One Piece just revisited a heartwarming and amazing underrated moment from years ago in probably the most surprising way yet, and it quickly went viral. The viral image depicting Smoker reignited discourse about the popular and underutilized character, leading to hopes that he will eventually play a bigger role as the series edges ever closer to the end.

A new illustration commemorating the collaboration between One Piece and Baskin-Robbins has been released, and no one could've expected what it was about. It depicts Smoker patting the head of a smiling girl who is holding an ice cream, which is a throwback to one of the character's first scenes that beautifully conveyed his core identity but also set him apart from the Marines. Given the sheer length of the story and how irrelevant Smoker has been in the last decade, one might forget, but this scene is one of One Piece's better character introductions that is still unforgettable.

Smoker And Lu Finally Reunite In A Surprising Way

In chapter #98 of the One Piece manga and episode #54 of the anime, a young girl called Lu bumps into the mysterious captain known as Smoker. She drops her ice cream, and worse, she is scared about how the hulking man will react. To everyone's surprise, he not only consoles her about her lost treat but gives her some change to replace her lost treat. This was a great moment that showed that there are good Marines out there since, at that point, the Marines that were depicted were cruel and corrupt.

This collaboration with Baskin-Robbins is not only visually stunning but also a delight for fans in a literal sense. The partnership includes card collections, new flavors inspired by different Straw Hat , and a range of merchandise. In addition to Luffy’s viral cameo at the Los Angeles Lakers' home court, the franchise has also teamed up with Lego, the football giant Borussia Dortmund, and there are even rumors of an appearance in Fortnite.

One Piece Needs More Of Smoker

The Character Needs A Bigger Role

Now a Vice iral, One Piece needs to do right by Smoker, given the depth and nuance he can give to the Marines and his dynamic with Luffy. Although he made a brief cameo at the end of Egghead, there is still a lot he can and should do. Fortunately, the final war is drawing near, and there would be no perfect time for the charismatic and cool Smoker to show out after years of being sidelined.