User blog comment:Fliu/Thoughts on the Reverie Arc and Expectations for the Wano Arc/@comment-29391896-20180619123329/@comment-30406526-20180626214530

The only reason I can see for why Sanji didn't get any impressive feats of strength or general bad-assery is that Oda was trying to change things up. The usual routine we've come to rely on is simply that...a routine. I can understand if Oda saw himself following a pattern and decided to break away from it, especially in an arc where (as an author) you want to convey the strength of a Yonko crew without making the Straw Hats seem too weak. I suppose the best way to keep some sort of balance there is to avoid direct combat situations (aside from Luffy).