On the Third Floor, Nico Robin is approached by what appears to be her departed loved ones: her mother Nico Olvia, her mentor Professor Clover, and Jaguar D. Saul. The three tell her to approach them and Robin starts to approach them with her arms open.
Brook, however, tries to tell her over and over not to go to them, and sure enough she stops and admits the enemy was trying to fool her, using Tres Mano: Freesia to strike the fakes and expose them as Black Maria’s subordinates: SMILE eaters Nure Onna and Tenjo Kudari, and female Number Kunyun.
As Brook and Robin run from Black Maria and her subordinates, Brook tells Robin he should have given him a sign that she wasn’t affected by their trick. Robin says to Brook that he wasn’t affected either and says it is because he was adrift in the Florian Triangle for fifty years and dreamed his parted crew was alive, so he became use to being hurt by illusions. Robin offhandedly remarks how similar the two of them are due to all their trauma.
The bonding moment between Robin and Brook reminded us of the true depth of pain these characters have gone through but also how they’ve overcome their pain to work on their goals. I don’t think there are many situations in the series where two of our main characters experienced personal grief together.
Black Maria says that Sanji knew she was hunting her and called her to her location, using it as justification that she is nothing but a burden to her crew and it is why he called to her so quickly. She also calls him a laughingstock for calling for help even though he has the second highest bounty in the crew.
This was kinda Oda’s way of telling that some fans didn’t understand what the whole Sanji screaming after Robin really meant for both of them. For Robin it meant that she could truly free herself of the feeling of being a burden that always must be protected. For Sanji it showed growth, he is no longer scared of putting his mates at risk and does not fear to ask for help (as he did in Whole Cake Island).
I’m so happy that Robin is with a crew that truly loves and cares about her, and not just for her ability to read the Poneglyphs. A crew that went through thick and thin to rescue her in Enies Lobby. Robin has had a tragic past. She was demonized and ostracized by everyone in Ohara because of her devil fruit. Her only friends were Professor Clover, and Saul and they were killed. Her hometown was destroyed and she was hunted down by the World Government because of her ability to read the Poneglyphs. To be with a group of people that she can trust is so important because many people have tried to betray her.
