What an incredible wonderful freaking episode. I cried and I had to pause at moments to take in what was happening. Even now I'm shaking! That was so crazy. I could type so much about everything this episode so instead I'll focus on the parts that moved me to my core.
But before that I want to briefly touch on Kuma because at first I thought his skin repelled or he had some super iron body but now we see he was able to withstand Sanji's kick and the explosion because he's practically made out of real iron like Franky's fist.
Now onto the parts that made me bawl manly tears of admiration. Zoro, for one of the first times in the series has admitted defeat before being beaten out of submission or winning. It was because he realized after seeing Kuma's body that there was no way he could win in the state he was in, he was already having a hard time controlling his body. So, to compromise even further from the fate of only Luffy being killed he asks Kuma to kill him instead. What a freaking moment for Zoro. I've said before that I was worried about what Zoro would do for Luffy and when he didn't even chase Usopp when Luffy kicked him out of the crew I realized he would do practically anything while standing beside Luffy. Yet, I made a distinction that I thought he would do anything for Luffy but let his own dream die. Well now I know just how far his convictions lay. He would even give his own life and dream up for Luffy. He views his body as a vessel for his own ambitions but now we know his body is a vessel to his crew before even that. What a powerful character development. It was shocking to me when he asked for Kuma to kill him without faltering but it makes sense. His convictions are deep, when he talks about making a decision and sticking with the consequences, as long as he respects Luffy and his crew he will die for them before his own ambitions. He has made the decision to be a Straw Hat pirate and that means, to him, putting the Captain (and even his nakama like Sanji) before his own life. OMG. I LOVE ZORO, I WANT TO MAKE HIM ONE OF MY ALL TIME FAVORITE CHARACTERS ON MAL NOW.
The part that seriously made me start crying my eyes out though was when Sanji body blocked for Zoro and asked for Kuma to take his life instead. Sanji wanted to die for Zoro's sake. Yet, you could see he doesn't have the iron will that Zoro does. Where Zoro was strong in the face of death, Sanji took it unto himself despite violently shaking. He's not as ready to die, he hasn't put his life on the line like Zoro has, he doesn't hold the same beliefs of sticking with your decisions, nor does he have that Bushido way. That's why he wasn't ready mentally to die there but despite that, as emotional as he is, I think his emotions for the crew and specifically for Zoro are what made him try and die for Zoro's sake. Because of his love and respect for that guy. The bromance is wonderful and I love this duo... Seeing Sanji struggle to stand up to Kuma and block Zoro from behind him was so heartwarming.
But Zoro takes it on himself. It's his job as the second in command and the swordsman of the crew to protect the others. HE would rather die than let one of his nakama take his place. That itself is so touching. ZORO HAS COME SUCH A LONG WAY, he always was of the Bushido way but he in the start did not have these connections with others, he was not this close to anyone! He was a lone wolf. In that way he's come far.
This is where I think the anime did better than the manga since I looked back at it to see the art at the end of the chapter. It went by so much faster. Although this episode had the lingering reactions I did not like last episode here they served a fantastic purpose. The slow pacing was masterful! It made it so intense when Zoro disarmed himself and begged for death because the lingering shots signified that Kuma was observing and deciding. We the audience did not know what he was thinking and that made it terrifying. Would he push Zoro to the side, deny him, and kill Luffy? Would he take Zoro's head instead? Would he be so moved he let them off? Who knows?! And that's why seeing his face ponder as Zoro sat waiting for his own death absolutely defenselessly was so perfect! This episode has to be one of the best in the entire series...
Yet, Kuma was moved by this I think. His line about how it would bring shame to himself if he hurt Straw Hat after seeing such a display was charming. Was it out of respect for Zoro or did he want to test his resolution when he forced him to feel Luffy's pain? I'm not sure but it made Kuma absolutely interesting. He's so interesting, he's cruel in that he enjoys killing but seemingly only strong foes. He's a government cyborg who has his own self interest that guides him yet he still follows the government quite generally. He let the Straw Hats off but only after seeing such a display and with the expectation that Zoro would die. He has so much mystery to his actions and I love that because I don't think I've ever been this conflicted about a One Piece villain.
Zoro taking the pain of Luffy was not only delightfully symbolic after his speech about dying for his captain to protect him, he would take all of Luffy's pain and sacrifice himself to protect his nakama before valuing his life and ambition if need be, but it was also both GAR as hell and insightful. The moment Zoro took a small ounce of Luffy's pain and fatigue he showed pain I don't think we've ever seen him show before. Luffy's gears are killing him quite literally. Like he couldn't move after the Lucci fight, we saw just how much he put his body through this episode through how it affected Zoro. Sure, Zoro was already harmed but the scream he let out when embracing a small amount of Luffy's pain shows a lot.
Sanji worried and running out of the happy Straw Hat's circle to find out if Zoro was dead was also super amazing. He really loves that guy and the horror on his face when he found his swords was so tangible. "Nothing at all" was a great line too. To Zoro he's simply doing his job...
Also, the moment where Zoro told Kuma that Luffy WILL become the Pirate King reminded me Usopp's similar words back in his battle in Alabasta. Both are some of my favorite moments. |