Operation Utopia

Operation Utopia was the codename for Crocodile's design to topple King Nefertari Cobra, claim the crown of the Arabasta Kingdom, and lay hands on the ancient weapon Pluton said to lie hidden somewhere in the country. His ambition was to forge a criminal utopia strong enough to rival the World Government, and he mobilized his entire syndicate, Baroque Works, to bring it about. The plan ultimately fell apart once the Straw Hat Pirates dismantled the organization, with most agents arrested by the Marines and Crocodile himself stripped of his Warlord title and shipped to Impel Down.

Crocodile first won the affection of Arabasta's people by posing as a heroic Warlord who rounded up invading pirates, deflecting all suspicion. Behind that mask, Baroque Works used Dance Powder to drown the capital in rain while the rest of the land withered, then framed the king for the drought. Agents infiltrated both the royal guard and the rebel ranks, kidnapped Cobra, and used Mr. 2's disguise to deliver a fake royal apology that lit the uprising. The plot culminated at Alubarna, where a hidden bomb meant to wipe out both armies was thwarted by Pell, and Luffy's defeat of Crocodile restored the rain and ended the war.

The Rebel Army was led by Koza, a childhood friend of Princess Vivi, and swelled from hundreds of thousands into a force Chaka described as two million angry warriors, swollen by defecting royal soldiers and outraged citizens. Its roster included figures such as Erik, Farafra, Okame, Kebi, and Natto, alongside Sand-Sand Clan companions of Koza and Vivi. Baroque Works agents like Mr. Love seeded themselves among the rebels as a ruse to keep the conflict burning, while the anime added disguised civilians such as Camus to their ranks.