This episode was so freaking sweet and awesome. I had a huge smile the entire time.
First, last episode I mentioned how Franky it was for him to confidently strut his naked butt around town without a shred of shame and he voiced that this episode.
"Nothing should phase men. A man should be resourceful, even with only the skin on his back. He should be like a lion that stands against the waves!" - Franky, posing to show off his dingaling to the crowd.
It was so wonderful. Franky put it best. Nothing could phase him. It's also why he can cry so openly too. A man ought to express themselves with no shame. They ought to stand like a lion against the waves. Freaking beautiful man. Luffy could also admire his manliness, a man among men.
I think this was the first time in history a mans balls were crushed as a sign of kindness. I wonder what kind of fetishes this scene gave to the youngins watching it... Anyways, my gosh, when you realize she wasn't doing it any longer while he was crying my heart sunk. It was too freaking sweet!!!
And, onto the most important part. This farewell to his friends really hit me somewhere special. It was a big reminder that even though Franky acts as though he is fairly simple, abrasive, and straightforward, he actually has a ton of depth. I had thought his reluctance to leave was purely due to his ties with his friends and family here on Water 7, but the fact that he's atoning for what he blames himself for- Tom being framed and taken away, hadn't actually hit me although in retrospect it was pretty obvious. He turned his body to a weapon, symbolically making sure that no one could use it to hurt those he loves. He didn't have to make himself into a cyborg weapon, he just had to make sure he was able to survive. To continue with this theme, he became a ship demolitionist, he instead of making ships that could be used as weapons started to take them apart. Clearly, his events with Tom were ingrained into him, as a kid, he made ship after ship after ship, and now he takes them apart and uses himself as a weapon instead of the ships he once made. But further to that, the most pressing evidence is that he hasn't made a single ship since the Tom incident until right now because he sees people that it's worth making one for, people he can entrust his dream to with faith. Obviously, all of these paired with his traumatizing past where he regretted making ships and refused to continue should be obvious he's atoning and attempting to keep what Tom loved safe, yet I'm glad this episode illuminated this because I somehow missed it.
Tom's inclusion into these flashbacks made me finally understand what Tom meant about being proud and loving the ships you make even if they're used to end the world, probably because genuisly this idea was woven into us seeing Merry as a living being. A man ought to be resolutely proud over the ships he makes, they are made with the heart and soul of the shipwrights and they become a member of the crew that takes them. It doesn't matter if they end up being used wrongly because to disrespect them and say you regretted even making them is cruel towards the hard work and love put into them and the ship itself. For example, imagine Franky was the creator of the Merry and then regretting making the Merry after that wonderful goodbye she gave to the crew. This is at least my interpretation of it, it was something that confused me when I first heard it. A similar thought is you can see how Tom influenced Franky to be proud of everything he does, including streaking butt naked, in this manner. Hehe.
Although I do wish the moment where Franky said the ship would only become a dream ship once it traveled to the end of the sea had been shown earlier so it didn't feel so adhoc, it was an extension of what we already knew so I have no actual problems with it.
Finally, I want to meditate more on how wonderful of a person Franky is... His abrasive, hit first think later nature can end up causing horrible things and destruction in the city, he really messed up Usopp for example. But, the moment where Zambai asked if he was okay, and Franky bawling his eyes out answered with "How could I be okay?" really was the moment that got me. That nature of his that allows for him to hurt Usopp or destroy a city also allows for him to buy an entire bar of townspeople drinks because he so happens to have some extra cash on him. It allows him to take in his temporary enemies in the backstreets and give them food and give them a family. If he has food or money on hand he'll give it to those around him without second thought, just like he may hit someone in the face without it too. But, he's never had bad intentions, his bad acts are not ones of spite or cruelty. He ended up apologizes and crying to Usopp for example. He even has a responsibility towards Tom. A sense of dumb responsibility that made him want to keep everything Tom loved safe by sacrificing his own dream. The reason he even respects the Straw Hats to the degree he does is because those wonderful people actually represent all he wants to be himself. I remember telling my friend long ago I really didn't want Franky to join after all he did to Usopp. Now, I couldn't have a more drastically different opinion. I forgive you for those acts you did when you were first introduced you nutcase.
People say they want Franky and Robin to grow a bond together and I think they totally will. After all, both had their lives ruined in a sense by a generation of Spanda and both got revenge by fighting against Spandam together. For both having such a different but closely woven history I can only imagine they'll get along in more ways. |