I will not say conclusively that pre-time skip One Piece is superior and post-time skip One Piece is inferior and has fallen with the writing and pacing, but I will say I understand the sentiment. However, the peaks of post time skip One Piece have been some of my favorite moments in the entire series. This episode was no exception. Maybe it’s because I love organized crime stories and post time skip has been a world of gangsters with the Don Quixote family and Big Mom. But the amount of tension in the world feels like it could explode at any moment. Seeing all these parties we now know converge and cross makes me feel incredible watching it.
This episode was one that threw everything into question, and gave us succinct and overwhelming answers. Firstly, Pekoms and Capone followed Sanji to Pekom’s home and when he saw the destruction we got a brand new side to one of my already favorite new characters. He was breaking down, enraged, upset, and all the while, Capone had cold eyes as he smoked, looking all business. This evoked many things. Firstly, that Kaido’s top brass, and Big Mom’s top brass, assuming Pekoms is such, are clashing violently as Pekoms is hit where it hurts most. How will this manifest? It also brings up a question: Where do Pekoms allegiances lie? Sanji saved his family and friends, but he’s a mafioso for Big Mom and that is a commitment. Will he regretfully take Sanji in, or will he throw himself under the bus?! How will Capone respond to all of this as his response seems entirely apathetic? Then as he saw they were alive, we saw another new side to Pekoms. Utter, mutual gratefulness that everyone was okay. He cried like a baby. This loan shark who targets innocent people under a tyrant who will crush them if not given what she wants, has a home, has friends, has people he cares about. He may not have a huge moral compass but he does when it comes to his people. Yet as this was going on, the smoking Capone’s watchful eyes made it clear that he was looking for their targets beyond all else.
Sanji on the other hand, after being a furry and exploding with his love, and showing some satisfaction over cooking for his new peers, was as serious as ever when he spotted them. His mind went straight to understanding the situation and dealing with it. After witnessing how Pekoms brings so much joy to the people here, and presumably having compassion for them, and understanding that this increases the tension of what they can do, he and Capone cross eyes. A knowing gaze that they have to deal with this. Sanji makes a damn good leader despite his distractions, he knows how to protect his family, so he calls for Brook and makes a meeting away from everyone else. Propositioning them that if this cannot be solved through discussion, he will make sure to fight them away from the premises. Here we see Pekom's answer while wondering if gratefulness will overpower allegiance to his boss, we wonder what Capone will do in this situation, and we wonder how Sanji can keep this under control and why he may not come back, all while having lingering thoughts of what the ramifications of the conflict between Pekoms and Jack will be.
Like the opening of the episode with Brook playing atmospheric guitar in the fog while telling the story, the sunset and silhouettes of this meeting kept this tense episode of gears that were about to collide as stylish and breathtaking as possible. Pekoms proves to us that his family and friends are more important than his job, he will take Caesar but leave his saviors to be free. This seems well and good, a trade for their safety and a compromise, the gutsy Pekoms willing to take any punishment cast on him like a man! But there is still one direct question floating above us. What is Capone’s response? After foreshadowing him to be cold, collected, apathetic, and watchful, it’s no surprise he was against this. The two men who’ve been on a crash course to collide do so! Instead of fighting him on this with words, or even showing that he can be compassionate to a brother under that cold exterior, he puts his allegiances all on Big Mom and guns his ally down in cold blood from behind. Sanji’s understanding of Pekom’s place in Zou from a mere glimpse was not a concern of Capone at all. After witnessing Pekom’s love for his people and the celebration that everyone is okay, he had no qualms doing the horrific and in that one moment, I was overwhelmed. Of course, this is the most extreme conclusion we could have come to, a near perfect split on where Pekoms and Capone lie, but it took me off guard and made me despise Capone for a moment.
With Vergo and Law, the deal made over the phone with Doffy or his meeting with Smoker, with Green Bit, and with this, One Piece can absolutely grip me in a distinctly new way and it makes me hopeful and excited for what is to come. Ever since Marineford where Luffy proved he could genuinely lose for real and have no surprise comeback, and all these recurring forces, that are not necessarily villains but have their own interests and wishes, that are so much bigger than we could ever imagine, continue to have a presence which clashes with everyone else, it creates a uniquely oppressive feeling. One that connects the world together more than ever and claims that we can’t win by beating people up like the good ol’ days. The world can swallow us up and we need to maneuver around it cautiously. Something as small as a knowing look between Sanji and Capone sharing the unspoken ramifications of their acknowledgement can speak more than many large scale acts could. And I adore that. Post time skip can be insane and it’s a great byproduct of building a world and its parties for so long. |