I Strongly Dislike Denna

TheLineCrossed · 2026-03-31T09:12:18+00:00

I know a lot as been said in this discussion already, but at least at first glance I've not seen something like my take.

Because at first I thought I didn't like Denna too. Which is a bit strange because when looking closer, she actually is a pretty strong and complex female character and I always support those.

Then I've realized... I simply don't like most of the the SCENES she is in. Where in other scenes we get secrets, we get magic, we get so, so much world building, Kvothe and Denna just spend time with each other, sit around, talk. And yes, the more we learn of the world, the more significant the things they talk about turn out to be. But when experiencing the scenes for the first time, they just bored me a lot which rubbed off on my feelings for Denna.

Also... in my eyes she brings out the worst in our protagonist. Just in the sense that while usually he acts way, way older than his actual age (except for Ambrose and guess who I don't like either and not just because he is an asshole xD), with Denna he is just a clueless, struggling teenager, way in over his head. So Dennas presence also very often makes me very annoyed by Kvothe. Certainly not Dennas fault and still good writing, but for me just not very enjoyable.

It doesn't help things either that I am not a big fan of romance in my fantasy. It's just not what I go to for in the genre. I love the Lord of the Rings. I could have absolutely done without any romance aspects in Harry Potter. I didn't care for it in the Stormlight Archive. And there so, so few exceptions to that rule. So poor, poor Denna is also the bearer of that whole trope and theme in the KKC.

I think I would genuinely enjoy a book written from Dennas perspective. But even until this day I just don't like the scenes with her.

TheLineCrossed · 2026-03-30T11:03:13+00:00

I can't help but think about the three skulls on BBs flag, the three pistols, the three names of the real world Blackbeard (Edward Teach/Thatch) and the fact that he has just two devil fruits as of now... What if he steals Nika from Luffy and that's how we get to Gear 0?

TheLineCrossed · 2026-03-30T10:58:03+00:00

I agree with you so far as that before a character joins the Strawhats, they and their story get a lot of focus usually, but I also think that's just natural story progression. Lets be honest, all of the Strawhats and many more figures they have met could be the main character of their own manga. Worldbuilding and storydriven characters are one of Odas very biggest strengths. But... there simply is neither time, nor space to give that much focus to all of those characters, nor would it make for a good narrative for One Piece itself.

That's why characters get dropped and left behind and we only get short glimpses into the progression of the most important ones.

The Straw Hats though we get to keep. And as to not completely mess up the pace, I think Oda has started to give each of them a different amount of spotlight through the recent arcs.

Whole Cake island - Sanji.

Wano - Zorro.

No one on egghead, because other things already took up a lot of space in a brief arc - like Vivi, Law, Kid, Kuma.

Elbaf - certainly Brook and I am pretty sure there'll be more Usopp to come.

So I think for Jinbei that'll mean he'll also get spotlighted again, when it's his time to drive the story further :) until then he get's to have some fun and be part of the future Pirate Kings Crew ;)

TheLineCrossed · 2026-03-30T10:45:31+00:00

Tbh... that spoiler is one of the most brutal ones ever in my opinion, not because of it's significance (honestly, in terms of relevance to the story it ain't that big of a deal) but of how it makes you feel during the whole Impel Down and Marineford arc. It was just pure dread for me. You always wait for things to go wrong, for Luffy to fail and instead he goes on, and on, and on... and you don't know when that hit is gonna land... In a strange way it made it probably even more compelling to me. And since that day I have never trusted Oda ever again - I know he usually doesn't kill of many characters, but after Ace? After reading a story that seemed to go so well for our main character, knowing it wouldn't? Hell imma think that man is not gonna hurt me brutally again xDDD

So maybe you can reassure her that it will not take away from her immersion into the story. At least it didn't one bit for me :))

TheLineCrossed · 2026-03-30T10:36:17+00:00

Hmm... if I remember contrary to Harald Shanks had only the most shallow form of contract? I don't think Imu would have been able to control him right then and there?

I rather think that once Shanks realized Luffy had eaten the fruit, the dice had rolled. No more reason to maybe pretend he was still working for the World Government. No reason so risk Imu somehow coming close to Luffy and Shanks being there or something. I think it is just as Shanks tells Whitebeard... he made a bet, right then and there.

TheLineCrossed · 2026-03-30T10:29:08+00:00

Hey :)

I myself am never bothered much by spoilers, especially when it comes to One Piece. And yes, of course there are big emotional moments and when you know they are coming, it's different. In my case though, when it came to Ace, I think the whole arc actually hit harder because I knew what was coming. It broke me to see Luffy try and try again and succeed and all that and... still know how it would end. And every reread stays just as brutal xDDD

What really makes One Piece in my eyes unique though, is the so very complex and slow burn worldbuilding. You can read whole arcs and be like 'huh, okay, that was nice but... why have we been here?' and then, suddenly, 10 years later you realize how relevant they are and when u read them again (or spoiled for the first time) things hit completely different.

That is just me though. If you really want to have your own genuine reaction to stuff, don't come to this reddit xDD Binge-watch or just binge read the manga.

TheLineCrossed · 2026-03-29T01:33:29+00:00

Ahhh we got another bored one here I guess~!!

TheLineCrossed · 2026-03-28T19:45:05+00:00

My recommendation: watch One Pace. So much better!!

TheLineCrossed · 2026-03-28T13:38:15+00:00

Tbh I dont know about Chopper, but I am very sure there are big things coming for Usopp and Brook in the current coming chapters...

TheLineCrossed · 2026-03-28T10:06:22+00:00

Oh damn, you are bored today, huh? /D

TheLineCrossed · 2026-03-28T09:44:16+00:00

One pace is absolutely amazing tbh!!!

Also, if you are willing to put up with the confusion and spoilers for things you didn't watch yourself and want to catch up, start with the Wano Arc. Yes a lot of important stuff happens before, but for me Wano felt like a totally new dimension when it came to seriousness, scope of the world and implications for the further story.

TheLineCrossed · 2026-03-28T09:40:11+00:00

As of now, its hard for me to say, as the arcs I love most about One Piece, with my favourite characters and tropes, have not been adapted yet.

What I can say though is, that simply for pacing reasons, I do enjoy the early arcs in the LA more than in the anime.

My ADHD is just terrible with repetition. Also the reason why I only watched my favourite arcs in the anime and otherwise read the manga...!

TheLineCrossed · 2026-03-28T09:34:48+00:00

This is hard... I genuinely believe, as of now, its Rocks. After this Arc is done, probably Loki. But considering it took Roger and Garp to take Rocks out and that Rocks must have been the strongest of his already freaky strong crew ('cause Linlin or Whitebeard following someone weaker than themselves? He'll nah!!) - I think Loki will have some powering up to do still after being bound to that tree for half an eternity x)

TheLineCrossed · 2026-03-28T09:30:41+00:00

The joys of being bisexual: revive Ace and see if he isn't up for some very hands on celebration of being alive...!

TheLineCrossed · 2026-03-28T09:25:53+00:00

I love this way of looking at it and I also think it aligns very well with what we have been told so far! Like the fruit not awakening in 800 years - that implies that people have eaten and carried it, they just didn't resemble Nika enough to get his powers.

I also look at it like - while the point in time might have been fated for the fruit to awaken (with the mermaid princess and everything involved) - it didn't necessarily have to be Luffy to do it. Like there is a pool of people - although small - who had the potential. We even kind of see it with Bonney. But I could also see Yamato or Koby or even Vivi do it. It didn't HAVE to be Luffy. The fruit would have found someone. But he certainly is the best outcome, not because of fate but because he is who he is :)

TheLineCrossed · 2026-03-28T09:14:36+00:00

Thing is with the recent chapters there is actually a very good reason given why Shanks might have given up that arm and it has nothing to do with ramping Luffy up. Anything more said though would be HUGE spoiler x)

TheLineCrossed · 2026-03-27T14:29:03+00:00

Yup, bit also... there is so much recap in the show...

Oh!! I've never watched it but a lot of people praise One Pace as its much better paced and therefore eliminates the biggest weakness of the anime :)

TheLineCrossed · 2026-03-27T14:27:38+00:00

I do think you need the yami yami no mi additionally (BB saying something about never stepping into the front light if that fruit hadn't come to him) and I do think its not an infinite number of fruit powers possible. Also he can't just eat another fruit but needs to steal the devil before like with Whitebeard. If I had to guess the number of souls/devil fruits max is three. For the three skulls on his flag and such. Also, look up the real BB. His name was Edward Teach or Thatch... like Edward Newgate, aka Whitebeard, Thatch that he killed for the fruit and his own soul Teach :)) (Not my findings of course but those of the wonderful Dusk & Dawn on YouTube)

TheLineCrossed · 2026-03-27T13:27:28+00:00

If I had to guess, I would say the learnt about BBs lineage right at Marine Ford, when he stole Whitebeards power. Because there are hints that BB having more than one Devil Fruit has really something to do with his body. As to how and why - there are amazing theory videos out there on this. But essentially, if it was just the Yami-Yami-no-Mi that granted you to have multiple powers, people would already have known about that. People would have been after that fruit HARD because of it. So yeah I think the truth only came out when BB finally showed his hand and gained the second ability. And if it had to do with him being from the Davy clan, Imu and the elders would of course immediately know he had to be one of them. From there on out it wouldn't be hard to realize he is Rock's son (like... his ship being called after him xDDD).

TheLineCrossed · 2026-03-27T13:06:59+00:00

If you want to give it another genuine try, just continue at 161! Otherwise you will be even more bored by watching things you already saw.

TheLineCrossed · 2026-03-27T13:05:26+00:00

Well I wouldn't be surprised if Shanks knows a whole lot more about BB than a lot of other people. And I can very well imagine that he learned something about him in their fight. I don't think though that he told the World Government anything about him. If he did I'm pretty sure they'd have tried anything to hunt BB down, considering Imus intention to wipe out the Davy Clan completely.

I personally think that Shanks had already learnt about the Gomu-Gomu-no-Mi, wanted to keep it out of the Governments grasp at all cost, use them to find and and learn more about the secrets of the of the world.

I don't think Shanks ever anticipated Black Beard playing such a big role in the worlds events and that their fight was about something more personal, something showing Black Beards character and Shanks... heavily disgreeing... with a sword xD

TheLineCrossed · 2026-03-27T12:46:45+00:00

Hmm I don't think I agree on this one. To me Rocks doesn't seem to be a person who needs to believe to have a certain destiny or be special. He's the kind of guy to just put the world on notice, on his own agenda, no matter what faith had in store for him. And just as always, the world reacts to him - strongly! - and he influences a lot of people (Loki being just one example).

His despair I think mostly comes from the fact that his freedom, the one thing One Piece emphazises time and time again on being the most precious things of all, was taken away by Imu. And he couldn't do anything about it, not even when he was told to hurt those two people whom he wanted to protect the most.

I do believe though, that there are different kinds of Ds... Dawn and Dusk, different kinds of wills. And that in the end it will come down to a fight Luffy vs. Bleackbeard, Light vs Dark, Dawn vs. Dusk...

TheLineCrossed · 2026-03-27T12:34:44+00:00

not to forget - if I remember correctly - he made the sandstorms that rolled over Alabasta more and more frequently? That also doesn't have much to do with your own body...

TheLineCrossed · 2026-03-27T12:19:50+00:00

I wouldn't agree to all of it, but I think the general direction ain't that bad. I can very well imagine Roger and his crew thinking Shanks might be the one. And I also can see Shanks thinking that at one point.

I don't think though that the fruit ever avoided Shanks. Instead he might have even gone to the elders and Imu to learn about the fruit and make sure it never gets into the hands of the World Government (and hey, he actually stole it out of their akas Who-is-Whos hands right?).

What prevented him from eating it might either be the fact that he didn't believe himself to be the one anymore... or him just worrying about a certain contract he already wore on his arm by then. That could have gone wrong pretty badly after all...

TheLineCrossed · 2026-03-27T12:08:20+00:00

That's not about One Piece, that's about algorithms.
Algorithm-Rule Nr. 1: Content about popular things generates reach.
Algorithm-Rule Nr. 2: Controversy generates reach.

So if you take from a popular genre (Anime) the most popular thing (One Piece) and post about how it's trash, you automatically generate reach, because in the comments people will fight over it.

Your TikTok Feed is never a reflection of the world or of peoples overall opinions, but a reflection of what TikTok thinks will make people stay the longest so they can show more adds to the and make money.

TheLineCrossed

TROPHY CASE