As much as I would like Bon Chan to join, he has too little background to fit with the rest of the crew. I'm not counting Hancock as a reformed baddie simply because she was not into a real fight with any one, and she has no real crew-like motivation (I want to be the best poker player in the world!). Also female characters are boring and her crush on Luffy would get old very quickly.
Croc has a Piccolo-like knowledge about the Seas, his past has been referenced before so we know there is something tragic about it, and he was actually a real antagonist at some point. Also he intervened to save Ace recently, he may as well make a less obvious choice of a crew mate.
Smoker rockz.
Probably the issue about the "enemy turned good" is that none of the main antagonists fits very well into the crew one way or another. They tend to be quite violent, their motivations are mostly evil (even if it works when you're stupid like Buggy), and their character designs are just weird (none of the regular crew is a big and well built guy, it would certainly look out of place). Also, getting an established powerhouse would make the conflict with the nine supernovas much less even.
Crocodile is the one baddie that fits the best, given his distinctive weakness (it could make him easy to match up in say, mermaid island) and the power creep in the opponents that the SH will face. It would be best if he joined a bit later in the series and remained and on and off character in between.
I'd say that Hancock is still the best choice. Luffy needs someone to tell him how to use his Haki, she'd be perfect. Plus the crew needs another strong combatant and she's hella strong. There was something I missed I found on TV tropes: When she takes on Smoker she kicks right through his seastone trident. The kicker? That stuffs about as hard as diamond!! That puts her as one of the stongest characters physically so far. No wonder she was made a Shichibukai when she was just 16.
Originally posted by Nephthys
I'd say that Hancock is still the best choice. Luffy needs someone to tell him how to use his Haki, she'd be perfect. Plus the crew needs another strong combatant and she's hella strong. There was something I missed I found on TV tropes: When she takes on Smoker she kicks right through his seastone trident. The kicker? [b]That stuffs about as hard as diamond!! That puts her as one of the stongest characters physically so far. No wonder she was made a Shichibukai when she was just 16. [/B]
I for one think that Luffy getting a "Haki teacher" in the ship is a little lame (and I already mentioned other reasons for which I wouldn't like much Hancock joining), it seems much more natural that he learns that power during one of their travels. Having an ally close to the world government would be useful too, so Boa could still be involved in the story without having to travel with Luffy.
No to Hancock. Lame ass character. I'd rather the marine who stabbed through his own hand to negate her powers then her, simply because that was more awesome then anything she's done.
Actually, the more i think about, the navy is just as badass as the pirates. Maybe more.
Flamingo/Sanji/Chopper aside of course. Though i have to side with bentley in that Croc would be best of those shown thus far.
Anyways, my speculation about how the pirates make it out of Marinefort alive:
After Luffy gets pumped by Ivankov steroids he does something amazing and manages to get the key of Ace's handcuffs into the platform (I'm not sure exactly how, my bet is that he's going to face Garp and during the struggle the key gets into place so Ace can be freed). This however proves to be initially useless, but makes Whitebeard notice that Luffy got up from being completely defeated to make such feat, and gets pumped by Ivan and then kicks major ass (my bet is that he sinks Marinefort and they escape in a coated ship), and dies or falls comatose as a result of the steroids.
Now, some weird idea I heard which I don't think will happen but its way cooler is that some of the eleven supernovas make it into Marinefort, and Bonnie uses her ability to make Whitebeard younger, and maybe Ivankov uses his steroids anyways. Then you have a young Whitebeard who suddenly outmatches everyone in Marinefort and kicks major buit. I don't think this will happen, but is so bada*s that it was worth the mention.
I agree that Ace gets freed, but after that?
Sengoku steps up. Cue the most badass beatdown to ever grace the series , ending only with Whitebeard sinking marineford and dying in the process. Silver Rayliegh shows up with the sunny, freshly coated, taking Luffy and Ace away to find the rest of Luffy's crew.
Okay, I just got lost very badly. I know bits and pieces of the story after the CP9 but that's it. I guess this is my punishment for not keeping up. However, from what I do know, the unlikely alliance of Smoker and Crocodile seems to be the choice for me. But just to laugh at the improbability of this...c'mon Enel anybody?