#I mean we all saw it coming but if he didn't have that cinnection you think it would have stopped Zoro for one second?

[gildedmuse]

One Piece can sometimes appear at odds with it's self.

That's true in a myriad of ways, but in this case I'm referring to how certain elements of the story seem to support Make Your Own Destiny or Self Determination. Luffy's whole goal is basically the search for freedom: he wants to live for himself and not by the rules of others. The Celestial Dragons are clearly in the moral wrong, and you see that especially strongly with Doflamingo, who believes he was simply born better than the rest of humanity, and that power and influence are his birthright. Ace's entire motivation stemmed from finding his own place in the world, rebelling against his name and heritage and claiming his own family.

The problem is that Ace failed.

Luffy is fighting for freedom, but also he's the son of one of the top revolutionaries AND one of the legendary marine generals AND he's got that whole Will Of The D thing going for him. We see characters like Zoro, Sanji, and Robin get stronger, prove their worth, struggle to move ahead but we're also shown that life has always been pushing them in those directions. Zoro isn't just a random boy who picked up a sword and decided to be the Best Ever. No, his best friend was the grand-daughter of one of the most talented swordsmiths in the world, he inherited this damn near legendary blade, he himself is descended from a long line of heroes from the Land of Wano and he is one with the FEWEST family connections.

We're told these characters are fighting for these impossible dreams and beating the odds and pushing themselves to go further, but you have to admit.... They inherited a great deal of it. They may have fought their way to where they are, but they didn't fight against fate.

You see if with Conquer's Haki. If a work really dug in to that self determination theme, don't you think anyone could learn conquerer's haki? Given that they had a strong enough will and drive, they should be able to. But we're also told it's something very few people can do, and it does seem to be a gift you are just born with. Because you are Special. Different.

Those themes are especially heavy in Wano. It's hard to watch Kunjuro's scenes and not feel as if the people of Wano created their own villains. They slaughter his family for the sins of their forefathers. But, the Kurozumi clan never should have tried to take that power, it clearly belonged to Oden. And maybe Oden is just such an amazing and good and beloved and wise and strong person that he deserved to be the one Wano entrusted with their rights and lives, but the fact remains, he wasn't just some orphaned kid with no family connection, no heritages to those titles. No, Oden could have been a reprehensible creep and he still would have a birthright to those titles. But of course he isn't, that is part of the whole idea that your family and history is enough to grant you privilege and advantages over others, that you have earned something simply by being born. You will be good enough, gracious enough, strong enough because you were born for this role. And anyone undeserving who tries to take that will fail.

For the record: I do not think One Piece has settled on either side just yet, and it may never do so.

But damn, why ya gotta be pressing all this onto poor Momonosuke like that?

Momonosuke is just caught in the middle of all this mess. The Blood Of The Rightful Ruler runs through his veins, he has Trained To Be The Man His Father Was, his mother pushed him through time itself. I mean, if that's not destiny giving you a nudge....

And do you know who he has supporting him?

Yamato: a boy who shares the blood with an indestructible yonko the spirit of the people of Wano

Roronoa Zoro: Inheritor of the opposite of his father's blade, descended from heroes from Wano, a man whose rival/friend's bloodline is the same bloodline that created the fable sword of Momo's father, a blade that only Zoro has otherwise been shown to be able to master.

Monkey D. Luffy - the spiritual successor to the pirate king who at a young age Shanks recognized as that being his true place, whose family is filled with these amazing men who helped to shape the world he lives in, who carries this secret initial of power and shines with the colors of kings and speaks to all things.

And all the people Luffy has gathered around him, some by choice and some by chance, fate and free will equally. But all there in support of Momonosuke.

Momonosuke has everything going for him, like he was fated to this role, like he was born to it, and certainly everyone keeps telling him that. Even Luffy pushed Momonosuke, to be as brave as he needs to and to be the leader his people need him to be.

Again, the kid is like nine, tops. While on reality it may have been years since his father's death and his mother prophecy and accompanying death, Momonosuke. And, you know, considering the really terrible events that have transpired, all because people keep insisting that this is something that he was born to do, that he should be able to do it because his family name and his parents strength and the enormous pressures they managed to shoulder.....

Earlier in this arc, Luffy pretty much bullied this kid into being strong. For a country he barely lived in, for a time period he is not from all so that he could be the leader a bunch of goddamn adults need him to be?

Momonosuke isn't destined to this shit, but everyone sure is dog piling it on him hard enough that he won't be able to get out no matter what he wants.

I don't know how this arc is going to end. I feel like it's building up to something - all this constant pushing of responsibility onto Momonosuke and the clear themes of some people having the born right to rule and how it directly contradicts the idea of Doflamingo.... Those can't be leading nowhere. On the other hand, I'm not sure One Piece has realistically given itself many choices that don't read as, "born to rule, part deux!" Just because it's not Momonosuke doesn't mean you won't end with much the same lesson, especially when most of your major characters are simply Special Chosen Bloodline Will Of D Awesome Amazing Special.

You're just kind of passing it down the line.

But damn it all. This scene had some transphobic body comments/visuals, it made light of an emotional moment to the point of purposefully visual-audio dissonance that I did not expect, and, yes it made sure to keep pumping that pressure into this poor ACTUAL EMOTIONAL, PHYSICAL, MENTAL CHILD. Which after the whole murdered parents, witness to tragedy, life or death situations, and fucking time travel is just unnecessary.

But it had this small moment where it let Momonosuke be a person.

Not even a child, but just an actual human with human thought and feelings and the need to process things like grief.

This post got way too long but don't create a show like this that is so dependent on characters and then act surprise when after months and months of mistreating one of them I'm like, okay but where are you going with this? Because despite some depressing scenes One Piece is an optimistic work. I don't think it will just destroy an entire country because, predictably,a nine year old could not shoulder the burden of intense personal tragedy and then just take on all of society's issues as well without, you know, cracking apart.

But kinda that is what this kid deserves to do right now.

Here's hoping the person that realizes this is a man who fought against his father's own expectations by creating even larger, less realistic ones for himself.