christi

[beribeats]

Artist: WCIarigatou

[calgaras]

Is it weird to see Ussop's love for Merry as an extension of his love for Kaya.

It isn’t weird, but I don’t think it’s an accurate assessment. Usopp absolutely did care that it was given to them by Kaya 

“Yeah, you told me a thousand times.” That makes it pretty clear that early on, Usopp talked a lot about Kaya and how she is the one who gave them the Merry, and that that mattered to him. However, to say that Usopp essentially only loved Merry because of Kaya sells both Usopp and Merry short. 

In order to talk about this, I also need to talk about the fight between Usopp and Luffy. I’ve written about this before (here), and one of the two reasons why Usopp chose to leave the crew was for reasons very similar to Robin’s. Robin was terrified that because of her past and the danger that came with her traveling with the Straw Hats, eventually they would come to see her as a burden and resent her 

She had come to love the Straw Hats while traveling with them, so the idea of them someday rejecting her hurt more than anything–she would rather die now and have them be safe and still care about her too, than continue traveling with them and cause them to be destroyed or drive them to someday abandon her. And Usopp had a similar fear. 

Rather than feeling that he was too dangerous to travel with them, as Robin did, Usopp felt that he was too weak. After the Monster Trio was easily beaten by Aokiji, Usopp realized that they would be going up against people not even Luffy could defeat from then on, and that shook him. Like Robin, he had started thinking of himself as a burden to them, and that they were better off without him. If Luffy would leave the Merry once it was no longer useful, then why wouldn’t they someday leave him too once it became clear that he couldn’t contribute to their journey anymore, which Usopp believed he couldn’t do because he thought of himself as being too weak. 

So, that’s part of it–the more subtle part that probably wasn’t necessary to talk about for the purposes of this ask, but I wanted to anyway b/c I think it’s important. ANYWAY. The other, and larger, part of why Usopp fought with Luffy over the Going Merry was because he simply fundamentally viewed Merry as a living person and an equal comrade/friend 

“Ships and people are two different things!” “They’re the same! Going Merry is alive!” 

Usopp wasn’t just saying that. He meant it. 

On Skypiea, Usopp saw Going Merry’s Klabautermann, which we would come to find out was a water spirit that inhabits ships that are well cared for and well loved. The Straw Hats’ love for Going Merry literally brought it to life. Even though Usopp didn’t know about klabautermenn or anything, he still believed that Going Merry, in a way he didn’t understand and couldn’t explain, was alive. And that meant so much to him that even though he knew full well himself that the Going Merry was too damaged to safely sail anymore, he couldn’t bring himself to abandon it. Looking up these scenes made me cry a little because damn, Usopp really did love Merry so much. The whole crew did, but no one more so than Usopp. Usopp may have cared about the Merry so much initially because it was a gift from Kaya, but well before the end he had come to love Merry as its own independent living thing, as a comrade and a friend.

And as long as I’m at it, I want to circle back real quick to Luffy and Usopp’s fight again. I’ve seen a lot of people view Luffy as being the one in the wrong–that he should have been nicer, should have done more to compromise, and that telling Usopp he should leave the crew was over the line and wrong. However, while defending Merry, Usopp crossed the line first 

“Don’t say ‘I’ve decided’ like you’re a real Captain!” 

Luffy is the man who saved Usopp’s village, saved the Baratie, freed Nami’s whole island from Arlong, saved Dorry and Broggy from Baroque Works (and they were heroes to Usopp), saved Drum Island from Wapol, defeated Crocodile, and saved all of Skypiea from Enel. And yet here Usopp was saying to him, “you are not a real Captain.” As Zoro said after Enies Lobby was over, “[Luffy] is our Captain. It’s better not to have someone who can’t pay due respect to him as a part of the crew.” With that in mind, Luffy telling Usopp that he should leave the crew if he doesn’t like his decisions is frankly an appropriate response. Usopp was dead wrong about everything in this scene. Even though the Merry was alive in its own way, trying to continue sailing on it would have resulted in all of them probably dying in the middle of the ocean. No one liked the idea, but it had to be done. But Usopp, even knowing that, couldn’t accept it. 

And I’m not saying this to criticize Usopp. In my opinion it is important to understand the full situation here, and to understand Usopp’s motivations, because they were so amazingly sympathetic and well done. It’s one of the most painful and emotional parts of the whole series, and makes me appreciate Usopp’s character so much–how much he loved Merry, how much he struggled with his lack of confidence in himself, and how painful this entire situation was to him. 

[calgaras]

Sorry to bother you but I felt like after this recent chapter, I wanted someone to talk too about Usopp. I sometimes think about Usopp and his cowardice in comparison to his time as Sogeking. Even though it is a split personality, I think that Sogeking is a sort of inspiration to Usopp to who he could be in terms of bravery and courage. Ever since Sogeking was shown to be a whole other part of Usopp, I've wondered if Usopp still converses with Sogeking or if Sogeking just died post time skip?

I’ve heard a lot of people say that we won’t be seeing Sogeking again, now that Usopp is so much braver after the time skip, but after chapter 740 I’m not so sure of that anymore. Usopp has a lot to be very legitimately afraid of while fighting Sugar and Trebol, and if we think of Sogeking as Usopp’s inspiration/will to fight even when he’s over his head, then I think that there is a possibility that he’ll come back here or in the future, even if Usopp is “brave” now.

At the same time though, Usopp has never really needed Sogeking. Usopp may have put the mask on while fighting Perona, but back in Enies Lobby when the entire crew was facing imprisonment and annihilation, his single bravest moment involved him taking off the mask

(Oh lord it’s painful to see Luffy that hurt.)

At this point I think it could go either way. Usopp has every reason to be terrified of his opponents here, and if it takes Sogeking’s revival to take care of them then I have no complaints. But nonetheless, I think that Sogeking is a crutch for Usopp in some ways—Sogeking’s existence reflects the idea (at least in how he manifested during the Perona fight) that he can do what Usopp can’t. Well, rather than a crutch, he’s born from the fact that Usopp isn’t entirely sure of his own abilities—his insecurity that when he’s facing death he needs to be stronger than he really is to win, and that takes the form of Sogeking. If Usopp is able to be completely confident in his own strength, regardless of whether or not he’s still rightfully scared, then I don’t think we will ever see Sogeking manifest again.

[creative-type]

The thing about inherited will in One Piece is that while, yes, passing down a specific skill set or ability through the generations is part of it, what’s more important is the passage of ideals and mindset over time. 

Robin didn’t inherit the Oharan archeologists’s will because she could read the poneglyphs, she inherited their desire to find truth at whatever cost. Had she ever wavered from that, or sought out personal power or revenge using the Ancient Weapons, she’s no longer inheriting Ohara’s will. 

I mean, Roger never set out to be the pirate king and hated that the Government hid his real name with a fancy title, and yet Luffy—who can’t go three chapters without saying he’s going to become the Pirate King—is his true successor. 

That’s part of what makes characters like Doflamingo and Big Mom so tragic. Yes, the made their own decisions and chose their own paths, but they were guided and shaped by people impressing their own wills upon them—people like Trebol, Mother Caramel, and Strussen.

I’ll be curious to see more of Blackbeard’s story. He had a figure he could have followed (Whitebeard) but seems to have decided to pick up the will of another (Rocks D Xebec). I’d really like to know why. 

So yeah. Inherited will as presented in One Piece seems to be a two step process. You’ve gotta have someone putting their ideals out there, and then someone from the next generation has to choose to accept them as their own. It’s neither fate nor free will, but a weird combination of the two.  

[calgaras]

Sorry to bother you but I felt like after this recent chapter, I wanted someone to talk too about Usopp. I sometimes think about Usopp and his cowardice in comparison to his time as Sogeking. Even though it is a split personality, I think that Sogeking is a sort of inspiration to Usopp to who he could be in terms of bravery and courage. Ever since Sogeking was shown to be a whole other part of Usopp, I've wondered if Usopp still converses with Sogeking or if Sogeking just died post time skip?

I’ve heard a lot of people say that we won’t be seeing Sogeking again, now that Usopp is so much braver after the time skip, but after chapter 740 I’m not so sure of that anymore. Usopp has a lot to be very legitimately afraid of while fighting Sugar and Trebol, and if we think of Sogeking as Usopp’s inspiration/will to fight even when he’s over his head, then I think that there is a possibility that he’ll come back here or in the future, even if Usopp is “brave” now.

At the same time though, Usopp has never really needed Sogeking. Usopp may have put the mask on while fighting Perona, but back in Enies Lobby when the entire crew was facing imprisonment and annihilation, his single bravest moment involved him taking off the mask

(Oh lord it’s painful to see Luffy that hurt.)

At this point I think it could go either way. Usopp has every reason to be terrified of his opponents here, and if it takes Sogeking’s revival to take care of them then I have no complaints. But nonetheless, I think that Sogeking is a crutch for Usopp in some ways—Sogeking’s existence reflects the idea (at least in how he manifested during the Perona fight) that he can do what Usopp can’t. Well, rather than a crutch, he’s born from the fact that Usopp isn’t entirely sure of his own abilities—his insecurity that when he’s facing death he needs to be stronger than he really is to win, and that takes the form of Sogeking. If Usopp is able to be completely confident in his own strength, regardless of whether or not he’s still rightfully scared, then I don’t think we will ever see Sogeking manifest again.

[calgaras]

I love Usopp a lot of the time but I have my moments where I can be disappointed in choices he makes. I'm disappointed by Sanji's constant chivalry and nosebleeds but I still love him pretty much all the time. Lately, there's been a lot of posts since Usopp's running away tactic that defends Usopp but puts down people who were disappointed. I mean, if you're not disappointed, cool, but I was. Don't put down my feelings on his choice in the fight. Am I crazy or just stupid for thinking that? :/

I have lots and lots of love for Usopp, and I really do think he’s one of the most well developed characters in the series. I don’t think he’s right all the time either, but what he does is extremely relateable and understandable. Take Water 7 for example: he was dead wrong about whether or not the crew should keep sailing with the Going Merry. Luffy had the same reaction that Usopp did when the shipwrights told him Merry couldn’t be repaired, and what did Iceburg say to him?

And Iceburg was right. It’s the duty of the captain to protect his whole crew, while still pressing forward to achieve his dream and the dreams of his crew. And jeopardizing the lives of the entire crew and all their dreams/futures because of an unwillingness to hurt the feelings of one of their own and make sacrifices where the needed to be made is not what a captain does.

So yeah, Usopp was dead wrong. But, I can still sympathize so much with where he was coming from. Usopp always had confidence issues with himself, and over time they just kept getting bigger and bigger. I think Aokiji’s appearance, where Usopp witnessed for the first time the entire Monster Trio being defeated with 0 effort, was a scary wake up call to him

For the first time Usopp realized that he couldn’t always depend on them to beat the big bad guys, that even if he fought and did his best, they could still all be crushed. And of course, Water 7 just drove home the idea that he wasn’t good enough to be a part of the crew harder than ever before

Usopp wasn’t just refusing to leave Merry because he was attached to it (and he WAS the closest one to it out of all of them), but because he was afraid that if the crew was willing to leave Merry behind when it wasn’t of use to them anymore they’d do the same to him one day. So he took a stand and fought to try to prove himself to both Luffy and himself. In a lot of ways it’s just like the fears Robin had about the crew, the first true family she ever had, becoming to resent her for the burden she placed on them and come to hate her, so she sacrificed herself rather than put them in harms way or give them a chance to reject her eventually.

So I disagree with Usopp sometimes, and sometimes I’m even disappointed in him. I was a bit disappointed in him when he ran away at first against Trebol and Sugar, but he came back and put his life on the line all the same. And you saw how badly he was hurt in that fight. If it had gone on any farther he probably would have died, and he knew that’s what would happen to him. And can you really look at a guy like that, a guy barely any stronger than the average tumblr user, and say to him, “hey, I know we only met a few hours ago, but could you go fight that guy who can throw ships like baseballs for us and probably die pointlessly in the process? We’d really appreciate it!”

Because that’s more or less what it was. Usopp was in far over his head. He was afraid for his life, and he was frustrated with the Tontatta putting all their hopes on him, something he admittedly fostered himself in them with his lies, and that’s understandable. Do I like that he ran away? Of course not. But I understand why he did it, because face it—every single us would have done the same, except we probably never would have come back. Usopp’s not a hero and he’s not a monster. He’s just a regular guy trying to do his best to overcome his own fears and limitations and find his place in the world, and I would hope that’s something everyone can relate to.

When it comes to whether or not you’re “crazy or stupid” for being disappointed in Usopp, those aren’t things that I would say to someone. If you can look at everything I’ve said here and still hold what Usopp did against him, then I guess we’ll have to agree to disagree. I’m not one to say things like, “if you don’t love Usopp and approve of everything he does you’re stupid and I don’t want to talk to you,” since we can’t really help what characters we get attached to for personal reasons, and I don’t agree with everything Usopp does myself. But the fundamental parts of who Usopp is are so important in my opinion, and I will say that if someone hates Usopp or thinks he’s a joke I will fight them on it, because to me that’s saying something more than just insulting a character in a manga.

Anyone who thinks Usopp is a joke and doesn’t deserve to be respected is saying that people who aren’t strong, who aren’t good at something, shouldn’t even try—that people aren’t allowed to try to be better and braver than they really are. I am 100% fine with Usopp being afraid to fight, even here and now after the time skip, because there will always be people stronger than you—better than you at whatever it is you’re trying to do—and the future and whether or not we can succeed in what we try to do in life is something that people will always have anxieties about. Whether it’s getting into a school you want, getting a job you’re aiming for, standing up to people who are assholes, defending something you believe in to people who mock you, working to make a relationship work through difficult times, or anything else that we want but feel scared or uncertain about, we all need to do things in life that we don’t always have the confidence to believe we can do. And Usopp’s character and everything about him tells the message, “it’s okay to be weak, it’s okay not to be the best, it’s okay to be afraid, and it’s okay to fail—what matters is that we keep trying. We can always improve ourselves, and we can always prove our own fears wrong and do what we were afraid we couldn’t.”

All this is why I think that Usopp is possibly the most well developed and most inspirational character in the entire series. If Usopp doesn’t make someone smile, and if someone doesn’t need the type of inspiration that Usopp can offer and therefore doesn’t think too much of him, I can’t blame them for that. But Usopp means a lot to a lot of people, and in my mind both his fears and his actions come together to make a character that deserves to be respected by everyone.

[soranatus]

The stars shine brighter when I’m with you 💫💫💫

Beautiful art by ACET4444th on Twitter

[callie1000]

😩

Smoking isn’t cool, kids

[usopps-froggy-hat]

real recognize real ❣️

[eiilese]

they are talking shit about you 🤭

[rayluaza]

Happy Birthday, Usopp <3

[cranity]

Let's sail!🌊

[eiilese]

i’m so normal about him

[rayluaza]

I like to imagine Usopp enjoys spending time with the Mini Merry 2, telling her about all the adventures that the Straw Hats go on - like he used to do for Kaya back home. Just to make sure the Merry isn't missing anything <3

[shuravf]

Happy birthday to the ✨Curly Hair Trio✨

[robotoad-deactivated20240227]

This will forever and always be one of my favorite little parts in One Piece. How the boys can't even bring themselves to sleep in their own room because they're so worried about her. How Vivi put so much effort into caring for her that she just ended up collapsing on the side of the bed. I do find myself wishing for more of these types of moments later in the series, but I guess everything is so much different now. We know so much more about the world and everything going on in it, so there isn't as much time to be focusing on the crew and their interactions. Anyways, I just love seeing them being a family.

[salteytakesonmanga]

But then immediately Usopp turns around to face a Fishman, right after learning they have ten times the strength of the average human. He’s used for laughs a lot but this is incredibly brave of him.

There are more examples later in the series, but I think this illustrates something important about Usopp. The stories and lies he tells himself - the Brave Warrior of the Sea and Hero Sogeking and Leader of 10,000 Men stuff - actually DO help. It’s not like he actually gets a power boost from it, but what it does do is it pushes him to try harder.

Usopp is fundamentally a regular guy. He’s not monstrously strong, he doesn’t have powers… He can’t live beyond the edge of common sense like Luffy and Zoro. But by telling himself these stories he can push himself past that edge for a moment. Usopp may be a regular guy, but beyond that edge of common sense is where regular guys become heroes, and the lies become real.