i REALLY LOVE USOPP OK he’s just such a unique and relatable character to me in that he doesn’t fulfill many “prerequisites” of a typical hero but at the same time that’s exactly what makes him so much of one?? he’s not particularly fearless or strong or noble, but he tries, he tries so hard, because his heart is in the right place and his hopes are in the right direction and even when he’s faced with insecurity after insecurity and terrified to the core and receiving far less support/approval than he needs, he’s ultimately able to overcome all of that, to do what he has to do, when he has to do it.
like?? in thriller bark the kind of negativity induced by perona’s ghosts on the others that could COMPLETELY CRIPPLE even zoro and luffy is how usOPP THINKS AND FEELS ON A DAILY BASIS AND JUST?? i know its often played off as a joke but the fact is usopp is not a rugged daring action movie protagonist kind of guy in fact in many ways he’s a very “normal” person as far as the strawhats are concerned lmao like despite all his boastful stories/lies he’s actually someone who gets scared easily—of danger, of death, of letting others go, of letting others down..he’s really someone who *does* struggle with insecurities and negativity but even so he’s a very hopey guy and i love hopey guys like he did all he could to give his mom hope when she was on her deathbed and he gave kaya hope when /she/ was combatting her illness and his lies kind of give himself hope and assurance and dON’T GET ME STARTED ON THE USOPP PIRATES I’LL CRY
and liKE…i think a lot of people forget that usopp actually didn’t really have a strong guiding figure in his backstory unlike many of his crewmates (e.g. shanks, belle mere, zeff even?, clover, hiluluk, tom-san, kuina sort of..? idk not quote but you know what i mean) and he really gets very little assurance/encouragement/approval from others?? like a Big Part of his character and storyline is how he often gets laughed at and mocked (like with captain kuro in his arc and the franky family in water 7) and even his momma never encouraged his stories (she was just like “silly boy” though its not like i blame her or anything) anD IT MAKES ME SO SAD FOR MY DARLING SON but at the same time i’m happy to see how much he’s grown and how his crewmates have come to support him a lot eSPECIALLY SANJI OH MY GOD SANJI
SANJI IS SO IMPORTANT FOR USOPP DAMMIT I JUST hhh i get sO MANY FEELINGS ABOUT THESE TWO?? a sure-fire way to get me screaming with emotion is to say “i’ll do what you cannot do, and you do what i cannot do”. like just?? throughout the whole of water 7 sanji’s always the one offering help/support to usopp and defending him and encouraging him and damn if that’s not the kind of stuff that usopp really needs to hear…..like i think among the monster trio sanji is one who’s really known weakness and helplessness, how it’s like to face an overwhelmingly strong enemy (starvation) that he has no means to fight, and between that and his own innate kindness he ends up doing so many things for usopp that strike me right through the heart in twenty billion different ways
and i’m sorry i have digressed and have also become kind of incoherent so i’m just gonna stop here….thanks for wanting to listen to my endless usopp blabber!
