Who ordered Moria to be killed in One Piece? Explained

Among the Seven Warlords of the Sea (Shichibukai) in One Piece, Gecko Moria stands as one of the most tragic figures. Once a rival to Kaidou, he fell from grace into paranoia and dependence on an army of zombies rather than true comrades.

His defeat at Thriller Bark and questionable usefulness to the World Government eventually led to an assassination attempt against him. But the big question remains: who actually ordered Moria to be killed in One Piece, and why?

The answer lies not only in the aftermath of the Marineford War, but also in the political machinations of the World Government and the Celestial Dragons. To understand the assassination order, we need to explore Moria’s history, his enemies, and the circumstances of the attempted execution.

Moria built countless enemies across the seas. His ability, the Kage Kage no Mi, allowed him to steal shadows and implant them into corpses, creating an army of loyal zombie soldiers.

To build this army, he desecrated graves, stole corpses, and robbed countless warriors of their shadows. Victims such as Lola and the Rolling Pirates swore revenge, while others perished entirely because of Moria’s experiments.

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Doflamingo’s Attack: The Execution Attempt

After Marineford, Donquixote Doflamingo was sent to assassinate Moria; this shocking betrayal is one of the most infamous moments in Warlord politics.

As Moria lay injured and bleeding, Doflamingo laughed and told him bluntly:

• He had been deemed too weak to remain a Warlord.
• The Government wanted the world to believe Moria had died in the war, preserving the Warlords’ fearsome reputation.
• The order came from much higher than Fleet Admiral Sengoku.

Moria, suspicious, asked if Sengoku was responsible. Doflamingo corrected him, “higher than that.” This heavily implies that the order came directly from the Gorosei (Five Elders), or perhaps even Imu, the secret sovereign of the world.

The mission’s purpose was not simply to kill Moria, but to rewrite history; his “death in battle” would look honorable, masking the truth of his weakness.

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Why did the Government target Moria in One Piece?

The reasons behind the assassination order in One Piece can be broken down into several points:

1. Weakness and embarrassment

Moria’s dependence on shadows made him unreliable in direct combat. His failures at Thriller Bark and his lackluster performance at Marineford convinced the Government that he was no longer worthy of being one of the Seven Warlords.

2. Reputation management

The Warlords are meant to project strength as the Government’s “licensed pirates.” Having two defeated Warlords (Crocodile and Moria) within a short span would tarnish their image. By fabricating Moria’s “death in battle,” they could preserve the myth that all Warlords were strong.

3. Liability

Moria’s obsession with Kaidou was dangerous. His grudge was decades old, and his zombie army projects were reckless. The Government may have feared that Moria’s actions would provoke Kaidou in unpredictable ways, potentially sparking conflicts they couldn’t control.

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Who gave the final order?

So, who ordered Moria’s assassination in One Piece?

• It wasn’t Sengoku, as Moria suspected.
• It wasn’t just the Marines, since Doflamingo said to “look higher.”
• The most likely culprits are the Gorosei, acting to maintain the balance of power.
• Given Doflamingo’s ties to the Celestial Dragons, it’s also possible that Imu, the shadowy ruler above even the Elders, authorized it.

In essence, the World Government’s highest authority gave the order. Moria was not eliminated for personal vendettas, but because he no longer served the role of a “symbol of power” the Warlords were meant to embody.

This attempted assassination highlights the ruthless pragmatism of the World Government; they don’t care about loyalty or service, only about preserving their image and power. Moria’s story is a tragic reminder that in One Piece, even the “chosen pirates” of the Government are pawns, discarded the moment they lose value.

And perhaps, that is why Moria in One Piece still lingers in the story. Not as a fallen Warlord, but as a survivor of the Government’s cruelty, and a wildcard whose hatred of Kaidou and brush with death could still play a role in the future of the Grand Line.