HAHAHAHA. So, Fukuboshi basically explained in a few lines everything that I've been picking up about Hordy. He basically said it exactly how I have a few times. He perpetuates his beliefs, he wants to think humans are evil and his "cause" is justification for his hatred and his hatred is an end in itself with no goal making him a distinctly different beast than someone like Arlong. Someone despicable, someone not even misguided.. Rather he's not losing control of the devil inside of him, nor is he controlling it, he rather is the devil embodied. I was so sure he said "nothing" but then when Fukuboshi said his "true identity" was found out I thought maybe I had a wrong reading of him. But, it appears my reading on him was correct. Still, for someone to be as disgustingly cruel and sadistic as he is I still feel there has to be more there. Not just anyone can be that ruthless and horrible. He had a change through his life, he wasn't always like this. The ideology and racism polluted his mind and created a hatred in him, but I don't believe that creates the willingness for bloodshed among even your own. That, to me, seems to require another step and that's not even touching on his eagerness to die by downing so many drugs that are already putting him through so much pain. Still, despite feeling a little misleading with Fukuboshi's words, I think it's built up to this perfectly. I'd see Hordy in no other way so I'm glad I wasn't wrong about him.
Other than the truth about Hordy being confirmed this was a big episode for the war going on. Sanji and Jimbei teamed up on Wadatsumi and Sanji used his tactical mind to get the stupid giant sea baby to inflate himself 10 times over to the point of harming his own teammates. I love how Wadatsumi can't talk or has to talk fast or he lets air out. So that should be a decent benefit in the Straw Hats favour and we saw Wadatsumi getting even bigger when he wasn't the focus. We had the minister order the soldiers to do all they can for the Straw Hats, as their saviors were treated so poorly by them, now the Straw Hats + Jimbei turned into the Straw Hats + Jimbei + the lasting Neptune army and the minister. Then on top of that second big move for the Straw Hats to have more of an advantage we had the glorious Robin and Jimbei moment. We have Hammond, the guy Luffy easily one shot awhile back finally back and in the fight absolutely mimicking Celestial Dragons, using slaves to carry him shamelessly. Of course that would hurt Jimbei, rather than being better than the Dragons and refusing to kill or enslave to bridge equality and understanding, they are perpetuating the hate and going against everything Jimbei and Tiger fought for. Robin understood that and liked that enough that she called Jimbei handsome and let them go turning another pretty decent advantage to the Straw Hats, on top of a self destructive Wadatsumi and Neptune Army we have all the slaves changing sides!
Further than that we ought to talk about Robin massacring Hammond. I love her clones as they are a logical extension of her power and they are super cool, but the only ways I can see her clones working for the teleportation is if the one that Hammond caught was a fake, or alternatively if it's like Moria's power to change position in his shadows. Perhaps Robin can change places with her clones, I recall maybe Tien in Dragon Ball can do that too! I take it it's probably the latter, as this one could have been a fake Robin that she set up for Hammond to let his guard down, but the first time the neptune army surrounded her it looked like she was completely caught off guard. And, her double clutch looked rad!!! Teleporting right out of the net, appearing twice on Hammond's neck and legs with 6 arms each putting him into a wrestling submission and snapping him twice. THAT WAS SO COOL, AND SHE HAD THOSE SUPER RAD GLASSES COVERING HER EYES. Robin is so so so great.
It only just hit me now that the kids are totally there to have the Straw Hats influence the next generation of fishmen. Luffy being the hero of the island is literally influencing the next generation. They will see a human as the savior of their people and themselves and clearly going forward they will think not all humans are bad. That has to be the purpose of showing those fishmen kids so much. Hordy may have killed Otohime and taken a big step back for fishman-human relations but by announcing he was the killer and then losing to Luffy and having Luffy save the people Hordy nearly killed he has set up fishman-human relations to go a huge step forward. So, in a sense, thank you Hordy Jones for being such a stupid idiot. Thank you.
Lastly, Hordy's power ups are definitely annoying, the drugs and him are cool, but the way he just gets chunkier and chunkier is a little unimaginative, but as these are basically instant steroids I'll accept it. The red eyes are a little much too. The fight reminds me of Luffy vs Lucci just Luffy is on Lucci's side, whereas Hordy is on Luffy's side downing drugs that essentially put him into gear forms so he can keep up with Luffy at all, slowly killing himself in the process. If it wasn't for that and if he was closer to Luffy's level I'd be far less lenient on it, but since it's not like it's some meathead getting physically stronger over and over again and Luffy has to keep trying to keep up but rather the opposite I think it's better. Other than the evil motives, Hordy is the shounen protagonist here and on top of the interesting water / land advantage fight going on here of Luffy trying to draw Hordy to the Noah or fill it with more air, it's pretty fun. |