit permission. Fortunately, the heroes devised a plan without Luffy's knowledge.
By posing as the warden, Mr. Two convinced Impel's jailers to open the gate and allow the prisoners to escape under the notion that they were stumbling into a trap. By the time the real Magellan entered the room and demanded answers, it was already too late to undo Bon Clay's duplicity.
1 Ivankov Held Off Magellan & Bought Everyone Time To Escape
As the prisoners fled level three, Magellan was close behind them. In order to buy them some much-needed time, Ivankov blocked the warden's path and prompted a fight. In spite of his confidence, he knew he was outclassed by the villain's venom-based Logia fruit.
While Magellan was distracted, Inazuma cut down the only stairway he could have taken to catch up to the fleeing convicts. Despite his loss, Ivankov was able to reunite with the heroes at the foot of Impel Down as they made their daring escape onto the distant navy warships.