As much as I like how Hordy is a warped version of Arlong's ideals, the guy is making me annoyed. How does he lack so much empathy that he can be so cruel to kill his own allies and fellow fishmen like this? The human cruelty makes sense but that needs a good reason... Like I said once, I think Arlong was brutal but turned to a monster after Tiger died. He still sailed with a captain preaching unity until then, it was then he split off from the crew to pursue new ideals. Even then he was never this bad. Hordy idealized Arlong, this time it proved it canonically, at least I think, as it showed him literally looking up at Arlong over those words "when I was a kid everyone looked up at him". But somewhere along the line he's felt he's surpassed Arlong and took to this approach, he thinks that he learned from him and evolved. Rather than taking his crew out and changing the world themselves like Arlong tried, he's starting by violently overthrowing the government and facistly forcing all to be like minded and cruel.
He honestly reminds me of Crocodile. Yet, if I think Crocodile was quite tight lipped and wanted to overthrow Alabasta so he could get a super weapon and use that power for his own interests. His reasoning always sat on might is right and it was always about him, at least if I recall it's been awhile(I really need to re-experience that arc). Hordy acts similarly, when disrespected he lashes out and he gloats about his power. But Hordy does all of these Crocodile-like actions while preaching that it's for a good cause. That, in a sense it's righteous and those who fight against them deserve death. Yet, I don't think Hordy is acting for fishman interest, he's instead acting on hatred of humans alone. Nothing else explains how he was so willing to use one of his allies as a human shield, and if Dosun's fear was justified then he would have let Dosun go as a toll of their fight. He's passionate about this and certainly hateful, but if he had to frame a human for killing Otohime then he's simply perpetuating his views..
I didn't really get why Sharley gloated to Hordy that he won't be the one to destroy the island. Perhaps to stall for time. Perhaps because she acted first and didn't think about the consequences. Or perhaps because Oda wanted to reveal she is Arlong's sister and give us that line of dialogue "What do you have against me? I'm not like your brother". Either way it's interesting.
As for why Hordy was trying to break Shirahoshi, he couldn't have just been doing so as a narcissistic Crocodile-ian tactic for handling people not obeying him despite how cruel it was because his whole thing is about killing her so her super mega death power won't come out. He had to have been trying to trigger it, right? That or he lost his brains in a heated moment. However, Shirahoshi responded quite interestingly, "I knew".
Then Decken of course. When he mentioned the ship Noah I went, "OH, when fishman island is 'destroyed' they will use that like Noah's ark to reach safety. Although since it was made a long time ago, it must have some more specificities possibly involving "Joy Boy". But then, he decided to toss a ship the size of half of the island directly on top of the plaza. So, who knows.. Either way, don't you love when villains conflict with each other? Overall Decken too confuses me. So, he initially wanted Shirahoshi's power and being dumb he used circular logic of: I want her power for my ancestors dreams- so I must marry her- but she's too young- they have something to age her up instantly- but to get that I must marry her. It seemed to be all about her power. But somewhere along the line it turned into a sick yandere love.. Why the heck would he want her dead? Wouldn't that damn his ancestors dream, the thing he started to pursue her for. She's like one in a thousand years mermaid or something. Hordy and Decken are an interesting duo for sure. |