Gladius in One Piece

Gladius was already a member of the Donquixote Pirates when Law, who was ten years old at the time, joined the crew. After Law had been with the crew for about a week, Gladius and the other crew members learned about Law's tragic past.

They discovered that Law had survived the Amber Lead Syndrome and escaped from Flevance by hiding under a pile of corpses. Gladius had a strong negative reaction to this revelation, nearly throwing up at the gruesome details of Law's escape.

As Law became an official member of the crew, Gladius and the Donquixote Pirates continued their activities, including looting, making business deals, and collecting bounties. Gladius was even assigned the task of teaching Law how to use gunnery in combat.

Six months after Corazon and Law left the crew, the Donquixote Pirates planned to steal the Ope Ope no Mi from pirates who intended to sell it to the Marines. They arrived at Minion Island and were informed of Rosinante's betrayal.

While Doflamingo initiated the Birdcage, Gladius and the crew raided the Barrels Pirates' hideout. When they found Rosinante, they brutally attacked him until Doflamingo arrived. After the encounter, Gladius and the crew learned that the Marines had taken custody of a boy who they suspected might be Law. They left the island and came under fire from Tsuru's squadron.

Later, during the Dressrosa takeover, Gladius and other high-ranking members invaded the palace.

Punk Hazard Arc

When Baby 5 attacked Doflamingo, Gladius intervened by shooting her to calm her down.

Dressrosa Arc

Gladius had a conversation with Baby 5 regarding Viola's betrayal. He became increasingly angry, and his top hat began expanding due to his frustration. Baby 5 told him to calm down and not explode. Eventually, his hair burst through the hat, and he expressed his disgust for people who didn't follow orders.

During the attack on the palace, Gladius intercepted Thunder Soldier, Kabu, and Rampo after their escape from Lao G. He caught the two dwarves and exploded them. He then pursued Thunder Soldier, who was in a toy form and couldn't escape.

Gladius tackled the toy soldier, inflated his head, and explained his ability. However, Monkey D. Luffy saved Thunder Soldier with a Jet Stamp, knocking Gladius away. Gladius also confronted Violet, expressing his anger about her betrayal and exploding his helmet, injuring her with its shards.

Luffy, Thunder Soldier, and Violet escaped through a window. Gladius lost sight of them and encountered Kin'emon, disguised as Doflamingo. He fell for the disguise and revealed Kanjuro's location. When he realized he was tricked, he searched for Luffy's group on the second floor.

Upon finding them, Gladius was surprised to see a decapitated Doflamingo. He was shocked again when Doflamingo appeared and initiated his "Birdcage" plan, along with Pica relocating the palace to Flower Hill. Gladius later met with other officers and lower-rank subordinates at the top of the palace.

On the second level of the new King's Plateau, Gladius was one of the guards at the palace, along with Machvise, Baby 5, Lao G, and Dellinger. They were in charge of keeping the intruders at bay. Gladius warned the lower-ranking troops not to lose sight of the enemy as Luffy's allies reached the second level.

Later, Gladius and four other officers joined the battle. When Chinjao attempted to climb to the third level, Gladius used his attack, Landmine Punch, to knock him down.

As Nico Robin, Rebecca, and Bartolomeo were flying over the second level, Gladius attacked them with explosives. Robin and Bartolomeo fell, and Gladius pursued them in mid-air. However, Robin managed to grab him, and they landed on the third level. Gladius and an army of giant toys confronted Robin and Bartolomeo.

Gladius launched rupture bullets, but Bartolomeo used his barrier to protect them. Afterward, Bartolomeo created a stairway to the fourth level using his abilities. Gladius tried to attack Luffy with explosives, but Bartolomeo shielded Luffy from the assault. Robin declared that she wouldn't let Gladius harm Luffy.

When the headcracker toys returned to their human forms and revealed themselves as Family troops, Gladius was surprised by Sugar's loss of consciousness. He assured the troops that the officers would restore them to humans after the battle, even though he had forgotten about them due to Sugar's powers.

Gladius then prepared to face Cavendish and initiated a destructive explosive attack by inflating the ground around them. This attack had no effect on Cavendish and Bartolomeo due to Bartolomeo's protective barrier.

Robin made her way to the fourth level, Gladius attempted to shoot her, but Bartolomeo used his barrier to block the shots. Before Cavendish could attack Gladius, Bartolomeo charged with his barrier. Gladius called for Dellinger's assistance.

Dellinger arrived just in time to witness Hakuba's uncontrollable rampage. Gladius cautioned Dellinger to stay away, but Hakuba soon incapacitated Dellinger.

During the commotion, Gladius took the opportunity to rupture the plateau with his powers, attempting to take out both Hakuba and Robin. As he was about to explode, releasing thousands of needles toward Robin and Cavendish above, Bartolomeo tried to stop him but got struck by Gladius's poisonous needles.

Gladius then inflated his entire body, planning to explode, causing Bartolomeo to encase both of them in his barrier. He attempted to slice Gladius's throat, but it turned out that Gladius had been stabbed in the shoulder, not the neck. He then proceeded to explode the plateau.

Surprisingly, Robin, Cavendish, and Bartolomeo survived thanks to Cavendish using Hakuba's incredible speed to evade the explosion. Gladius was then caught off guard and struck by Bartolomeo's powerful barrier-covered punch, which defeated him and rendered him unconscious.

His unconscious body was later retrieved by his fellow crew members, as Bartolomeo allowed it since he knew that Gladius would remain unconscious for several days. Following Doflamingo's defeat, Gladius and the other officers were apprehended by the Marines.

Gladius is short-tempered and his devil fruit powers often manifest when he becomes easily angered, making him unpredictable in confrontations.

He is fiercely loyal to Donquixote Doflamingo and is quick to respond to any perceived betrayal or threat to Doflamingo's well-being.

Gladius is also ruthless in nature and doesn't hesitate to use force when necessary. He casually shot Baby 5 when she posed a threat to Doflamingo, demonstrating his lack of concern for causing harm to others, including his own crewmates during battles.

Precision and punctuality hold great importance to him, and he expects high standards in following and executing orders. Those who fail to meet his standards earn his disdain. He also has a low tolerance for morbid or unsettling discussions, as evidenced by his reaction to Law's mention of hiding within a mountain of corpses during dinner.

Despite his loyalty, Gladius sometimes struggles to distinguish between individuals, as he is unable to identify Doflamingo when Kin'emon was in disguise as Doflamingo. This suggests a degree of gullibility or susceptibility to deception.

Gladius wears a long black coat adorned with gold metal rings on the arms and chest, featuring gold rivets around the collar and shoulders. His elbows have black and gold metal gears.

He sports a white mask covering the lower half of his face and blue goggles. Gladius completes his ensemble with black boots and a stylish top hat. His spiky, light blue hair is usually tucked into his hat but flares out when revealed.

He has a scar on his right temple, possibly extending to his goggles. In the anime, his elbows appear to be mechanical.

As a child, he wore a black coat with trinkets, a surgical face mask, and goggles on his forehead. At different ages, his appearance varied, with changes in hair length and coat style.

Gladius, as one of the officers in the Donquixote Pirates, had authority over lower-ranking crew members and was in charge of 2000 soldiers. He demonstrated exceptional durability, surviving a powerful attack from Luffy's Gear 2 with no lasting injuries or visible harm.

He possessed agility and was skilled in capturing fast opponents, as seen when he easily caught Kabu, Rampo, and Thunder Soldier. In combat, Gladius held his ground against both Cavendish and Bartolomeo, who had bounties exceeding Beli 100 million, although he was ultimately defeated.

Gladius had proficiency with firearms, using a pistol to shoot Baby 5. He was known for his expertise in artillery and even taught Law how to use guns. His arms had a firing mechanism that, combined with his Devil Fruit powers, allowed him to shoot rupturing bullets. His goggles provided telescope-like vision, enhancing his accuracy similar to Usopp's goggles. His hair was laced with a paralyzing agent, making it a dangerous projectile when used in conjunction with his Devil Fruit abilities.

Devil Fruit

Gladius consumed the Pamu Pamu no Mi, a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit. This fruit allows him to expand and rupture objects, including his own body. When he uses this power on objects, it causes them to explode like grenades, sending pieces flying in all directions. He can also expand and rupture the ground, creating massive destruction.

When he touches a target, it swells up, but he needs to maintain contact until it ruptures; otherwise, the swelling goes away. Gladius can use his power on inorganic objects, making them explode and act like shrapnel.

However, he cannot use his power on living things, except for cases where living beings have been transformed into objects, such as the victims of the Hobi Hobi no Mi. In such cases, he can make them swell and rupture. Importantly, when he uses his power on himself, it doesn't harm him.

Donquixote Doflamingo

Gladius has great respect and loyalty for his captain, Donquixote Doflamingo, whom he refers to as his "young master." He is quick to seek revenge for any perceived betrayal against Doflamingo, such as Violet's actions.

Donquixote Rosinante

Upon discovering that Donquixote Rosinante was a double agent who had been feigning muteness, Gladius reacted violently by physically assaulting him. His reaction was driven by his anger and fury that Rosinante had insulted Doflamingo, showcasing the strong loyalty and reverence he holds for his Doflamingo.

Trafalgar Water D. Law

When Law, who was just ten years old at the time, joined the Donquixote Pirates, Gladius was already a member of the crew. Initially, he, like the rest of the crew, didn't know about Law's tragic past, including his survival of the Amber Lead Syndrome and escape from Flevance.

This revelation had a strong negative impact on Gladius, as he found the details of Law's escape gruesome. Later, Gladius was assigned the task of teaching Law how to use gunnery in combat.

Baby 5

Gladius and Baby 5 appear to have a peculiar and somewhat strained relationship. While Gladius did not hesitate to shoot Baby 5 to either protect his captain or control her chaotic behavior.

Despite these tensions, the fact that Gladius and Baby 5 were seen talking casually about Violet's betrayal a day later suggests that they are willing to put aside their differences and work together when necessary.

Viola

Gladius's relationship with Viola seems to be based on trust in her abilities. He recognized her as a key player in the Donquixote Pirates' plan to defeat the Straw Hat Pirates. When news of her betrayal reached the crew, Gladius appeared surprised but was willing to act swiftly to punish her for it.

Bartolomeo, Cavendish, and Robin

Gladius had hostile interactions with these characters during the Dressrosa Arc, as they were part of the group opposing the Donquixote Pirates' control over Dressrosa.

In addition to the manga and its anime adaptation, Gladius also appeared in One Piece: Super Grand Battle! X as a supporting character.