You still seem very confident about this lol. I dont think you believed that all of the DR Giants and MMA monsters and 2 of 3 Knights would be manhandled in 3 chapters.
Well, I didn't think the reason Broggy and dorry get released would be so nonsensical, but I never thought they would be serious opponents for anyone. I've always thought the fights would be with the GK. Sommers is implied to have survived because he talked iirc, and the other 2 are fine.
One Piece arcs dont end without some level of payoff. If Imu just gives up and leaves that virtually does nothing for the resolution of this arc on any level whatsoever.
Right, either Imu is forced out of Elbaf, or the SHP end up losing here. They'll be forced to contend with Imu, who has been the most important/biggest presence the entire arc. Not the Gorosei or Shamrock lol, this even extents to the 20 chapter flashback. Also, since they committed crimes against children, Sommers and Killingham might die.
I dont agree that the Knights "need" to be saved for endgame. We already know that they are easily replaceable like the Gorosei.
If Oda uses Elbaph to take out a certain number of Knights, he can just replace them all again for the endgame like he did Saturn.
Well, Oda introduced Garling mid way through Elbaf to replace Saturn. What would be the point of introducing some random Tennrybuto and have them take some GK's position in the final war after they lose lol? It would just be weird and reduntant. There's like, 9 GK or so, and we'll lose about three of them here, and there will be 6 left for final war fights.(I don't remember the actual number but something like that was mentioned)
The GK are the real deal here. DR is just a weird filler power Oda dropped this chapter... for whatever reason.