Time for Luffy to save us all…*YAWN!*
I get it. I GET it. Luffy’s the main character; he has to save the day. But could all the other Straw Hats have their moment to shine?
No! Because we’re at the classic Luffy-Was-Absent/Disposed-But-Now-He’s-Back-To-Save-The-Day portion of Elbaph’s Arc. Well, it’s not all about Luffy. Can’t forget about Sanji and Zoro. One will fight Killingham and the other, Sommers.
Maybe.
There’s still Loki. No way is he not getting uncuffed at some point. Helping against Imu will probably be that reason. Not now, of course. No way will the Monster Trio think they’ll need Loki’s help. Things will have to get even MORE dire for that to happen. You know…like Luffy losing to Imu.
Oh, don’t act so shocked! Luffy losing a round or two to a Big Bad’s nothing new. And since Imu will be the FINAL Biggie, there’s gonna be a lot of plot armor and/or teamwork getting Imu off Elbaph. Loki, Whoever/Whatever’s in Astral World, Brook helping to break Imu’s control of Gunko, etc. Heck, even when Team Luffy wins it’ll be a win against Imu possessing Gunko, not the character’s true body. It’s all building to the final war, kids.
All of that and I didn’t yet mention the personal connection between Luffy and Imu. Not directly through each other but with how personal Luffy makes a fight when a Big Bad hurts his friends. Oda’s setting up Luffy’s final battle against Imu as a way to stop him from hurting his friends because that’s how Luffy rolls.
More hints this chapter Loki felt like he had to kill his father, King Harald, in order to save Elbaph. Did Imu somehow turn Harald into a demon like he did to Dorry and Brogy? This could be Imu’s second attempt at trying to install a demon king proxy on Elbaph’s throne.
Is Loki’s friend, Shaggy really Chief Jarul? The Den-Den Mushi looked like Jarul to me. Hmm…
Luffy causally sensing Chopper and Gaban falling to the Underworld. Was that Oda telling us that Luffy’s getting stronger? Yeah, it was. No question.
This was an okay chapter! I’m a bit surprised we’re getting to the main conflict already. Just seems not much happened. I’m just not feeling this arc at the moment. Is it my disappoint with most of the Straw Hat Crew? My disinterest in the Holy Knights besides how well they fight?
I don’t know. Maybe I’m just sick to dealing with evil dictators wanting to destroy the world and spread cruelty for their own personal gain. I guess somebody has to stand up to that evil bastard trying to deport children, feed ignorance, and treat those who aren’t like him as bugs to be squashed. If not us to fight for freedom, then who?
Wait. Are we still talking about One Piece?
Mammoth Base Opera Castle 