LuNa analysis: The Pass of the Hat
Whether you have years in the One Piece fandom or you’re newcomer to the series, many people realize there are a couple of moments LuNa fans from the past and the present tend to highlight: The pass of the hat (Arlong Park and Skypiea)
Those who know Luffy’s character knows how much he treasures that hat, and how much it means to him. However, even LuNa fans admit other characters aside from Nami had worn the hat such as Usopp and Tama. So, what makes such moments between Luffy and Nami stand out from those other cases?
I know I already mentioned this subject when analyzing another pairing, but this very same principle applies to any literary work. So, let us begin from what we know from each moment:
After Nami hitted her lowest point, when she finally lost all hope and fell into despair, Luffy (who had been actively and personally trying to reach out to her) came to Nami. At this moment, Nami made the choice to finally let go of her distrust of people, open up and share her burden with someone else.
Luffy initially doesn’t respond to Nami with words, instead he silently placed his hat over her before screaming he’ll definitively help her…
…in this moment Nami relied on Luffy both physically and emotionally while he provided with hope and comfort through a meaningful gesture. Right after he defeats her tormentor and destroys all physical traces of her past, she silently returns Luffy’s gesture:
After this, Nami becomes Luffy’s navigator and one of his dear companions, while Luffy becomes her emotional anchor.
But, why does this moment is able to have such an impact? Because Nami knew how much that hat means to Luffy…
…she saw it with her own eyes. That’s how this gesture became something so significant to the both of them
Fast forward to Skypiea…
Luffy is now facing a guy with a god complex who just stomped several of his crewmates (something Nami witnessed herself). Nami starts to panic while she considers the negative implications in defeating this baddie, and while she starts to feel overtaken by fear Luffy does this…
…and says that as the future Pirate King’s companion, Nami shouldn’t be acting as a worrywart. After this happens, Nami doesn’t display the same fear again. And even draws enough to courage to face the bad guy on her own.
Both scenes come back to one simple fact: Luffy personally takes the initiative to acts as Nami’s “rock”
But, if these scenes hold such significance. Why the story hasn’t shown anything similar up to this point? Because Nami have not had the need of something like this in later arcs. She already relies on Luffy emotionally…
…looking for hope and comfort in her captain
She already displays enough determination to either fight overwhelming odds alongside Luffy…
…or support a choice he made as a captain
In the movie Strong World, which was written by Oda, Luffy inadvertently points out this part of Nami’s character when he describes her as the SH’s vanguard against the bad guy rather than a damsel in distress. Showing how he acknowledges the strength of Nami’s character even when he thought she was doubting his capabilities.
Many people think that a pairing depends on commonalities, some sort of cuteness/corniness factor, or the famous reasoning of saving the girl means she owns her savior a relationship. But none of these factors make up a potent relationship.
A strong connection between characters is built through mutual faith/trust, emotional support, meaningful behaviors, and moments that leave an impact that can be felt throughout the story and the way the characters bond with one another.
That’s what makes the “pass of the hat” such a powerful and significant moment for the relationship between Luffy and Nami.