The One Piece fandom is riding a wave of hype thanks to the ongoing God Valley flashback, but that excitement has also sparked a new round of heated power-scaling debates — and this time, Koby is at the center of the storm. Across social media, a loud group of fans has started labeling the rising Marine hero a “fraud,” arguing that his reputation is being inflated by the story and that, in a straight-up fight, he’d still lose to an earlier version of Luffy — specifically Gear 2.
It’s the kind of debate that only explodes when a series feels this alive. And right now, with God Valley delivering one jaw-dropping reveal after another, every character’s “status” is being re-examined under a microscope.
The God Valley Arc Has Taken Over the Fandom
God Valley has become more than a flashback — it’s the main event. Eiichiro Oda is finally peeling back one of the biggest mysteries in One Piece history, bringing legendary names like Rocks D. Xebec, Gol D. Roger, Monkey D. Garp, and even the shadowy presence of Imu into a single storyline that feels like a world-shaking historical epic.
Fans have been waiting for this kind of lore payoff for years. The arc isn’t just explaining the past — it’s reshaping everything the audience thought they knew about the World Government, the Celestial Dragons, and the real power structures that have been controlling the world from the shadows. In a series built on mysteries, God Valley feels like the vault is finally cracking open.
And when the fandom is this locked in on the “true history,” the conversations naturally start drifting toward one question: who actually measures up in this era of monsters?
Why Koby Is Suddenly Getting Targeted
Koby has always been a unique case in One Piece. He isn’t a pirate chasing freedom — he’s a Marine climbing the ranks with sheer willpower, training, and belief in justice. Over the course of the story, he’s transformed from a terrified cabin boy into someone even major players can’t fully ignore.
But that steady rise is exactly what has triggered the backlash.
A chunk of fans believes Koby’s growth doesn’t “feel earned” compared to the terrifying benchmarks set by top fighters. They point out that Luffy’s early power jumps were shown through brutal fights, near-death moments, and constant combat evolution — while Koby’s progress often happens off-screen or through short bursts of spotlight. So now that Koby is being spoken about like a serious future figure, critics are pushing back hard, claiming the story is trying to sell him as stronger than he looks.
That’s where the “fraud” label comes in — not as a literal accusation, but as fandom slang for someone whose hype doesn’t match what people think they’ve proven.
The Gear 2 Luffy Argument That Set Everything Off
The most viral version of this debate is simple: many fans are saying Koby would lose to Gear 2 Luffy — a version of Luffy that, while fast and dangerous, existed long before the absurd power ceilings of today’s One Piece.
To those fans, the comparison is meant as an insult: if Koby can’t beat a pre-timeskip form of Luffy, then how can he possibly be treated like a future rival, hero, or pillar of the new era?
The argument spreads because Gear 2 is iconic. It represents the moment Luffy began feeling like a serious high-speed threat — not just a creative brawler. So when someone claims Koby loses to that Luffy, they’re basically saying he wouldn’t survive the level of combat the story has been showcasing for years.
But of course, the fandom isn’t one-sided.
The Defense: Koby Isn’t Meant To Be “Just Another Power Scale”
On the other side, plenty of fans are pushing back against the “fraud” narrative, arguing that Koby’s role isn’t meant to be judged like a tournament bracket. To them, Koby represents something One Piece rarely gives its Marines: a hopeful future.
He’s a symbol of what the Marines could become if they weren’t shackled to corruption, political puppetry, and fear-based control. And in a story where the World Government’s rot is becoming more visible than ever, Koby’s importance is naturally rising — whether or not the audience has watched every step of his training journey.
Supporters also point out that Oda doesn’t always measure characters purely through on-panel fight receipts. Some characters are built through symbolism, narrative relevance, and pivotal moments — and Koby has been positioned as one of the clearest “next generation” figures in the entire series.
Fans Don’t Want To Return To The Straw Hats Yet
What makes all of this even more interesting is the timing. The fandom is so obsessed with God Valley right now that many readers openly admit they don’t want the story to leave the flashback.
Social media is full of fans saying the arc feels like the most thrilling part of One Piece in years, not just because of the action, but because of the tone — darker, heavier, and packed with lore that changes the meaning of older scenes. One fan on X summarized the mood perfectly: “If we return to the Straw Hats now, it’ll feel like waking up from a dream.”
That’s the atmosphere fueling these debates. When the story is showcasing legends and world-defining power struggles, fans start comparing everyone to the most brutal standards imaginable — and characters like Koby end up catching stray fire.
A Testament To Oda’s Storytelling and Legacy
Whether you think the Koby “fraud” talk is ridiculous or completely justified, the fact that the fandom is this fired up says a lot about where One Piece is right now. God Valley has reminded fans why the series became a global giant in the first place: mysteries that actually pay off, history that feels alive, and characters whose relevance can shift overnight.
Oda’s ability to make a flashback feel more urgent than the main storyline is exactly why this arc is being treated like a modern classic. Even if some fans worry that returning to the Straw Hats will slow the momentum, others argue that this balance — past and present feeding into each other — is what makes One Piece timeless.
And as God Valley continues redefining the “legendary era,” one thing is certain: debates like Gear 2 Luffy vs. Koby aren’t going anywhere. If anything, the louder the story gets, the louder the fandom gets with it.
