And we are off! Love love love Lokidere here treating the secret spooky king of the world like a pickle jar he totally loosened up. Because he totally did guys. The more it develops the more I like Loki's dynamic with Luffy. Still think he's in a box closest to someone like Yamato where he's meant to be fun and ultimately end up filling Harald's wish to succeed him as King of Elbaph and we even do have a bit of a fun subversion with Luffy asking him to join up for a bad reason compared to Yamato doing the same. Interesting pair to consider side-by-side.
And I bring it up because this moment here really, really feels like when Luffy tags back in with Yamato in the fight against Kaido. We have a great flow to this chapter that feels like it puts pretty much everyone where they need to be. So let's see how the stage is set for what seems to be the final leg of Elbaph's action:
I love how One Piece never balks at being silly even in the most dire moments. I don't know if I've ever out-and-out said that before, but it's part of what makes it my favorite series. Like, Imu's lil black flame buddies are cute and we have this whole goof of Brook & Franky trying to check if the ice is cold but they can't tell because they're a skeleton and cyborg respectively. Perfect.
Then Loki comes crashing in and the hammer that is the only thing capable of undoing its own ice block just so happens to hit it and start freeing ShuriKo. GunRi? ShuriKo. We're sticking with ShuriKo. I'm interested in how this develops with Loki now in the mix of potentially trying to save one of these Knights. Because even if the Straw Hats here could slow him down enough to explain the situation Loki's still a hot head. So do we have some kind of three-way clash setting up around all of this? Definitely something to watch going forward. Especially when I'd imagine Imu at this point is too busy to intercede like he did last time.
That said, the real heart of this chapter to me seems to be what's going on with Zoro, Sanji, and the remaining two Knights. Zoro's side of this with Sommers is pretty damn cool. Since Sanji isn't within earshot, Mosshead can bring himself to compliment Swirlybrow. Classic start to a Zoro encounter with all the fun cockiness, Sommers acting like they can just get back to the banquet if you just let them take the kids, and I'm down for three swords vs. thorn sword.
As is often the case though, it ends up being Sanji's story that really has some interesting stuff going on. He sets up his clash with Kirinham pretty well. Apparently Zaza's enough of a woman for his hang-up but it's fine here because he can just focus on the Knight. Who confirms that yes, that interpretation is correct. We can also trust the Giants to buy some time when it comes to Zaza Gabor.
But as their clash starts, we go back to the earlier conversation with Scopper Gaban and talk a little about Sanji's latent potential for Conqueror's Haki. I think this is a very believable way to approach that for our favorite chef. He does have those qualities, but the biggest hurdle to realizing them is himself. Since we've invested so much in his backstory now we know the deal. The qualities that Sanji needs to ascend to the next level probably remind him a fair deal of Judge. But there's an interesting contrast with his dilemma in Wano. I don't think the heartless soldier of science could do this.
I will say I really like the idea floating around that Kirinham could do something cool by drawing out a sort of Nightmare Sanji and making Swirly take on the equivalent of Dark Link in the Water Temple. But regardless of how it shakes out it does seem like we have our fights set and they're really getting going. The spotlight at the end on Luffy/Imu was great too.
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Ooooh I just remembered something delicious about the Elbaph Arc~
(Possible Spoilers for 1187!??? I don't know, it seemed pretty obvious, but just in case)
So, it's established that The Wings are gonna be fighting Sommers and Killingham respectively.
I am ashamed in myself that I glossed this detail over as a one-time thing, when it most certainly will possibly play a role in Zoro's upcoming fight with Sommers.
In Chapter 1175, Luffy, in his giant, God-like being, radiating divine light, and grinning like a maniac, announcing to one of top subordinate to the King of the World, "Yeah, remember that guy! His name is Zoro! He belongs to me! Don’t forget that!!!"
And then FUCKING OBLITERATES HIM!!!
Well, now that he's back and gonna face off against Zoro, I have a feeling that this is gonna be brought up somehow. And with how Sommers has a warped view of the concept of love and takes great joy in seeing the suffering of others, he's gonna say some things that are gonna hit Zoro really close to home. Maybe even pointing out how much trust Luffy has in him and vice versa. What affect will it have on him? Will it make him think back on the moments he's spent with his captain? Will he falter? Will he fight harder?
(And that's how we find out Zoro is in love with Luffy/lh + /hj)
> hopefully loki gets a break now my himbo has been tanking so much omg give it a rest please
> Oda better not make an exampel of him or ill do smth drastic
(⬆️ i dont actually think he will but just to make sure)
> Zoro knowing he can rely on Sanji >>> #myidiots
> Sanji Conquerers Haki arc! hashtag i used to pray for times like these
> its exactly what i thought it would be and im so glad Oda is developing Sanji further like this. The concept of him having the potential but unknowingly holding himself back due to his traumas... chefs kiss 10/10
> and FINALLY the imu Luffy confrontation highkey scared how this will play out even though i dont think anything too drastic will happen yet
> absolute scenes happening, luffy being pissed at getting called joyboy and making clear who HE is!!! thats my pirateking yesssss
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It's cool to see Sanji having a Zoro vs King moment, where he has to learn to balance his own ambition with Luffy's goals.
Killingham and Sommers talking big is funny, without Imu's assistance, they got defeated off panel. They are very much banking on Imu's help heh.
It's looking like these Sanji and Zoro fights will focus on balancing one's own ambitions with Luffy's ambition.
That was a big aspect during Zoro and King's fight as well. Sommers and Killingham are submitting fully to Imu's will, not relying on their own ambition or abilities. While Zoro and Sanji will prove they can support both Luffy's goals and have their own ambitions as well.
Seeing the two step up like this again and again is very cool, and I sometimes I wonder how Luffy himself would react to two of his crew members being compared to Rayleigh and Gaban, or being given a similar name to them. Wings/Arms of the Pirate King.
Luffy isn't trying to imitate Roger one-to-one, not at all, and I feel that he wouldn't care about the title.
Maybe this is too much but if Killingham makes a Sleeptid of Sanji's fears, it being Soba Mask who fully accepted the personality changes and will attack women would fit perfectly.
Okay taking a break from reread for a read of the latest Elbaph chapter - here we goooooooooooo!
YEP just as satisfying from this angle!!
I absolutely LOVE the composition of this second dramatic "DON", with the sound effect itself in Imu's black instead of gray...!
But also: whoops. Is it bad when the guy whose power is "Devil Fruit" siccs black sentient flames at you?
Nami bringing some levity to the "we can't break this block of ice" situation when she gets all hopeful that it might be actual diamond before going, wait, hang on, the woman in there must be suffocating...
Is it happening? Are we getting a Shuri-Brook reunion???
Okay, I did not see "Sanji's Germa 66 trauma is hindering him from achieving haoushoku" coming! It's the 王 part of 覇王色 getting to him I guess - because the king he knows best (and never wanted to be anything like) is his awful father? So he's okay being Mr Prince - his mother did call him her little prince! - and he's okay making Luffy King of the Pirates but grabbing the title of King for himself... Iiiinteresting. I bet if Zeff had had haoushoku he might have manifested it during the timeskip, but even with both Luffy and the marimo using it, his subconscious has been putting it firmly in the (locked and buried) "Germa 66" box when it comes to actually using it himself.
VERY intrigued by this, and by what he'll do to break through his mental block.
King of the World Saint Nerona Imu vs Pirate Yonkou Monkey D Luffy...! It's definitely going to be A FIGHT, but it's obviously not THE fight between them. (I don't think? Because I don't think Imu can be overthrown with some light punching - even taking Alabasta back took more than just defeating Crocodile, and we're talking someone who's got the WORLD fooled here.)
And next week is One Piece's 29th anniversary?!?! HOW. WHAT IS TIME. (I say, having only followed it for 22 of those 29 years.) And we get a color spread!
