#ch 1084

Welp, look what I found in my drafts, if not an unfinished draft for a chapter analysis for 1084 ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ

And then I deleted my careful write-up by mistake. Sigh.

Eh. Such is life. Here it is, before 1085!

Somewhere, someone is cackling manically, going “got your noooose…”

You are a devious woman, aren't you Jewerly Bonney, making others do your dirty work like that?

Karasu’s powers are really cool! Wonder about the sudden appearance of the crow – did he leave soot on Sabo’s black gloves? Can he appear wherever there's soot? Probably not, since we haven't seen anyone do that with logia powers before (is he even a logia, or a paramecia?)

A phantom room with a phantom hat, perhaps?

And why are you so thoughtful, Sabo-kun?

“It’s a little odd” - you JUST said to have kept tabs on them! And that you knew Sabo was trustworthy! Then you should know he’s a little cinnamon bun and completely honest and kind and all that! CONTINUITY, ODA. CONTINUITY.

But then we turn the page and go back ot the main story of Cobra and the Five Elder Stars.

I like how the Five Elders are barrier, keeping Cobra from the truth of the throne both physically and mentally. Such imposing figures, towering over a poor, wheelchair-bound, sickly old man like that.

Nice little recap of the Celestial Dragons for those of us (unlike me) who are mired in One Piece trivia. And what are you thinking about there, Curly Mustachioed Elder? You look mightily worried.

And what are you thinking about, Kizaru-accompanied Elder? What are those ellipses?

We finally have a name –and story– for the Nefertari royal who declined becoming a Celestial Dragon! I do wonder if the flower theme is intentional or Oda just picked a nice name to go with the structure of female Nefertari names?

And Lili’s silhouette looks a lot like Imu. Theories!

This is, however, an interesting exchange in another way. This solidifies that the ceremony to install the Empty Throne was just that: a ceremony. All practicalities had been agreed upon beforehand, since the new ruling families had been picked and it's obvious that queen Lili was supposed to return to Arabasta after partaking in the founding ceremony.

Aren't you in the possession of an imposing brain, king Cobra?

Although I don't know what you expect from 800-year old records, as Kizaru-adjacent Elder says. It's hard enough to find trustworthy records from last year, not to speak of a century, or several, ago.

I wonder where Imu keeps the den den mushi that’s transmuting from the throne room? One of the Five Elder's pocket?

As expected, Cobra does not buy it. But he has a back-up question for his audience! He will not leave empty-handed!

“Passed down from one gen to the next” – did you pass it down to Vivi and that’s why she’s in hiding now?

The Elders look a mixture of angry, worried, resigned and sad. Is it now that they realised that Cobra won't be leaving the room alive?

And another shift, now out into the open courtyard, where Kuma, Shirahoshi and other people are.

So that's the incident Garp was apologising for.

I don't like this, but Nameless Royal has a point there, reminding Fukaboshi of his duty.

…which, of course, Mjosgard hammers home. I really, really like Mjosgard!

First off, because he is so incensed by the behaviour of his fellow Celestial Dragon. That is not the way anyone should behave, the least those so-called Gods of the world. Mjosgard and Charlos are such neat foils to each other, actually. Mjosgard is what Charlos could have become, if he would have taken his first beating by Luffy to heart as Mjosgard did with Otohime's words.

Second off, because he is such a voice of reason when he reiterates the reason Luffy went to sea to become a pirate, why he doesn't want to be a hero and why he lives the way he does.

Because that IS the problem with being a (good)(supreme) ruler: YOU CAN'T THINK OF YOURSELF. Yes, you are furious that your baby sister, who's been locked in a tower for ten years, is hurting. And of course you want to do something about it (because you are the aforementioned good person/ruler). But you can't, because if you do, that'll incite an international political scandal which will hurt your subjects.

Also: “Look how they massacred my boy” – translator liberties or does Oda actually quote the Godfather?

And when we now know that Kuma is on his way to safety, we can turn our gaze back to the Five Elders, where tensions are running high…

Cobra had two goals: learning more about Lili and The Will of D. Looks like he'll achieve them both.

Sadly not his one wish of seeing his daughter wed before his death (ಥ ͜ʖಥ)

Speaking of the chapter, Igaram seems to have psychic powers: Morgans is a sort of monstrous bird, after all…

Interesting plot developments afoot.

Fujitora is amazing with his meteors. I mean his powers are so strong and destructive in the same time. But he can't use it like he wants. He might destroy many lives around.

He uses his Observation Haki to detect people around him. He can't put the difference between humans except when they got a special power like Sabo.

I also believe because there isn't any difference in strength between "average" humans and Celestials, he can't detect their presences clearly.

Yet, I guess he really doesn't care because he doesn't seem to like rotten individuals. That's why he's so fine with crushing the Revolutionaries with a meteor.

He might tell Akainu because the Commanders were so strong he had no other choice in the matter. A meteor was the only way. And yet I also believe this would also end the reign of Celestials as well.

He's the only one who can use the excuse such a power was needed to destroy those people. He can also claim killing Celestials was an accident because he can't put the difference between his soldiers and Celestials.

In 1084, we also got wonderful people.

Sai and Leo, I can say how much I love you both!

Leo is of course there for the cuteness. He somehow got the same role as Chopper in this case. He's cute but he also can be very dangerous when needed. People should think before attacking him, just like Chopper.

Sai is there as a guard of course and a representant of his own family. He does perform a good job at keeping people safe and alive there. He doesn't hesitate to assault people when needed whoever they are.

I admit I just wanted Leo to destroy Charlos. He's someone from another specie. He's not a human you see. But I guess a special task force was needed to crush Charlos for once.

The combination of their strengths was amazing. It's a good display of team work! Luffy, keep looking at people like this! We need more of them in the world!

Of course Charlos was crushed by two powerful individuals. I'm just disappointed he wasn't sent into a deeper hole than Big Mom and Kaido, but that just me. I guess he's to weak for the effort.

Last but not least in my list...

Bonney...

She is cute and awesome in the same time. She knows everyone in the Revolutionary Army. She even kees tabs about them. She seemed like a fangirl who gathers lots of intel about her favorite people.

My personal silly thought was she collects all the goodies sold by the Revolutionary Army in a similar fashion from Barto. But I guess they aren't the type to do such an advertisment.

She does trust Sabo directly because of that. She knows how dangerous he can be. She even calls him a radicalised revolutionary. I feel she's going to tell Luffy how much he resembles Sabo.

For a dangerous pirate, Luffy is indeed very cheerful and doesn't seem to mind what's happening to him. It's so nice to see Sabo giving intel to people he trusts. He knows the difference between people.

... that devil fruits are people's dreams

I think the eternal youth surgery is a labor of love in that it requires so much constant effort and precise care that the surgeon dies of exertion at the end. For example, a week-long operation where you individually operate on each part of the person, and once you start you can't stop until it's over or it fails. I really don't think it's just a 'I'm gonna kill myself and now you miraculously never age or die of natural causes' bit. It probably spread as a rumor that way, but I would hope the actual operation is less cut and dry.

I think this because, one, it'd add an interesting dimension to Imu having the surgery done on them and, two, it'd tie very nicely into Law's character and backstory- this operation that could kill him being a labor of love... It mirrors Cora-san very well. Plus, the operation is going to come up again, Law is a beloved character, and this is a battle manga. I think him being able to complete this extensive operation and survive would be in-line for Oda. Especially because we now know devil fruits are the manifestations of people's dreams. Who dreams of killing themselves to benefit another person? Not a lot of people. But dreaming of gifting eternal youth to someone you love? Now that's pretty common

anyway.