General & Others Next Strawhat Crew Members and the Grand Fleet

[Kai. Do]

Oda is a thematic story teller first and foremost. The Dukes vs Jack and Pero sucked, but it made sense thematically speaking. Kaido is likely to be the last to be beaten, and the other ones left are BM, King, Queen, Hawkins, Apoo, Longhead and the other Numbers.

Kaido-to be beaten by Luffy
Onigahsima- to be stopped by Momo
King- beaten by Zoro
Queen- beaten by Sanji
Hawkins- beaten by Killer(?)
Apoo- beaten by Drake(?)
Longhead- beaten by Raizo(?)
The other numbers(?)

What thematic value can Carrot add to any of these situations?

To be fair, Carrot has never really had any thematic value in the span of time and arcs that she has been in and occupied. Not in Zou, not in WCI, and still nothing now in Wano.

Even to this day i still say that Carrot got the screen time and focus that she did in WCI was purely because of the Alice in Wonderland vibes of the arc, and that Oda had Carrot tag along to pay homage as the White Rabbit. Nothing more. Now that we are in the Wano Arc, Oda has abandoned Carrot's development and ceased to allocate more time, attention and effort on her character.

 

[Fuckthis3]

Lmao yall dudes.............

 

[thedarkdragon11]

What thematic value can Carrot add to any of these situations?

Eat grass...

 

[Fuckthis3]

Eat grass...

Well she standing back up so she can't

 

[Uncle Van]

To be fair, Carrot has never really had any thematic value in the span of time and arcs that she has been in and occupied. Not in Zou, not in WCI, and still nothing now in Wano.

Even to this day i still say that Carrot got the screen time and focus that she did in WCI was purely because of the Alice in Wonderland vibes of the arc, and that Oda had Carrot tag along to pay homage as the White Rabbit. Nothing more. Now that we are in the Wano Arc, Oda has abandoned Carrot's development and ceased to allocate more time, attention and effort on her character.

She actually fits for Wano. Wano main themes are:
-Loyalty
-leadership
-Legacy
-Moving forward

Oden literally gave up his life so that the Scabbards can survive but due to their grudge, charged right at someone beyond their power, calling themselves Oden's ghosts and imitating him. They would've died, shitting on Oden's wishes. They were punished, and then rewarded later.

Pedro told Carrot to move forward but she instead charges right at Perospero who was beyond her and would've died if not for his whim.

Eat grass...

You motha....

 

[dizzy2341]

Indeed

I'm not talking about the slap-dash graffiti designed to please the cool kids.

You look at the actual story and you'll see how hollow her remarks are about travelling with Luffy. Her desire to sail the seas is valid though, and I expect she'll do so. The thing that her entire character is pointing towards is guarding, protecting and becoming an accepted and respected samurai of Wano. Those are the overwhelming ideas surrounding her character.

 

[Kai. Do]

She actually fits for Wano. Wano name themes are:
-Loyalty
-leadership
-Legacy
-Moving forward

Oden literally gave up his life so that the Scabbards can survive but due to their grudge, charged right at someone beyond their power, calling themselves Oden's ghosts and imitating him. They would've died, shitting on Oden's wishes. They were punished, and then rewarded later.

Pedro told Carrot to move forward but she instead charges right at Perospero who was beyond her and would've died if not for his whim.

That's true. what i was saying was that i still don't feel like Carrot has been in the driving seat to explore these themes. Oda uses Carrot in the Wano Arc to tell a theme in its story, but Oda hasn't used Carrot like the way he used Yamato to tell the themes of inherited will and legacy.

Carrot's theme of moving forward isn't expanded upon, at least not yet. And even then i still feel like she plays a much smaller and less important role when compared to Yamato. Throughout the whole Wano Arc, Carrot is single minded on avenging Pedro and going after Perospeoro, not even taking into consideration of placing her revenge and blame on Peros is even right as Perospero wasn't even the one who killed Pedro (Pedro suicided himself). Throughout this whole arc, Carrot never struggled internally with moving forward other than her simple single track mind to avenge Pedro to go after Peros, and when Peros WAS taken out by Nekomamushi, Carrot offers no worthy words or emotions.

Usually the straw hats that join embody the traits and lessons that Oda is trying to teach for the themes that the arcs the straw hats introduced and join. When you compare Carrot to Jinbe in Fishman Island and the themes, of racism, prejudice and breaking the cycle of hatred - Carrot's ties to the themes feel a lot more loose and weaker.

 

[Uncle Van]

That's true. what i was saying was that i still don't feel like Carrot has been in the driving seat to explore these themes. Oda uses Carrot in the Wano Arc to tell a theme in its story, but Oda hasn't used Carrot like the way he used Yamato to tell the themes of inherited will and legacy.

Carrot's theme of moving forward isn't expanded upon, at least not yet. And even then i still feel like she plays a much smaller and less important role when compared to Yamato. Throughout the whole Wano Arc, Carrot is single minded on avenging Pedro and going after Perospeoro, not even taking into consideration of placing her revenge and blame on Peros is even right as Perospero wasn't even the one who killed Pedro (Pedro suicided himself). Throughout this whole arc, Carrot never struggled internally with moving forward other than her simple single track mind to avenge Pedro to go after Peros, and when Peros WAS taken out by Nekomamushi, Carrot offers no worthy words or emotions.

Usually the straw hats that join embody the traits and lessons that Oda is trying to teach for the themes that the arcs the straw hats introduced and join. When you compare Carrot to Jinbe in Fishman Island and the themes, of racism, prejudice and breaking the cycle of hatred - Carrot's ties to the themes feel a lot more loose and weaker.

Carrot feels weaker because she is. Even Tama has a much bigger thematic role than Carrot. Holdem and Urashima were thematic tools that did their job. Carrot didn't start adding to the themes until she ran into Perospero. It's so easy to tie Carrot in but Oda doesn't. Franky vs Sasaki was weaker than Jinbe and Robin's fights thematically speaking, but Oda still put effort into it.

Franky vs Sasaki- mirror each other in that Franky's back is vulnerable so he has to fight head on to protect it, while Sasaki's front is vulnerable so he constantly has to run to protect it. Tackles the themes of loyalty using Sasaki's men. Sasaki stepped in because Franky was wiping out his "precious" men. They turn in Sasaki because of a DF power but instead of trying to figure out why, Sasaki immediately resorts to killing them which causes them to cheer for Franky.

 

[TEACH D TEACH]

Well she standing back up so she can't

Shes gonna beat the grass homie

 

[Raughtale]

You look at the actual story and you'll see how hollow her remarks are about travelling with Luffy.

It's wild how there are people really reading 2 Piece somewhere, Yamato is literally moved to tears hearing how Luffy has the same dreams as the people she admired most of her life, explicitly tells him she's been waiting for him for a long time and recognizes Luffy as someone who personifies the freedom she desires to the point of claiming he's even more ''Oden'' than her.

 

[Paperchampion23]

I'm at this point where I 100% don't expect Carrot to join, especially due to her relevance (or lack thereof) this arc, but won't be upset if she did along with Jinbe/Yamato to actually capitalize on Pedro's words. That's pretty much it though. She'd have to grow as a character from there on

 

[Afroking]

Yamato has a pretty grand reason to go out to sea.

She has to go to an adventure !!!!


Best SH dream ever. Should make anyone who wants to go to an adventure join the cast...

Her interactions with Kaidou added nothing for her . She still remains a gold-digger who wants to join Luffy just because Ace died and he said the same words with Roger.

A shit character after another with these candidates.
Law has more reasons to follow after Wano compare to Yamato.

(Exclamation: Not saying he will join )

 

[Roosta]

"Oh wow, 8 new pages of the Next Strawhat thread? I wonder why!"... It's mostly shit flinging...

My notes from the chapter are:

• Some really nice Luffy-Yamato interactions. It's nice to see she's able to understand Luffy's intentions and competently carry them out. The Yamao nickname is interesting, and I don't think it'll change until the gender thing is addressed within the story. I also think people put too much weight on this for Strawhat potential (Chopper, Franky, and Brook all had nicknames. He calls Law a nakama even though he gave him the same type of nickname as Yamao. Rebecca has a harder name than Yamato but Luffy learned it).
• Yamato is picking up Luffy's role of encouraging Momo. Glad that Oda didn't expect us to believe Momo would be able to lift the island on his own. People have mentioned that she has retainer vibes from these scenes, but her tone (-kun), behavior (chiding, bonking) are the way you treat children, while Oden's retainers treated Oden and Momo like their master.
• Between the Ushimaru flashback and Zoro getting pushed outside, it's looking like Zoro will be the first Strawhat Yamato will get to meet properly. I think if Zoro beats King with the last of his strength, falls off the edge, and is caught by Momo/Yamato, it would be a nice way for his dad sacrificing his life to save Yamato to come full circle.

 

[Kishido]

Yamato will join but she is still the god damn boring.

Can't even say that about Carrot for the simple reason that her role is just being a BG character

 

[Rushwheel]

Spoiler: Some thoughts

- yamato already fought her main oppressor and the "nemesis" so to speak without any presence of the Straw hats in her big struggle. The climax peaked and the rest of the crew still doesn't know she exists. That's not a straw hat material right here in this particular part.
- when she fought kaido she said that kaido is wrong she had a friend and... that friend is only Ace (who's becoming everyone's bicycle at this point: wanna make readers attached to a character? make them dead ace's friend!) which indicates there won't be a character of Corazon, Saul, Bellemere, Tom, Sora caliber for Yamato most likely (she would've mentioned such a pivotal character in her life during that interaction otherwise) which also means there won't be a big sad strawhat-like backstory for her. I might be wrong but to me it feels like the perfect timing for it has already passed.
- oda's sent yamato and momo together to save wano. these two interact a lot, actually. I think it's moving towards the conclusion in which momo and yamato will indeed save the country in front of the whole flower capital and will become the heroes/protectors of wano (Luffy first ofc he is the main character after all lol). it's especially important for yamato to be accepted and recognized by the samurai and wano people and the story leading towards it I think. People can't miss a giant mystical wolf riding a giant dragon even if they try.
- oda is playing with the fans lol. I'm tired and I hope the arc ends in 15 chapters or so.

 

[Roosta]

Spoiler: Some thoughts

indicates there won't be a character of Corazon, Saul, Bellemere, Tom, Sora caliber for Yamato

I appreciate Corazon being included for Strawhat material... I wish

 

[Rushwheel]

I appreciate Corazon being included for Strawhat material... I wish

Ah, sorry haha. But for me there is no denying in that Law got a full strawhat-like backstory for one reason or another. Cora-san feels like that person every straw hat had in their past. Why? Who knows. Oda wanted to.

 

[Adamxero]

Larrot is to much of a fodder to be part of the Strawhat Crew.

Ussop legit mid diffs her.

Yamato is best girl for the crew

 

[dizzy2341]

It's wild how there are people really reading 2 Piece somewhere, Yamato is literally moved to tears hearing how Luffy has the same dreams as the people she admired most of her life, explicitly tells him she's been waiting for him for a long time and recognizes Luffy as someone who personifies the freedom she desires to the point of claiming he's even more ''Oden'' than her.

I'll assume you're including yourself in that.

Yamao has reason to be interested in Luffy, but I'm specifically talking about her reason to travel with him.

"So speaking as someone I'm not..."
"I've followed the proper 1 + 1 = 11 logic that says..."
"You should be doing this thing you haven't agreed to..."
"Because, once again, I'm Oden ???"

That was her elevator pitch for boarding the sunny. As for the rest, there have been other characters in the same position.

-Moved to tears by Luffy's dream? Bart
-Has been waiting to meet him? Bart
-Recognises Luffy as the embodiment freedom? Bart

Simply listing why Yamao likes the guy that literally every good character likes is totally meaningless. That fact that you couldn't name a single reason for why she should travel with him only highlights her inadequacy.

 

[Roosta]

-Moved to tears by Luffy's dream? Bart

We're talking about his real dream... every other character that we know has heard it (Ace, Sabo, Whitebeard, Oden) laughed at the time.

That fact that you couldn't name a single reason for why she should travel with him only highlights her inadequacy.

The problem for me is that I haven't heard a reasonable explanation for why Oda chose to write her as only being interested in traveling with Luffy. Saying that Oda did it this way just to bait fans is banal and shows no respect for Oda's writing ability. He's done red herrings so much more masterfully in the past, so going "Haha! I had Yamato say she wants to travel with Luffy, but guess what? SHE'S NOT, GOTCHA!" is beneath him.