It would be so sweet if this leads into Choppa telling Gerd that Linlin was treated well by Tsuru and Kiku and Leftovers Town.

Maybe Chopper and Loki could even have a moment of understanding too, due to both knowing what it's like to have been rejected over a facial feature others didn't accept.

I'm not sure who of the Straw Hats the ?! in the lower left is supposed to belong to but Chopper is here when Gerd says this. While he doesn't view Linlin as a friend, he knows the most about Linlin being accepted by Tsuru, Kiku, Tama, and the town.

And like, we know Linlin still has it in her to be kind and generous, due to seeing her wanting to get food to bring to Leftovers Town, and fighting against Kaido's crew later when she learned the town was burned down. It really makes me want Shaggy to be someone who accepted Linlin during Act Two. I don't care if it's unlikely or whatever, but would think it would be wasted potential to not do more with that Leftovers Town story thread, regarding this arc. And that anyone, regardless of who you think Shaggy is, can understand the potential here.

Oh dear, we're leading in with a recap of Robin's backstory. I could play around with this. Act like we're leading up to a bad turn...but you know where this is headed right? I just don't have much to say this time. That doesn't mean I didn't like the chapter. It was great. But for now it doesn't really have much from the perspective I tend to approach these from. Which is to go a little deeper, tie together strands of these New World plot lines. This is a chapter about our lovely archaeologist Nico Robin, and she doesn't get many of those. I always figured part of that is her role by design is something that would matter much more as we got closer to the ending.

So maybe let's start by just talking about Robin. I like Robin, a lot. When I first picked up this series she was my favorite. And now she's slid to #4. Both cases for kinda the same reason; she's definitely the Straw Hat most like me. Fun when you're a 14yo looking up to her, not as much when you're older than her now. It's a reflection of how I relate to the series differently. It's kinda why I like Kiku a lot and Nami's grown to that top spot over the years; you want to root for someone like yourself 10 years ago. It also doesn't help that first Pudding then Kiku took over being more relatable. I've talked before about the way Wano frames Kiku & Robin, how they're actually quite different people in big ways. Ways I'd tend to come down on the former's side of.

But Nico Robin is still a great character. Her devil fruit is still one of the best I'd actually want. Her morbid humor and love of weird cute things never gets old. I'm always interested in Poneglyph lore drops. And she's the indulgent mother of the crew. Not a doting perfect mom, but more like the kooky artsy mom that lets her kids run wild. She has great dynamics with other crew members. Gal-palling with Nami, ragging on Usopp, getting Luffy's weird way of thinking, flirting with Jinbei. All great stuff.

Robin 💔❤️ I'll add a little to this now (December 7th, I wrote it on December 6th). The way Saul and Robin met was so endearing. I loved it so much. I can't believe that's how he thought he'd greet her, but it was right and apt, and Oda's recall--oof!-- Although he'd have a team working with him.

And then the tears, baby girl. That's some finely woven trauma there, delivered by the World Government with a sledgehammer.

You guys know i'm a LawBin shipper, so, of course this is absolutely her story, but the parallels man—from the way the government dealt with her land, to losing two families (Robin loses two in one day, three, if we include the scholars), and the way that society has and had absolutely shunned them.

This, however is intriguing. That dastardly Holdem! But, this is important, for now it just seems to be regular banditry. Hand over all your stuff. As opposed to still wanting specifically Tama like he did in Act 1. Do you think he's recognized her yet? He should be able to put things together, especially is Speed is around.