Character Discussion What is Oda actually trying to say with Harald’s story?

#1
Memes and jokes aside, what is Oda actually trying to have us readers feel and understand from Harald’s story?

At first I thought Harald was a good version of Oden but that is seemingly being relegated to a meme. Because I think to Oda, Oden is a more noble character than Harald.

I think to Oda, Oden’s mistake was that he was a goddamn idiot. But aside from that Oden was the ideal man in Oda’s eyes who just happened to be too stupid to live. I think Oda despises fucking Harald. Harald is a complete self-hating racist against his own kind and I think Oda fucking hates this mentality.

Yes One piece has the general message of “peace” and Oda will probably have it that it’s somewhat good that the current Day Elbaf kids aren’t just warmongering brutes from birth. But I think Oda is fully indicting the way this situation went about being fueled by Harald hating his race so much that he thinks his entire godamn race must pay for the crimes of their ancestors or some shit by becoming these pacifist weaklings.
 
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#2
That a country can only fight the world alone for so long. Elbaf has been fighting the entire world for over a thousand years, and because of that their people have stagnated. They have been branded as barbarians and lack education outside of their own violent history. Hell the Elbaf traditionalist ideology that comes from a lack of advancement forced Harald to take a wife of someone he did not love and caused his people to misunderstand the world and the world to hate his people.

Harald wanted to change that. He wanted to bring peace and advancement to a nation who has been stuck in the past at all cost. Even if he had to sacrifice himself.

The theme of Harald is that there’s no advancement without sacrifice. Harald sacrificed himself as an example to his country that they too must sacrifice to advance, and in doing so he caused a huge change in Elbaf for the first time in a millennium.
 
#3
Considering Elbaf is home to a nation of 50 foot vikings, it's not much of an exaggeration to say they probably did actually terrorize people for centuries. So, if Loki had his way, they'd just be nothing more then vikings and marauders, which isn't exactly a good thing.

Now, Harald is the other side of the extreme. He has a point it is a good thing to be more then marauders...but he's turned Elbaf into a toothless lion and he was far too naive.

So, the best outcome is Elbaf uses it's might as a peacekeeper. To help others but without losing it's martial edge.
 
#9
Naivete

Same as Lolden

Like the dude above said, oda's trying to say too much pacifism is just as bad as too much aggression

But of course to make that point, lolda has to make his characters take retarded and downright fucking dumb choices, which ultimately ruins them completely.

Same shit happened with lolden the retard.
I'm curious to see what happens next chapter. If what he did actually changes minds or not.
 
#10
Where are you getting that Elbaf has been at constant war with the WG?

Harald has never indicated that his motivation is fear of Elbaf being destroyed by the wh or whatever. The only motivation Harald had given is that he simply wants Giants to no longer be seen as evil. That’s all
Not the world government. With the world as a whole. They’ve been terrorizing the world for hundreds of years. I didn’t say he was scared, I’m saying Elbaf has been against the world for so long they haven’t been able to join globalization and their society suffered because of it.
 
#11
Same Message teased by Otohime & Fisher Tiger's Flashback,
Same Message teased by Rayleigh when He said "You might come to a Different Conclusion than us",
Same Message teased by Vegapunk when He said "He doesn't know which Side was Right or what triggered their Conflict",
Same Message teased by Doflamingo's Famous Speeches,
Same Message teased by Narrator in Arabasta Arc,
... etc

Both Answers are "Wrong"!
Two Faces of Same Coin, but if Both are Wrong, that means the Coin Toss itself is Wrong, putting yourself in Position to Choose is Wrong,

SHs are on a Journey to End their Own Roles,
Chopper is going to Create a World where Doctors are Obsolete,
Sanji is going to Create a World where Cooks are Obsolete,
Nami is going to Create a World where Navigators are Obsolete,
... etc

This means Luffy is on a Journey to Create a World where "Leaders" are Obsolete,
Oda apparently believes that The World can be Fixed if Luffy turns it entirely like Mock Town but Fixed with his Crew's Dreams/Achievements,
This is why He will continue to repeat this Message showing Leaders Failing or both Choices giving a Bad Ending,
Put this Idea in your Eyes & go Re-Read any Flashback or Arc or Story in One Piece, it's same Message,

Otohime tried to Ally with Humans, but Failed,
While Tiger tried to Fight Humans, and also Failed,
How?

Otohime was Killed by a Fish-Man, Someone that Tiger could have Tamed,
While Tiger was Killed by Humans, whom Otohime could have Reasoned with, (If She can Fix a CD, She can Fix anyone)
So you see, it was thinking that there a Choice that Doomed both, when They should have instead worked together & fixed their own Problems first, which Manifested in The Form of Hody Jones & Luffy Defeated it, and now Jinbe & Shirahoshi can Finish what those Two Started,

Harald tried to Ally with WG, while Xebec tried to Fight it, but both Failed,
Xebec Died against WG (Imu mainly) whom Harald apparently was able to Reason with, (Holy Knights talked about visiting his Grave),
While Harald was stabbed by his Own Men, who Xebec could have Tamed just like He Tamed all those Pirates,

Now, We have Loki who wants to Fight WG, and Blackbeard who wants to Join it, (They are our New Shirahoshi & Jinbe),
The Answer is to make them Allied & work together, and Fix Elbaph's Problem which is gonna Manifest in The Form of some Villain similar to Hody Jones, (Whoever was present the Night Harald was Killed & plotted his Death)
 
#16
Memes and jokes aside, what is Oda actually trying to have us readers feel and understand from Harald’s story?

At first I thought Harald was a good version of Oden but that is seemingly being relegated to a meme. Because I think to Oda, Oden is a more noble character than Harald.

I think to Oda, Oden’s mistake was that he was a goddamn idiot. But aside from that Oden was the ideal man in Oda’s eyes who just happened to be too stupid to live. I think Oda despises fucking Harald. Harald is a complete self-hating racist against his own kind and I think Oda fucking hates this mentality.

Yes One piece has the general message of “peace” and Oda will probably have it that it’s somewhat good that the current Day Elbaf kids aren’t just warmongering brutes from birth. But I think Oda is fully indicting the way this situation went about being fueled by Harald hating his race so much that he thinks his entire godamn race must pay for the crimes of their ancestors or some shit by becoming these pacifist weaklings.
I don't know what you guys expect from Harald, to join Rocks and get killed too, or to keep allowing his men to attack civilians (some of them not affiliate to WG), or to starve his people because he's unwilling to accept reality and is gonna suicide himself against WG, that has millions of men (confirmed by this chapter). And for what? Like Harald did the right thing in a situation where the WG is OP and can kill anyone, and destroy any country.
 
#20
That......don't be like Harald.

A king even after knowing about the most sinful activities done by WG, and still begged them to be allies to the point of offering himself as slave if that is required.

Elbaf is unaffiliated country for several centuries and is safe and wasn't anywhere near getting oppressed by any other nation.
Harald was obsessed with WG and fumbles everything.
He then becomes a pawn and dies + killing several of his men, but that's the consequences he already accepted lol.
His friend dies and he also dies exactly due to the same enemy.
Elbaf remains unaffiliated and his son goes berserk and got humbled and chained.
Nothing but L, this is too fictionally retarded. And probably there isn't any idiot leader of the country in real life....I HOPE
:kayneshrug:
 
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