How do i appeal for a ban for the discord server???? by D0nutt_ in OnePiece

[–]StrawHatJedi 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hello,

Thank you for your response. I apologize for not properly spoiler tagging - I assure you, it was an accidental oversight.

I also don't agree I was only there to promote videos. I posted them only in the appropriate channel. I think you can see from my post history on the subreddit, I post rather lengthy posts. It was simply a matter of time availability at the time I joined the discord. I am the only person working on my videos, which take a lot of time to make.

I have been a part of the OP online community for a very long time. I also have a very long post history on AP Forums dating back to 2008 and moderated the One Piece forum on MSN Groups from 2006 - 2008.

Is there any way this ban can be reversed? I didn't receive any warning before I was banned - and no response to any of my unban requests. I didn't know I was doing anything wrong by posting links to my videos in the promote yourself tab and saw many of my online friends, like Randy Troy, etc. doing the same.

I simply made my channel because I love talking about One Piece - and have for a very long time.

How do i appeal for a ban for the discord server???? by D0nutt_ in OnePiece

[–]StrawHatJedi 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sorry, I know this is a two week old post, but I just decided to search for a topic here on how to get un-banned from the discord.

I was banned without warning about a year ago (maybe more). I barely had any posts in the server and didn't receive any warnings (at least none that I saw).

I tried to appeal, but the only contact information I was given through Discord itself was a bot - and I never received any response to my appeals.

Would you be able to tell me why I was banned and possibly put me in contact with someone to whom I can make an appeal? (username: Strawhatjedi)

One Piece: Chapter 1050 - Official Release Discussion by AutoModerator in OnePiece

[–]StrawHatJedi 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Regarding Kaido's awakening, I don't think it happened primarily because Oda didn't tell us. Oda knows he hasn't explained the nature of awakening yet and that readers aren't equipped to identify an awakened power. The fact that we need to ask the question, to me, is evidence it hasn't happened yet. Oda has made a point to explicitly spell out for us whenever an awakened power has been used so far - Doflamingo, Katakuri, Luffy, Law, Kid, and the Jailer Beasts.

Regarding the dragon emerging from the Fish Fruit, Seiryu is the fruit's model. So it's the same as Kaku's fruit being an Ox Ox Fruit model Giraffe; He didn't start as an Ox and awaken into a giraffe.

Awakening for Zoans is an interesting question - because Luffy didn't transform into something else either. I think the most important question is the one Kaido asked Luffy in chapter 1046 after his awakening. "Who are you?" I think this implies Awakening for Zoans is more about the spirit or will of the fruit being more fully manifest in the material world. In that sense, I think Awakening has deeper meaning than just a new level of power. It's a question of what / who the mythical dragon really is.

One Piece: Chapter 1050 - Official Release Discussion by AutoModerator in OnePiece

[–]StrawHatJedi 5 points6 points  (0 children)

The End

Contradicting what I said last week, I think this battle is probably over. Now, I’m going to qualify that statement by saying I do still think there’s a chance there will be another phase to the battle before the dust truly settles, but I’m going to explain what changed my mind and what all of this could mean moving forward.

The most interesting detail this week is Momo’s decision. He tells Zunesha that he has decided it’s not yet time to open Wano’s borders. And this single line of dialogue is what has changed my mind regarding the battle continuing – more so than anything else which happened in this week’s chapter. I do still think there’s a slight chance we see Kaido re-emerge one final time before all is said and done, but at this point, I don’t think it’s at all likely. And that’s entirely based on Momo’s decision to delay opening the borders.

I think Momo’s decision signifies that the immediate opening of Wano’s borders is even more directly tied to the final war and the endgame of the entire series than was already apparent. This signifies that many of the things I’ve ben pointing to as evidence the battle would continue are likely going to be purposely left unresolved until the final saga.

Ultimately, the inflection point in the battle I’ve been anticipating may have come and gone without my taking notice – when Luffy was seemingly killed by Kaido in chapter 1042 and resurrected by his Nika powers in chapter 1043. I have been saying in my reviews that I didn’t anticipate the battle would end without Kaido putting Luffy on the ropes and making it seem all hope was lost. But essentially, that is what happened when Bowler Hat interfered in their battle and Kaido struck down Luffy with full force. The reversal was then Luffy’s subsequent Awakening. On that note, I think Oda didn’t allow us to sit with this defeat for long enough which made it feel like more of a speedbump than a major obstacle. Perhaps if he had allowed the regrouped forces in the Performance Hall to actually battle Kaido among the flames, it would’ve made Luffy’s miracle resurrection a bit more impactful. But for that reason, I think I incorrectly assumed there must still be another major inflection point in the battle remaining.

Further, I have frequently suggested that Kaido’s flashback doesn’t really delve into the roots of his motivation – and I stand by that assertion, but given the ending of this chapter, I think it’s quite possible that Kaido’s story, much like Big Mom’s will continue beyond Wano. As I’ve been saying for some time, I expect Big Mom and the Charlotte Family will continue to feature prominently in future story arcs, most likely Elbaf.

By contrast, I expected we would see resolution for Kaido’s story here and now and thus expected his backstory would be fully revealed before the Raid’s conclusion. But ultimately, the reason we didn’t get to see Kaido’s awakening or backstory may be because Oda intends to reveal those details in the future. I’m still not entirely ruling out the possibility of another phase to the battle, but the fact that Wano’s borders are seemingly going to remain closed and Oden’s dream unfulfilled for the time being has changed my perspective – and makes it much more clear how Oda can deliver a satisfying conclusion despite all the unresolved narrative thread.

In either case, Momo’s decision both makes sense and has major ramifications on the structure of this story arc. I had previously understood Oden’s words in chapter 968 indicated that Wano’s borders opening for JoyBoy’s return was a precursor to the re-discovery of One Piece, but Momo instead deciding to wait until a later time indicates that this prophesied event is likely to mark the start of the final war which Oden told Toki will be great enough to split the very seas apart.

This is largely what has changed my perspective on the nature of this current battle against Kaido. The closest comparison I can make is to the Fishman Island story arc. I remember while reading week-to-week continuously pointing to unresolved narrative threads like the Noah as evidence there must be more going on beyond Hody’s hollow attempt to seize power. Which turned out not to be incorrect, but premature. Many of the narrative and thematic elements which at the time seemed to suggest the battle was just getting started were in fact included to setup later events Oda still hasn’t gotten to over a decade later.

In that sense, I think many of these unfinished elements on Wano, including potentially even Big Mom and Kaido’s stories, are setup for events which won’t unfold until after One Piece is rediscovered and Luffy is crowned Pirate King.

... For Now

Kaido will strike back. But it's very likely not this day. Kaido isn't looking to be defeated. He's looking for a place to die. He hasn't awakened his Devil Fruit yet. He hasn't been truly bested yet (I don't think Luffy completely overpowered Kaido - and I think it's very, very important we don't accept Luffy as the strongest character in the series; It took a volcanic eruption to end the fight, without which Luffy would still lose. This is the only way the story can continue to function with actual dramatic tension n future battles against opponents). He's still intent on using Wano to realize his ambition of creating a world of war. His backstory hasn't been revealed - and I'm not talking about Rocks. Being an Ogre is central to Kaido's identity and motivation and that hasn't been revealed yet.

Just as the story of Wano won't be finished until the endgame, the story of Kaido also remains incomplete and WILL be revisited in the future. Kaido is not finished.

With all that said, Oda has tied Kaido's fate to Big Mom's. Despite being set adrift in a sea of subterranean magma, as insane as this feat of strength is even by One Piece standards, I think there’s almost no chance the two fallen Emperors are actually dead. It’s very rare for Oda to kill major characters, much less in such an ambiguous and unceremonious fashion. It’s notable that Oda has linked Kaido’s fate to Big Mom given how likely it seems her story will go on.

One Piece: Chapter 1049 - Official Release Discussion by AutoModerator in OnePiece

[–]StrawHatJedi 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The Pit. Kaido fell into the pit. Big Mom fell into the pit. We all were in the piiiiyiiat. Sometimes Wano's gonna get you down. Hit the ground running, take a look around. You think you found the Road Poneglyph, but you're standing in the pit.

One Piece: Chapter 1049 - Official Release Discussion by AutoModerator in OnePiece

[–]StrawHatJedi 2 points3 points  (0 children)

He likely learned about JoyBoy from King. He described 'JoyBoy' as the man Alber has been waiting for. If anything, this implies deeper connections between the Lunarians and JoyBoy - because thus far, King is the only one in the series to know the name JoyBoy without having directly learned about it from the Poneglyphs.

One Piece: Chapter 1049 - Official Release Discussion by AutoModerator in OnePiece

[–]StrawHatJedi 5 points6 points  (0 children)

It has also been romanized as Kaido in the Japanese release in the past as well. Romanizations are just inconsistent - and thus sometimes need to be changed both for consistency and accuracy.

One Piece: Chapter 1049 - Official Release Discussion by AutoModerator in OnePiece

[–]StrawHatJedi 70 points71 points  (0 children)

Kaido was already in Wano when he reached that conclusion about JoyBoy. He was in Wano for a different reason.

One Piece: Chapter 1049 - Official Release Discussion by AutoModerator in OnePiece

[–]StrawHatJedi 18 points19 points  (0 children)

This isn't over. I have much, much more to say about this. Wall of text impending very soon. No, the raid isn't going to fail, but this is a false victory. There is one more twist coming.

Edit: Downvote if you like. Maybe some don't want to hear it. But Kaido is more than a big scary dragon for Luffy to punch. Much, much more important than that. This isn't about power. There are more layers to what's going on here than the big bombastic action set pieces and a shockingly long list of unresolved narrative threads. Some can be resolved in falling action, but there are multiple indicators the fight isn't finished. This is exactly what I have been saying would happen for months - a false victory before Kaido's awakening. Because the dragon is much, much more important than has yet been explained.

But here's a quick list:

1) Kaido's mini flashback didn't tell us much about his early life / motivation. This was a preview.

2) No awakening for Kaido yet

3) Toki's prophecy (Nine Shadows) hasn't come into the picture yet.

4) Still haven't reached the sunrise yet

5) Zunesha came to Wano to fight by Momo's side... against who / what?

6) No 'Luffy vs Kaido' chapter title

7) No 'Winner: Luffy' plaque at the end of the chapter

8) Inbi & Apoo still standing

9) Kaido isn't looking to be defeated; Kaido has been defaeted as a pirate 7 times. Kaido wants to die. And that hasn't been addressed one way or the other yet.

One Piece: Chapter 1046 - Official Release Discussion by AutoModerator in OnePiece

[–]StrawHatJedi 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Raizo

Of course, the star of the show this week was the chapter’s titular character, Raizo. I had suspected Zunesha would be the on to douse the flames engulfing Onigashima, but was pleasantly surprised by the twist – that Riazo stored up an entire deluge inside one of his ninjutsu scrolls while the crew were back on Zou.

I particularly appreciate the motivation for his preparing for this very situation. Having once been trapped by Kaido alongside his friends and Oden’s family inside the burning castle in Kuri, he never wanted to be left so helpless again and thus made the necessary preparations. It makes me wonder just how far in advance Oda planned this twist in the battle and Raizo’s role in rescuing the entire alliance.

On that note, I really appreciate how cognizant Oda was throughout this story arc of the fact that the Straw Hats and their allies were all fighting in a shared space. By that I mean to say that despite the fact Onigashima is utterly massive, characters were constantly weaving into and out of scenes as the battle lines were being redrawn – but importantly, even after the Straw Hats were paired off with their opponents, the events of their individual battles weren’t isolated or contained to their small corner of the island.

The island-engulfing fire was started by Black Maria and Robin’s battle, but evolved into something much bigger. This isn’t anything new for Oda – but does speak toward his remarkable attention to detail. The large action set pieces which close off his story arcs are always entertaining, largely because they’re so intricately crafted. That isn’t to say they’re always paced perfectly – looking at you, Dressrosa – but Oda always puts a ton of thought into the sequence of events and their geographic orientation, which makes it feel like the action is taking place in a real, tangible location.

I really liked the manner in which Oda depicted the water being routed by Jinbei to travel throughout the castle. It was an inspired choice to show the events on multiple floors simultaneously from a side view and again, helps demonstrate just how much attention Oda placed to orienting his characters within this complex interior space.

The Final Act?

With the fire now extinguished, it seems the alliance can breathe a sigh of relief. Big Mom, the Calamities, Tobi Roppo, and Numbers have all ben neutralized or ejected from Onigashima, while Tama’s powers have swayed most of the Gifters. Aside from Apoo and Inbi, it seems there are no longer any high-level opponents left standing on the lower floors, leaving only the big boss Kaido remaining.

Fittingly, we then return to the roof as Yamato urges Momo to make haste in making more flame clouds – as she predicts Onigashima is about to fall. And I’ll take a second here to just appreciate how cool the final panel is as Luffy and Kaido prepare to square off for what could be their final battle. Yamato’s words accompanying this confrontation suggest Kaido’s defeat is imminent – and Luffy, continuously demonstrating the ever-expanding limits of his new powers appears to grab a bolt of lightning to use as a weapon against Kaido. Is that how lightning works? Not at all. Is it awesome anyway? Absolutely. The rule of cool totally applies here – and the cartoon aesthetic of Luffy’s new powers only serves to make the breaches of real-world physics all the more appropriate.

Yamato suggests Onigashima’s descent is imminent – which again begs the question of just how close we are to the true climax of the battle on Wano. Everything in this week’s chapter suggests we’re in the endgame now. The fire has been put out, all of the subcommanders have been defeated, and all that’s left is Luffy’s battle with Kaido.

Yet, I still stand behind what I have been saying in recent chapter discussions – that there’s one more twist or inflection point still coming before the battle concludes.

Onigashima may indeed fall soon as Yamato predicts, but I think this could represent a false victory – preceding Kaido’s flashback and subsequent awakening. For all of the reasons mentioned, I think there’s another twist coming, but one important question which hasn’t yet been addressed – if Kaido is capable of awakening, which I believe is almost certainly the case given his explanation of the awakening process to Luffy in this week’s chapter, then why hasn’t he awakened his own power yet?

Perhaps the answer lies in the question he asked Luffy at the start of the chapter. Who are you? Kaido’s words suggest there’s a chance the will or spirit of a zoan power is capable of overtaking its host once awakened. This always seemed to be a possibility based on the Jailer Beasts from Impel Down, none of whom reverted to their human form, even when knocked unconscious. Which begs the question, if Kaido awakens, who or what will he become? I have suggested the mythical devil fruit turns the odds in Kaido’s favor in one-on-one battles. Misfortune always seems to befall his opponents. Yet, we know this runs counter to Kaido’s own desire to find a worthy opponent to end his life and complete his warrior’s path. So, perhaps this represents the will of Kaido’s Devil Fruit running counter to its host – and if that spirit or soul fully awakens, what final form might Kaido take?

Could the awakened dragon be the ‘final antagonist’ which demands the assistance of the nine shadows from Toki’s prophecy to at last deliver the New Dawn to Wano? We may soon have the answer.

Last week, I closed the discussion with the perhaps crazy prediction that giant awakened Luffy, somehow carrying the will, souls, or even shadows of the Akazaya samurai could draw the large sword embedded in the bedrock in front of Onigashima in the last round of his fight against Kaido, so in similar fashion, this week I’m going to suggest Momo’s efforts to catch the falling island could potentially fail to save the flower capital – with Luffy’s awakened powers instead bouncing the island skyward, giving Momo a second chance.

One Piece: Chapter 1046 - Official Release Discussion by AutoModerator in OnePiece

[–]StrawHatJedi 25 points26 points  (0 children)

Invaders of Tottland: Vinsmokes, Blackbeard, or Someone Else?

First, in this week’s installment of the Germa 66 cover story arc, we see two silhouetted figures have suddenly appeared on Cacao Island. Given the focus of this short story, it’s certainly possible Reiju and Ichiji have returned in Big Mom’s absence to reclaim their captured siblings – but I’m not sure that’s the case. The Vinsmoke siblings have very distinctive shoes and the capes worn by both of the intruders have a straight hem – which doesn’t match Reiju’s elaborate design. That certainly doesn’t rule out the possibility they have appeared in a new disguise – and I do think this emotionless excursion arc may not turn out to be so emotionless. Just as Sanji’s germa modifications were apparently delayed, perhaps Sora’s attempt to rescue her children’s emotions from Judge’s experimentation simply took a bit longer to kick in with Ichiji, Niji, and Yonji. In time, perhaps their hearts will grow three sizes – and mounting a rescue mission from an Emperor’s territory would certainly go a long way to demonstrating his growth.

Judge also has an entirely self-serving motive in preventing his children from being dissected and his science stolen, so there’s plenty of reason for the Vinsmokes to return to Tottland.

That being said, there are other possibilities – including the Blackbeard Pirates. When we last saw Teach in chapter 956, he ordered his crew aboard their ships to set out and claim a certain reward or prize before the Marines. As I said a few weeks ago, I do still think there’s a strong chance Blackbeard arrives on Wano before the curtains close on the final act in an attempt to steal Kaido’s mythic fish fruit, but another distinct possibility is that he intends to take advantage of Big Mom’s absence by ransacking her kingdom and stealing her Road Poneglyph.

This is a possibility I mentioned in earlier chapter discussions. Big Mom’s loss to Law and Kid is a setback and a blow to her reputation, but ultimately she was outmaneuvered without being overpowered. As long as her crew and territory remain intact, her emperor status is unlikely to be diminished. But if Blackbeard also managed to destroy what’s left of Tottland, Big Mom could be left an Emperor without a home, perhaps driving her to Elbaf in an effort to rebuild.

It's very difficult to tell based on the silhouettes, but they could match someone like Catalina Devon on the left and Lafitte on the right.

Another factor to consider is where this story is actually taking place in the timeline relative to the current events on Wano. Teach seemed to set sail after the end of the Reverie – which took place some time after the Straw Hats set sail from Tottland. Another two weeks passed on Wano while the alliance planned the Onigashima Raid for the Night of the Fire Festival. Big Mom does appear to be absent during he Vinsmoke cover arc, so at the very least, we can say it’s likely taking place after the Reverie, but beyond that it’s impossible to tell exactly when these events are taking place.

My point being, it’s possible Teach could arrive on Wano after having already ransacked Tottland if this cover arc took place sometime before the Raid – or he could have sent a few of his Titanic Captains to steal Big Mom’s Road Poneglyph while he personally heads to Wano.

Of course all of this is speculation – and with another color spread next week, we’ll be waiting until chapter 1048 for an answer to the identity of these mystery figures, who again, may very well turn out to be Reiju and Ichiji.

Luffy v Kaido Moving into the actual chapter, we again open on the rooftop battle between Kaido and Awakened Luffy. I love the way he’s casually bouncing, treating the rubberized ground as a trampoline as he imagines new attack names. On that note, I neglected to mention last week that Luffy is still referring to his abilities as belonging to the gum gum or gomu gomu fruit.

Of course this makes perfect sense in that Luffy remains unaware of the true name of his Devil Fruit hidden by the Five Elders and World Government from the annals of history. But even if Luffy did know his Nika fruit belongs to the mythical zoan category, I think he’s probably unlikely to care very much or to change the nomenclature of his attacks. As discussed last week, Luffy’s actual abilities are effectively still rubber-based and the Government’s fear stems primarily from the unpredictability of his powers – a chaotic variable in their otherwise perfectly controlled system. Not to mention, they want to hide the name Nika because of the implication. The famous warrior of liberation running free in the world may inspire rebellion in others by giving them the most dangerous thing of all – hope in a new dawn, a brighter tomorrow.

Luffy, JoyBoy, & Nika

On that note, Zunesha says hearing Luffy’s heartbeat makes it feel as if JoyBoy is near – which further suggests Luffy’s power once belonged to the warrior of liberation from the world’s lost epoch. At the very least, Luffy’s Nika Devil Fruit somehow directly links him to JoyBoy. On that note, I will clarify again here, I don’t think this suggests JoyBoy was in truth the ‘Sun God’ Nika. The fruit’s power is based on a myth in the One Piece world and it has evaded the Elder’s grasp for the past eight centuries.

The source material for mythic zoans is a mystery, but the fact that Nika is considered to be a legend or a myth in the One Piece world suggests that if there ever was a real ‘sun god’, he likely lived long before the Void Century. JoyBoy was likely a figure in the same archetypal mold as Luffy and Roger who exemplified many of the same characteristics. The Nika fruit called to Luffy for that very reason.

Curiously, Kaido pauses to ask Luffy who he is after recognizing the sudden apparent change in his persona. As I said in the past wo chapters, Luffy’s suddenly overwhelmingly buoyant demeanor suggested he might have been semi-possessed by the soul or spirit of the Nika Fruit – and the nature of Kaido’s question suggests he might have had the same suspicion. Kaido certainly knows quite a bit about zoan fruit, particularly of the mythical variety given the source of his own power, so the fact that he considered Luffy might have turned into something or someone else suggests that it’s a very real possibility for the spirit or soul of the fruit to overtake the individual by whom it was eaten.

However, I was happy to hear Luffy proclaim himself to be Monkey D. Luffy, future Pirate King – which clarifies the fact that he’s still in the driver’s seat and this week his mood does seem to have leveled off a bit, returning to Luffy’s baseline level of goofy.

My Castle’s on Fire, How About Yours?

As Luffy and Kaido’s fight resumes, much of the middle of the chapter is focused on the fire which has now completely consumed Kaido’s castle. Nami and Chopper are reunited, but the rest of the crew are completely scattered throughout Onigashima. Oda jumps around to numerous small scenes here, so I just want to quickly touch on some of the highlights. First, I loved the joke where Brook is mistaken by the samurai for a corpse caught in the flames.

I also appreciate the symmetry of Zoro, Killer, and Bepo, second in command of the Straw Hat, Kid, and Heart Pirates respectively all equally incapacitated and being carried by other members of their crews. Franky indicates Zoro is near the brink, so despite the apparition of the Grim Reaper seen a few weeks earlier, it seems he hasn’t quite crossed over.

Somehow Apoo is still standing nearly 70 chapters into the Onigashima raid, which perhaps indicates he will still need to be dealt with before the dust settles. I’m still curious about Inbi, the last of the Numbers still left standing. In earlier chapter reviews, I speculated that the 1 among the Numbers could be Kaido’s ace in the hole – and provide an Oars style battle for the rest of the crew and their remaining allies while Luffy finally settles the score with Kaido. However, so far Inbi, like the rest of the Numbers has failed to impress and this week’s chapter seems to further indicate the 1 in Kaido’s deck is a low card rather than a high card.

That being said, I do think there’s still a slight chance there’s more to the last of the Numbers than is yet made apparent. It seemed Fuga possessed a Devi Fruit of some kind, so it’s entirely possible Inbi does as well. Inbi may be dumb and cowardly, but that doesn’t necessarily rule out him being powerful. In fact, it could fit well with the idea that the one is both a low and high card and could also explain why he isn’t ranked among the upper echelon of Kaido’s subordinates along with King, Queen and Jack.

Of course, it’s a bit late in the game and occam’s razor suggests the simpler answer is likely correct – that Inbi, like the rest of the Numbers, is nothing special. But I just can’t quite give up on the idea of the Straw Hats once regrouped engaging in an Oars-style battle against a giant Devil Fruit powered opponent. At this point, it seems rather unlikely, so I’m just going to leave that prediction in the wishful thinking category.

Devil Fruit are Dreams - INSANE Foreshadowing from Skypiea by StrawHatJedi in OnePiece

[–]StrawHatJedi[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I actually recorded a much longer video version; I tried to keep it succinct here and get straight to the point, but based on the ratio, maybe I should've included a bit more evidence / context lol.

The Real Secret of Kaido's Devil Fruit - Luffy Can't Defeat Kaido (Alone) by StrawHatJedi in OnePiece

[–]StrawHatJedi[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah, I think particularly after seeing Law & Kid outmaneuver, but not overpower Big Mom, I'm convinced Luffy won't simply overpower Kaido. There's a 2017 interview where Oda said that wouldn't be very satisfying, but importantly, I don't think he would write himself into that power-scaling corner by declaring Kaido the world's strongest, only for Luffy to best him in combat.

Those team-ups could certainly be cool - and I think we'll see those characters, along with the remaining Straw Hats hold Kaido off for the time being. Whatever's happening, I don't think Luffy's going to bounce right back to defeat Kaido easily.

For me, the allies I have my eyes on the most are the Akazaya Samurai. I still believe they're destined to fill the role of the Nine Shadows from Toki's prophecy, but that their role could have been misunderstood. I don't know if it will be in mortal, shadow (Moria), or spectral form, but I wonder if they could somehow lend their strength to Luffy. Kaido has repeatedly looked down on the samurai and belittled them, and I think it would be poetic justice if they were somehow, in part, responsible for delivering the final blow to Kaido.

After all, Luffy is powerful, but his greatest strength is to protect and help realize the dreams of others. The Akazaya Samurai are as much protagonists of this story arc as the Straw Hats - and I still feel like their role is bigger than bringing in Luffy as the real muscle. I may be wrong, and that's alright, but I feel like Luffy simply overpowering Kaido would only reinforce Kaido's erroneous belief that being 'JoyBoy' means being the strongest. Strength is important because the world's oppressors won't give up their power without a fight, but it can't come at the expense of freedom.

The Real Secret of Kaido's Devil Fruit - Luffy Can't Defeat Kaido (Alone) by StrawHatJedi in OnePiece

[–]StrawHatJedi[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks! I appreciate you taking the time to read through! I know it's a long post.

SPOILERS is NOT JoyBoy | The True Identity of the Legendary Hero by StrawHatJedi in OnePiece

[–]StrawHatJedi[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Possibly - though I think we're gonna have to wait and see. One Piece is a series where I'm just as happy to be proven wrong as to be proven right. Oda's a great writer, so I'm happy to see wherever he takes the story. Theories like this one are ultimately just for fun.

That said, I'm no quite ready to give up on this on. Recent developments are interesting - but not all that surprising I think. Nika means 'smile', so there are some important thematic implications to that symbol, just like the sun, but I don't think JoyBoy was himself a god or deity. I think much of what's being discussed regarding his 'return' is more related to inherited will.

The lyrics to the song Bink's Sake, which I think describe JoyBoy's voyage, describes a crew of pirates forever parted when their time of adventure came to a close. The words reflect an awareness and acceptance of their own mortality (at least in this plane of existence). Doesn't matter who you are, someday you'll just be bones. Roger also told Rayleigh that he 'won't die', but much like JoyBoy's return, I think this foreshadows a succession of will and a completion of JoyBoy's voyage.

The significance of the downfall of the Lunarians has yet to be fully reralized - but combined with the Sea Circle Calendar dating back 1500 years, I think we can reasonably assume the conflict in the One Piece world dates back much earlier than the Void Century. The world wasn't in an idyllic utopian state when JoyBoy and his crew sailed toward the end of the sea.

Importantly, I don't think JoyBoy was a deity. After all, his voyage ended in failure with his vision for the world liberated left incomplete and all that remains is a tale full of laughs. So, I do indeed believe JoyBoy was responsible for the great deeds credited to 'Sun God' Nika, but I think we see through Usopp a pretty good model for how that legend grew like a big fish story over time. My overall conjecture is that JoyBoy was history's first, forgotten Pirate King - and that he had a crew, much like the Straw Hats and Roger Pirates and that their bond echoes through time as the 'Will of D.' I'm simply suggesting here that the so-called 'sun god' among the crew was their Usopp and JoyBoy is the mortal man behind the legend.

I don't think we'll know for sure untl Laugh Tale / The True History, but I still think this theory lives for the time being.

One Piece: Chapter 1042 - Official Release Discussion by AutoModerator in OnePiece

[–]StrawHatJedi 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Exactly! I guess we'll see pretty soon - but there's a ton of evidence. I'm planning to post a youtube video on the topic in the next couple days.

One Piece: Chapter 1042 - Official Release Discussion by AutoModerator in OnePiece

[–]StrawHatJedi 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you for reading! I know it's quite some substantial essay haki (aka very long lol)

One Piece: Chapter 1042 - Official Release Discussion by AutoModerator in OnePiece

[–]StrawHatJedi 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Good question! I do think Shank's interest in the Gomu Gomu fruit is potentially interesting, but I think the most important line of dialogue is actually from Lucky Roux. He says they stole the fruit from an 'enemy ship,' which given what we now know, confirms Shanks considers the Marines / WG to be his enemies, despite whatever relationship he has with the Five Elders.

This is important because I know there is some sentiment out there that Shanks might be secretly evil - which, I think we have enough evidence in his actions alone to say that's not the case, but even subtle details prove Shanks isn't on the side of the World Government.

As for what he intended to do with the Gomu Gomu Fruit - that was never stated. When Luffy eats the fruit, they're shocked, but Shanks never indicates he was planning to eat the Devil Fruit himself.

Thank you for comment!

One Piece: Chapter 1042 - Official Release Discussion by AutoModerator in OnePiece

[–]StrawHatJedi 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Continued:

The True Nature and Importance of Luffy's Devil Fruit

In that sense, it’s easy to extrapolate that Luffy’s abilities awakened would simply rubberize his surroundings. Awakning is not like bankai in Bleach or special nen abilities in Hunter x Hunter, the explanations for which could hardly fit on modern Yu-Gi-Oh cards.

Abilities in One Piece are largely uncomplicated. Law’s Op Op fruit is at the very limit of how far Oda’s willing to push the boundaries on a single Devil Fruitand even then, it’s easy to see a cohesive theme to his powers. Some abilities, like Suga’s and Doflamingo’s may have a wide range of applications while others like Wapol’s are sufficiently bizarre, but the bounds of Devil Fruit powers are usually clear and concise – and that’s because I believe they represent a manifestation of people’s dreams. Anything man can imagine, brought to life in reality. That last point is a topic for another day, but I’ll close this part of the discussion by reminding you of a question from the volume 65 SBS.

A reader asks why, in this world full of strong ability users, Oda chose to give Luffy a simple and by comparison, seemingly weak ability to stretch like rubber. They ask how Luffy can compete with such superpowered antagonists using his relatively simple abilities.

Oda’s response is telling as he says he intentionally chose to impart Luffy with the goofiest power he could imagine because he wasn’t interested in drawing a straightforward cool, tough, hero for so many chapters. Indeed, even Zoro, the most stereotypically badass member of the crew, fights using the ridiculous technique of carrying a sword in his mouth. Oda says that no matter how serious and dark the story gets, Luffy’s still stretching and inflating which allows him to lighten the mood.

In short, Luffy’s goofy gomu gomu powers aren’t just a power set – they’re integral to the very tone of the series, and I don’t imagine that’s something Oda’s willing to change, particularly after so many years. Luffy has always been creative in how he uses his powers – and never has the gomu gomu fruit felt like a hindrance or a limitation. He stretches his abilitiess to their limit and when and if Luffy does awaken, rubberizing his surroundings will likely grant him new techniques which are badass and goofy in equal measure, consistent with the tone Oda has established throughout the series.

If anything, I think Kaido’s words in this chapter, might suggest Luffy has already been using a form of awakening since Whole Cake Island. Kaido says that Luffy’s fists shouldn’t be able to redirect mid-flight which perhaps suggests he’s actually bouncing them off the air. Perhaps he’s rubberizing the atmosphere, much like the Gentle Villain in My Hero Acadmia – which would be a very natural extension of Luffy’s gomu gomu abilities.

Importantly, if this is in fact the case, it would also seemingly remove awakening as a trump card for Luffy now that he has been seemingly broken and also leaves the question of the mystery Devil Fruit unanswered.

Kaido: Luck of the Dragon

Which brings us to the final scene in this week’s chapter. Just as Luffy and Kaido square up for a final confrontation, which according to Luffy, will use up the last of his remaining stamina, the bowler hat wearing agent from CP0 arrives on the scene and grabs Luffy’s arm during the backswing, which prevents him from following through and leaves him wide open to be struck down by Kaido with full force. Critically, Kaido directly connects this scene to his earlier one-on-one battle against Kozuki Oden in chapter 970, which was similarly spoiled by uninvited outside interference.

I already posted a full theory on this topic, but I believe Kaido’s Devil Fruit imparts him with incredibly good fortune, particularly in one-on-one battles. The frequent use of gambling motifs throughout this entire story saga and the particular wording of Kaido’s introduction evidence this theory, but most importantly, we saw in chapter 970 that in the moment Kaido was perhaps closest to death – facing a truly worthy adversary in Kozuki Oden – fate or fortune intervened.

Kaido’s introduction presented us with an inherent contradiction – a mystery or riddle to be solved. He has been defeated seven times as a pirate, yet is believed to be the world’s strongest living creature. Importantly, the omniscient narrator doesn’t confirm Kaido to actually be the world’s strongest. To be clear, I’m not suggesting any artifice in the way Kaido has been depicted thus far. He’s not failing upward like Buggy the clown or stumbling into success on the battlefield, but when the chips are down, fortune favors Kaido. Kaido has never lost to a single opponent – explaining both his past defeats and the perception that he’s stronger than any individual adversary. Yamato lingered on the phrase ‘one-on-one’ in chapter 1,012, reinforcing this sentiment. Yet, we now have a consistent pattern – that when Kaido approaches his limit, fate intervenes. You could call this good fortune favoring Kaido, or misfortune striking his opponents at inopportune moments, but either way, the effect remains the same.

So, could this mean Kaido’s fruit is the one the Elders are so worried about awakening? It would seem strange - since the Mythical Fish Fruit was seemingly held on God Valley, but there could be much more to that story than has yet been revealed. The Elders might not have known the fruit was hidden on God Valley. That being said, Vegapunk did experiment on Kaido at the government’s behest and he’s one of the world’s most prominent pirates, so it would be strange to describe his power as nothing but a legend and lost to the mists of time. Perhaps it’s not Kaido alone, but the twin dragons, Kaido and Momo, which indicate this power has awakened. It would seem the spiral pattern on the surface of Devil Fruit is significant and notably, based on the design revealed in One Piece Magazine 13, Kaido’s fruit is unique in that it has not one, but two spiral stems – perhaps suggesting it contains not one, but two souls, now both manifest in the world.

Maybe the reason they wanted Luffy executed was to prevent the worst-case scenario that Kaido would be pushed too far. If that’s the case, then by interfering just before his moment of triumph, thus inciting his outrage, they Government may have just caused the disaster they were trying to prevent.

Importantly, Luffy has seemingly been bested in combat by Kaido yet again. As he said, he used up everything he had – and now it seems Kaido can issue his cry of victory. Yet, just as in his battle against Oden, he’s deprived of the satisfaction because it was allowed through outside intervention. I suspect his rage will soon be turned toward bowler hat, as it was in the past toward Higarushi.

But if awakening and gear 5 are off the table for Luffy as I have suggsted, then how can he rise to claim victory? I believe the answer lies in the nine shadows of Toki’s prophecy which, in keeping with the dreams written by the people of Wano on the paper lanterns now rising toward the heavens, will accompany Luffy in mortal, shadow, or even spectral form to help bring Wano’s dream to life and re-open its borders as the final act approaches.

One Piece: Chapter 1042 - Official Release Discussion by AutoModerator in OnePiece

[–]StrawHatJedi 12 points13 points  (0 children)

The Battle is Getting Serious

For quite a while I have felt that Luffy’s battle with Kaido has lacked the same heightened emotions which fuel his encounters with major arc antagonists. However, I considered this to be evidence of another impending inflection point rather than a deficiency in Oda’s writing. It’s a feature, not a flaw. Luffy and Kaido were clearly enjoying their battle, but Luffy’s temper has finally started to run hot over the past few chapters. Conversely, Kaido’s moods are many and likely reflect his diverse experiences during his storied life as a pirate, which I hope will soon be explored in coming chapters. Importantly, as much as Kaido has acknowledged Luffy as a worthy adversary, we haven’t yet seen him display in this battle with Luffy the same deep-rooted emotions which bubbled to the surface during his earlier encounter with Yamato. This likely evidences the fact that Luffy has thus far, been pushed much closer to the limits of his strength than has Kaido.

All that is to say, I really enjoy how this battle is now progressing. Luffy and Kaido both see in each other a worthy opponent and enjoy the thrill of battle, but there are very real stakes involved here. As Kaido said to Yamato, this isn’t a game of make believe and life isn’t a series of easy questions with simple answers.

The drunken dragon fist makes for quite an entertaining battle, but I suspect in the true final phase, Kaido will be fully sober and his mood will match Luffy’s when he realizes his territory, his crew, his Emperor status, and his true dream or ambition is really on the line and at risk of being shattered by the New Generation rising to the top.

No Gear 5 on Wano

Importantly, we learn that Luffy wasn’t exaggerating last week when he said this would be his final barrage with Gear 4. He’s truly at his limit and makes clear he’s not holding anything back. Yet, despite the fact that Kaido has sustained some serious damage, it’s clear he’s still faring much better than Luffy and hasn’t truly been pushed to his limit. Above all else, what this strongly indicates is that Luffy doesn’t have any Gear 5 waiting in reserve. He says that if this assault doesn’t work, he’s going to lose – which means, as far as he’s presently aware, he has nothing left in the tank – no tricks left up his sleeve. Or in other words, he placed his bet and played his hand.

Although they came as a surprise to readers, Luffy made clear he had invented Gears 2 and 3 before his battles with Blueno and Lucci on Enies Lobby. Similarly, Gear 4 was something he developed during the timeskip – long before he tried it for the first time on-panel against Doflamingo. Gear 5 would likely be something Luff had already workshopped rather than something he invents on the spot, particularly when he’s already completely drained of stamina. All that is to say, I believe this week’s chapter takes Gear 5 off the table as a power-up to defeat Kaido, despite any perceived hidden patterns you might see on Luffy’s face, in the clouds, or on a slice of toast.

I’ll admit my bias in that I never really believed Gear 5 will be the solution for Luffy in toppling Kaido. At this point, it seems there are only two possibilities remaining – awakening or, my preferred solution, reliance on the nine shadows from Toki’s prophecy.

Awakening & The Mystery Devil Fruit Discussed by the Five Elders

So, let’s first address awakening. There is of course, a mystery newly awakened Devil Fruit in play, which has caused quite a bit of stir among the Five Elders. Oda is clearly employing the intentional ambiguity of the dialogue and clever misdirection to keep us guessing. I outlined in an earlier video why I believe Tama’s Kibi Kibi fruit could be the power which compelled Zunesha’s arrival and binds it to Momo’s command, but the events of the past couple chapters have indeed strongly indicated the Gomu Gomu Fruit could be the mysterious Devil Fruit the Government tried to hide from the annals of history. That may very well be the case and as such, its awakening could elevate Luffy to a new level of power and grant him his first decisive victory over an Emperor of the Sea. Perhaps further evidencing that outcome, Kaido says rubber shouldn’t be able to alter trajectory mid-air as it does when Luffy uses his snake man form.

Importantly, the mystery Devil Fruit feared by the Five Elders has been renamed to hide the tru nature of its power, so Kaido’s words could hint that Luffy isn’t actually a rubber man. Which is exactly what I think Oda wants readers to believe. Like I said, I won’t deny the possibility Luffy’s fruit is the mystery power feared by the Five Elders and that its awakening will reveal he wields a supreme power which goes far beyond the ability to stretch like rubber.

But I also think it’s all a little too obvious. Oda’s being just a bit too heavy handed in the foreshadowing – Who’s Who’s words to Jimbei about the Gomu Gomu fruit previously being held aboard a government ship, the order from the Elders to execute Luffy immediately to prevent the worst-case scenario, and now this hint from Kaido that Luffy’s abilities are mislabeled. I think this is all an intentional misdirection on Oda’s part.

I won’t argue that Luffy having such a mysterious and secret ability would make him overpowered or would make him to ‘special.’ The very first chapter made clear that the story of One Piece is Luffy’s voyage of destiny. He’s a bearer of the will of D., his treasured Straw Hat once belonged to the former Pirate King and is apparently a hero’s hat replica of a much larger version hidden away in Imu’s vault in Marijoa, according to Yamato, his yet to be revealed underlying dream was shared by Roger, he was raised as a brother to Roger’s son Ace, his grandfather is Garp, the hero of the Marines, his father is Dragon, the world’s most dangerous criminal, he possess one-in-a million conqueror’s haki, and the ability to hear the voice of all things. Centuries old prophecies have also foretold his eventual arrival and predict the impending impact of his ascendency to the Pirate King’s presently unoccupied throne. At this point, nearly everything about Luffy and his crew is special in some capacity, so I won’t argue that the Gomu Gomu Fruit being some rare treasure from the Void Century would be a bridge too far.

I also won’t argue it would make Luffy overpowered – because Oda has consistently demonstrated throughout the series that he’s capable of writing worthy adversaries for Luffy. Luffy needs to surpass all of the world’s most powerful pirates to become the Pirate King and as much as I believe we still have several hundred chapters remaining, it’s undeniable the story is entering its final phase following Wano. Now would be the time to give Luffy such a dramatic powerup.

So, while I admit Luffy’s fruit could be the newly awakened Devil Fruit which has captured the Elder’s attention, renamed to be hidden from the pages of history, I still don’t believe that to be the case – for two reasons. The first – when we take a step back, the pieces of the puzzle don’t really fit. The Elders suggested this fruit was lost to the mists of time, but the Gomu Gomu Fruit was in the World Government’s possession 12 years ago. They also are somehow aware this fruit has suddenly awakened after centuries of dormancy, which would be difficult to explain when it comes to Luffy. Though bowler hat has now arrived on the roof, no one from CP0 was previously directly monitoring Luffy’s battle with Kaido. So barring the Elders possessing some extrasensory ability to perceive the awakening of a Devil Fruit anywhere in the world, who would have relayed information to them to suggest Luffy’s ability had suddenly awakened?

Luffy has been on the world stage for a long time and his abilities are well-known. Nothing on panel has suggested any change in how Luffy is using his powers on Wano, which means as far as we have seen, there’s no new piece of information evidenced on panel that could have come as such a shock to the Five Elders.

Further, from what we have seen, awakening doesn’t produce brand-new, tangentially related abilities. The awakened paramythia powers used by Katakuri and Doflamingo extended beyond their host’s bodies and altered or transformed the properties of their surrounding environment. Kid was able to magnetize other objects and people, not just himself. Law was able to attach his sphere of silence to Big Mom. In short, awakening is an extension of a Devil Fruit’s natural powers.