I think it’s safe to say round 3 has started. Round 1 was Doflamingo’s win as he flipped everything on its head, faked his resignation, nearly killed Law, and a handful of the Straw Hats barely got away alive. At this point, Luffy was in the tournament and Sabo switched with him, as well as the Sunny crew left the story. Round 2 was the new plans, the palace raid and the Tontatta underground attack while Sabo continued fighting. Although round 1 was a strong win for Doflamingo, the Straw Hats only essentially losing ground, round 2 was a complete win. Franky distracted, Usopp took down Sugar, the kingdom has started to crumble, and Sabo got the flare flare fruit. With the birdcage and the game starting, Doflamingo salvaging the factory at the last second and changing all plot threads completely with this, I’d say round 3 has begun. The Straw Hats have already done unfixable damage and whoever takes this round will likely come on top. I mean, it is kill or be killed.
After some more horrifying footage of families being destroyed, parents killing their children, friends killing each other, as Dressrosa burns and everyone is forced to face the truth, the bounties were announced. The 100 million bounties are for Rebecca, Nico Robin, Foxfire Kin’emon, Viola, and Cyborg Franky. The 200 million bounties are for the swordsmen Kyros and Zoro. The 300 million bounties are for the key figures, Straw Hat Luffy, Trafalgar Law, Sabo the revolutionary chief, and the old king Riku. But the highest of all the bounties is for the legendary God Usopp who drove the kingdom into chaos, the most important man in ruining Doflamingo’s day at 500 million. God Usopp was already a total Buggy moment, but now yet again having the unfamiliar judge apparent actions to derive importance in their enemies is making this history repeating itself and somehow it’s just as beautiful because it’s always understandable and hilarious. But more importantly, the despicable Doflamingo has set up a great and painful plan. To take Doflamingo down would mean fighting the entire Don Quixote family of executives and 2000 goons. Whereas, the enemies are a singular 12 people. And further the bounties on the 12 heads means that it serves as a dual incentive. For those scumbags who have no gratitude and no convictions and no sense of justice, they can be inspired by cruel greed. For those who reject this but are inspired by self preservation then they also have reason. Both camps were beautiful showcased as they attacked Franky for two different reasons.
With this set up, an array of new plotlines and strategies are in action. First to locate each party involved, Zoro in fact did not stay in the palace which brings me some sadness as that would have been amazing. Rather, he, Luffy, Viola, Riku and Law are together and Luffy has a clear goal in mind. That is, to seriously kick Mingo’s ass and protect his friends. We can imagine he wants to head straight to Mingo’s palace and he has the help of Viola’s clairvoyance. I’m super glad Law is back in the story. However, Kyros was with them but split up, most likely heading right to Doflamingo to make sure such a horror does not continue. One time was enough. Underground we have a massive party, Robin, the Tontatta, Usopp, Sabo, Hack, Koala, and Bartolomeo if I’m not forgetting anyone. At the moment they headed above ground and Luffy told Rebecca to stay with his friends as he goes to kick Mingo’s ass, but their role in this isn’t super clear yet. We can assume they’ll split up. Kin’emon already broke off from the party to continue looking for Kanjuro and jumped to the scrapyard, gosh I love how he’s willing to do anything for the people he loves without a second thought. Franky wants to do his part now that Usopp accomplished his mission and thus he plans to annihilate the factory which is key in Law’s plan. With how he’s been set up to want to destroy it since they arrived here, I can imagine he will definitely follow through with it and show us that sea prism stone is like hot butter to a cyborg. Lastly, Diamante and Trebol have been called to the palace which makes it seem like Doflamingo is rallying his troops up.
P.S. Unrelated to this episode but due to the opening presenting us Zoro and Fujitora fighting it made me reflect more on the morality of the navy. I doubt Zoro and Fujitora are that different morally speaking, I don’t think they would actually fight outside of the fact that they are on different sides of the law. And a way I reason the navy’s justice to rival’s pirates freedom is that by allowing types of freedom like the Straw Hats’ it in turn allows for the chaotic freedom of evil pirates. By restricting all pirate freedom they keep order and in turn prevent the bad kind of freedom. Yet, I don’t think is valid because when I think of the worst pirates I think of warlords. Blackbeard temporarily became one on his way to becoming emperor, and Crocodile and Doflamingo are two of the most horrendous pirates I can think of yet they are only capable of their feats due to the government tolerating them at the time of their prevalence. I think until Fujitora disbands warlords completely, I can’t respect the world government’s philosophy much at all, even if it’s understandable, and it makes me side much more with Fujitora. Seriously, what a great guy. And speaking of admirals, I wonder if Kuzan will come back up in this arc seeing that he was privy to Doflamingo’s actions. |