Basil “Magician” Hawkins checked his percentages and decided to submit, he then arrived in Wano as a rookie and quickly rose through the ranks, becoming an Headliner. In a crew built on a card theme he’s the dealer, like Apoo his role is pretty unique and ‘special’, menaging to fit in the army without staying under a strict card/number.
Chosing this path he sure built for himself a more comfortable position, he took care of patrolling, and as soon as the Pirate Alliance arrived in Wano he welcomed them introducing the unwritten rule of the country: “You can follow the strong, or disobey them and live your life hiding”
And later he obsesses over capturing Trafalgar Law as he sees the right chance to make the big name for himself in the Beasts Pirates and ulteriorly raise the ranks. They first clash in Kuri, and a later attempt of capturing him happened the same day right after Luffy defeat by Kaido’s hands. Hawkins, acting like a jackal, was just waiting for Law to come in Luffy’s rescue. Even tho he didn’t menage to succeed he asserted his objective of capturing all his fellow Worst Generation members.
His hunt kept going in the Flower Capital (during Soba Mask hunt) and menaged to finally capture Hawkins when he was acting as security officer at Yasuie’s execution. Since he was in possess of the life of Law’s crewates and was also aware that Law would have attempted to rescue them, he was able to confront him another time and blackmail him for a surrender. In exchange, the straw dolls of Law crewmates would have been released. This went to show that he’s not just ready to play with his subordinates lives, but also with the life of the people connected to his target.
As a Beasts Pirate newcomer he brought back an hell of a war spoil, but bringing the head wasn’t enough cause intel was the real deal. Here is when the question “Is he doing this for professional reasons or for personal enjoyment?” really comes up. Here is when we catch a glimpse of the purely sadistic side of Hawkins, a side that was kept hidden up to this point. In fact he knew perfectly that Law wouldn’t have talked anyway, so all the torture treatment was just for his twisted enjoyment.
It’s exactly in the torture room where we see him defeated next time, after Drake secretly freed Law. The following interrogation summarizes his standing regarding his former alliance members Kid and Killer and especially regarding the Emperors, the inhuman creatures he fears so much.
During their paths Killer and Hawkins stood out as two really different individuals, none of the two being the rapresentation of a good samaritan, but their modus-operandi, priorities and alignment are for sure highlighted to be nearly opposite to each other:
– Killer, a fighter who relies on his own skill. He doesn’t fear the future and would rather die trying than live submissive.
– Hawkins, a strategist who relies on percentages. He doesn’t see challenging the odds as a smart move, the opposite.
– Killer, a vice captain ready to give his own life to protect his crewmates (his Captain in particular).
– Hawkins, a captain ready to use the life of his subordinates for his personal and egoistic objectives.
– Killer, an assassin who travelled the country as a hitman with the inner hope of saving his captain or, at the very least, keep him alive. He takes no pleasure in the evil he does.
– Hawkins, an hunter who travelled the country with the objective of capturing more pirates from his generation and raise through the ranks. Hides a sadistic nature in everything he does.
THE COLLISION AND THE BATTLE
If their paths were previously divided by a crossroad, they later found themself colliding on each other during the decidive night of the Fire Festival.
The collision in particular happened right after the battle with the Emperors, in which Killer took part as one of the 5 New Generation leaders, while Hawkins kept his predatory behavior, hiding in the shadows and showing up at the most convenient moment. Even if their paths were different and influenced them in different ways, their core beliefs were not mutated overall: on one side Hawkins kept acting under the influence of the cards, the luck and the percentages while on the other side Killer, hardened by his journey in hell, kept acting under his own resolution and skill.
Hawkins, quickly recognizing the considerable gap between him and Killer, didn’t lose the chance to put the masked man on the corner with one of his sneaky tricks: putting the life of Kid himself, trapped inside a straw doll, on the stake. A trick just as dirty as the one he previously played on Trafalgar, back in the mainland. Once again he showed his hidden nature behind his sardonic smile, confirming himself (another time) as a merely twisted and wretched man.
Killer, this way, found himself trapped once again in the sick games of a feudal lord. As soon as Hawkins pronounced those words, Orochi’s face was probably depicted cleanly in Killer’s mind.
Hawkins ran wild from there: started causing damage to Kid under Killer’s powerless eyes, beated the shit of him and mocked his revived trauma (SMILE)… Killer menaged to hold his shit together and, just like he did with Orochi before, offered himself as the exchange price for the life of his Captain, showcasing another time his spirit of sacrifice and embodying once again the definition of the First Mate.
These unexpected words caused an almost childish childish from Hawkins, who completely lost his shit and unleashed all his frustration: he started beating the powerless Killer even harder, bashing Kid’s dreams even more and shouting how invincible the Emperors are and how fool Killer (together with Kid) are to just think it’s possible. But deep down this big talk sounded like an attempt from Hawkins (guided from his resentement and frustration) to convince himself, rather than Killer.
