Hi.
I will try to theorize what might happen now that Luffy has been defeated based on the narrative. There will be one hypothesis for this thread :
Luffy is done and will not be able to do much more here.
---
First, you need to understand that this sudden and annihilating loss is not surprising, this is something that Oda telegraphed 12 chapters back.
At the time (chapter 1177), I said this
Later, this tool was used again so I pushed the warning farther:
Yes I'm gloating, this is a reminder that you should listen and not laugh at my words ;)
Basically : For 12 chapters, this has been a skypiea level disaster warning. I don't believe that the strawhats will be divided again, but in my mind, the aftermath will be massive. As long as Oda follow the logic.
As we look into the future, we need to analyse the set "Luffy, Zoro, Sanji" as one big narrative statement from Oda in multiple of his stories. In this one, the message is clear :
"You are not ready"
This is why Oda has been opening up multiple path of power ups for the strawhats, this is why he has made Sanji and Zoro angst-asking eachothers not to fail, this is why he has been letting Luffy goof around here and there around Imu. He is planning to make the 3 characters fall. Not just once, but twice:
> Once with Imu (already done)
> Another time later through the "power-up" of his god knights
Sanji might not be completely ready to be a King and Zoro might be overconfident for the second time in his life. Tho they might still beat the gods knight and save the kid, this is unlikely to happen as the loss of Luffy is setting up a massive defeat for the entirety of Elbaph.
Which... will set up the second part of the arc or rather the third part of the Saga (the first being Egghead, the second being Elbaf)
The defeat of Luffy might be THE moment that will shatter a very big preconception for the strawhats :
"Luffy can't lose"
Especially for Usopp. After that, there is two possible path :
- Either someone steps up to save what can be saved (Usopp ? Don't ask me why, this is just a hunch, I believe he can do that)
- Either this will initiate a big inner strawhat crisis. Perhaps mixed with confusion and a lack of self-confidence from all sides... at the exception of Usopp and perhaps Jinbe (again, just a hunch).
As for, Gunko, she should be be liberated, she might even be on the brink of death after that, aging rapidely.
Now, Oda was sneaky enough to make all of us forget one very big thing.
There is still one big part of Elbaph that is hidden from us. The heaven realm.
My guess is that it is a sacred place, the very place where the legend of Nika was born. And this is precisely where the strawhats but mostly Luffy needs to go to learn... something.
After this loss, Luffy won't be able to ignore Joy Boy/Nika anymore. Someone was stronger than him, with his own fruit, the dots should connect and he might start to ask some questions (after a few days of sleep of course).
I will try to theorize what might happen now that Luffy has been defeated based on the narrative. There will be one hypothesis for this thread :
Luffy is done and will not be able to do much more here.
---
First, you need to understand that this sudden and annihilating loss is not surprising, this is something that Oda telegraphed 12 chapters back.
At the time (chapter 1177), I said this
Also... perhaps some of you didn't notice but we got this today:
This is what I call a subversive affirmation, some of you might remember that term. It's an affirmation from a character corrupted by the premisse of a plot situation and a character's development. In the current situation, it's the overpowering power of Imu and the unseriousness of the crew.
Let me give you another info: The entire arc of Franky is - like Usopp - centered around pride. We are on an arc where the concept of pride is not only central thematically, but directly impacting the choices of the character. From Usopp this chapter the giants or Loki.
This is not a glitch that Oda decided to give Franky this line. This is a subtle warning. A sign of dangerous overconfidence.
The situation is about to go south.
This is what I call a subversive affirmation, some of you might remember that term. It's an affirmation from a character corrupted by the premisse of a plot situation and a character's development. In the current situation, it's the overpowering power of Imu and the unseriousness of the crew.
Let me give you another info: The entire arc of Franky is - like Usopp - centered around pride. We are on an arc where the concept of pride is not only central thematically, but directly impacting the choices of the character. From Usopp this chapter the giants or Loki.
This is not a glitch that Oda decided to give Franky this line. This is a subtle warning. A sign of dangerous overconfidence.
The situation is about to go south.
Did you see how sweating Luffy is?
He didn't even see the guy and he is already stress-eating
I'll tell ya right here. This? This is the first round of regular One Piece fight, mind I say even the first of the multiple first round. Luffy is about to lose big time
Imu dominates in term of knowledge, in term of control of the field, in term of power. Luffy will be alone in this, as he usually is on first rounds.
He didn't even see the guy and he is already stress-eating
I'll tell ya right here. This? This is the first round of regular One Piece fight, mind I say even the first of the multiple first round. Luffy is about to lose big time
Imu dominates in term of knowledge, in term of control of the field, in term of power. Luffy will be alone in this, as he usually is on first rounds.
Basically : For 12 chapters, this has been a skypiea level disaster warning. I don't believe that the strawhats will be divided again, but in my mind, the aftermath will be massive. As long as Oda follow the logic.
As we look into the future, we need to analyse the set "Luffy, Zoro, Sanji" as one big narrative statement from Oda in multiple of his stories. In this one, the message is clear :
"You are not ready"
This is why Oda has been opening up multiple path of power ups for the strawhats, this is why he has made Sanji and Zoro angst-asking eachothers not to fail, this is why he has been letting Luffy goof around here and there around Imu. He is planning to make the 3 characters fall. Not just once, but twice:
> Once with Imu (already done)
> Another time later through the "power-up" of his god knights
Sanji might not be completely ready to be a King and Zoro might be overconfident for the second time in his life. Tho they might still beat the gods knight and save the kid, this is unlikely to happen as the loss of Luffy is setting up a massive defeat for the entirety of Elbaph.
Which... will set up the second part of the arc or rather the third part of the Saga (the first being Egghead, the second being Elbaf)
The defeat of Luffy might be THE moment that will shatter a very big preconception for the strawhats :
"Luffy can't lose"
Especially for Usopp. After that, there is two possible path :
- Either someone steps up to save what can be saved (Usopp ? Don't ask me why, this is just a hunch, I believe he can do that)
- Either this will initiate a big inner strawhat crisis. Perhaps mixed with confusion and a lack of self-confidence from all sides... at the exception of Usopp and perhaps Jinbe (again, just a hunch).
As for, Gunko, she should be be liberated, she might even be on the brink of death after that, aging rapidely.
Now, Oda was sneaky enough to make all of us forget one very big thing.
There is still one big part of Elbaph that is hidden from us. The heaven realm.
My guess is that it is a sacred place, the very place where the legend of Nika was born. And this is precisely where the strawhats but mostly Luffy needs to go to learn... something.
After this loss, Luffy won't be able to ignore Joy Boy/Nika anymore. Someone was stronger than him, with his own fruit, the dots should connect and he might start to ask some questions (after a few days of sleep of course).
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