I'm no longer interested in this thread anymore, but i just came in to say that i hope to god that Bonney does
NOT join (can't believe that fraud Mr Morj thinks she's a good idea). She's been downright annoying with chasing Vegapunk away and Oda dragging out her sob story with Kuma. Seriously it's been 4 chapters already and she's STILL staring at the Kuma bubble. Bonney's character so far to me is just another boring damsel in distress. She's by far the worst supernova in a arc post time skip we've had. She also ruined the pacing for me of what was a fine arc before, now slowed down to almost snail's pace. The only reason this arc still hasn't ended is because of her.
I like other people thought that Vivi might join the crew next, but with the revelation this chapter that she's safe and sound, the chances of that happening aren't looking good either.
Now if there was anybody to join this arc, i'd only want Vegapunk. Hopefully this isn't another disappointment like Yamato where a character is built up to join for the entire arc only for them to not end up joining.
I might have a little more faith in Vegapunk joining (either the old man, or if he transferred his consciousness to one of his satellites (old man Vegapunk in Lilith's body would be a really cool idea.), since this whole arc had been centered around getting Vegapunk out of Egghead and out of harm's way of the World Government.
Narrative and portrayal wise, it would look really bad on Luffy and the Straw Hats as a new Yonko crew if they can't even protect and rescue one old man and six robots. Building and writing a whole arc of Vegapunk getting rescued only for it to not happen in the end would also be equally as bad, as everybody's efforts in beating Lucci and CP0, Stussy's betrayal and having the whole crew look for him, plus drawing the threats of Kizaru, Saint Saturn and countless marine battleships would have been for nothing.
But what do i know, this is Loda we are talking here, and we just had the utter disappointments that was Carrot and Yamato only in the last arc, so who knows.... i won't be surprised if nobody joins by the end of this egghead arc and Loda disappoints me again.