Summary
Quick Links
In the vast, chaotic world ofOne Piece, power wears many faces—some born of Devil Fruits, others forged in will. But the Lunarians? Their might is something else entirely. Once known as “gods,” this mysterious race ruled from atop the Red Line before vanishing into legend. Now, only one known survivor remains: King, Kaido’s former right-hand man.
Brown-skinned, white-haired, and crowned with massive jet-black wings,Lunarians are instantly recognizable. But the most iconic marker of their lineage is the eternal flame burning between their shoulders—a literal and symbolic reminder of the raw power that courses through their bodies. Not just a visual flourish, this flame is the key to one of the most unique forms of defense inOne Piece.
How Lunarian Defense Is Invincible
The Fire That Doesn’t Burn
When a Lunarian’s back flame is active, their body becomes nearly untouchable. While the flame burns, their durability spikes to a level bordering on invulnerability. In King’s case, he shrugged off attacks that would level others. Evenblows laced with Armament Haki—normally a reliable equalizer—fail to pierce his skin.
This durability is described as a biological phenomenon. Whether it’s environmental extremes or full-force barrages, a Lunarian can endure them all. This was onlymade more evident by the World Government’s obsession with King. During his youth, King was captured and subjected to experimentation by Vegapunk’s Special Science Group, purely to test the limits of his body’s endurance.
A monster that can survive in any natural environment. In the distant past, “gods” … That’s what they were called!
— Queen, One Piece Ep. 1059
The Only Flaw With Lunarian Defense
But even gods can bleed—if you know how. If the flame is put out—either by a Lunarian’s own decision or via external factors—their defenses plummet. Plus,the Devil Fruit weaknesses also apply. Should a Lunarian like King possess a Devil Fruit, exposure to seawater or Seastone will neutralize both their flame and their powers.
While sometimes the flame can extinguish due to external factors, there’s also cases where Lunarians trade defense for buffs in battle.
How Lunarians Can Trade Durability for Speed
In exchange for defense, Lunarians can opt for an extreme boost in speed. For example, King managed to switch to a blur when he turned off his defense mode—dodging, diving, striking from impossible angles. This makes Lunarians flexible threats. Do they tank the damage head-on or switch to offense with blinding velocity? This adaptability inbattle is rare, and against most opponents, it does not decrease the Lunarian’s chances of winning at all. Opponents must time their strikes carefully, watching for that flame to die, because when it’s burning, even their best shots might as well be wind.
You are biologically incapable of defeating me!
— King to Zoro, One Piece Ep. 1062
And this isn’t all. Despite being impenetrable, Lunarians still have other weaknesses that can be exploited if a foe strong enough for the job shows up.
Combat Implication
Flame Extinguishment
When the flame on a Lunarian’s back goes out, their trademark near-invulnerability disappears.
Leaves them open to damage and significantly more vulnerable to physical attacks.
Speed vs. Defense Trade-Off
Turning off the back flame boosts speed dramatically, but sacrifices defense.
Creates a glass-cannon scenario: high mobility, low protection.
Devil Fruit Weakness Transfer
If a Lunarian possesses a Devil Fruit, flame manipulation can be disrupted by standard Devil Fruit weaknesses (e.g., seawater, seastone).
Flame can be forcefully extinguished, removing defensive and offensive abilities.
The World Government and the Birth of the Seraphim
What do you do when you can’t control something? You replicate it. Vegapunk used King’s genetic material to developthe Seraphim: artificial warriors modeled after former Warlords, equipped with Lunarian traits.
These cyborgs carry the black wings, white hair, and signature flame. They also retain the durability that makes Lunarians so feared, though the mechanics of their flame differ. Unlike their natural counterparts,the Seraphim’s flames don’t extinguish easily, making them even harder to exploit.
Yet despite their enhanced consistency, the Seraphim lack the full fire manipulation that King could do. They’re a mirror—but not a perfect one.
