For One Piece fans, the epic battle between protagonist Monkey D. Luffy and antagonist Donquixote Doflamingo during the Dressrosa arc represented a gripping, intensely anticipated showdown.

Across several nail-biting episodes, viewers watched with rapt attention to see whether or not Luffy could dethrone the tyrannical “Heavenly Demon” Doflamingo from his decade-long rule over Dressrosa.

The fight contained no shortage of fierce attacks, dynamic techniques, and devastating injuries for both combatants. Ultimately culminating towards the long-awaited goal – identifying precisely what episode where Luffy finally claims victory against Doflamingo.

Setting the Stage – Stakes and Combatants

Before analyzing the climax itself, let’s set the stage by briefly profiling the two key players:

Monkey D. Luffy

• Protagonist pirate captain intent on claiming the “One Piece” treasure
• Possesses Gum-Gum Devil Fruit powers – allowing his body to stretch like rubber
• Earlier defeated two of the Seven Warlords of the Sea – Crocodile and Gecko Moria
• Activated formidable Gear Fourth technique during fight with Doflamingo

Donquixote Doflamingo

• One of the Seven Warlords with “Heavenly Demon” moniker
• Devil Fruit enables him to manipulate people like string puppets
• Conquered Dressrosa via treachery 10 years earlier
• Kept citizens under control with parasitic string powers

The stakes could not have been higher for this colossal showdown – Dressrosan liberation versus continued authoritarian rule.

Both Luffy and Doflamingo also recognized the gravity of this fight – putting their reputations, principles, and dreams on the line by refusing to accept defeat.

Let’s recap how this dream matchup played out!

Early Advantage to Luffy in Episode 726

Luffy gained the early edge by activating the formidable Gear Fourth: Bounceman form, stunning onlookers:

Gear Fourth augmented Luffy’s physical power to new heights, enabling techniques like the Gum Gum Kong Gun – a punch-packing the power of a missile.

Befitting this iconic power-up’s grand entrance, Luffy battered Doflamingo with his boosted strength and agility, forcing the Warlord on the defensive.

However, Doflamingo eventually adapted to Luffy’s new techniques, stalemating his assaults while mocking what appeared to be a time limit on Gear Fourth’s power.

By episode’s end, Luffy lost Gear Fourth’s advantages, leaving the final outcome still very much undecided.

Doflamingo’s God Thread Counter – Episode 728

A worn-out Luffy found himself at Doflamingo’s mercy post-Gear Fourth until allies arrived to provide support. However, Doflamingo soon regained control with his Awakened Devil Fruit powers:

Branding Luffy’s allies fools for daring to challenge a god, Doflamingo unleashed lethal string attacks like God Thread – living razor wires slicing landscapes & foes alike.

While Luffy narrowly survived the threads thanks to last-second saves, he took heavy damage attempting to re-activate Gear Fourth unsuccessfully.

Doflamingo appeared to have gained the advantage by exploiting Luffy’s overexertion, but a decisive end still did not emerge from episode 728 either.

Breaking Through Defenses – Episode 733

A ring-out ruled against Luffy forced 10 minutes of rest, allowing him to recover his Haki to reactivate Gear Fourth.

Roaring back against a confident Doflamingo, Bounceman form enabled Luffy to break through the Warlord’s defenses with techniques like Rhino Schneider and Gum Gum Culverin.

Unfortunately, Luffy’s stamina dwindled once more right before landing a decisive blow. But his willpower persevered – refusing to surrender and face Doflamingo’s resumed onslaught against battered allies.

Their struggle still deadlocked without a knockout, they hurtled towards the fight’s climax.

The Knockout Blow – Episode 734

With Luffy achingly pushing past utter exhaustion to continue battling for Dressrosa’s sake, he tapped into his ultimate attack:

Gum Gum King Kong Gun – An earth-shaking, maximum power blow that FINALLY toppled the Heavenly Demon for good after a brutal struggle across four episodes:

At long last – vindication!!!

Doflamingo hurtled violently into the Dressrosan earth with such force it dislodged massive chunks of the battlefield’s wreckage. Knocked completely unconscious and rapidly losing blood, his decade-long rule was no more.

Luffy could barely stand himself amidst the rubble, needing support from others, but ultimately completed his vow to bring down the tyrant. After 34 intense episodes in the Dressrosa arc, Doflamingo fell in stunning yet deserved fashion – his opponents and prisoners finally freed forever.

Jubilant allies raced towards the battle’s climax to congratulate and aid Luffy following his immense victory. Meanwhile, the defeated Warlord’s body laid battered and broken following the epic final struggle vs. the valiant gladiator Lucy and Straw Hat pirate – a just end for all his sinister deeds.

The Aftermath & Implications

With Doflamingo vanquished in Episode 734’s climax, monumental implications quickly emerged:

Dressrosa Liberated

• Doflamingo’s Birdcage string dome vaporized upon the defeating strike against its conjurer
• Citizens celebrated liberation from Doflamingo manipulation after 10 grueling years suffering under his puppeteering rule
• King Riku regained rightful kingship, returning democratic governance

Luffy’s Ascent

• Toppling another Warlord cemented Luffy’s status as an emerging top Super Rookie pirate
• Further mastering Gear Fourth established him amongst the world’s premier powers
• Built legendary status as savior across Dressrosa

Doflamingo’s Fall From Grace

• Lost authority as Celestial Dragon World Noble after initial pirate career downfall years prior
• Nowstripped of vaunted Warlord title bestowed by the World Government
• Fell from holding an entire kingdom hostage to being imprisoned alongside former kingdom’s slaves

Truly a sensational outcome on multiple levels!

Why This Victory Resonates

Examining closer, several meaningful factors made Luffy defeating Doflamingo so monumental:

David Toppling Goliath

On paper, Doflamingo overwhelmingly outmatched Luffy when the Pirate Alliance formed:

• Vastly greater experience over decades vs. mere rookie
• Conqueror’s Haki mastery compared to Luffy still learning this power
• Awakened Devil Fruit compared to Luffy’s unawakened abilities

Yet Luffy defiantly exceeded expectations. His indomitable will and blossoming strength lifted him to dethroning the “undefeatable” Warlord.

Good Triumphs Over Evil

Moreover, Luffy’s moral stand for Dressrosa opposed Doflamingo’s cruel subjugation. Veritably a larger than life clash of good versus evil.

Therefore, Luffy served as an instrument of karma itself punishing the Warlord for his litany of horrific misdeeds towards Dressrosa and beyond.

Ultimate Underdog Comeback

Even during the final fight itself, Luffy endured tremendous punishment and deficits, coming back from the brink multiple times. This amplified the catharsis when his perseverance finally achieved the breakthrough.

From exploiting Luffy’s exhaustion to unleashing lethal God Thread-cutting attacks, Doflamingo always regained control when it appeared Luffy was headed toward triumph.

Yet ultimately, the heroic gladiator Lucy overcame losing streaks and vicious injuries to land the haymaker sealing the villainous Warlord’s fate.

And with an earth-rending boom, the Straw Hat topples the Heavenly Demon at last – Luffy’s definitive victory coming in Episode 734.

Luffy’s Revolutionary Win Resonates

Luffy finally defeating the mighty Donquixote Doflamingo capped off one of One Piece’s most memorable rivalries, bringing much-deserved downfall to one of the world’s most fearsome pirates.

A sensational underdog triumph fueling liberation across an island, it features some of the best spectacle and storytelling across One Piece’s storied narrative.

And most pleasingly, Good decisively triumphed over Evil.

So for those wondering “What episode does Luffy defeat Doflamingo?” – the definitive answer is Episode 734, with Luffy finally toppling his mighty foe thanks to the earth-shattering power of Gear Fourth’s Gum Gum King Kong Gun finishing manuever.

Doflamingo’s Fast Recovery and Return?

While Doflamingo suffered crushing defeat at the hands of Monkey D. Luffy and complete liberation of his kingdom in Dressrosa, fans are still left to wonder about the fate of the former Warlord.

Will Doflamingo make yet another return to power in the future of One Piece? Given his crafty nature and World Government connections, his complete exit from the story still remains questionable.

A Combatant Who Defies Death Repeatedly

Even the manner in which Doflamingo ultimately got defeated seemingly would result in death for nearly any other character in the series. The sheer force and distance which Luffy’s King Kong Gun sent Doflamingo hurtling into the Dressrosan rubble left the Warlord shredded and unconscious in a pool of blood.

However, Doflamingo has improbably survived devastating situations repeatedly before:

• Enduring torture at age 8 by World Nobles yet grinning through it
• Surviving battles with legendary pirate crews as a youth
• String clone decoy to fake death from barrage of pirates and marines as an adult
• Losing internal organs yet stitching himself back together to keep fighting Law

With his insane pain tolerance and refusal to expire, Doflamingo cannot be counted out from coming back yet again.

Avenues for Potential Return

While imprisonment surely spells doom for most pirates, several scenarios exist allowing Doflamingo’s return:

Escape from Prison Transport

The most direct option – Doflamingo utilizes his cunning and strength to free himself while getting transferred for incarceration, likely with hidden allies providing aid.

Parole from World Government

Given his knowledge of World Government secrets from former Celestial Dragon status, Doflamingo could strike a deal to work for them once again in exchange for reduced sentence.

Breakout from Impel Down Prison

Another avenue is Doflamingo engineering a prison break or escape from the reputedly impenetrable underwater Impel Down compound, likely in a later story arc.

The Will to Return to the Top

Beyond just having viable avenues for return, Doflamingo’s personality and history provides strong motivation to regain power one day:

• Still remains pathologically obsessed with regaining lost World Noble status
• Relishes subjugation and manipulation above all else
• Known for holding deeply entrenched grudges for the smallest of slights

Suffering crushing defeat at the hands of common pirates like Luffy surely wounded Doflamingo’s gargantuan ego immensely. This likely serves as massive fuel towards re-ascending the pirate ranks upon any potential freedom.

Conclusion

The extensive struggle between Luffy and Doflamingo during the Dressrosa arc finally culminated with an earth-shattering exclamation point courtesy of Luffy’s Gum Gum King Kong Gun in Episode 734. This attack ended the battle once and for all, with Doflamingo’s limp and bloodied body lying amongst the rubble of Dressrosa.

Luffy completed his vow to take down the Heavenly Demon through sheer willpower and perseverance. Meanwhile, the defeated Doflamingo saw his decade-long tyranny over Dressrosa conclusively terminated as the island returned to freedom and self-determination.

While Doflamingo’s potential return certainly remains in play given his crafty nature, Luffy nonetheless can revel in this sweet victory. Defeating another member of the mighty Seven Warlords of the Sea further bolsters his reputation and strides towards becoming the King of Pirates. He also freed an entire kingdom from the Warlord’s devilish influencing and puppeteering powers.

Dressrosa stands eternally grateful towards Luffy for conquering the wicked chieftain controlling their home like a sadistic plaything for years on end. This magnificent liberation will be forever remembered in One Piece lore as an iconic clash between good and evil.

Luffy winning out not only demonstrated the superiority of freedom-loving piracy to authoritarian conquest, but also his blossoming ability to dismantle deeply ingrained corruption sanctified by the Holy Land itself.

Straw Hat’s war against the Heavenly Demon has concluded. But Doflamingo may yet wreak havoc again within the New World in the future based on his vindictive nature and influence…Stay tuned!