Donquixote Doflamingo was one of the most well-known villains in the One Piece universe. As the king of Dressrosa and a member of the Seven Warlords, his presence has been felt even before the time skip, particularly during the events of Mock Town and Marineford. Additionally, his devil fruit rendered him nearly unstoppable due to its many creative applications.
Like many compelling villains, Doflamingo is defined through an elaborate combination of strengths and weaknesses. By identifying them, we can better determine whether or not he was worthy of being called one of Luffy’s most notorious and memorable antagonists.
10 Weakness: Most Of Doflamingo’s Family Is Weak
Although Doflamingo trusts and respects his family, most of them are fairly unimpressive in combat. When the battle for Dressrosa reached its climax, they all failed against the upstart gladiators and Straw Hat pirates.
This was appalling when considering how they understood the terrain much better than their opponents. Despite being a top executive and the leader of the fighting branch, Diamante’s loss to Kyros was especially humbling since his opponent was physically handicapped.
9 Strength: Doflamingo Has Unusually High Durability
Doflamingo has absurdly high durability, as proven during his final fight against Luffy. Despite suffering severe injuries against Trafalger Law, he still managed to survive his opponent’s first usage of Fourth Gear.
Although injured, the Warlord managed to annihilate dozens of gladiators only seconds after standing up. This was partially due to his devil fruit, which allowed him to sew shattered organs back together. Using this ability doesn’t heal him completely, but it postpones the villain’s body from shutting down until his enemies are defeated and his rule is secured again.
8 Weakness: Doflamingo Is A Terrible Strategist & Planner
Doflamingo is such an abysmal planner that it’s a miracle any of his schemes worked. For example, his attempt to sabotage King Riku’s reputation could have been undone if the man had simply told his subjects he was being controlled while he massacred them.
Additionally, his entire devil fruit operation became compromised if it was disrupted on any level. This was why he tried (and failed) to rescue Caesar Clown from the Straw Hats shortly after the destruction of the S.M.I.L.E factory. Doflamingo’s worst plan was when he attempted to crush Dressrosa in a giant birdcage. Should it have actually worked, he would have butchered his own family in the process.
7 Strength: Doflamingo’s Charisma Wins Allies & Maintains Relationships
Whether through manipulation or charm, Doflamingo has an exceptional amount of charisma. He was likable to such an extent that many of his underlings (incorrectly) believed that he would somehow spare them when the birdcage caved in.
Additionally, he maintained a reputation so stellar that Bellamy was willing to kill Luffy for him even after he was used as a human puppet. Perhaps Doflamingo’s greatest feat of persuasion was when he manipulated the Tontattas into farming devil fruits as consensual slaves.
6 Weakness: Doflamingo Is Often A Poor Judge Of Character
Doflamingo was often a poor judge of character. This was evident when placed his trust in Corazon, only for the man to betray him when securing the Op-Op fruit for Law.
Corazon was not the only traitor to the family. Baby Five was so desperate for romantic affection that she willingly joined the coliseum veterans at the climax of the Dressrosa conflict. Additionally, Doflamingo’s misjudgment and dismissal of Luffy during the Marineford war would later be his undoing.
5 Strength: Doflamingo Was An Excellent Multi-Tasker
Despite his poor planning ability, Doflamingo is a superb multi-tasker. He fought Law in person while manipulating Bellamy against Luffy simultaneously. This illustrates an incredible amount of coordination, especially given how tough both opponents were. Doflamingo was so skilled that he could casually thwart Baby Five’s assassination attempts while having a thoughtful conversation over a transponder snail.
He also managed to manipulate dozens of royal guards into attacking citizens when destabilizing Dressrosa. Perhaps Doflamingo’s most impressive feat was his ability to keep the birdcage active for his entire fight against Luffy, including after the Straw Hat captain activated Fourth Gear and nearly knocked him unconscious.
4 Weakness: Doflamingo Is Horrible At Finishing What He Started With Enemies
Despite his incredible strength, Doflamingo is horrible at finishing off his enemies. This was first seen when he turned Bellamy against Sarquiss and tried to have them destroy each other.
It was demonstrated again in his conquest of Dressrosa, where he failed to kill Kyros, Riku, or even Scarlett. Doflamingo was so irresponsible with finishing enemies off that he lost his chance to kill Law even after shooting him multiple times in the chest.
3 Strength: Doflamingo Is One Of The Most Well-Connected People Alive
Doflamingo is handily one of the most well-connected people in the entire series. As a former Celestial Dragon, he had the political power to fabricate his resignation from the Warlords, much to the shock of Marines and civilians alike.
Not only was he strongly affiliated with the World Government, but Doflamingo also provided Kaido with a bountiful supply of devil fruits through his relationship with Caesar Clown. His defeat further placed Luffy in the Emperor’s sights and later resulted in a brutal reckoning.
2 Weakness: Doflamingo Is Quick To Anger
Doflamingo’s short temper has often been one of his most glaring weaknesses. Whenever he is dealt moderate injuries – or if his plans are disrupted – his forehead bulges noticeably. Mentions of or thoughts about his past are a particularly effective way to arouse his anger.
Law exploited Doflamingo’s visceral disposition by creating a room and switching his body with one of the villain’s henchmen. Should he not have given himself to his emotions, the Warlord could’ve noticed his enemy’s machinations and retaliated appropriately when he returned to the top of the castle.
1 Strength: Doflamingo’s Devil Fruit Is Profoundly Versatile
Doflamingo has one of the most versatile devil fruits of the entire series. It allowed him to attack opponents with ranged projectiles, control the bodies of others, create clones, stitch his organs back together, and even manifest an amount of string so enormous that it could engulf an entire country.
Near his defeat, the villain also awakened the true potential of his devil fruit and used it to convert the ground into string. Although Doflamingo employed this technique out of desperation, it still forced Luffy to think on his feet when finishing him off.
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