#op ch93

[salteytakesonmanga]

Something I’ve occasionally wondered about this scene is why Luffy took it upon himself to destroy that room instead of letting Nami get her own revenge. Luffy has a lot of emotional intelligence so he understands that some people need to take care of something like this with their own hands. So what was it about this situation that made him decide to destroy it himself?

But I realized recently, sometimes when you’re so deep in the hole you can’t get yourself out. Even if you know how, even if you’re perfectly capable of it, you can’t take that first step. Luffy had seen how paralyzed Nami was trying to ask for help so he understood that even if she wanted to, even if it would have helped in a way, Nami needed someone else to do it. Not because she couldn’t, but because she needed to really SEE the proof that she had people who cared for her enough to do it for her. Fighting Arlong was Luffy’s “job,” but destroying the room is what he did for Nami.

That’s part of what makes Luffy such a powerful character. He doesn’t do this stuff because it’s the “right thing to do” or because it’s part of his master plan. He does it only because he loves people.

[salteytakesonmanga]

It’s kind of funny to remember that everyone is just standing around outside wondering what the hell is happening inside.

Oda has said that Luffy isn’t the type to talk about stuff that’s happened in the past, so there’s an excellent chance that nobody ever actually learns exactly how his fight with Arlong ended.

[salteytakesonmanga]

It’s no wonder this conversation is what made Luffy lose it. Though it hasn’t been spelled out in the story yet, everything Arlong is saying is a direct contradiction of Luffy’s “freedom.” Being comfortable isn’t enough, having luxuries isn’t enough, doing what you love isn’t enough… Again, it would be easy to see this sort of compromise as maybe kind of an okay life, if it weren’t for the fact that Nami is effectively a prisoner. The word “freedom” doesn’t come up at all this chapter, but the idea is still present.

[salteytakesonmanga]

It must be incredible for Nami to realize that Luffy understands her. I mean really understands her. For years she was hiding everything from the villagers, and having to act friendly with her captors, and seeing everyone outside of Cocoyashi as either a mark or an enemy. And now this dumbass takes one look at that room and GETS IT. This look on her face is like she can’t believe anyone could actually understand anymore.

Meanwhile Luffy looks grimly determined to destroy everything he can reach. He’s so focused on busting up this room he’s ignoring Arlong.

[salteytakesonmanga]

He said he’d break Arlong’s nose, and that’s what he did.

Like I said before, the fact that Luffy said he would do something everyone else said was impossible and then he actually did it matters. Luffy makes the impossible possible, and he never, ever lies.

[salteytakesonmanga]

And then for Arlong to say he’s doing all this because they’re “nakama.” Arlong is formidable opponent, but I think the thing that makes him the most terrifying is how normal and rational he sounds when he’s saying the most horrible things. No wonder “nakama” is the most painful word for Nami, if this is what it’s meant for all these years.

[salteytakesonmanga]

Something I like about how Luffy states this denial is he really doesn’t care. He doesn’t even care enough to understand.

A lot of times when a shonen protagonist gets the whole backstory and then says “I don’t care about any of that, I’m going to do (dramatic heroic thing) anyway,” it’s because they’ve considered all of those things and decide to do it in spite of them. Luffy can’t even be arsed to pay attention to what people are worried about here. He’s not talking about the reasons behind these issues, he’s just repeating the words back because he simply does not understand what Arlong is talking about.

[salteytakesonmanga]

This is a fun dramatic layout. I like how dramatic Oda made Garp’s collapse. Koby and Helmeppo’s shocked expressions are so over the top, even compared to the other Marines.

[salteytakesonmanga]

Luffy really felt that one. This is one of the most agonized expressions I can remember ever seeing Luffy make.

[salteytakesonmanga]

For all of the foreshadowing about how Arlong’s rage would destroy Arlong Park, its actual destruction wound up having nothing to do with that at all. If anything, it’s more interesting to me that moments before Arlong Park was destroyed Arlong and Luffy seemed to be having a perfectly calm conversation.