One Piece 35

[sara_tanaquil]

I was going to put off posting this a little longer, but since mangaroo might have to take books back to the library soon, I decided to go ahead.

[This will cease to be a spoiler for Volume 35 by the time you hit chapter 2]I was SO excited to start Water 7 in the last volume. And don't get me wrong, Water 7 is awesome, no question. But I forgot one tiny detail, because I practice selective memory for the WIN: doing Water 7 meant I

Comments

[printfogey]

Is this the first time someone officially refers to the Merry as their nakama?

No, Luffy did before... was it at Jaya, or right before it? It was one of the ship-patching scenes. Luffy said, "Don't worry, Usopp! Merry is one of us!" plus something more I forget. Usopp was all moved, right before Luffy hammered too hard breaking off a part of the side, causing Usopp to yell at him instead.

I think Usopp remembered that and it was why Luffy's initial surface cheerfulness - that catalogue-browsing and all - when he woke up would have seemed so incongruous to him, leading him to believe Luffy was just pretending because of the missing money. If Luffy had been serious from the start... well, maybe it would still have gone the same way. It's really hard to say. Just like with Zoro last volume, it's easy to see why Luffy acted that way - he does that a lot in times of hurt when there's no-one to hit, pushing things away and trying to cheer everyone else up - but it was so, so unfortunate this time around.

The costumed figure mocks Usopp

[wednesday_10_00]

People were angry at Usopp?? Fandom is such a mystery to me.

[sara_tanaquil]

I had the same reaction to reading that comment! WHAT.

Yes, Usopp is being a stubborn idiot and a jerk to Luffy (and Luffy is being a stubborn idiot too, argh), and I do think the fault for the fight is more his than Luffy's, but I have always agonized along with him because it is SO CLEAR that this is all coming out of his own self-doubt, his feeling like he isn't good enough to be one of them. And ultimately, when you doubt yourself in a situation like theirs, it's not just yourself that you hurt.

It would never have occurred to me to be angry at him, jeez. His insecurities are pretty understandable, considering the group he's a part of.

[Water 7/Enies Lobby]This arc is so necessary for Usopp, because he truly would have been a liability to the crew going forward if he hadn't learned to see himself as an essential member of the crew with his own unique talents.

[wednesday_10_00]

Yep, agreed with everything in your comment 100%.

[Enies Lobby]
This arc is also necessary because SOGEKING. I can't wait for that part, it is my favorite EVER. (Also, the New World callback, OMG, I die laughing every time.)

[printfogey]

And ultimately, when you doubt yourself in a situation like theirs, it's not just yourself that you hurt.

That is also very true! Which is why I think it's a good thing that we saw the Chopper scene, painful though it is. It shows that very clearly.

The Luffy vs Usopp fight is so painful not just because they have been such good friends, but that both of them are mad at themselves too. Or at least I think Usopp is, and is projecting some of that anger at Luffy. But even if he loses, he "wins", in that then one could say he "proves" to Luffy that he, Usopp, hasn't got what it takes to keep sailing with him. ;__; (He's wrong, of course, but going by the shaky logic of hurt emotions and angry shards of pride and all...)

And as for Luffy, I think he was extra mad at Usopp for pretty much forcing Luffy to physically hurt him when he was already so wounded. (Well, of course technically Luffy could have refused the challenge, so he wasn't completely forced, but shonen pirate honour and all that

[wednesday_10_00]

But even if he loses, he "wins", in that then one could say he "proves" to Luffy that he, Usopp, hasn't got what it takes to keep sailing with him.

Oh, Usopp. T_T

But really I'm quoting this because I want to thank you for all your insightful comments. I love One Piece discussion! (Thanks again, Sara, for bringing it back!)

[printfogey]

*^_^* Thank you! I've probably spent more time thinking about the events in this volume than of anything else in this series, to be quite honest.

[sara_tanaquil]

I'm so happy that you're both playing! I get such a kick out of hearing other people's impressions and theories, and seeing what other people noticed that I didn't.

[mangaroo]

But even if he loses, he "wins", in that then one could say he "proves" to Luffy that he, Usopp, hasn't got what it takes to keep sailing with him.

I know w_10_00 already commented, but THIS. I spent so much time thinking and rethinking both the challenge and the outcome of the fight (Usopp, if you don't think you're strong enough to sail with the Strawhats, why do you think you're strong enough to fight Luffy for the Merry?), and this is the only reading that makes sense to me. Even though Usopp's battle techniques were awesome and clever.

[printfogey]

I definitely think it was a strong factor, whether or not he didn't realise it to himself, but I could also see Usopp still hoping that maybe, since he does know Luffy so well, he could just pull off a victory for Merry - and for Merry's sake (and in some backward defensive way, his own hurt pride), he had to try

[sara_tanaquil]

I'm inclined to agree. Apart from the other things you pointed out, Usopp is characterized by a weird combination of self-doubt and prickly pride (I think this might actually be a somewhat common combination, because the pride is trying to compensate for the constant, nagging doubts). The quitting came mostly from the self-doubt, but the challenge stemmed from the pride

[printfogey]

Makes sense to me. I also think a fear of rejection is part of that shaky, prickly pride of his. When he'd made up his mind about leaving home, he was going to set off on his own boat and was ready to take his leave off Luffy, Zoro and Nami. He didn't ask if he could join them as an ordinary crew member (rather than as the captain, which he'd asked about before already). In part I think because he simply assumes they wouldn't accept him - look how stunned he is when Zoro says "Just shut up and hurry aboard" and Luffy adds "You're already one of us, right?" That's his self-doubts. And in part because as long as he doesn't ask, he can't get openly rejected - that's the pride. Fits together when you think about it. He's a complex guy...

[sara_tanaquil]

I already responded to serrende as well, but continuing to mull on this issue: one thing that has bothered me a lot off and on is why Luffy doesn't simply tell Usopp that he can have the Merry BEFORE they duel for her. He's already made the decision to walk away from the ship

[printfogey]

It's only a minority among the responses I've seen, but yeah, there are fans out there who never warmed up to Usopp and only were more annoyed with him here. I honestly think some readers just don't care much for goofy-looking and not-very-strong characters like him and likely never will. They feel such characters should be content to be comic relief, and didn't like it when Usopp was given so much angst and narrative weight all of a sudden. (I'd argue that he's always been a complex character who gets his own share of important scenes, but I think it was easier to miss that in earlier arcs.)

I could well be wrong, but that's the impression I've gotten...

[wednesday_10_00]

I could well be wrong, but that's the impression I've gotten...

Oh, I don't doubt it's true. Honestly, nothing from fandom really surprises me, no matter how strange/wrong I might think it is.

[sara_tanaquil]

It's only a minority among the responses I've seen, but yeah, there are fans out there who never warmed up to Usopp and only were more annoyed with him here.

Wow, that boggles my mind. Usopp has always been one of my favorites, right from the Kuro arc on forward.

He has genuine weaknesses, but I think he's arguably the bravest member of the crew. Not detracting from the awesomeness of the monster trio, but it takes a lot more courage to stand and fight when you're scared out of your mind.

It took a lot of courage to stay with the Merry, too. Even though rationally speaking Luffy made the right choice and Usopp made the wrong one (refusing to accept reality and taking it all out on Luffy), I love him so much for being the only one to stay by Merry's side.