In the latest chapter of One Piece, we finally got to see who the traitor was. This was an exciting reveal for me, because ever since the start of this arc, I’ve been wondering how Oda would demonstrate Vegapunk’s fatal flaw. As I stated in a previous analysis, oftentimes the truth is hidden in plain sight, staring you right in the face. It was none other than York, the lazy, greed ridden junk food eater.
From the very beginning of this arc, we knew that desire was going to have heavy thematic relevance. From the origin of devil fruits, to all of Vegapunk’s inventions, all things are brought into this world due to desire. The desire to become the Pirate King, the desire to create a shared library of knowledge anyone can access, and even the desire to turn into a jacket. Dreams are the essence of this story, as is the will to make them a reality. The irony with Vegapunk though, is that his downfall was to his own desire. Who does one trust more than oneself? Vegapunk believed so much in himself that he didn’t even think about the possible desires each of his various traits may possess, when they are usually overruled by the logic and goodness within him.
One thing I picked up early on in this arc, was that Vegapunk and his satellites are an inversion of Luffy and the Straw Hats. Luffy, the man who can’t function without the help of those he trusts, and Vegapunk, the genius scientist who does everything himself. In chapter 90 titled “What Can You Do?” We see the famous speech from Luffy: “I don’t know how to use a sword, I don’t know how to navigate, I can’t cook, and I can’t tell lies!” Arlong responds by asking him “Just what can you do?” and Luffy responds with “I can beat you.”
Throughout One Piece, we see the crew go to hell and back together, and even though they have their fair share of bumps on the road, their trust in each other is tested. Each Straw Hat has unwavering trust in Luffy, and has stated that he will become the Pirate King no matter what. Luffy knows that he can’t become the Pirate King without each and every member, just as they know that they cannot achieve their own goals without helping him achieve his. All of their dreams are connected to his, and if you take one single piece out of the puzzle it all falls apart. Their fates are intertwined, and as they care for each other, they work together as they follow their desires. Oda is telling us that through collaboration, we as humans can work together to achieve our desires.
Vegapunk on the other hand, is a man hailed as a genius scientist, who is extremely self reliant when it comes to working towards his goals. He created a team of six satellites, each embodying a different aspect of his mind. While this sounds like the perfect way for someone of his caliber to be successful, it’s clear that it’s heavily flawed. Our different attributes encompass who we are as people, and disturbing that equilibrium could have massive impacts as we just saw. What is evil without goodness? Violence without thinking? Greed without wisdom? Our choices are dictated by our experiences that each attribute connects to, and separating these would inevitably lead to clashing ideals.
There’s a reason why Oda made Vegapunk outshine some of the Straw Hats in some regard. A machine that can produce any meal, instantly (Sanji). Technology that can create artificial climates spanning an entire island (Nami & Usopp). Giant robots and cyborgs that look like something out of a little boy’s dream (Franky).
While Vegapunk has a mind of endless ideas, he lacks what the Straw Hat's have: intertwined desires, and the indestructible trust in each other. They also each have their own special strengths that become amplified when together. They bring out each other’s potential, and surpass what one person can achieve on their own. That is why they are the crew of the future Pirate King, the man who will become the freest above all.
Tags: @Franosuke @Blexus @ConquistadoR @Jailer @kratosś @MangoSenpai @mly90 @Shimotsuki Ghostly @Shiroyru @ThunderSupernova @Warchief Sanji D Goat @zenox @BleakAsh @Admiral Maynard @Jaguark101 @Natalija @Kerkovian @Kurozumi Bepo @NikaInParis @Mr. Reloaded @AL sama @RoronoaZorro @Salah WG @Rej @Monster Luffy @MonsterZoro @Hades @Devilbat @nik87 @MangoSenpai @Blazing Lion @Sir Yasheen
From the very beginning of this arc, we knew that desire was going to have heavy thematic relevance. From the origin of devil fruits, to all of Vegapunk’s inventions, all things are brought into this world due to desire. The desire to become the Pirate King, the desire to create a shared library of knowledge anyone can access, and even the desire to turn into a jacket. Dreams are the essence of this story, as is the will to make them a reality. The irony with Vegapunk though, is that his downfall was to his own desire. Who does one trust more than oneself? Vegapunk believed so much in himself that he didn’t even think about the possible desires each of his various traits may possess, when they are usually overruled by the logic and goodness within him.
One thing I picked up early on in this arc, was that Vegapunk and his satellites are an inversion of Luffy and the Straw Hats. Luffy, the man who can’t function without the help of those he trusts, and Vegapunk, the genius scientist who does everything himself. In chapter 90 titled “What Can You Do?” We see the famous speech from Luffy: “I don’t know how to use a sword, I don’t know how to navigate, I can’t cook, and I can’t tell lies!” Arlong responds by asking him “Just what can you do?” and Luffy responds with “I can beat you.”
Throughout One Piece, we see the crew go to hell and back together, and even though they have their fair share of bumps on the road, their trust in each other is tested. Each Straw Hat has unwavering trust in Luffy, and has stated that he will become the Pirate King no matter what. Luffy knows that he can’t become the Pirate King without each and every member, just as they know that they cannot achieve their own goals without helping him achieve his. All of their dreams are connected to his, and if you take one single piece out of the puzzle it all falls apart. Their fates are intertwined, and as they care for each other, they work together as they follow their desires. Oda is telling us that through collaboration, we as humans can work together to achieve our desires.
Vegapunk on the other hand, is a man hailed as a genius scientist, who is extremely self reliant when it comes to working towards his goals. He created a team of six satellites, each embodying a different aspect of his mind. While this sounds like the perfect way for someone of his caliber to be successful, it’s clear that it’s heavily flawed. Our different attributes encompass who we are as people, and disturbing that equilibrium could have massive impacts as we just saw. What is evil without goodness? Violence without thinking? Greed without wisdom? Our choices are dictated by our experiences that each attribute connects to, and separating these would inevitably lead to clashing ideals.
There’s a reason why Oda made Vegapunk outshine some of the Straw Hats in some regard. A machine that can produce any meal, instantly (Sanji). Technology that can create artificial climates spanning an entire island (Nami & Usopp). Giant robots and cyborgs that look like something out of a little boy’s dream (Franky).
While Vegapunk has a mind of endless ideas, he lacks what the Straw Hat's have: intertwined desires, and the indestructible trust in each other. They also each have their own special strengths that become amplified when together. They bring out each other’s potential, and surpass what one person can achieve on their own. That is why they are the crew of the future Pirate King, the man who will become the freest above all.
Tags: @Franosuke @Blexus @ConquistadoR @Jailer @kratosś @MangoSenpai @mly90 @Shimotsuki Ghostly @Shiroyru @ThunderSupernova @Warchief Sanji D Goat @zenox @BleakAsh @Admiral Maynard @Jaguark101 @Natalija @Kerkovian @Kurozumi Bepo @NikaInParis @Mr. Reloaded @AL sama @RoronoaZorro @Salah WG @Rej @Monster Luffy @MonsterZoro @Hades @Devilbat @nik87 @MangoSenpai @Blazing Lion @Sir Yasheen
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