By that, I mean, who was Toritoma, the predecessor of Boa Hancock? 1059 sure is a loaded chapter. Yet, my favorite reveal was Shakky’s:
I’m a sucker for a good love story. So far, my favorite thing about Admiral Ryokugyu is his great tattoo:
It references the tragic Japanese love story Shinagawa Shinju. Two forbidden lovers who could only be together in death. Pretty much a Romeo & Juliet situation.
Now, when it comes to the Shakky-reveal, it was believed by some that Oda may have created a plot hole. In Chapter 522, Gloriosa explains what had happened to the previous two empresses of Amazon Lily:
Well, Shakky was the empress before last. And she’s alive and well. Looks remarkable for her age even. As of the latest SBS, it has been confirmed that Gloriosa was speaking in a figurative sense.
The Empress from Two Generations Ago (Shakky)
Along with the reveal of having been a former Empress of Amazon Lily, it was also revealed that Shakky was the former Captain of the Kuja Pirates. Forty-odd years ago. It seems the two jobs go hand-in-hand. Presumably, Shakky retired once she was stricken by the love sickness. As Rayleigh is currently her husband, I’d say it’s a safe bet to make that it was him who made her lovesick all those years ago.
At first, it sounds that it may not be the case as Rayleigh was still sailing with Roger twenty-three years before the present timeline. However, I don’t see that as an issue considering the way Shakky talks about him:
She doesn’t seem to mind him disappearing for long stretches of time. Or even if he’s messing around with other women. He’ll come home eventually. Go, Oda-sensei, for including an open marriage in the series! Still, to be with her man, even if just a little while, Shakky had to abdicate the throne and move off the Island of Women. Pretty much being “killed off” by her Amazonian sisters. I speculate that Shakky may have never been able to set foot in Amazon Lily again if it weren’t for the good graces of Boa Hancock and the other Boa sisters.
After being freed as slaves from Mariejoa by Fisher Tiger, Gloriosa found the sisters and took them to Sabaody to stay with Shakky and Rayleigh. They couldn’t return to Amazon Lily straight away because of the mark of the Celestial Dragons on their backs. So, the story about how they slayed a gorgon was created:
Because of this made-up story, the Boa sisters were able to return to Amazon Lily as heroes. Heroines? Well, sure as hell not as “victims”. The women of Amazon Lily pride themselves as strong female warriors. But it seems that any woman of theirs that succumbs to a man for any reason is banished. Even if it’s due to circumstances far beyond their control as it was for the Boa sisters. With both Shakky and Gloriosa having been former empresses, they were probably the ones to tell the Boa sisters to not tell anyone the truth about their backs if they wished to return home. However, Hancock is shown to treat Gloriosa horribly for having left the country to deal with her love sickness. But, on the flipside,... he mentions to Mihawk how their distrust in others is something they have in common. Who knows how long Crocodile’s trust issues stretch back. But a failed relationship sure wouldn’t help improve his nihilistic outlook.
Love Kills
Throughout the Alabasta Arc, Crocodile sure doesn’t miss an opportunity to antagonize Vivi over her efforts to save her country. It's so excessive that it almost feels like he's projecting some personal experience of his own onto her. As I mentioned above, I believe the last Empress of Amazon Lily succumbed to the love sickness. With her refusal to abdicate and leave the country to deal with it, she stayed put and eventually died as a result. The only real proof I have of this is that Hancock refers to her as "Benevolent".
Gloriosa is viewed as a traitor for having left once, and I suspect Shakky is, too. For the previous Empress to be viewed as "Benevolent", she must have died while on the throne. However, for her having pardoned Gloriosa, she must have understood how painful it is dealing with the love sickness. It is mentioned she had it herself.
Now, I know what you're thinking. How can such a benevolent woman fall in love with a jerk like Crocodile? Opposites attract, to put it simply. Besides, Crocodile is shown to be quite a charmer when he wants to be. However, I don't think it's outside the realm of possibility that he's genuinely been in love before. Love is like a flower that sometimes blooms in the least likely of places.
That might be what Ivankov likes about Croco-boy. And maybe the favor that he owes is due to Iva having once helped play matchmaker. As a queen, Iva may have access to Amazon Lily that Crocodile does not. Or at the very least, had the ability to approach the Kuja Pirates.
When Boa Hancock goes to Impel Down and is escorted to Level 6 to see Ace in Chapter 531, Crocodile was shown reacting to her presence alongside him and Jinbe:
Having once been fellow Warlords together, he should have been more than aware of the powers of her Mero Mero no Mi. He could have been reacting simply based on that knowledge. Or maybe the sight of the current Empress of Amazon Lily brought up certain repressed memories of his?
Again, to Crocodile, forming attachments to others is seen as weakness. He thought Luffy was a fool for putting his life at risk to help Vivi. Hell, he thought Vivi was foolish for trying to save her country. Like, why do the people matter so much to her?
If Crocodile truly was involved with the previous Empress, they may have argued over her refusal to leave. Why was she sacrificing her own happiness to serve this little country out in the middle of the Calm Belt? We did see how at the end of Alabasta, Vivi wanted so badly to continue sailing on with the Straw Hat Pirates. But she had her duties as a princess that she didn't want to abandon. Maybe the empress before Boa Hancock suffered a similar difficult decision. And like Vivi, she ultimately decided to stay and protect her country.
Hancock, on the other hand, seems ready to go. If Luffy ever pops the question, she's gone. We see this as recently as Chapter 1059:
Crocodile sure does have the worst luck now that I think about it. He was just screwed out of an Emperor position because of Buggy's screw-up with the poster for the Cross Guild. Back in Alabasta, he risked everything he had to find the poneglyph there only for Robin to lie about what's written on it. So, I think it would also be his luck to fall in love with the one empress who chose NOT to leave her position in order to deal with her love sickness. Left him with a broken heart as a result.
I think the panel that best hints at a potential past heartbreak for Crocodile comes at the end of Marineford:
If the empress who broke his heart did so to stay behind and protect her country, then she effectively failed to do that when she died. To him then, her sacrifice was for naught. The love she had for her country literally killed her. So, it really disgusted him to see Vivi show that same love for Alabasta. I imagine...
Conclusion
In my opinion, Amazon Lily is one of the best fleshed-out countries we've seen so far, where its culture plays a huge role in shaping its inhabitants. The women pride themselves so much on being strong and independent, they've turned away any of their own who show signs of vulnerability. With Gloriosa and Shakky having fallen in love before and traveled the outer seas, they understand how being vulnerable is not necessarily a weakness. So, they stick around and serve as mentors to Boa Hancock, in spite of knowing the truth about her past. And they don't even shame her for loving Luffy.
After rereading Chapter 1059, I suspect Amazon Lily may not exist as we know it now by the end of the series. That may be foreshadowed by the snakes in the mountain being cut off by S-Hawk. Like Wano, Amazon Lily will cease its isolationism. Men will finally be permitted to travel within, and women can be free to love. The Calm Belt is no longer as inaccessible as it once was. Gloriosa pointed that out in this chapter.
As for the previous Empress, it's sad that she passed before she could witness such a change. She might have lived had she not been forced to choose between her love or her country. Then, Croco-boy wouldn't have (possibly) been left like this:
Oda does romance and does it well. Though, these little love tales never steal away from the main plot, which is Luffy's adventure. But maybe because of Luffy, Boa Hancock goes on to be the one who pushes for a change in Amazon Lily's culture. I'd say that would be a satisfying end to her character arc. Even if she and Luffy don't end up together, he's made enough of an impact on her that will never be forgotten.
TL;DR: 40 years ago, Shakky caught the love sickness because of Rayleigh. Their marriage has always been an open one, though. While she had to leave Amazon Lily as a result, she's always stayed near to help protect it. Rayleigh, as her love, helps, too. Still, she might be viewed as a traitor for having left, like Gloriosa. So, in Chapter 522, she is widely believed to be dead. She and Rayleigh can only approach Amazon Lily from the outskirts to not be seen by too many.
With this latest reveal of Shakky having been the former Empress of Amazon Lily and Captain of the Kuja Pirates from two generations ago, it got me wondering who the empress and captain from the last generation was. (I.e., before Boa Hancock). Unlike Shakky, we know that she died. I believe she was stricken by the love sickness by someone around Shanks' age. Around 40-ish. My guess is Crocodile.
He's middle-aged and bitter. And he sure projected some sort of past hurt onto Princess Vivi based on the way he repeatedly antagonized her for trying to protect Alabasta from him. It was almost like he hated her for choosing duty to her country over being free. Regardless, because Crocodile did show he's capable of love once before, Ivankov kind of grew a soft spot for him. That's the "weakness" Ivankov knows about.
I’m a sucker for a good love story. So far, my favorite thing about Admiral Ryokugyu is his great tattoo:
It references the tragic Japanese love story Shinagawa Shinju. Two forbidden lovers who could only be together in death. Pretty much a Romeo & Juliet situation.
Now, when it comes to the Shakky-reveal, it was believed by some that Oda may have created a plot hole. In Chapter 522, Gloriosa explains what had happened to the previous two empresses of Amazon Lily:
Well, Shakky was the empress before last. And she’s alive and well. Looks remarkable for her age even. As of the latest SBS, it has been confirmed that Gloriosa was speaking in a figurative sense.
The Empress from Two Generations Ago (Shakky)
Along with the reveal of having been a former Empress of Amazon Lily, it was also revealed that Shakky was the former Captain of the Kuja Pirates. Forty-odd years ago. It seems the two jobs go hand-in-hand. Presumably, Shakky retired once she was stricken by the love sickness. As Rayleigh is currently her husband, I’d say it’s a safe bet to make that it was him who made her lovesick all those years ago.
At first, it sounds that it may not be the case as Rayleigh was still sailing with Roger twenty-three years before the present timeline. However, I don’t see that as an issue considering the way Shakky talks about him:
She doesn’t seem to mind him disappearing for long stretches of time. Or even if he’s messing around with other women. He’ll come home eventually. Go, Oda-sensei, for including an open marriage in the series! Still, to be with her man, even if just a little while, Shakky had to abdicate the throne and move off the Island of Women. Pretty much being “killed off” by her Amazonian sisters. I speculate that Shakky may have never been able to set foot in Amazon Lily again if it weren’t for the good graces of Boa Hancock and the other Boa sisters.
After being freed as slaves from Mariejoa by Fisher Tiger, Gloriosa found the sisters and took them to Sabaody to stay with Shakky and Rayleigh. They couldn’t return to Amazon Lily straight away because of the mark of the Celestial Dragons on their backs. So, the story about how they slayed a gorgon was created:
Because of this made-up story, the Boa sisters were able to return to Amazon Lily as heroes. Heroines? Well, sure as hell not as “victims”. The women of Amazon Lily pride themselves as strong female warriors. But it seems that any woman of theirs that succumbs to a man for any reason is banished. Even if it’s due to circumstances far beyond their control as it was for the Boa sisters. With both Shakky and Gloriosa having been former empresses, they were probably the ones to tell the Boa sisters to not tell anyone the truth about their backs if they wished to return home. However, Hancock is shown to treat Gloriosa horribly for having left the country to deal with her love sickness. But, on the flipside,... he mentions to Mihawk how their distrust in others is something they have in common. Who knows how long Crocodile’s trust issues stretch back. But a failed relationship sure wouldn’t help improve his nihilistic outlook.
Love Kills
Throughout the Alabasta Arc, Crocodile sure doesn’t miss an opportunity to antagonize Vivi over her efforts to save her country. It's so excessive that it almost feels like he's projecting some personal experience of his own onto her. As I mentioned above, I believe the last Empress of Amazon Lily succumbed to the love sickness. With her refusal to abdicate and leave the country to deal with it, she stayed put and eventually died as a result. The only real proof I have of this is that Hancock refers to her as "Benevolent".
Gloriosa is viewed as a traitor for having left once, and I suspect Shakky is, too. For the previous Empress to be viewed as "Benevolent", she must have died while on the throne. However, for her having pardoned Gloriosa, she must have understood how painful it is dealing with the love sickness. It is mentioned she had it herself.
Now, I know what you're thinking. How can such a benevolent woman fall in love with a jerk like Crocodile? Opposites attract, to put it simply. Besides, Crocodile is shown to be quite a charmer when he wants to be. However, I don't think it's outside the realm of possibility that he's genuinely been in love before. Love is like a flower that sometimes blooms in the least likely of places.
That might be what Ivankov likes about Croco-boy. And maybe the favor that he owes is due to Iva having once helped play matchmaker. As a queen, Iva may have access to Amazon Lily that Crocodile does not. Or at the very least, had the ability to approach the Kuja Pirates.
When Boa Hancock goes to Impel Down and is escorted to Level 6 to see Ace in Chapter 531, Crocodile was shown reacting to her presence alongside him and Jinbe:
Having once been fellow Warlords together, he should have been more than aware of the powers of her Mero Mero no Mi. He could have been reacting simply based on that knowledge. Or maybe the sight of the current Empress of Amazon Lily brought up certain repressed memories of his?
Again, to Crocodile, forming attachments to others is seen as weakness. He thought Luffy was a fool for putting his life at risk to help Vivi. Hell, he thought Vivi was foolish for trying to save her country. Like, why do the people matter so much to her?
If Crocodile truly was involved with the previous Empress, they may have argued over her refusal to leave. Why was she sacrificing her own happiness to serve this little country out in the middle of the Calm Belt? We did see how at the end of Alabasta, Vivi wanted so badly to continue sailing on with the Straw Hat Pirates. But she had her duties as a princess that she didn't want to abandon. Maybe the empress before Boa Hancock suffered a similar difficult decision. And like Vivi, she ultimately decided to stay and protect her country.
Hancock, on the other hand, seems ready to go. If Luffy ever pops the question, she's gone. We see this as recently as Chapter 1059:
Crocodile sure does have the worst luck now that I think about it. He was just screwed out of an Emperor position because of Buggy's screw-up with the poster for the Cross Guild. Back in Alabasta, he risked everything he had to find the poneglyph there only for Robin to lie about what's written on it. So, I think it would also be his luck to fall in love with the one empress who chose NOT to leave her position in order to deal with her love sickness. Left him with a broken heart as a result.
I think the panel that best hints at a potential past heartbreak for Crocodile comes at the end of Marineford:
If the empress who broke his heart did so to stay behind and protect her country, then she effectively failed to do that when she died. To him then, her sacrifice was for naught. The love she had for her country literally killed her. So, it really disgusted him to see Vivi show that same love for Alabasta. I imagine...
Conclusion
In my opinion, Amazon Lily is one of the best fleshed-out countries we've seen so far, where its culture plays a huge role in shaping its inhabitants. The women pride themselves so much on being strong and independent, they've turned away any of their own who show signs of vulnerability. With Gloriosa and Shakky having fallen in love before and traveled the outer seas, they understand how being vulnerable is not necessarily a weakness. So, they stick around and serve as mentors to Boa Hancock, in spite of knowing the truth about her past. And they don't even shame her for loving Luffy.
After rereading Chapter 1059, I suspect Amazon Lily may not exist as we know it now by the end of the series. That may be foreshadowed by the snakes in the mountain being cut off by S-Hawk. Like Wano, Amazon Lily will cease its isolationism. Men will finally be permitted to travel within, and women can be free to love. The Calm Belt is no longer as inaccessible as it once was. Gloriosa pointed that out in this chapter.
As for the previous Empress, it's sad that she passed before she could witness such a change. She might have lived had she not been forced to choose between her love or her country. Then, Croco-boy wouldn't have (possibly) been left like this:
Oda does romance and does it well. Though, these little love tales never steal away from the main plot, which is Luffy's adventure. But maybe because of Luffy, Boa Hancock goes on to be the one who pushes for a change in Amazon Lily's culture. I'd say that would be a satisfying end to her character arc. Even if she and Luffy don't end up together, he's made enough of an impact on her that will never be forgotten.
TL;DR: 40 years ago, Shakky caught the love sickness because of Rayleigh. Their marriage has always been an open one, though. While she had to leave Amazon Lily as a result, she's always stayed near to help protect it. Rayleigh, as her love, helps, too. Still, she might be viewed as a traitor for having left, like Gloriosa. So, in Chapter 522, she is widely believed to be dead. She and Rayleigh can only approach Amazon Lily from the outskirts to not be seen by too many.
With this latest reveal of Shakky having been the former Empress of Amazon Lily and Captain of the Kuja Pirates from two generations ago, it got me wondering who the empress and captain from the last generation was. (I.e., before Boa Hancock). Unlike Shakky, we know that she died. I believe she was stricken by the love sickness by someone around Shanks' age. Around 40-ish. My guess is Crocodile.
He's middle-aged and bitter. And he sure projected some sort of past hurt onto Princess Vivi based on the way he repeatedly antagonized her for trying to protect Alabasta from him. It was almost like he hated her for choosing duty to her country over being free. Regardless, because Crocodile did show he's capable of love once before, Ivankov kind of grew a soft spot for him. That's the "weakness" Ivankov knows about.
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