I think this climax is one of my favorite parts in all of One Piece. It's absurd. it's easily my favorite teamwork we've seen and it's bringing out the best sides to an entire cast of characters we don't get to see enough of. I can't believe how awesome this has been. And, I think it will only get more awesome.
Firstly, I was so dumb not to see the obvious foreshadowing. Earlier we saw Mr.3 give Luffy a big wax modification to make him stronger. Later in the scene where we saw Buggy and Mr.3 trying to get through the poison wall, Mr.3 gave Buggy a wax gauntlet and we saw that due to that gauntlet it did not hurt Buggy's flesh or poison him. It was obvious foreshadowing but I was too busy thinking about the likes of Crocodile and Mr.1 to notice it, who imo have been relegated to the Sanji and Zoro of this arc, at least in their fearless fighting prowess.
So to bring that foreshadowing together in what is looking like my favorite team fight in the entire series is so amazing. I had predicted that Mr.3 and Buggy would have to have some great moments where they fought for the group and for Mr.3 to create that candle wall and save everyone, supply the artillery with shields, and genuinely help Luffy after giving him armor by blocking Hydra's is like more than I could ever ask for. Not only that, but I genuinely think Magellan is an endearing and great character and in different circumstances I would easily be rooting for him.
And it's not only Mr. 3, this arc is bringing the best sides out of everyone. Like I said earlier we can see Crocodile and Mr.1 being the much needed and fearless attack power of the escape group.
Mr. 3, Ivan, Inazuma, and Jimbei being the much needed support.
We even have the likes of Buggy showing why people can follow him so sincerely, sure in the end he's a self interested jerk but there's a reason why he's acquainted with so many legendary people. He sticks around with the strong and through dumb perseverance and an inability to not believe in himself being the greatest person in the world he gets what he wants, when he wants it, one way or another, and in the long term he does not give up. When he was at the gates he was commanding the people under him like a damn good captain, "GET READY, EVEN IF A THOUSAND NAVY MEN ARE OUT THERE WAITING FOR US, WE WILL BREAK OUT!", such words from Buggy of all people without a hint of his arrogance or ego kinda moved me.
Plus, it characterized Jimbei to be such a wonderful person this arc already. He's calm and collected and able to redirect Luffy's rage in appropriate directions. He's intellectual and was able to pick up on Magellan's amazing plan and work around it. He's incredibly strong, able to carry a door on his back that required the entire riot to even push it open and presumably swam faster than sea kings to launch his strongest people onto a navy ship. And lastly, he has a resolve and conviction he will gladly die for, for Ace and Whitebeard and peace. His line, "We may not make it but after coming this far we may as well go as far as we can" moved me.
THIS CLIMAX IS OUT OF THE WORLD AND I HOPE I EXPRESSED WHY IT EXCITED ME SO MUCH... This is seriously some of the greatest and most intense teamwork I've seen in this anime, it's so over the top, and it's so amazing for the characters involved. So, Croc, Mr.1, and Buggy are to slaughter and steal a navy ship on their own and fight off all the other ships around them. Jimbei will probably help. Then they will swoop back and pick everyone up. While that is happening Luffy and Mr.3 and their gang will fight Magellan with wax gloves and teamwork.
Sure, they could have used the sea prism nets against Magellan but you know what, since I've already accepted sea prism tactics as a plot device I've already stopped thinking about that as a possibility so to have all this amazing stuff instead of it is 100% okay with me.
P.S. Luffy had some incredible moments this episode too. No matter how many times he shows his resolve I will get chills in lines such as, "Remember you almost died fighting him last time!", "But, I'm alive now!", and "Do you forget what happened last time?", "I FORGOT IT ALL!". After having so much of Luffy getting his butt kicked it will be nice to see him probably come out on top with that resolve he's refused to give up on for once. Even though he nearly died last time and he's had so much failure, the thought of Magellan killing his friends was enough to send him barreling in to beat Magellan's face in. :) |