He had to do it sometime and the only moment that it was relevant was 888 because of multiple factor linked to the storylines and the narration. So he did make the crew react, just enough.
This is indeed one of my question. Oda could've done something for Carrot. But you have to ask.. would it fit the narration ? My guess is no.. not in this one.. showing Carrot doing something incredible while she was absent the rest of the arc would have only felt.. pretty strange.. That's why I thinkk Oda is keeping her low for now. It's all about the momentum of the characters.
I don't think you understand how Oda handles roles then. He shows them off all the time, even when it's not relevant or important.
For example, all the names of Sanji's attacks are food puns and he constantly makes cooking one-liners in the middle of fights
In Zou, Brook sang a song about Nekomamushi. It added nothing to the story but he did it anyway
Or for a super minor example, when the crew found the ship that fell from Skypiea, Nami was the one to first examine the map. It could've been any other character and the plot wouldn't change but it was Nami, the navigator/cartographer of the crew.
None of these examples have any real relevance and could have been cut/changed without losing anything, but they happened anyway. Why? Because little moments like these show that the crew's talents are things that they all worked hard to be good at. They don't only show their roles when the plot demands it or when it's important, but all the time. Their roles are a part of their character.
So what does it say that when the crew was sneaking into enemy territory and Usopp, not Carrot, was the one to serve as the lookout? If this was really what Carrot's role was supposed to be, then why wasn't she doing more?
Not really, if you talk about inherited will.. the one with the most links to that theme would be Robin (for a lot of reasons). At least in the storytelling. Drum was just the place the theme took a major place, but it was here all along and it was only here to reenforce Chopper's already given theme.
I can get where you're coming from, but I feel like Drum Island was the arc where I actually understood what inherited will was. It had been referenced earlier, but I assumed it was supposed to be some reincarnation thing at first. But anyway my point is that the main theme of the arc where Chopper joined was Inherited Will, so I consider that the theme of his character. Just like how the theme of Enies Lobby, Robin's arc, was that every friend is irreplaceable.
Though I guess we could just agree to disagree on this
None. But let me answer you back: How many strawhat couldve done in 888 what Carrot did in that context ?
Luffy, Sanji, Robin, and maybe Zoro probably could. Jimbei could as well if he wasn't the one steering the ship
None either. Sanji is too slow,
No?
the others can fly or are just too dumb and would have engaged a fight.
Even Luffy knows not to engage in a fight when it puts his crew in danger. That's why he told them to run away in Sabaody
Carrot was the perfect fit to do the perfect job..
What Carrot did was destroy the helms of the enemy fleet. Which is fine and good, but couldn't Robin just create some hands, smash or break the helms, and then despawn her hands before the enemies can do anything about it?
but even more so: How many strawhat can see the world like Carrot can ? The answer is none. Not even Luffy (now) does that. Carrot is pure wonder. It's her thing. That's what she is good at, I know it's a bit weird to say it like that as it is not a skill but a way to be, but it's true.
Wonder. That's her thing. That's her value. And that's for a good reason: we are at the end of the story, we understand the world now.. even Luffy is starting to grow.. but we still need to see that excitment in the characters. That's what Carrot is here for. A new pair of eyes.. at the look out post.
When the crew arrives on Laugh Tale, do you think they just won't care or won't have any wonder when they're arriving on the legendary island?
Debatable.. In non canon material, Carrot's eyesight is said to be excellent. (Pirate Warrior)
Usopp's whole thing is that he's a sniper and he arguably has the best CoO feat we've seen so far in Dressrosa. And since he'll definitely surpass Yasopp and Augur by the end of the series, he'll only get better.
Also very debatable. The Sulong in it self (look at the panel in 889) proves otherwise.
Sure it's debatable, but she can only use Sulong once a month
Recon is not intel, it's about being on the field. (888) (804)
Recon is intel
But that's not his job.. neither is her's.
Then why would you bring it up?
Carrot can float. And her jumping ability rivals Sanji's skywalk in term of speed.
Show me one instance that would suggest this
And? Would Carrot somehow do it better?
And Brook can swing a sword.. just like Zoro.. the accumulation of skill is therefore not a problem to the recrutment.
Except that Brook was also a musician, so he had skills that no other Strawhat did
Because that's not how it works. It's not about being "better" or the "best" it's about being the perfect FIT for the crew.
And part of being the
perfect fit is being really good at it