#bluejam

I watched six episodes in a row and it was totally worth it.

Mobile users better limber up those scrollin fingers because this post is about to get long.

Quick 499 Filler Summary (so I can move on to the good stuff...)

I hate watching filler when I don’t know it’s filler. It messes up my sense of canon. I end up analyzing it, then get annoyed when I realise it was a waste of time. Still, I’m glad I picked up on Sabo telling Ace’s family secret in front of the old Filler Pirate from 498. Even though his character had only just been introduced, I knew he wasn’t the type to blab. Glad you guys pointed that out.

To sum up 499:

1. The boys have no luck with Big Tiger, so they train with Filler Pirate.

2. Ace is shocked to learn Filler Pirate does not loathe Roger.

3. Filler Pirate is returning to the sea to find his old crew. The boys end up helping him build a ship.

4. They train under Filler Pirate. With the power of friendship, they defeat Big Tiger together (without needing catnip, thanks Sabo!)

5. Filler Pirate teaches Ace Pirate Life Lessons such as: there is more to being a pirate captain than strength. Only your crew’s approval makes you a good captain.

6. Filler Pirate heads out to see. Bye, bye Naguri the Filler Pirate!

Now for the good stuff...

Poor People Blood Is Icky

Episode 500 opened on an ominous note. Not only was the title sinister but a literal storm ripped apart the boys’ refuge in the forest. Nice foreshadowing there.

To repair their hideout, Ace, Sabo and Luffy searched Grey Terminal for scraps. They were ambushed by Bluejam and Sweaty Chins. (Never found out his name, so Sweaty Chins he shall remain.) 

Instead of thinking, “Hey, maybe my terrible parenting caused Sabo to run away?” Sweaty Chins pinned the blame on Ace and Luffy, the nasty common children. They had tempted Sabo to run away. They were after his money. Ace did not like that latter comment one bit and tried to fight back. Bluejam smacked him and, horror of horrors, got some of Ace’s blood on Sweaty Chins’ face. 

Because everyone knows if you get poor blood on you, you might catch poor, right?

Poor Sabo begged them not to harm Ace and Luffy. “They’re important to me! They’re my brothers!” Of course, Sweaty Chins pulled the old, “If you come with me, they won’t be harmed.” Dying inside, Sabo agreed.

Sabo returned to his gilded prison. Ace and Luffy were dragged to Bluejam’s hideout. He tried to convince Ace and Luffy to stay away from Luffy. He told them Sabo only escaped to Grey Terminal as a mockery of the people who live there, that Sabo really looked down on them as an amusement to make himself feel superior. Of course Ace and Luffy did not buy his bullshit, so he said straight up that if they cared about Sabo, they’d have to let him go.

Weirdly, Bluejam gave them a job as couriers. I’m still not sure if this was because he genuinely wanted to recruit Ace and Luffy into his crew or if he wanted them to be part of the bomb plot and laugh as they realised they’d helped destroy Grey Terminal.

I Fell Into The Burning Ring Of Fire

Back in High Town, Sweaty Chins was hard at work trying to erase Sabo’s criminal record. He can do this because he has cash and social clout. Sweaty Chins tried hard not to part with cash, urging Sabo to lie. He had been tempted into those criminal acts by feral bandit children, after all.

Because Sabo isn’t awful, he refused to drop his brothers in it. Sweaty Chins kicked his chair away (excellent parenting there) and bribed the guard to erase Sabo’s record. Problem solved! Now he could become a good, obedient noble again. Hurrah!

Then things got weird...

Back at Sabo’s home, Mr and Mrs Sweaty Chins had adopted a sinister noble child called Stelly. The name might resemble Stelio Kontos, but this kid is nowhere near as cool. Stelly was replacement, in case Sabo didn’t work out, apparently. Lovely.

Turned out Stelly had a big mouth. He blabbed to Sabo that the Nobles of High Town had planned a spate of Social Cleansing By Fire because a Celestial Dragon was due to visit. The sight of all the icky poor people and the garbage heap might be too much for the Celestial Dragon’s delicate eyes.

This news freaks out Sabo because he is not evil. “But.. people live there!” 

“YES. THEY WILL BURN!” Stelly crowed with glee.

Sabo had a “screw this,” moment and jumped out the window. Seeking clarification, still unsure that anyone could be that heartless, he roamed High Town. For some reason, everyone was making fire jokes. “OHOHO, IT SURE IS WINDY TODAY. FIRES MIGHT SPREAD!” Unable to take it any longer, Sabo straight up asked an old gent if it was true.

It’s as if High Town had a residents’ meeting and thought, “Screw it, let’s just burn Grey Terminal. Cheaper than hiring a skim, am i rite?”

Of course, Sabo went nuts. He was surrounded by freaks. Utter psychos. His brothers would burn because the poor people of Grey Terminal were inconvenient. But before he got the chance to escape, he was caught. Sweaty Chins kicked him into a cellar and locked the door. What a guy! Watching Sabo beating on that door screaming for Ace and Luffy was sad. 

I would love to see Sweaty Chins have karma hit him like a brick one day, I swear...

Someone Set Him Up The Bomb

Back at Bluejam’s Courier Business, Bluejam finally let Ace and Luffy in on the big secret. The boxes they had been carrying contained oil and explosives which would be used to Blow Grey Terminal to Kingdom Come. But hey, he wasn’t the mastermind behind it, so that was alright, right? He was just getting paid. And speaking of money, did Ace and Luffy happen to have any lying around?

Because what Bluejam care about more than anything? Money. Turns out the mastermind of the fire was the King of Goa. Apparently, he promised Bluejam and his crew titles and status. As soon as Bluejam said this, I thought, “There is no way in hell, mate. You are being played.” Nobles barely help their own. As if they’d help you, one who was born a commoner.

I didn’t have long to wait. Bluejam hammered on the gate to Edge Town, gave the signal to be let in. But they were ignored by the guards inside, just like the desperate residents of Grey Terminal were ignored by the guards when they begged to be given refuge. When they retreated to the ship, they found that burning too. The king had double-crossed them.

The whole fire story was actually pretty brutal because something similar happened in real life that was all over the news where I live. A tower block of apartments where poorer people lived went on fire. Seventy-two people died. Some of the bodies will never be identified because they were living there illegally or were sub-letting while waiting for naturalisation papers. Why did the tower block burst into flames? Cheap, shoddy, flammable cladding. Why was the tower block clad in that material? To approve its appearance for the rich people who lived opposite. It looked grimy and run down. The sight of it might hurt their delicate eyes.

This entire plot just reminded me of that and I’ve got say, if Dragon asked me to join his army right now, I’d probably say yes.

And speaking of Dragon...

We Need Febreeze, Stat.

Desperate to save Ace and Luffy, Sabo escaped through a vent. He reached the city gate, tried to open it and had the crap kicked out of him by a guard. When a mysterious man in a green cloak approached, I thought, “YES! DRAGON IS HERE. HE WILL TAKE SABO AWAY AND LET HIM JOIN THE REVOLUTIONARY ARMY. ANOTHER FINE RECRUIT.”

Wherever there is injustice and class-cleansing, there is Dragon.

Dragon asked Sabo what happened. Sabo spilled his soul and I felt wretched watching him. The self-hatred Sabo has and his powerlessness to effect any change because of the firm grip the defective system has on the OPverse. 

“This town smells worse than Grey Terminal. It smells like rotten people. If I stay here, I’ll never be free. I’m ashamed of being born a noble.”

“I know how you feel. I was born in this country too. But I still don’t have enough power to change a country.”

“You’re really listening to me...” Sabo whispered. (That got to me. For the first time, an adult actually listened to him and acknowledged his feelings on the matter.)

“Yes,” Dragon said. “And I will never forget.”

Breaking News: The Poor Can Avoid Being Poor By Not Being Born Poor!

While Bluejam swore vengeance against the King (optimism!), the king himself had planked his arse on his throne and was complaining the sky was too bright because of the fire. Never has the urge to reach through reality to slap a fictional character been stronger.

“Daddy?” little noble daughter asked. “Why aren’t the people in Grey Terminal humans? Why do they have to burn?”

A great question! A potential ray of light! Might this innocent child stir the king’s conscience?

Did she hell.

Honestly, this scene was too real. People actually talk like this. They genuinely believe it. This may be filler, but damn, it is near-the-knuckle good filler.

Mama Bear To The Rescue

In the meantime, Bluejam had gone off the deep end because he realised the futility of vengeance and hit rock bottom. Out for blood, he cornered Luffy and Ace and insisted they died together... but first, that treasure they had stolen!

About to put a bullet through Luffy, a strange, blue haki-like moment felled every single member of Bluejam’s crew. Only Bluejam himself remained standing. I’m still not sure what happened here and who was responsible for it (Dragon? Was he the one who cut the path through the fire to help the Grey Terminal people escape?)

At any rate, it gave Dadan the opening she needed to storm in and rescue her boys. (I was so happy when she called them that. JUST ADMIT IT, DADAN!) “I won’t stand by and watch someone try to take my boys’ lives... even if I’m not their real parent.”

I was a bit annoyed by Ace standing his ground when Dadan wanted to scarper. He endangered everyone else and Dadan was horribly injured fighting Bluejam (mostly burns from fleeing the fire after). It was explained later that Ace is like Roger, who would never run from a right because he would rather let the ones he loves escape. The noble sacrifice only works if you can guarantee their safety. If you’re wiped out then the enemy turns on your loved ones, how can you protect them them?

It distressed Luffy too, who was carted off and didn’t hear from them for days.

At least that convenient path through the fire was created, eh? And where did that path lead?

A Revolutionary Army ship with Dragon, Ivan-san and BARTHOLOMEW BLOODY KUMA!

LOOK WHO’S IN THE BACKGROUND!

(I really hope this is canon because this is something I have wanted confirmation of for AGES. Please let it be true that Kuma was once part of the Revolutionary Army.)

I loved this entire scene. When Ivan asked Dragon how he knew what was going on in this East Blue Backwater and Dragon answered, “This country is an example of how the world will be in the future. There can be no happiness where the undesirables are thrown away. I will change the world.” For all Dragon’s deadbeat dad status, you can see where Luffy gets his ambition and stubborn determination.

Then Dragon addressed the tired, frightened, shivering crowd of poor, Grey Terminal outcasts and shouted: “Those of you who are willing to fight for freedom, come aboard!”

But there was one person missing. I must admit I looked for Sabo on the boat. I thought Dragon might have taken him along. Maybe Dragon didn’t because Sabo was only a kid and he might have had family. 

I wish he had. :(

Destination? Anywhere But Here

The next morning, the sun came out and the clear up began. Any survivors were to be shot on sight. The guards remarked how few charred bodies they found. Hopefully, most of them were Bluejam’s crew and the rest found their way to Dragon’s ship.

Sabo woke up in an alleyway. I was disappointed because Dragon hadn’t taken him. The disappointment was compounded when he was immediately caught and dragged home to High Town. Sweaty Chins enlisted two of the king’s goons as personal guards and calmly threatened to have Sabo killed unless he educated himself to be a noble.

“Be more like Stelly”, Sweaty Chins said, “who is so dependable and who will be getting new clothes to see the Celestial Dragon.”

Of course, Sabo would not be going. He could not be trusted. Sabo was imprisoned in his room. Everything was greyscale except Sabo. All colour had drained from his life. He had no idea whether Luffy and Ace were alive or dead. Was sure they were alive but realised trying to see them would place them in danger. Living like that would be awful. I felt sorry for Sabo, despite his privileged upbringing. The kid was straight up depressed.

“What is freedom?” he wondered. “Where can I find it?” Then he overheard a convenient conversation between his guards. The Celestial Dragon would visit tomorrow. Only one guard and Sabo would be in the house.

This was his chance. He wrote a note with a huge smile on his face.

The next day, a huge, flag-waving crowd gathered at the port to welcome the Celestial Parasite Dragon. I hate stuff like that, so I was already in rage mode.

My mood was NOT IMPROVED when Saint Jalmack SHOT SABO’S WITH A BLOODY BAZOOKA BECAUSE HE WAS A RUDE COMMONER.

:|

At that point, I was convinced Sabo was dead because his top hat (Sabo’s symbol) was seen drifting to earth). I’m still 70% certain he’s dead. Mainly because he hasn’t been seen since (unless there’s something I’ve missed). Sabo’s death also puts Luffy’s reaction to Saint Charloss in perspective. Luffy punched him because no one punched the guy who killed Sabo.

But... there was no body. That is my number one rule. And there was that moment when Dragon’s ship pulled in at tiny Zoro’s island (TINY ZORO!) with someone who was badly injured and needing Ivan’s treatment. Dragon had also been in the audience watching the ceremony for the Celestial Dragon. I have my fingers crossed but won’t get my hopes up.

Take Care of Luffy

Of course, that wasn’t enough heart-string tugging. This is One Piece. My feelings had to be put through the wringer.

Dadan and Ace finally made it home. That was the single good thing that happened in 503. They saved each others’ lives. Dadan punched Bluejam to death (metal) and ran through fire with Ace. Ace stole medicine, treated her burns and carried her back to the shack.

But Dogra (a bandit) also made it back with news of Sabo. Ace immediately flew off the handle, seeking vengeance. Dadan talked sense into him. This was a Celestial Dragon. They would only have him killed. “Your father’s death changed the world. When you become a man as important as that, you can do whatever you like!”

Oh, Dadan. Where were you at Marineford? Weirdly, her words were prophetic because Ace’s death really will usher in a new pirate era.

Then the letter from Sabo arrived. 

“Ace, Luffy, I hope you guys weren’t hurt in the fire. I’m worried about you but I believe you’re okay. I’m sorry to say it but when you get this letter, I’ll already be out to sea. Things led to things and I decided to set out before you. My destination will be anywhere but here! I’m gonna become stronger and be a pirate! The three of us have to become the freest pirates ever. One day, let’s meet up somewhere. Somewhere on the wide open sea, definitely. By the way, Ace, which of us do you think is the bigger brother? It’s odd but our brotherhood is my treasure. Luffy is still a weak crybaby but he is our little brother so take good care of him.”

At that point, I hadn’t seen the scene when Dragon’s ship pulled into Little Zoro’s island, so that brought a tear to my eye. I was so mad at the waste of Sabo’s life, mad that Ace and Luffy had already lost something so precious to them while they were still so young and mad that Sabo’s worthless parents hadn’t taken action against the slug who murdered their son. I was also mad at Dragon for not taking Sabo (but I still have hope that actually did happen).

After that, Ace swore to take care of Luffy. The boys worked hard to improve themselves. They even asked for help with their manners (that dine and dash thank you was hilarious). Now Ace’s well-mannered persona makes sense. Imaginary Sabo guided Luffy in his training, encouraging him just like he always used to.

Then, when they each turned seventeen, they broke Dadan’s heart by heading out to sea.

Why did they chose seventeen? Because that was Sabo’s deadline. At eighteen, he would become a full-fledged noble, so he intended to escape when before then.

Watched two episodes because it seems like the plot is branching off in another direction. Oda has established the brotherly bond. We know Ace, Sabo and Luffy are tight. Now, he’s throwing Sabo’s parents, the Bluejam Pirates and some Celestial Dragons into the mix.

This cannot be good.

Why do you run, children? I only want to teach you a lesson!

In between episode 496 and 497, Ace, Sabo and Luffy have been up to mischief. Nothing awful. Just childish hi-jinks like digging holes at the front door of Dadan’s shack to catch boar. Invading gang territory in Edge Town. Dodging the sheriff. Harassing Dadan to the point her sanity is stretched to breaking point and she can’t even escape them in her dreams (yes, I laughed at the Luffy Fairy). Still, as long as they keep bringing good food to the table, they are allowed to stay.  (Plus she totally loves them, but let’s pretend so Dadan can save face.)

It was nice seeing Ace, Sabo and Luffy working, fighting and living together. I’m guessing this is a high point in their lives they’d look back at and remember fondly. It was also nice to see Luffy being visited by Makino and the Mayor, who looked after him in Windmill Village. Mainly because it quashed my fear that Luffy has been passed from loveless home to loveless home. Nope. He was raised with affection there.

I liked how Oda showed the different reactions of Sabo and Ace to these strangers giving them gifts. When Makino said: “Free t-shirts, boys! Come and get sized,” Sabo ran straight over, laughing, accepting of the stranger. Here is someone who has been given gifts and has known kindness (even if it wasn’t from his parents). Ace was the opposite. He was cautious, surly, “Where’s the catch?” This is a kid who has always had to watch his back. Maybe he’s never had a gift before. Who would do that? No one on Grey Terminal.

At least Luffy and Sabo were able to talk him round so he had his first ever present. I bet he secretly loved it.

Makino and the Mayor also brought food for all the bandits (they really did think of everything!) At dinner, the boys argued over who would get the best cook first for their future pirate ships. Unbeknownst to Luffy, a grandfatherly man mountain in a Hawaiian shirt loomed behind him.

“PIRATE?”

Welp, I thought. You gone done pushed your grandpa’s berserk button.

At least Garp is... egalitarian with his lessons. Luffy got a punch. Ace got a punch. Dadan got a punch (for... not teaching the boys to be proper Marines even though he had made no such request?) Even Sabo got a punch. Once he was done chasing them through the jungle, Garp cracked his knuckles gleefully and said, “That’s it for today! I’ll be harsher tomorrow!”

I know this is just silly slapstick violence but damn, in another show, Garp could be a villain.

Jerk with a Heart of Gold 

At any rate, the boys had had enough. They ran away and left a note: “We will stand our own feet.” Dadan (who secretly worries about her adorable delinquent boys) was freaking out. “Anyone will try to kill them on sight if they’re not sheltered by us!”

Garp was unfazed (which made me wonder if that was part of his plan? Did he drive them away deliberately to make them even stronger, or was he just being a dick?) Either way, he washed his hands of the situation, as per, said, “My vacation’s over. Educate them to be good Marines by next time!” Then he disappeared again.

Dadan freaked out even more because... they are bandits. How are bandits supposed to raise Marines? Garp was asking too much.

But when the boys didn’t return and the rains came, she changed her mind and told her bandits to go find Ace, Sabo and Luffy. Of course, she said this was because she didn’t to be beaten by Garp (but we all know, Dadan. No one stares out into the middle distance in the rain like that if you are not worried).

So where had the young scallywags disappeared to? With Sabo’s uncanny design skills on their side, they built a hideout atop a huge tree using scrap from Grey Terminal. They planked a massive Jolly Roger on top. Not sure they get the point of a hideout. But it looked good.

Dadan eventually found them. I expected a warm, heart-string-tugging reunion. Nope. She triggered Ace’s Rube Goldberg Trap, got a mallet to the face for her trouble and thought, “Screw this.” I like Dadan. She has taken a lot of crap and knows her limits. At least she knows where they are and can keep an eye on them from a distance.

Luffy Recruits Old Man

Flash forward and the boys have been fending for themselves. Winter has come and the Big Tiger is back, stealing their food. I did feel a bit sorry for Luffy being denied his first ever catch. Nature is harsh, eh? He tried a bit of bravado but Big Tiger just looked at him like, “You are not even a snack,” licked him and batted him away with a massive paw.

I didn’t feel so sorry for him when his fool antics on the wooden bridge lost them their second catch and they had to go to bed hungry. (Still don’t know how Ace and Sabo were so patient with him. I would have raged.) But their late-night hunger chat lead them to make the arrangement that the one to defeat that Tiger would get to become a Captain.

To get in some practice, they fought a Big Bear. (I still think this is kind of weird because in real life, the biggest bears would probably beat the biggest tiger in a fight, but Oda’s Universe, Oda’s Rules.)  Their mistake was not noticing the Big Bear had a massive scar. This is a dead giveaway that the bear is a scrapper.

It was not happy being smacked on the head by a ten-year-old. They were saved only by the timely intervention of Naguri: an ex-pirate captain who now lives in Grey Terminal and happens to be an efficient haki user. 

Luffy was impressed by Naguri’s ability to calm down the Big Bear and was instantly reminded of Shanks staring out the Sea King. How cool! Sabo had met him before. He couldn’t believe it was the same old man who built random stuff, collected junk all day and was teased by the other scavengers. 

Turns out, even at seven years old, Luffy always had that Talent Scout ability. At the campfire, Naguri revealed he was a pirate captain who had fallen on hard times because he challenged Gol D. Roger to a fight and got his ass kicked. His crew split up and everything careered downhill from there.

Ace was disturbed by the mention of his father’s name and walked off. Sabo, being the more observant type, noticed. Luffy was too focused on recruiting this old guy to help train him to defeat Big Tiger. When Luffy had sealed the deal, he finally noticed Ace had gone and asked.

Sabo... now I don’t know why he did this. He told Luffy about Ace’s parentage. That, I understand. But he did it in front of Naguri, who is practically a stranger. For all they know, he could report Ace’s existence to anyone. It also caused a fight because Ace never wanted anyone to know (quite right. It’s his decision) and Luffy isn’t exactly the best at keeping secrets at the moment).

While all this is happening, Sweatychins has commissioned Bluejam to find Sabo. Bluejam is intent on stringing Sweatychins along to wring as much cash as he can from his noble coffers. There is also a visit from the Celestial Dragons on the cards.

I don’t know who I want to win this struggle.

You know it’s bad when you start rooting for a scumbag like Bluejam.