Hi!
Today we will take a look at something that I found truly wonderful in One Piece. This is one of those reason was I think (without irony) that Oda is close to Mozart in term of writing.
In this short thread, we will talk about Plot twist. How we can create them, why they are good tools etc. and see why the "RAIZO IS SAFE" plot twist is a class study in term of storytelling.
What is a plot twist ?
A plot twist is a literary technique that introduces a radical change in the direction or expected outcome of the plot in a work of fiction. When it happens near the end of a story, it is known as a twist or surprise ending. It may change the audience's perception of the preceding events, or introduce a new conflict that places it in a different context. (Source Wikipedia)
Careful tho, a plot twist is not a revelation. A revelation is a tool that reveal something about the world or the story to the audience, a plot twist will always change the point of view of said audience about the world.
For example, the presentation of the road poneglyph is a revelation while the reveal about Shiraoshi being Poseidon through the poneglyph is a plot twist.
What makes a good plot twist ?
To create a good plot twist there is a few things you need to do. I will list them here, note that having all of them is not necessary but keep in mind that the more you have, the better the plot twist (I'll explain them in detail later):
- Your plot twist needs to be a unique revelation
- Your plot twist needs to either release the tension or keep it going further
- Your plot twist needs to turn the story on its head
- Your plot twist needs to create a worldbuilding revelation
- Your plot twist needs to create a characterization moment
- Your plot twist needs to be setup properly
- Your plot twist needs to use clever missdirection
I will use a few example of known pop culture plot twist to detail those points.
Your plot twist needs to be a unique revelation
By unique, I mean that your plot twist's revelation must stand out. This is something that is quite hard to do. In most stories, the big plot twist arrive around the end of the second act. It must arrive at a very unexpected moment and create a shockwave throughout your Saga, making the scene, the characters but also the entire story shine.
To understand that, let's take the example of Dark vader and Luke's scene in Star Wars, the Empire Strike Back :
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE VIDEO
That plot twist's revelation is unique. It creates a shockwave in the entire story but also the entire Saga. It turns on its head not one, but two story if we watch only the first saga of course. This revelation is so powerful that it became a golden standard over the year in term of storytelling.
Your plot twist needs to either release the tension or keep it going further
Depending on the way you create your plot twist you will have a choice, either the plot twist will help the stakes of the storyline go higher, meaning more conflict in the scene or it will completely release the tension. In stories where the plot twist is situated at the end of the second arc, you will see in majority a plot twist that makes the stake go higher. In other cases, the plot twist is the ending point of the story, it conclude the storyline and create an immense explosion of surprise. We will see a few example of them.
In most story, plot twist are there to keep the stake going higher. Those type of plot twist usually concern the big bad villain of the story.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE VIDEO
In this example of two plot twist in one, the revelation of professor Quirell being the vessel for Voldemort not only is a amazing reveal for the state of the story but also keeps the stake high for the tension of the scene, Harry is put directly for the first time under the pressure of the big villain of the Saga
In some story however, the big plot twist will release the tension, its the cases for big revelation
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE VIDEO
In this famous sequence of Usual Suspect, the tension is released by the immense revelation about Kaizer Soze making this plot twist one of the most remembered in Cinema history. Note that to release the tension, the plot twist must be strong enough to "AW" your audience so it gets "tired" only by the strenght of the revelation.
Your plot twist needs to turn the story on its head
A good plot twist should make you requestion everything about a story or make you see elements in the story in a very new light.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE VIDEO
In this great plot twist example in the Sixth Sens, Makes element of the story come together in one big revelation about the state of the main character. Plot twist like these make the story rewatchable at least twice.
Your plot twist needs to create a worldbuilding revelation
Plot twist of that nature are mostly the big secondary plot twist of the story, they arrive usually at the end of the first act. They are the big revelation about the world to the heros.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE VIDEO
In this amazing plot twist the Wachowski create an amazing worldbuilding revelation. The world is just an illusion, the real world is ruled by machines. In this first big plot twist, the Wachowski extend our knowledge about the world of Matrix.
Your plot twist needs to create a characterization moment
There is a lot of ways to create good plot twist, one of those ways is to add information about the protagonist because said plot twist. This is a type of worldbuilding revelation but specific to the character. This is why I give it its own point.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE VIDEO
In Fight Club, writer Chuch Palahniuk take the radical path to give us one of the most impactfull characterization moment in psychological fiction history.
Your plot twist needs to be setup properly
A good plot twist like any good revelation, storyline or plot point must be setup correctly to be believable. This means creates PLANTINGS in the story that will naturally lead the narration toward the plot twist. It is usually small detail about the revelation like the behavior of a character or a particular event.
For example lets go back to the Matrix with an obvious example, the interrogation scene with Smith:
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE VIDEO
In this scene, we are introduced not only to the concept of false reality but also to the machines. This help prepare the scene we talked about earlier.
Setup like this are needed to create a good plot twist, you can have one, but the best is to have multiple setup all over the place carefully hidden to build up the plot twist.
Your plot twist needs to use clever missdirection
Missdirection is what makes the magic of a plot twist. These are the little detail along the ways that distract you from the reality of the story.
We will take the simple example of Harry Potter seen earlier.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE VIDEO
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE VIDEO
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE VIDEO
The presence of Snape in Harry Potter, plays the role of the missdirection. Those scenes ciment our suspicions that he is the one going after the stone.
-----------
Let's Recap
- Your plot twist needs to be a unique revelation
- Your plot twist needs to either release the tension or keep it going further
- Your plot twist needs to turn the story on its head
- Your plot twist needs to create a worldbuilding revelation
- Your plot twist needs to create a characterization moment
- Your plot twist needs to be setup properly
- Your plot twist needs to use clever missdirection
You will see that all those point applies completely to the plot twist "RAIZO IS SAFE" in One Piece but Oda added something more that makes all the difference and that is quite unique to One Piece's plot twists.
The plot twist has a unique revelation
The "Raizo is safe" plot twist is unique in the sens that it creates a shockwave in Zou's storyline. Not only emotionnaly but structurally, its separate the arc in two.
It separate the part of the flashback and the part of the big revelation on the Road Poneglyph and the creation of the alliance. On top of the strawhat, it completely open our view on hundreds of setup chapters, from Punk Hazard to Zou.
The plot twist releases the tension
This plot twist completely release the tension build up during the entire arc around the fear of a battle between the Samourai and the Mink tribe.
It does that both for the reader, and the characters.
The plot twist turns the story on its head
This one is not hard to explain, the story of Zou is completely "turned on its head" by the revelation. The mink are not only not ennemies of the Samourai but their greatest allies and they went through torture and never give their friend to the ennemy.
The plot twist creates a worldbuilding revelation
This plot twist creates a revelation about the minks. Like I said previously, this revelation open our view on hundreds of setup chapter. The Samourai are not simple secondary characters but those worthy of living torture for.
The plot twist creates a characterization moment
This plot twist creates one of the most impactfull moment of characterization in One Piece. With a simple set of panels Oda managed to transform a new set of people into one of the most loyal and lovable people there is in the manga.
The plot twist is setup properly
The "Raizo is safe" plot twist was heavely setup, starting with the iteration of the presence of Jack.
Followed by the feelings of the Mink
And what we think to be resentment for the samourais
Finally the real setup is the story of the arrival of Jack that show us that a people was destroyed because of one guy searching for one samourai.
The plot twist uses clever missdirection
The last panel mentionned above is used as a miss direction but that not all Oda did, we can for example mentionned this little interaction:
or this one
Or this one that make us think that the Mink are not welcoming of the Samourai when this is just a trait of the character to cry for every news:
But the one missdirection that attracted my attention and the reason why I created this thread is this one:
This one is interesting as it plays as a DOUBLE missdirection. By mentionning exactly what will happen to the reader and playing it as a joke, Oda make a 3Dchest move and finalize the preparation of one of his biggest plot twist. From this point, we are sure that the samourai and the mink will fight...
---
.. but they don't. And not only that but the mink are proven to be the most loyal friends there is. And this is where I want to show you the last point I was talking about.
One Piece is special, it follows the rules of storytelling in a certain ways but sometimes diverge and other time add things to the table. This is why I want to add something that make this plot twist unbelievably unforgettable:
>>>>> The plot twist deliver a intense feeling of pride, loyalty and Joy and a big emotion to the readers <<<<<
Indeed, by constructing a storyline where a people is put under literal torture, Oda created a pressure on the readers. This is why, by showing that all of that was done to protect a friend, the reader is thrown into a pool of great and intense emotion.
FIrst we are all Usopp..
Then we are all Franky..
To finish like Luffy
---
Very few stories can add so much positive emotions to a immense plot twist. And emotion is one of the core quality of One Piece. This is why this plot twist is so monumental. It has everything and delivers it with simplicity, just like Mozart does it with music.
This is why for me ... this plot twist is like and as good as a great symphony.
Today we will take a look at something that I found truly wonderful in One Piece. This is one of those reason was I think (without irony) that Oda is close to Mozart in term of writing.
In this short thread, we will talk about Plot twist. How we can create them, why they are good tools etc. and see why the "RAIZO IS SAFE" plot twist is a class study in term of storytelling.
What is a plot twist ?
A plot twist is a literary technique that introduces a radical change in the direction or expected outcome of the plot in a work of fiction. When it happens near the end of a story, it is known as a twist or surprise ending. It may change the audience's perception of the preceding events, or introduce a new conflict that places it in a different context. (Source Wikipedia)
Careful tho, a plot twist is not a revelation. A revelation is a tool that reveal something about the world or the story to the audience, a plot twist will always change the point of view of said audience about the world.
For example, the presentation of the road poneglyph is a revelation while the reveal about Shiraoshi being Poseidon through the poneglyph is a plot twist.
What makes a good plot twist ?
To create a good plot twist there is a few things you need to do. I will list them here, note that having all of them is not necessary but keep in mind that the more you have, the better the plot twist (I'll explain them in detail later):
- Your plot twist needs to be a unique revelation
- Your plot twist needs to either release the tension or keep it going further
- Your plot twist needs to turn the story on its head
- Your plot twist needs to create a worldbuilding revelation
- Your plot twist needs to create a characterization moment
- Your plot twist needs to be setup properly
- Your plot twist needs to use clever missdirection
I will use a few example of known pop culture plot twist to detail those points.
Your plot twist needs to be a unique revelation
By unique, I mean that your plot twist's revelation must stand out. This is something that is quite hard to do. In most stories, the big plot twist arrive around the end of the second act. It must arrive at a very unexpected moment and create a shockwave throughout your Saga, making the scene, the characters but also the entire story shine.
To understand that, let's take the example of Dark vader and Luke's scene in Star Wars, the Empire Strike Back :
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE VIDEO
That plot twist's revelation is unique. It creates a shockwave in the entire story but also the entire Saga. It turns on its head not one, but two story if we watch only the first saga of course. This revelation is so powerful that it became a golden standard over the year in term of storytelling.
Your plot twist needs to either release the tension or keep it going further
Depending on the way you create your plot twist you will have a choice, either the plot twist will help the stakes of the storyline go higher, meaning more conflict in the scene or it will completely release the tension. In stories where the plot twist is situated at the end of the second arc, you will see in majority a plot twist that makes the stake go higher. In other cases, the plot twist is the ending point of the story, it conclude the storyline and create an immense explosion of surprise. We will see a few example of them.
In most story, plot twist are there to keep the stake going higher. Those type of plot twist usually concern the big bad villain of the story.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE VIDEO
In this example of two plot twist in one, the revelation of professor Quirell being the vessel for Voldemort not only is a amazing reveal for the state of the story but also keeps the stake high for the tension of the scene, Harry is put directly for the first time under the pressure of the big villain of the Saga
In some story however, the big plot twist will release the tension, its the cases for big revelation
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE VIDEO
In this famous sequence of Usual Suspect, the tension is released by the immense revelation about Kaizer Soze making this plot twist one of the most remembered in Cinema history. Note that to release the tension, the plot twist must be strong enough to "AW" your audience so it gets "tired" only by the strenght of the revelation.
Your plot twist needs to turn the story on its head
A good plot twist should make you requestion everything about a story or make you see elements in the story in a very new light.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE VIDEO
In this great plot twist example in the Sixth Sens, Makes element of the story come together in one big revelation about the state of the main character. Plot twist like these make the story rewatchable at least twice.
Your plot twist needs to create a worldbuilding revelation
Plot twist of that nature are mostly the big secondary plot twist of the story, they arrive usually at the end of the first act. They are the big revelation about the world to the heros.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE VIDEO
In this amazing plot twist the Wachowski create an amazing worldbuilding revelation. The world is just an illusion, the real world is ruled by machines. In this first big plot twist, the Wachowski extend our knowledge about the world of Matrix.
Your plot twist needs to create a characterization moment
There is a lot of ways to create good plot twist, one of those ways is to add information about the protagonist because said plot twist. This is a type of worldbuilding revelation but specific to the character. This is why I give it its own point.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE VIDEO
In Fight Club, writer Chuch Palahniuk take the radical path to give us one of the most impactfull characterization moment in psychological fiction history.
Your plot twist needs to be setup properly
A good plot twist like any good revelation, storyline or plot point must be setup correctly to be believable. This means creates PLANTINGS in the story that will naturally lead the narration toward the plot twist. It is usually small detail about the revelation like the behavior of a character or a particular event.
For example lets go back to the Matrix with an obvious example, the interrogation scene with Smith:
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE VIDEO
In this scene, we are introduced not only to the concept of false reality but also to the machines. This help prepare the scene we talked about earlier.
Setup like this are needed to create a good plot twist, you can have one, but the best is to have multiple setup all over the place carefully hidden to build up the plot twist.
Your plot twist needs to use clever missdirection
Missdirection is what makes the magic of a plot twist. These are the little detail along the ways that distract you from the reality of the story.
We will take the simple example of Harry Potter seen earlier.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE VIDEO
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE VIDEO
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE VIDEO
The presence of Snape in Harry Potter, plays the role of the missdirection. Those scenes ciment our suspicions that he is the one going after the stone.
-----------
Let's Recap
- Your plot twist needs to be a unique revelation
- Your plot twist needs to either release the tension or keep it going further
- Your plot twist needs to turn the story on its head
- Your plot twist needs to create a worldbuilding revelation
- Your plot twist needs to create a characterization moment
- Your plot twist needs to be setup properly
- Your plot twist needs to use clever missdirection
You will see that all those point applies completely to the plot twist "RAIZO IS SAFE" in One Piece but Oda added something more that makes all the difference and that is quite unique to One Piece's plot twists.
The plot twist has a unique revelation
The "Raizo is safe" plot twist is unique in the sens that it creates a shockwave in Zou's storyline. Not only emotionnaly but structurally, its separate the arc in two.
It separate the part of the flashback and the part of the big revelation on the Road Poneglyph and the creation of the alliance. On top of the strawhat, it completely open our view on hundreds of setup chapters, from Punk Hazard to Zou.
The plot twist releases the tension
This plot twist completely release the tension build up during the entire arc around the fear of a battle between the Samourai and the Mink tribe.
It does that both for the reader, and the characters.
The plot twist turns the story on its head
This one is not hard to explain, the story of Zou is completely "turned on its head" by the revelation. The mink are not only not ennemies of the Samourai but their greatest allies and they went through torture and never give their friend to the ennemy.
The plot twist creates a worldbuilding revelation
This plot twist creates a revelation about the minks. Like I said previously, this revelation open our view on hundreds of setup chapter. The Samourai are not simple secondary characters but those worthy of living torture for.
The plot twist creates a characterization moment
This plot twist creates one of the most impactfull moment of characterization in One Piece. With a simple set of panels Oda managed to transform a new set of people into one of the most loyal and lovable people there is in the manga.
The plot twist is setup properly
The "Raizo is safe" plot twist was heavely setup, starting with the iteration of the presence of Jack.
Followed by the feelings of the Mink
And what we think to be resentment for the samourais
Finally the real setup is the story of the arrival of Jack that show us that a people was destroyed because of one guy searching for one samourai.
The plot twist uses clever missdirection
The last panel mentionned above is used as a miss direction but that not all Oda did, we can for example mentionned this little interaction:
or this one
Or this one that make us think that the Mink are not welcoming of the Samourai when this is just a trait of the character to cry for every news:
But the one missdirection that attracted my attention and the reason why I created this thread is this one:
This one is interesting as it plays as a DOUBLE missdirection. By mentionning exactly what will happen to the reader and playing it as a joke, Oda make a 3Dchest move and finalize the preparation of one of his biggest plot twist. From this point, we are sure that the samourai and the mink will fight...
---
.. but they don't. And not only that but the mink are proven to be the most loyal friends there is. And this is where I want to show you the last point I was talking about.
One Piece is special, it follows the rules of storytelling in a certain ways but sometimes diverge and other time add things to the table. This is why I want to add something that make this plot twist unbelievably unforgettable:
>>>>> The plot twist deliver a intense feeling of pride, loyalty and Joy and a big emotion to the readers <<<<<
Indeed, by constructing a storyline where a people is put under literal torture, Oda created a pressure on the readers. This is why, by showing that all of that was done to protect a friend, the reader is thrown into a pool of great and intense emotion.
FIrst we are all Usopp..
Then we are all Franky..
To finish like Luffy
---
Very few stories can add so much positive emotions to a immense plot twist. And emotion is one of the core quality of One Piece. This is why this plot twist is so monumental. It has everything and delivers it with simplicity, just like Mozart does it with music.
This is why for me ... this plot twist is like and as good as a great symphony.
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