User blog comment:Kaido King of the Beasts/The Potholes of One Piece/@comment-4889755-20140821051259

People are bashing Davy Back Fight, but while I agree it really sucks (boring characters, boring situation, boring fights, even a boring island) it did 2 things right.

It tried something different. The Strawhats hadnt just arrived on an island with no purpose or goal in mind since like Gaimon Island (I mean they knew they wanted a shipwright, but with after they only find one old man who already has something to do, and the next few people they meet are antagonist that goal fades fast).

It planted the seed for Gear 2nd and 3rd. As Foxy steals the crewmembers, and luffy cant do anything about it, because tahts against the rules he raelizes he has to be the absolute strongest or he'll lose his crew. You could also argue the encounter with Aokiji helped with that too, Aokiji just so easily being able to take Robin, but just freezing her and letting her go. During his fight with Foxy though he straight up says he wont let Foxy take any of his crew and fights on. This causes Luffy to develop Gear 2nd and 3rd and become way stronger than his pre-Enies lobby days.