I’ve been thinking about the last chapter, certain events that have happened and where all of this is leading. With Wano arc ending, Kaido and Big Mom defeated and Luffy becoming an Emperor I think we’re finally done with the Four Emperors Saga.
But what does that mean? If we take a lot at the story, and probably every story in general, when we get introduced to a strong character he becomes almost like a symbol of strength and something to overcome. It feels like if the MC(main character) overcomes that burden he will become really strong. But what happens after MC overcomes the main enemy of the arc? He sure gets stronger but right after that a new villain appears that is even stronger then the previous one and much stronger than our MC.
We saw this from the beginning of One Piece, from Crocodile, Enel, Rob Lucci, Gecko Moria, Doflamingo, Big Mom and Kaido, and all of these villains seem to share the same fate. Before they are defeated they represent a symbol to overcome and once they are defeated they don’t pose the same threat as they did before. They do stay strong, but their appearance in the story won’t make our MCs lose their heads and have trouble fighting them as they had the first time. We saw a glimpse of that with Crocodile during Marineford when Luffy easily stopped him with Gear 2.
So far in the story, the Emperors were presented as one of the biggest threats that one can encounter. Big Mom and Kaido were seen as undefeatable and we were all debating how these two can even be defeated and we also debated who could actually defeat them. Are Commanders stronger than Admirals? Can an Admiral go 1v1 with an Emperor?
In my opinion, Emperors are history. Our MCs overcame that difficulty, they are on that level themselves, and now it’s time for someone else and there are only few people that are left to fight with World Government and Blackbeard.
Blackbeard is already set up to be one of the final burdens to overcome, but Marines are a bit underrepresented in the strength manner because of all events that have been happening, it seems that they are strong but that everyone else is just stronger. But Green Bull is here to show us that is not the case.
I think Oda already gave us a hint about power balance between an Admiral and Yonko Commanders by having Green Bull defeat Queen and King in Udon. I know, it is not quiet the feat, considering that both Queen and King were defeated 7 days prior and they received a lot of damage and we don’t know if they fully recovered nor in what state they are, but still, Green Bull walked there and no diffed the whole Udon. One man alone.
Oda was giving us bits to see the real power of Admirals while leaving the posed threat of Shichibukai and Emperors intact and having them seem like they’re on the top of the chain. But let’s remind ourselves of two scenarios.
Aokiji stopping Doflamingo from killing Smoker
While Shichibukai still posed a threat, Aokiji, in my opinion, showed real power difference between someone of rank Shichibukai and an Admiral. Of course, we might not count Mihawk into this, because he’s not only a Shichibukai but the world’s strongest swordsman. But the rest of them, don’t really give the aura that they could defeat an Admiral 1v1.
Akainu chasing Blackbeard alone
After Marineford Akainu chased Blackbeard’s crew all alone and they ran from him. Blackbeard said “he’d rather avoid that guy for now”, imposing that Akainu alone would be a big trouble for them.
And now, since the Shichibukai and Yonko sagas are officially over, we are going to see the real power and strength of Marines and Admirals. I think we all took them lightly because this whole time they weren’t doing that much and they all looked idle and it seemed that they are just getting caught in events that are happening around them that are being caused by pirates, but now, they are going on offensive. They abandoned the Shichibukai system, two Emperors are down, there is a great cleansing coming, and it seems like they are done with playing passive and they won’t hold back.
Green Bull is here to show us their real power and to set the new bar.
“At my rank, I’d lose face if I let a few commanders like you get the best of me”
At his rank(an Admiral) and few Commanders like you(King and Queen) which are one of the strongest we have encountered so far. I think the message here is pretty clear. Marines are here and they are not playing around anymore.
To make it even a bigger statement and showcase of their strenght, Oda put Green Bull alone to infiltrate and go for Luffy’s head. I mean, let’s count everyone. Green Bull is going against people that just overthrew Big Mom and Kaido, one of the strongest people in the whole One Piece universe, and he’s going alone at these folks:
- Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, Jinbe, Yamato and the rest of the Straw Hat Pirates crew
- The Red Scabbards
- Law, Kid, Killer and their crews
- Minks and Samurais
- X Drake, Basil Hawkins, Apoo
While they are tired and hurt, they have to deal with this mf. Green Bull is completely unbothered. The only thing he thinks and worries right now is to get the “atta boy” from Akainu. He’s not worried at all about all the people that he must face to get to Luffy. I think Oda is trying to make a statement here.
*by uncomfotableng
