(Scanlations used in this image provided by Franky House. Image made by me screwing around in Paint.net)
Chapter 549: Ship Sailing Forth
Last week I talked about how I felt that the pacing of late has certainly been fast, but appropriately fast. This chapter represents more of a transition period, and the events therefore are a little more spaced out and contemplative. Oda spends this week concluding several events of Impel Down, answering a few lingering questions and foreshadowing what is looking more and more to be one of the greatest arcs we have seen thus far. Although I’m glad he never goes down the route of gaiden arcs or other sources of significant downtime that his peers take, I’m always glad when Oda spends a bit of time between arcs to sort everything out.
The fate of the Blackbeard’s crew after Megellan’s attack has been a great mystery for the latter part of Impel Down. No one believed that it would be the end of them, or even the end of them for any significant length of time; the common opinion was that Blackbeard’s darkness powers or Doc Q’s medicine skills would somehow save them, and the crew hadn’t been taken by surprise at all. But no, Blackbeard’s crew was actually defeated by that one attack, and would have died were it not for Shiryuu. This not only increases Magellan’s standing even further – now he appears to be one of the most powerful characters seen in the entire series, having taken out a Shichibukai and probable end villain and his crew, but adds another element to the Blackbeard/Luffy parallels. Just like Luffy, Blackbeard underestimated Magellan, and had to be saved from without. This just adds to a parallel narrative between the two that started way back in Jaya and is becoming more and more relevant. Blackbeard also entered Impel Down voluntarily – unheard of for pirates outside of them – with grandinose schemes that, while staying a mystery for now, are surely in the same vein of Luffy’s own dreams of infinite freedom and adventure.
Impel Down has been very unique in One Piece thus far in how all of the primary characters’ plans and motivations are interacting and conflicting. Until now, there was usually just two conflicting goals that hinged around one element. Here, everyone is aiming for their own target and use the other characters for their own needs, with varying degrees of success. Blackbeard’s plans have been among the most interesting. The fact that he has convinced Shiryuu to join his crew says a lot for the ambition and scope of his plan, as Shiryuu does not seem like a man to support a foolish cause. It seems obvious that Blackbeard desires power above all other things, so my theory is that he is looking for someone in prison who knows something about Pluton or another ancient weapon.
However, we probably won’t be seeing any more of his adventures in Impel Down, or the fate of Mr. 2, for quite awhile. The absence of any Impel Down staff appearing in the chapter is proof enough to me that the arc is over and done with. It may seem like an unsatisfactory conclusion – as I said last week, there prison still has many secrets worth seeing. This chapter further reaffirms my belief that Impel Down is a story better told with a different protagonist than Luffy, and it’s seeming more and more like Blackbeard will take that role. Whether his story becomes a cover mini-arc, anime filler or a few chapters in its own right (ignore what I said about disliking gaiden arcs, I would love to see this), I’m sure there’s still more to be seen. Besides which, Magellan still needs to be resolved. There’s no way the series is ending without him getting one more major fight scene, he’s just too powerful. And I don’t see him leaving the prison, and I think it would be nice to see him fight for good. Impel Down staff vs. Blackbeard’s crew 2.0? You know it would be awesome.
Turning now to Luffy’s escape party, a few lingering conflicts were sorted out quite skillfully and eloquently by Oda this week. Luffy finally learns who Jimbei is – almost disappointing, I was hoping that Luffy’s ignorance about him would become a long-standing running joke – and the escapees learn about their true destination. I thought the resolution of the possible mutiny was one of the cleverest bits of reversal that Oda has ever done. Buggy getting pinned with way too much responsibility and undue respect has been pretty obvious ever since he first started springing people from jail, but his sudden adaptation to it and new plan for glory is both hilarious and exciting. I hope I’m not alone in hoping that, at the end of this coming arc, Buggy is put in some position of power, shichibukai or above. Oda has presented people who have a high office in the past and yet do not have or appear to have the power to back it up, but he always twists this by having them end up being powerful or having all their subordinates acknowledge their uselessness. The idea of someone in power who has tricked a large army of followers into believing in their strength is a hilarious concept, and Buggy would be perfect for the role.
The whole character of Buggy is very interesting. He always seemed to be a strange character, Oda obviously had a soft spot for him, but he seemed like he was always neglected and abused when it came to the story. He didn’t really end up making much of a difference in Roguetown and since then he just wandered around getting lost. Even in Impel Down, his Muggy Ball failed, his attacks were ineffective, and Mr. 3 was the real mastermind behind freeing the prisoners. Buggy’s only accomplishment was helping Luffy get to level 2, and he probably could’ve figured it out anyways. His weakness and dishonorable personality are always at odds with his accolades: apprentice on the Pirate King’s ship, once a peer to Shanks, fought Whitebeard… Buggy’s weakness in many ways seemed unfeasible to the point of hurting the story. However, Oda has dealt with that by giving the expectations the reader once might have had of Buggy to the Marines.
This is one of many examples of Oda having characters react and have ideas that are the same as those that the reader had, even within this chapter. One of the most entertaining scenes in the chapter was the escapee’s wonder at Luffy and Buggy’s conversation. To them, it must have been like reading the chapter where Shanks confronts Whitebeard: so many important names being thrown around, so much tension! Also interesting was the conversation between Crocodile and Jimbei, even though not much of it was seen. The ability Oda has to clearly define a character while still making him mysterious was really highlighted here; I really have no idea what Crocodile and Jimbei must have talked about, nor do I fully understand Crocodile’s agenda or Jimbei’s history, but I am intrigued simply because I know their personalities so well and the possibilities are very exciting.
The chapter concludes by driving home yet again how amazing and dramatic the Marineford arc will be. This chapter didn’t really bring us much closer to its beginning – we were between the two gates at the beginning and end of it – but it does further solidify several key elements of it. The way Oda has kept all the characters - even the ones who are against every aspect of being involved with the war – in the picture while keeping ones he wants to save for later out of it without ever crossing any lines of believability or logic shows again how great of a storyteller he is. And Ace’s forthcoming execution… Oda keeps piling on the tear fodder. The juxtaposition with the flashbacks may be a bit predictable, but geez, is it effective. If Ace actually is killed, it’s going to be the most tear-jerking moment yet. Not much may have actually progressed in this chapter, but I think this time spent getting us excited is well deserved, considering what’s to come. It’s just cruel that he’s taking a break next week.
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