User blog comment:Fliu/New Thoughts on the Whole Cake Island Arc/@comment-2600:8807:8085:EB00:188B:7AB3:34CC:94B6-20171122194046

I agree with a lot of what you said here, but I have a problem with your interpretation of Sanji and Nami's emotions during the scene in the field after Sanji v Luffy.

Sanji didn't lack faith in Luffy, in fact, he fought Luffy because he knew Luffy would keep trying to chase after him. He did something only Usopp had ever done, he attacked Luffy with no remorse. He beat him repeatedly after Luffy had gotten out of an 11 hour battle against a virtual army of Biscuit Soldiers. That was the only way he could think of to make Luffy leave him behind. When Usopp had done it, he had essentially been removed from the crew, so perhaps he would be too. What Sanji lacks is self-worth. He doesn't see himself as someone for people to be troubled over. After he found out about Zeff and the Baratie, he didn't want to risk them getting hurt. With the handcuffs, he wouldn't be able to cook for his crew, making him useless. Going back would only cause more trouble for everyone involved, so he resigned himself to his fate and took measures to keep Luffy far away from him. However, he underestimated Luffy. He thought such a betrayal would make Luffy leave, but he underestimated Luffy's faith in him and the worth he put in him, declaring that he wouldn't eat or achieve his dream without him. The gluttonous man who constantly spouted off his dream of being Pirate King was willing to give all that up for him. But he still couldn't go back without risking Zeff's life. It wasn't until that burden was cleared that he went back.

As for Nami, it was less that she didn't see through Sanji's facade and more that she was upset he would go so far. Luffy was dead tired and being beaten by their friend, who refused to stop no matter how much she begged him to. Because of Luffy's order, she was helpless to watch as Sanji beat their captain into unconsciousness. Luffy has an unreasonable amount of faith in his friends, but Nami is a reasonable person. She was going to grin and bear it after that fight, she expressed her anger fully to Sanji and went back to treat her Captain. Never once did she say they should give up on Sanji, she simply wanted to move away from the spot with the army approaching. When Sanji finally came back, she rejoiced. She was mad at him for what he'd done but was glad all the same.

In an additional point about the Cracker vs. Luffy fight, I feel like that fight is somewhat misunderstood, at least for how I see it. The Cracker fight is unlike many fights Luffy has been in. It wasn't going toe-to-toe with a singular super strong opponent, it was a battle between him and Nami vs full-on legion of Sweet Commander level fighters. That's worse than going toe to toe with Katakuri. Cracker isn't hard to beat because he is strong, he's hard to beat because it's almost impossible to hit him.