why are you so sure it’s laffite
Storytelling.
Oda likes to give sanjis fights a negative Sanji has to overcome:
Mr. 2 was about the introduction of Sanjis inability to kick women and finding a way to fight despite it.
Kalifla was about showing the depths of Sanjis refusal to kick women.
Jabra was about Sanjis role in the crew going beyond a cook and that of a protector. Taking down the big bad wolf who was trying to kill his sheep.
Absalom was about Sanjis introduction to a dream he never expressed before, invisibility, which we now see was set up to be a major plot in sanjis character.
Queen was about Sanji surpassing his family and proving to himself he doesn’t need them and overcoming the trauma that he’s lived with.
So the question is:
What’s the narrative for the Blackbeard pirates fight? After the recent chapter, i think we have the answer. It’ll be connected to Pudding and the end of it will be connected to the memories Pudding took from Sanji. So who could this connect to? Since I think Aokiji is not even on the table, the most logical answer (to me) is Lafitte. A man known for his brutality as a sheriff. So if Pudding is imprisoned by the Blackbeard pirates it’s logical she’d be watched by the sheriff Lafitte who’s brutality would likely lead to him beating her remorsely.