#davy d. xebec

[elipri]

Parenting huh….

[ambiguousbeetle]

[crinj-central]

Do we think Xebec grew a soft spot for Loki after Teach was born? Like, he already saw Harald as a friend, probs grew to see Loki as a nephew or sumthing

I like to hc that the scene in 1166 happened around the time when Teach was already born or when Eris was pregnant! He's much nicer to Loki there, and I interpret that he's much softer in the "because of love..." scene (which is due to me fujoshing tf out lol)

Here's a wip haha

[chromatic-lamina]

Rocks' ship is massive. For perspective:

the Polar Tang (above).

and the Polar Tang next to the war ship Boa Hancock appropriated after Marineford (above)

and again (2), just to give perspective (above)

the Polar Tang facing the Sabre of Xebec (Blackbeard's ship) (above)

and Rocks' ship ploughing through the marine war ships! It must be massive. It has to be to house all members of the crew, but keep in mind that adult Ivankov was on the warship that Hancock stole, and the army does have soldiers who are giants. I know it's a bit of Oda's proportional handwaving (sometimes I'm really impressed how he keeps everything in proportion, but he doesn't always). I also know because the Polar Tang is a submarine it's one of the smaller ships in terms of height, but that's why I wanted to use it to reflect the proportions.

We need a One Piece Fan Letter for God Valley Incident too, except it would be far darker than flashbacks to Marineford due to the intentionality of hunting an unarmed civilian population.

[danwhobrowses]

One Piece Chapter 1163 Initial Thoughts

And we are back

another break left us hanging but the madness of God Valley continues. Key characters have been saved or defeated, Devil Fruits have been eaten, but now we stand before The World - a World that wants certain characters dead.

We are entering what appears to be the stage of Rocks' final stand, but how will it turn out? Let's find out

Spoilers for the Chapter, Support the Official Release too!

Yamato's cover story again gets shoved side, this time for a cover request of Luffy parkouring with monkeys

We pick up where we left off, with Saturn being possessed by Imu, who bleeds out of him like a soul leaving the body

Marines are surprised and terrified, and more the latter when Imu (SatImu and Imuturn don't land as well as Imunko - yeah remember that is all happening! - we know this is Imu) attacks them marine and pirate alike

A notable point, Imu seems to imitate Saturn's talons from the limb for added spread

Dunno if it's just TCB but one of Roger's injured men calls the pain 'compelling', which does confuse Roger

Roger tells Gaban to cover the men and get out with the treasure

Gaban notes that it's 'this again', which is a nod to Roger's reluctance to back down - inherited by Ace, to his detriment

Garp demands to know what he's seeing

He's told it's Saturn a Gorosei, which he notes is the first time he's seen one of them

He also says it's a fitting look for the head of 'those maggots' where the shocked marines ask him to tone it down

Rocks stands before Imu, calling them the Rat King, as he asks if they came to kill him in person

Imu calls them 'the one', but also addresses Rocks as Davy Jones

I mention this since 'the one' has been said before; Whitebeard told Teach 'you aren't the one', and 'the one' was also mentioned by the Gorosei as the light to extinguish

There's a lot of things being said we don't have the full information of; Rocks notes that he's not Jones nor has he ever met him, but believes that 'promises are meant to be kept'

A telling thing given how Joy Boy failed to keep a promise to Poseidon

Rocks' resolve prompts Imu to justify the annihilation of his bloodline

'Mu's world remains incomplete' - is it still incomplete? It sounds like Imu has designs

Rocks cuts off a talon, coldly replying 'this world ain't yours'

Marines watch Rocks fight 'Saturn', the order was that fighting was prohibited but they wonder if they should provide back up

Garp decides that they should provide back up, but that Monkey D. grin and intense look in his eyes makes the marines worried about who he plans on backing up

The Roger pirates still fight off the marines carrying loads of treasure - the marines mentioning that it includes 'world-renowned items'

On the outskirts, Captain John preps to leave, bidding farewell to the Rocks Pirates

Dragon keeps running even despite the shriek he heard

He sees a navy ship, which he plans to drop Shanks off in, but he is halted, his gun is holding him back and yanks him in the air

All the treasure is floating in the air, as well as the weapons - as Gaban, much like Zoro did at Sabaody, holds them back

No wonder Captain John had such a big hidden treasure, he did indeed have Kid's fruit before him and he's lagged back to pull all the treasure to him in the southeast

I also find it ironic at least for the TCB translation that John has Kid's fruit and the ability he uses is called 'Big Eater', which is Bonney's epithet

Ganzui is nearby though and not willing to let John get away

No way, does Ganzui have Mr. 5's explosive fruit? And is shooting snot the same way??

The attack, Sky Snake Red Cannon, hits John and leaves him pretty beaten up, causing all the metals and treasures to fall back down, including Dragon

Shiki confronts Ganzui about attacking John, but points out that John wouldn't have shared the loot

The chests are apparently worth a billion each, which shocks Shiki

Though Ganzui can't blame him for wanting it all...as he aims this time for Shiki himself

Garp is charging towards Imu, dragging a bunch of marines trying to hold him back XD

It looks like a pest to him so that's his justification

Newgate and Kaido prepare to join in the fight, but Linlin has come charging in on Zeus, still very angry at Kaido

Kaido is so hilariously unserious in this arc 'Kaido, I'll kill you' 'You jealous Linlin? Check out this cool fire breath I'm gonna do' - dude you used to be cool

Roger also jumps in, as each of the six fighters prepare an attack

Galaxy Impact from Garp, Divine Departure from Roger, Ikoku Sovereignty from Linlin, guessing Blast Breath from Kaido but we only get 'Dragon...' in TCB

And named moves from Newgate, Shattering Void, and Rocks - Curse of the Abyss

It seems to do some damage on Imu, but the body simply bursts out incredible amounts of Conqueror's Haki, taking out the nearby marines

Roger pirates are still running, looking back at times to notice the insanity going on

Rayleigh however reminds his crew of the treasure lying around, noting how a pirate's priorities never waver, even when carrying the woman you love

Dragon comes too, but is holding a piece of tree rather than baby Shanks

Baby Shanks is crawling off blissfully unaware, until he sees an open treasure chest that draws his attention

The rest we can figure is history, but props to baby Shanks for not being KO'd by Imu's Haki

But still, bit of a negative stock for young Dragon here; he promised to save the twins and kinda failed at both. Satchel took Shamrock and then he lost Shanks

You can't entirely blame him because it's not like he wilfully abandoned them but still, maybe the failure is what pushed him to be as he is now, and be as emotional as a lamp post

Imu still reconstitutes, with Linlin and Kaido still arguing

Kaido notes that he can't just throw it up, but Linlin wants compensation

Garp and Roger meanwhile are trying to take sole credit for the damage

Before we get to the main part of the panel though, wanna talk about how this kinda has some Skypeia vibes too; a being that deems themselves God vs forces usually at conflict with each other uniting to take them down; the native fighting for their home and people, Wyper and Rocks, the law abider, Gan Fall and Garp, the loyal second in command, Newgate and Zoro, the serpent, Nola and Kaido, the one who will seek the world's secrets, Robin and Roger, and the weather-controlling woman on the outskirts, Nami and Linlin

Also also, I thought about how last chapter Imu was called 'The World' and I wondered about Tarot. Major Arcana has The World as the card for Fulfilment, Achievement, Dreams Coming True, which are core themes to One Piece. But Imu doesn't represent that, so perhaps much like their inversion power, they are The World reversed, and to stop them they have to turn the World back upright?

But anyway, back to the chapter, Imu's stretched themselves high in the clouds, mentioning how they've spotted someone

Rocks catches on quickly, Imu has eyes on Eris and Teach - a new branch of the Davy Clan

Rocks launches in, slicing up Imu again

But it was all just a bait, tendrils stab into Rocks but they don't hurt him

Imu tells Rocks they won't be the one who attacks them: Rocks is

A command to slay his wife and child comes with two words that have grown ever so terrifying in One Piece: Domi Reversi

Welp, we've been saying Rocks is a demon and now he's gonna be one for real.

It was of course theorized, even by myself, that perhaps Rocks got Domi Reversi'd and that's what prompts Roger and Garp to defeat him but it seems confirmed now that this is the case. It benefits Roger and Garp's stock as well for them to have to fight Rocks to save his family. Still though, it's unusual this one. It could just be Oda's oversight but Rocks' Domi Reversi is entirely different to Imunko's; no grimoire or dagger, and no demon circle to flip, is it different? Or is it simply that Imu did the ritual parts off-screen with Rocks' parents and that can now extend to him?

But yeah this has been a great chapter for confirming shit; we know how Shanks got in the treasure chest - though it does hamper Dragon's efforts, we confirm John's fruit and potentially Ganzui's, we see the unravelling of the Rocks Pirates because of one big score, we get a little more context on why Kaido would feel indebted to Linlin even though he stole the fruit rather than being given it, and we see that Rocks, Kaido, Newgate and Linlin weren't fighting Roger and Garp but Imu themselves. Apologies should be in order for Garp and Roger too, since by comparison to Rocks they've had hefty criticism launched at them. Though we also gain new questions, mainly involving Imu and Davy Jones, it would seem that Imu is haunted by many figures of the past - given how Lili and Joy Boy have invoked reactions from them too.

I will say though, insane lack of Bogard in this God Valley flashback! We know he's there, let the dude show his stuff! Gunko is also ominously missing, she wasn't fighting Rocks so where is she?

As you may've noticed there's sneaky parallels all over for this chapter too, which I do appreciate and find rewarding. I still wonder however how Garp manages to escape punishment here, in the eyes of the Marine witnesses he attacked a Gorosei! I still have the questions about the three future Yonko too, it's not like you can unsee all of this

It seems Oda's illness means conveniently we get Demon Rocks for Halloween, and you can't really think of a more apt time for it. Will next chapter be Rocks' last stand? I doubt it, I can see it going till 1165, but then we'll have to move on to Harald - and see what his deal was that led to Loki killing him, also whatever Elbaf's forbidden devil fruit actually is, and of course hell on earth happening on Elbaf right now, it's just jumping from one fire into another!

As much as Oda should prioritize his health, he always makes sure that One Chapter a week is never enough.

[thekingofwinterblog]

I think one of the most facinating things about Harald and Xebec's relationship, is the way that Rocks serves as the guy telling Harald hard truths he doesn't want to hear... But also, despite everything, the man who was introduced brutalizing Harald's son, was also the one showing him the actual, right way forward.

Xebec always tells Harald that deep down, he hasn't changed. That warrior blood still runs deep in his veins, and underneath the facade of a diplomat, is a man who would very much prefer to solve things with his sword, rather than words.

We also gets a juxtaposition between two moments that are morally right and wrong, but stems from the same inborn wish to settle things with a sword.

There is his attack on the very evil world government to stop them taking his friends as slaves, arguably the most heroic thing he ever did.

Then there was his completely unjustifiable attempted murder of his own friend Xebec to try to get a chance to join said evil government.

There is no moral case to be made here. Harald tried to kill his own friend for nothing but raw, personal ambitions.

That is the action of a violent pirate, not a king who wants his people to be viewed as peaceful and honest.

Harald might not be under any moral obligation to join Xebec... But he throws away any moral highground by trying to kill him to join an organization that he knows is evil.

He tries to justify it as just being bound by his royal obligations, but the truth is simple.

He just wants to live to see a time when the giants of Elbaph are no longer seen as savages. He wants to actually live to see that everything he did actually had a point.

Which is why he makes his deal with the devil, even if he fails at it.

But of course, Harald and Xebec had one, final chat, where Rocks tried one, final time to get him on his side, swallowing his pride from their last fight for the sake of his own family... But that isn't the only thing that has changed.

In all their other conversations of when Xebec wanted Harald to join him, Xebec always tried to frame it in the way of the Giant king joining him and returing to the old ways.

This time is different.

This time, xebec appeals to something else.

His sense of morality.

Its such an out of character move, that Harald is actually shocked when Xebec reveals the fact he has a family of his own... Only to be blindsided by the reveal that God Valley is his hometown, where his kid currently is.

Xebec believes firmly that unless something drastic changes, he's gonna die at this mission.

As such, he made the choice to reach out a hand in friendship one last time, lay all the cards on the table, and show Harald that unlike before, this isn't a pirate's raid.

This is a rescue mission.

The difference between being right and being wrong.

If Harald is a good man, he cannot possibly refuse this. He knows what is happening at God's valley.

Just standing aside is pure evil... And Xebec reminds him of that fact, and hammers in the point even harder.

If he truly does care about even little people, that people have a right to live in peace, even if they weren't born big and strong like him, Harald has to come with him to God's Valley and stop what is going on there, and save Xebec's family.

In the end though, Harald has lost sight of what he actually set out to do. Why he originally changed in his youth, from a lowlife scumbag to a good man.

He's forgotten why he does what he does, forgetting why he jumped from his ship to attack the navy one, because doing so had a price attached to it... But it was the right choice to make.

He can only see the endgoal, a world where the giants are part of the "civilized world", not why being good mattered to him in the first place.

Being good is hard, but if he could just see for himself that it was all worth it... Is that not a price wirth closing him eyes and let a genocide happen for?

The answer incidentally, is no.

It is in fact, the height of cowardice. Weakness and craveness masquarading as responsibility and virtue.

And in the end, Harald, who could not see the forest for the trees, has his greatest moment of weakness, and lets the world government commit another genocide withouth lifting a finger to stop it, worse he actively plays at least some part in trying to stop the one force that is interested in seeing it stopped and has the power to make it happen.

And by doing so, believing the power of the world government could not be stopped or challenged, he ultimately lets the one man eho had the potential to end the world order go to his death.

And in the end, the consequences of that choice would come home to roost, as he too would be killed by that same force he refused to aid Rocks in stopping.

A force he actively made the choice to try to join, rather than oppose, sword in hand.

[hushbats]

Hello,

What do you think about the theories regarding the clown's secret lineage ? Is he a Davy clan member ? A Nefertari's descendant ? It would be funny if Cobra had a couple of illegitimate children before Vivi and happen to be Buggy... and Rob Lucci 🤣

Or do you think Nepo Piece has to be stop ?

Hi there!

I'm a die-hard believer in Rocks D. Buggy!!!

But really, it's becoming increasingly unlikely Buggy actually is Rocks' son and that any similarities are of a symbolic nature. He could still be part of the Davy clan in some way, but I'm not so sure...

I've seen the Nefertari theory a lot, and it's been going around for a long time. It never really grabbed me because there wasn't much backing it canonically beyond blue hair? Though I wouldn't rule it out just for that because it's One Piece after all. These things can come out of nowhere, Franky's parentage being a recent example!

Having said that, I do enjoy Buggy as a Nefertari in fics, something like Buggy is Vivi's crazy uncle the family doesn't talk about. (Encanto AU anyone?)

Rob Lucci though! 🤣 Thats a new one for me! Imagine!! Buggy and Rob Lucci...brothers?! 🤔

.........I'm down lol

There's been a bunch of fringe theories flying around that are kind of fun like Buggy being a failed clone of Rocks and Buggy being Davy Jones himself who time travelled into the present! Really crazy stuff like that. I don't buy into those too much either but they are fun to think about and discuss!

I surprisingly don't have a problem with Nepo Piece and I'm not sure why because it would definitely be annoying in any other show. For some reason, I think it works for the One Piece story and I can't really explain it. It's something I might come back to in another post if I ever figure it out. Or if someone has any ideas, lmk.

As for Buggy, I don't mind either way. There's potential for his story and character with both.

If he remains a nobody, then his story is about defying the odds to compete with the sons of legends. That kind of story is a pretty common trope in stories tbh. It makes sense for Buggy, yes, but it's also kind of...boring and predictable? Uninspired maybe? It's the most obvious option for an author but is Oda like that? I think he's a little more outside the box in his thinking so I wouldnt be surprised if he chose another direction. It depends on if Buggy's lineage is relevant enough to focus on and if he has time as we approach EOS. If he's under pressure, then leaving Buggy's ancestry a mystery is the easiest option.

If, for example, he is Rocks' son or whoever's, then his story could be about trying to be good enough to play his role and live up to the legend when he clearly can't, but breaking the mould on what is means to be powerful by fulfilling it in his own fail-cringe way? Rocks was a powerful feared pirate, a legend and for good reason, but all the power in the world couldn't stop his downfall. Buggy is not powerful and only really feared or even considered formidable by dumb marines and civilians, but he will succeed where his father failed showing that power in the One Piece world is not what makes you great. It would really stick it to the powerscalers too!

That's probably a terrible example of where it could go, but I'm not a world famous award-winning mangaka, but I hope you get what I'm saying lol. Oda could easily come up with something more original and keep readers on their toes. He loves pulling the rug from under fans' feet!

I definitely want to think more on this and the possible directions Oda could go with Buggy being related to someone of importance. I don't think he would just make Buggy related to someone without it servicing great importance to the story.

Maybe that's where the problem with Nepo Piece lies!! If characters are connected in a way that doesn't service the story, it's seen as cheap. There was a lot of Nepo Piece backlash after the Franky's dad reveal. It was so flippant and inconsequential to anything.

However, I also think 80% of the Nepo Piece allegations are just Piratefolk pouncing on anything to talk shit and clown on One Piece. Nepotisim is a buzzword and a hot-button topic online around celebrities. Like all buzzwords that make the rounds on TikTok, they start to lose meaning. Now every connection between characters is nepotism. Piratefolk-like people rarely ever care about how the connection works in conjuction with the storytelling. That's why I blocked the subreddit. That, and One Piece Powerscaling! There's only so much braindead bs I can take 🤣

Anyway, I've waffled on long enough. Reading back through this, you can definitely see my thought process jumping all over the place, it's so rambling and disjointed!!

What a great ask!! I've a lot to chew on so thanks for the question!

[chaoticargeltal]

Wanted to draw Domi Reversi Rocks in a more physically demonic style, inspired by a Bloodthirster from Warhammer