Literally every top tier in this arc is pathetic or rendered dumb ;
Luffy : hasn't used CoC and adcoa the whole arc bar once
Kizaru : been out since forever and hasn't done much...couldn't beat anyone. Didn't show us amazing skills at all
Gorosei : they're just here to tank attacks and offer nothing much
I know this is just an escape arc but it's so annoying that Oda doesn't even have a good excuse to nerf them.
Like, is it asked too much to create some plotelements to nerf Luffy effectively, like creating a force field which cuts off his Haki connection? Yet we see Luffy using none of his more advanced Haki skills. At least give reasons. It makes no sense that Luffy uses none of his Haki skills, none.
Then you have the Gorosei who don't show that much of advanced skills aside of their immortality. At least they have CoC tho. Nusjuro and Warcury are the only ones with great feats but Warcury also lacks at the combat aspect while Nusjuro is well off imo.
I'm even more disappointed at Kizaru. Yes, he was mentally nerfed due to attempting to kill his best friend. Who wouldn't be mentally fucked? But the way how Kizaru kept behaving like a freaking pacifista was just frustrating to watch.
Kizaru was introduced to be the very teacher who caught Sentoumaru all his advanced barrier haki skills. Did we see any of that when he fought Luffy? Aside of Snake Man, there was none.