something i’d like to add is that… there’s no way to repay someone for saving your life.
(novel spoilers of laws character development… it’s only one scene but it’s probably my favorite.)
In fact, they explore this exact concept in a a pretty emotional scene in the novel. law saves wolf’s life,and it’s the first life he has ever saved. However, wolf doesn’t know how to repay him. wolf views relationships as transactional, give and take… but he doesn’t know what he has that he can do for law to repay the ‘give’ of living.
… and then something really funny happens. (the following is pasted from the translation of the book i found):
With an air could not be more serious, Wolf bangs his fist on the table.
Wolf: You gave me a second life, Law! So I have to return the favor by offering you something equivalent! "Give and take", do you remember? Unfortunately, no matter how much I think, I can't find anything equivalent to "life".
Law: Stop your bullshit, grandpa! ******
This time it's my turn to shout.
Law: I didn't save your life to get something in return! Bepo, Penguin and Shachi did not do this either! You, you have t right to live with the convictions which suit you, it is your freedom. But them ... Knowing that you are out of the wor made them so happy that they whined ... That is more than enough for them! They don't ask for anything more! You insult their tears by thinking like this, and that I will not tolerate!
(wolf apologizes for disrespecting law)
Law: Shachi, Penguin, and Bepo don’t think about this sort of thing. They are grateful to you for bringing them out of their misery. So what could be more normal that they were desperate to save your life, eh?
Law: Hmm... Me, I ... As a beginner doctor, it is my duty to come to the aid of any dying person ... Le ... Let's say it's like a whim for me!
Wolf: He he he! It's okay, I got it. Still, your saved the day, it's undeniable. It is therefore inconceivable in my eyes to stay without thanking you.
Law: But ... Since I told you that ...
Wolf: Yes I know! Listen to me until the end! Now that I know it would be rude to give you things or money ... I have to find a different way to thank you ..
Law: Go ahead, abbreviate! Spit the piece that we finish once and for all!
Wolf: Well I have decided to become your friend !!
The words are so unexpected that they leave me speechless.
No, I'm falling asleep, I certainly misheard.
Law: Sorry, Mister junk, but I think fatigue causes auditory hallucinations in me, will you repeat?
Wolf: How many times will I have to say this ?! I, Wolf the inventor of genius, agree to become your friend! Be honored!
What is this madness? No, but seriously, what is this delirium ?!
Law: Ha ha... Ha ha ha ha ha!
Wolf: What are you laughing at?!
Law: Nothing, nothing at all. All right, Mister Junk, we do like this. Thank you, I accept your token of gratitude. Now we are friends!
Turned red as a tomato, Wolf stands idly by.
Such a trite word that should be so easy to pronounce.
But since we've been living under the same roof, I've gotten to know Wolf and understand what kind of man he is.
For him, the notion of friendship is outside the sphere of "give and take”which is so dear to him.
In a space where there is neither loss nor profit.
The only thing that matters in becoming friends are the feelings you have for each other.
This is why someone like Wolf, who has had the "give and take" ankle to the body all his life, needs immense courage to pronounce a word as simple as this one.*******
This is also why I would lack class if I did not respond favorably to his desire for friendship.
Law: Alright, Mister Junk, let's be friends. Besides, you'll be nice to cook me a little supper to start.
Wolf: I think you are confusing "friend" with "handyman"!
We look at each other and we laugh. I don't know if it was our voices he Bepo up, but we can hear him coming down the stairs.
Law: The three of them, they are not part of the "others", are they?
Law: In that case, I'm going to say a word to them about the fruit of the scalpel
(he means tell them about his devil fruit and how it works- a sign of trust)
Neither "strangers" nor "family", our ambiguous relationship is that of
However, in my eyes, this is the way of living together that suits me best, the one where I am most comfortable.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ok, first of all, *cries hysterically*
second of all, *holds back tears* I think Wolf can easily be seen as a representation for the man Law eventually becomes, (stay with me!!) and this conversation pulls at my heart in so many ways: 1. We get to see the first and only time Law seems to genuinely laugh -not just a giggle! 2. *****Do you see how this parallels Law and Luffy?? Luffy breaks down those walls and Law does everything to deny it just because of how much he values friendship, it must be scary to him how quickly someone made that commitment to him. (choking back tears)
****** this scene beautifully parallels our grown up law to wolf in mindset, and it hurts because it shows how emotional Law really is, he can’t even fathom using saving someone’s life something that needs to be repaid, at least, when he is the one doing the saving… I say it shows how emotional Law is, because emotions make you contradict logic. Logically, Law should realize that he doesn’t need to repay Corazon’s sacrifice… but the guilt and pain of actually being on the receiving end clouds his judgment in a way he would probably like to deny.
dear god i just. I love this so much. The novel was not perfect- it definitely felt like it was written by two (or more) people, one of which had a deep understanding of the characters (those scenes were probably part of an outline oda gave) and some scenes felt like they were written by someone who just read the characters wiki articles and went with it. but there’s just so many scenes in it that make my heart swell, and it gives me so much more appreciation for Law and the crew.
stormborns
germansingergirl
