User blog comment:Ghmorello/Chapter 897: Germa 66 Has Come To End This War./@comment-24850639-20180309163204

I'll be as objective as I can first. I truly love the way that Oda sets up multiple plot points to boil over all at once, or in rapid succession. It's one the things he's irrefutably best at, and the amount of huge plot points in this arc puts Dressrosa to shame, given the same amount of chapters give or take. The action this chapter was phenomenal, and the stage has definitely been set with the stakes higher than they've ever been. Smoothie cutting off their alleged "only" escape route, the just absolutely absurd amount of Big Mom Pirates waiting for Luffy to bust a move, the fact that a character we've come to love like Pekoms is about to out himself as a traitor in front of the entirety of a Yonko's forces for Luffy's sake, Cipher Pol and the Big News listening in, man it was fantastic. Oda is also irrefutably one of the best at foreshadowing plot points that he will resolve later in the story. First the full moon was teased, then Pedro's ability to "handle" Pekoms was teased, we're teased further with the  actual story of the Nox Pirates with their history together, full moon teased again, Sulong happens with Carrot, and we finally find out that's what Pedro was talking about. You can even add Pekoms sunglasses to the mix if you want. So I think Oda hammered home pretty early that 1:00 am would be the truly climax of this arc once Sanji got to making the cake, and he's made that known this chapter in spectacular fashion. Action, feels, hype for the next chapter, character development, it was all there.

Now for my more personal opinions....ever since Carrot went Sulong, a lot of people speculated correctly that Pekoms would eventually use it as well. The fact that Pekoms sudden arrival and use of it for Luffy's sake being "convenient" aside, I certainly can't argue that it wasn't foreshadowed. The issue I take with it, is how quickly it was curbstomped. This was a huge character development moment for Pekoms, and though I have to admit Oven's quote and concern for his sister was pretty damn epic, I hoped Oda would do it justice by having Pekoms at least own a few people before he got put down. Instead Oven bops hims one, and then he gets jumped immediately. Apparently he isn't too savage of a beast in Sulong form to still beg for his life. More importantly however, GODDAMN YOU SANJI!!! I'm like okay, maybe Sanji is going to pull off some kind of speed feat here, or if the stars really align in my favor today, a COMBAT feat! But alas, his hit on Raisin isn't confirmed to be something that puts Raisin down for the count, so we can't say he "one-shotted" Raisin. If that's the case, Luffy should have easily put him down when the enraged army showed up, but that's a power-scaling discussion, which is for a different day. In either case, I also feel like the way Oda revealed the BM Pirates use of Moon Walk was a slap to Sanji as well. Oda set this up to be a big moment for Sanji, with the "I'll definitely save my captain", "I think I have an idea", and all the tactical planning around this moment that he seemed to be doing. But alas! Sanji remained the only person outside of Cipher Pol that we say we use Geppo, and though we shouldn't be surprised that memebers of a Yonko crew can do it, again, this is Sanji's moment! He did not account at all for the fact that someone else in the world might be able to use it, and gets the smackdown put on him and Luffy. And perhaps this is a Mangastream translation, but says, "WE screwed up!" No Sanji, YOU screwed up lol. And to really throw salt in the wound, his siblings have to come save him and his captain. You can say well, we knew Germa was coming to save the day because Oda set it up, but I defy you again I say, THIS WAS SANJI'S MOMENT! Just let the man have a W Oda. Call me a Sanji fanboy all you like, I am indeed. I am a Zoro fanboy, Luffy fanboy, Brook fanboy, Franky, all the above. I can objectively argue that Sanji's feats in the New World simply just do not stack up to Luffy and Zoro's, and gotdammit, even Brook's!! This is madness! Baking a cake, his disowning of Judge, his emotional breakthroughs with Pudding, all of that rings hollow to me until I see Sanji be of more help combat wise. Again all just my personal opinion, but if Zoro is Luffy's right hand, then I consider Sanji his left. Just want my man to shine. Maybe he'll still get that chance amongst all this chaos in someway, but Oda hasn't made that seem too  feasible with time of the essence and his captain in dire need of medical attention.