#chapter 750

Some of my (late) reflections for this chapter (I'm not covering everything, just stuff I find interesting, for commentary on Bart's fangirling and such you need to go to a different, presumably more popular blog).

First of, let me mentioned Kyros being awesome (hopping around on one leg and still somehow managing to badass). Group of people he encounters is most concerned with survival, to the point when they go against their sympathies, morals and most likely future.

Then there is cool scene with Robin and her net of hands. Nicely done. Viola and Rebecca have their reunion and it's really cute, but kinda rushed with other things going on at the same time.

Than there is talk on politics. Turns out Straw Hats are the only ones capable of destroying illusion of peace and welfare in Dressrosa. That may actually be foreshadowing to events towards end of the story, when Luffy and the crew will shutter the world's façade of peace, justice or whatever World Government calls it. Viola gives us (and her father) some interesting commentary on WG and Marines and the fact that they sanction what Shichibukai are doing. Curiously some of her talk mirrors what Fujitora told Maynard. Than she tell her father she is fine with helping Straw Hats , even though they are criminals. Needles to say I find her character more and more interesting.

Then Rebecca decided to do the opposite of what Luffy told her and I'm really hoping she will do well and won't become damsel in distress. She still calls Lyffy "Lucy", that's adorable.

Franky is pretty much staged to fight with Señor Pink.

Interesting fact, Fujitora don't wish to fight revolutionaries, or a revolutionary in this case. He tries to negotiate. It seems that he has formed quite positive opinion on revolutionaries morals and maybe cause, even though they are technically enemies. Given what we know on his character that does not surprise me.

Sabo is Gandalf now (all the more appropriate since Olorin was entrusted with Ring of Fire). Plus this situation kinda reminds me of Ace stopping Smoker from chasing (and likely capturing) the Straw Hats in Nanohana <insert Ace feels here>. That's another parallel with early stages of Straw Hats voyage through Paradise.

So we have Straw Hats matches:

Zoro versus Pika

Luffy versus Doflaming

Franky versus Señor Pink

plus Sabo versus Fujitora and the Marines.

I really appreciate the fact that Sabo still fights with his pipe for a number of reasons...

1. It is a simple display of Oda's creativity. Here is a character who just acquired a distinct and unique ability that once belonged to another, yet his fighting style is different. Sabo did use Fire Fist once, but that was to pay homage to Ace. When I saw his pipe, I realized that he will probably have his own set of moves that will tailor the Mera Mera powers to suit his character, rather than be a re-hashing of Ace's old fighting style. It is another reminder of Oda's faithful efforts to make each character unique.

2. It is a reassurance that Sabo will not be Ace's "replacement." You know, I was happy when we found out Sabo was still kickin,' but I was genuinely disheartened when he ate the Mera Mera no Mi. See, I really really super-liked Ace. Despite the fact that he did not appear in very many chapters, Ace was my favorite for about five years. Like, I was so devastated when he died that I actually lost interest in OP for over a year. I didn't care so much about someone else eating his DF, but for whatever reason when Sabo ate it I was like, "What, is he gonna be the new Ace now?" But then I read this chapter and saw him and his flame wall blocking the marines...and his pipe shrouded in flames, and it hit me: Sabo and Ace are still completely different characters. Ace had his own version of the Mera Mera no mi, and now Sabo has his. Their appearance (well except the hairstyle), personality, and backgrounds are different, but so are their abilities, despite having the same DF. And as an Ace fan, that is a good feeling.

3. I'm glad at least one of them kept the pipe :)

No Flashback:

And do you know what this means, it means Law is going to die

"Why" you ask? Well because if we didn't get his flashback now, when it is typical to have a flashback then the only other logical and...neat or clean way to produce Law's flashback would be because of death or on the verge of death. Not only that, but Law is tied up and in the middle of danger, unable to properly protect himself.

So one of a few scenarios will happen:

1: Law doesn't die

In this scenario Law doesn't die. Viola gets him the keys in time, he helps out Luffy and defeats Doflamingo and everything is good. Here's what could happen:

a. We don't get Law's back story and everything just goes back to before, leaving us in the dark for the rest of the series which I doubt Oda will do. If this happens, I expect that Law has a really important past that pertains to the end of the story (possibly making him a D. or something else relevant).

b. We do get to see his past. I predict one of two things will happen:

*Law will offer to kill Doflamingo after the fight is done. It all depends on his character development from here but I don't think he'll do it because Luffy and the crew will convince him otherwise. From there he will tell them all his past (in a possibly tearful fit) and that will be resolved

*Doflamingo will be caught or killed by someone else (or, god forbid, just run off) and Law will reveal his back story while traveling to Wano. I have a feeling his back story is similar to the rest of the Straw Hats which might be why Oda is reluctant to show it because he doesn't want us to think that Law will join (even though some of us already think so).

However there is another, more terrifying scenario

2. Law Dies:

He dies trying to kill Doffy or protecting Luffy, which ends in heartbreak as he reveals his backstory as to why he wanted to avenge Corazon. Maybe they'll even reveal his crew to be dead.

Theres also this scenario:

3. We don't get Law's Back Story: