My Roman Empire is the fact that in the OP anime, in the scene where Cora-san asks Law to deliver a report to any Marine he meets, one phrase was added, that directly refers to one of the promises Eiichiro Oda once made to his beloved wife. This is it:
Although in the manga Cora-san says slightly different words to Law.
"When it's all over, we'll go on a travel around the world, just you and I..."
It sounds like one of his greatest hopes and his biggest bittersweet lie he's ever told to someone he loves at the same time.
So, I came across a YouTube video a while back ranking the Straw Hats by who’s the funniest. Luffy was #1 and Usopp was #2. And look, the biased Usopp fan in me was triggered. I was like—wait a minute! Usopp is the comic relief! He’s had some of the most iconic funny moments in the series! But the more I thought about it, the more I realized—Luffy is funny too, just in a different way. His deadpan reactions, lack of social awareness, and occasional shady one-liners are hilarious in their own right.
But then it hit me—there’s a difference between being funny and keeping your audience entertained. Some characters are effortlessly funny, but Usopp is a performer. He knows how to hold a crowd.
It actually reminded me of a common sitcom trope: the main character and their comedian friend both audition for a comedy show or try to entertain a crowd. The main character, with zero experience, suddenly gets all the laughs. Meanwhile, the comedian friend flops and starts doubting themselves. But then comes a moment when the main character bombs—they can’t connect with the crowd. And it’s the pro—the comedian—who saves the day. Why? Because they know their audience. They've done this before.
Examples? In The Loud House, Lincoln temporarily takes over Luan’s comedy gig, only to totally flop when performing for a tough crowd—until Luan swoops in with her mime routine and wins them over. Or that Fresh Prince episode where DL Hughley guest stars as Will’s comedian friend. Will’s charm works... until it doesn’t. Then DL steps in and shows what seasoned funny really looks like.
So yeah—Luffy is funny. Several Straw Hats are. But Usopp? Usopp is the one who keeps the crowd going. He has performance chops. He’s a storyteller. He’s got cringe humor, self-deprecation, dramatic flair, and raw honesty. He’s not just funny—he’s entertaining. And to me, that’s a whole different tier of humor.
No shade to the other Straw Hats. I just want to remind folks why Usopp is in a league of his own.
Exhibit A: Y’all Are Wrong About Usopp (tl;dr) or rant
(possible Elbaf spoilers!)
Let’s get one thing straight. One of the only reasons I even walk into the cesspool that is One Piece Reddit is to see exactly what kind of sh*t Usopp is up against. I do not go there for “fun,” I do not go there for “community.” I go there because I like to see the battlefield. And every time, without fail, it is the same tired, shallow sh*t recycled until it stinks. But lately? I have seen some new takes that really got my goat, and trust me—I was ready to throw down.
I already know speculation and theorizing get treated like fandom crimes, even though it is nowhere near as bad as power scaling. Theorizing is only wrong in the wrong hands. So there I was, stepping into the courtroom of Reddit, facing prosecution left and right. No easy win, but I walked out alive—and with the last word.
And the thing that kills me? The Usopp “fans.” The ones who swear they love him but spend all their energy dragging him. They have the right, sure, but whew. Tired a** takes everywhere. “He told Nami to lie.” “He has not done sh*t in ten years.” Same broken record. I objected every time. Downvoted, but I do not leave responses hanging. If I am in it, I am in it until the gavel hits.
Then came the Elbaf talk. “He has not done anything.” Like damn, blame Oda for chasing flashbacks, not a fictional character. Someone accused me of gatekeeping. I waved that flag high. Someone else hit me with “Why defend a character who does not care about you?” And I said, apparently enough people care since they treat him like a real human instead of pointing at Oda. So who is really crazy here?
But what really pissed me off were the comparisons. As if every other Straw Hat is somehow “better.” Damn, what did Usopp do to deserve that? Then came the challenge: “Name three things, post-time skip, he did that no one else could.” I named four. They lost it. Tried to throw out Dressrosa because “haki cancels devil fruits now 😂.” At that point I knew One Piece Reddit was evil as h*ll.
And let me tell you, nothing made them angrier than two things: me saying Elbaf is not over yet, and me bringing up Yasopp. At that point they probably wanted to scream “f*ck that b*tch” because I refused to back down. One guy even said Usopp only has a “minority” of loyal fans. Man, please. I remembered the time I argued with someone with that same hasty generalization on YouTube for two hours until they went radio silent. I remembered when someone compared Usopp fans to Dallas Cowboys fans. I googled it and… yeah, I saw the vision. I mean this in the most charming way possible.
Every time I tried to be optimistic about Usopp’s strife, his arc, his odds, I got dismissed. Sh*twads certain he was done. Like… sorry? Aren’t Usopp fans supposed to be more stubborn than that? Meanwhile, people swear Robin, Franky, Brook, the Monster Trio, and my buttcrack are all getting more spotlight. Then the “God Valley means Usopp cannot shine” argument came out. What the f*ck? My rebuttal: if the spotlight is on the old gen, Yasopp is tied into that too. And suddenly I was accused of comparing Yasopp to Roger. 🙄 Gaslit with “your sarcasm is childish.” Nah. I was just matching Reddit’s wolfish energy. You cannot be soft on one of the pettiest platforms alive.
So yeah, One Piece Reddit might be evil as h*ll, but I am stubborn enough to go toe to toe with it. I will take the downvotes, I will take the insults, and I will still get the last word. Because when Usopp’s moment comes—and it will—your tired a** “he’s useless” chorus is gonna sound real stupid.
I keep wondering why Doflamingo fired such a horrifyingly large number of bullets at his own brother? After all, it is unlikely that this was caused solely by his extreme irritation, resentment and anger at Rocinante.
I think if Doffy had the chance, he would have fired all 16 (sacred) shots at Corazon, knowing the Heavenly Demon's obsession with everything related to the Tenryubito and their traditions. However, his Flintlock is presumably only a six-shooter. And since Doflamingo prefers to kill his enemies in the same way as any tenryubito, with a pistol, he most likely emptied the entire clip into his brother.
It is logical to assume that he did this because he wanted to kill Rocinante. And kill for sure.
We do not yet know anything about the true strength of the Celestial Dragons or their abilities, but we can say with confidence that they definitely have stamina, endurance and are very tenacious of life. The following examples are worth remembering:
Saint Charlos, who received a terrifying punch from Luffy, a club blow from Mjosgard, and a combined attack from Sai and Leo that few would have survived.
Doflamingo himself, steadfastly withstanding Luffy's powerful blows and even deadly gamma-knife attacks from Trafalgar Law.
The already mentioned Donquixote Mjosgard, the only survivor and practically unharmed after a shipwreck off Fish-Man Island. His brutal public execution was carried out personally by Figarland. He was shooted.
Finally, Rocinante himself. After all, his acquaintance with Law begins with the fact that an angry boy delivers a potentially fatal blow with a knife to the offender’s chest, in close proximity to the heart. After which Corazon, as if nothing had happened, again sat next to his brother, showing almost nothing about the severity of his wound. He later received multiple bullet wounds from the Barrel's Pirates and was severely beaten by Vergo and members of the Donquixote family. And after all this, he was still able to stand on his feet. Here it should be remembered that he himself told Law directly (unless, of course, he was lying to calm the child) that such a small thing (as a few bullets in vital organs) would not kill him.
In general, Doflamingo most likely knew what he was doing, and carried out the execution of his brother who was disappointed him with the cold blood. However, rather than a quick death — his “forgiveness” — in the form of a bullet in the head, which he loves to rant about so much, Doffy still preferred for the person who was so close to him six (?) shots to the chest. And terrible slow death from bleeding and cold. God, what a sad fact is this!
Well, I won’t hide the fact that I still desperately want to believe that Rocinante, with his stamina and endurance, was quite capable of surviving the shooting (I believe in the One Piece tradition of bringing characters back to life!) Perhaps, having lost his memory, he is alive and still continues his journey, at least in the ranks of the Revolutionary army. But that's a completely different theory :)
Russian translation below
⬇️
Мне все не даёт покоя мысль, почему Дофламинго выпустил такое ужасающе большое количество пуль в своего родного брата? Ведь вряд ли это было связано исключительно с его чрезвычайной раздраженностью, обидой и злостью на Росинанта.
Думаю, если бы у Доффи была возможность, то он бы выпустил в Коразона все 16 (священных) пуль, зная одержимость Небесного демона всем, что связано с тенрьюбито и их традициями. Однако, его флинтлок, предположительно, всего лишь шестизарядный. А так как убивать своих врагов Дофламинго предпочитает таким же способом, как и любой тенрьюбито, из пистолета, он, скорее всего, разрядил в брата всю обойму.
Логично предположить, что сделал он это потому, что хотел убить Росинанта. И убить наверняка.
Мы пока что ничего не знаем ни об истинной силе Небесных Драконов, ни про их способности, однако, можно с уверенностью утверждать, что стойкости, живучести и выносливости им не занимать. Стоит вспомнить следующие примеры:
Святой Чарлос, получивший ужасающий удар кулаком от Луффи, дубинкой от Мьёсгарда и комбинированный удар от Сая и Лео, после которого мало кто бы выжил.
Сам Дофламинго, стойко выдерживающий мощные удары Луффи и даже смертельные атаки гамма-ножом от Трафальгара Ло.
Упомянутый уже Донкихот Мьёсгард, единственный выживший и практически не пострадавший после кораблекрушения у острова Рыболюдей. Его жестокая казнь была осуществлена лично Фигарлендом, посредством публичного расстрела.
Наконец, сам Росинант. Ведь его знакомство с Ло начинается с того, что разъяренный пацан наносит потенциально смертельный удар ножом в грудь обидчика, в непосредственной близости от сердца. После чего Коразон, как ни в чем не бывало, снова сидит подле брата, почти ничем не выдавая тяжести своего ранения. Позднее он получил множественные пулевые ранения от пиратов Баррельса и был жестоко избит Верго и членами семьи Донкихот. И после всего этого он все еще был способен стоять на ногах. Тут следует вспомнить, что он и сам сказал непосредственно Ло (если конечно не соврал, чтобы успокоить ребенка), что подобная мелочь его не убьет.
В общем, Дофламинго, скорее всего знал, что он делает, и убил разочаровавшего его брата хладнокровно и продуманно. Однако, быстрой смерти- "прощению" в виде пули в голову, о котором он так любит разглагольствовать, Доффи все же предпочел для самого родного ему человека 6(?) выстрелов в грудь и медленное умирание от кровотечения и холода. Боже, какой же это печальный факт.
Что ж, не стану скрывать, мне по-прежнему отчаянно хочется верить в то, что Росинант, со своей стойкостью и выносливостью, вполне был способен пережить расстрел (я верю в традиции One Piece возвращать персонажей к жизни!). Возможно, потеряв память, он жив и все ещё продолжает свой путь, хотя бы, в рядах Революционной армии. Но это уже совершенно другая теория :)
I can't stop thinking about this scene. I still feel like there's something more here. That Cora didn't just lie to Law to calm the child. After all, it was already obvious that the boy had long guessed who his savior really was.
And Cora may have meant that he is NO LONGER a Marine because he decided that he would not return to either the Marines or the Donquixote family. Or.. (this is my next theory🙃) he could also worked for the revolutionary army. And in this case he was also not fully a marine. I’m really looking forward to some facts from Oda confirming any version. Because I don’t want to believe that it was just a desperate and helpless lie 😭
Gently and with quiet tenderness touch the child’s head and his face, cover with a warm blanket at night, put a caring hand on his head, gently squeeze his hand into your big palm, take him in your arms like the greatest jewel.
Quiet, delicate and very gentle and carefully 💔
Best mother-dad's feeling ever.
And I totally love his serious, adult and endlessly sad expression on his face at the first picture. Ah..
I continue the idea that Rocinante was left-handed, and why am I even talking about all this? (look, look, he also throws a grenade with his left hand).
So.
While drinking, holds a bottle and a speaker of Den-den mushi. Left hand again.
But, most importantly, he shoots from a bazooka and even from a pistol (in the scene with the theft of the Op-Op fruit) with his left hand. Isn't this significant?
As we remember, after the incident with the theft of the fruit, Rocinante is seriously injured. And in the anime they show this separately, unlike in the manga, but his left arm is shot. After being wounded, he practically doesn’t use it anymore.
Now he leans on his right hand, also lights a cigarette with the other hand (although there is a difference between the manga and the anime, this can be seen in the screenshot).
Well, he eventually points the gun at Doflamingo with his right hand. I think this may mean, among other things, that Rocinante did not even think about shooting at his brother, because the likelihood of an accurate hit would have been initially reduced, since the non-dominant hand was used.
These are the facts.
So what was all this investigation for?
It seems to me that Oda deliberately made him left-handed in order, firstly, to maximally emphasize his difference from his older brother in everything, and, secondly, with the symbolism inherent in the author, to reveal his character a little more.
Details! Details are everything.
What do we even know about left-handers, especially about left-handed men, of whom there are more percentages than women?
That among them there is a fairly large percentage of people with speech disorders and depression, that among left-handers there are many creative and artistically gifted individuals, while their character is often softer and more vulnerable than right-handers. Sounds familiar, doesn't it?
And in various languages (English “sinistral”, French “gauche”, German “linkisch”, etc.) the word “left-handed” has analogues that emphasize the awkwardness, unhappiness, failure and clumsiness of a person with a leading left hand.
Of course, it has nothing to do with reality, but it fits perfectly into the characteristics of our character, whom we all love so much.
I hope you found it interesting, thank you for your attention. Please respect copyright.
Thank you.
Russian translation below 👇
Продолжаю мысль о том, что Росинант был левшой, и к чему я вообще всё это (смотрите, смотрите, гранату он тоже левой рукой бросает).
Итак.
Держит бутылку и динамик дэн-дэн муши. Снова левая рука.
Ну, и, что самое главное, стреляет из базуки и даже из пистолета (в сцене с похищением фрукта Опе-Опе) он тоже с левой. Это ли не показательно!
Как мы помним, после инцидента с похищением фрукта, Росинанта серьезно ранят. И в аниме это отдельно показывают, в отличие от манги, но у него прострелена левая рука. После ранения он ей уже практически не пользуется.
Теперь он опирается на правую руку, прикуривает тоже с другой руки (хотя тут есть отличие манги от аниме, на скриншоте это видно).
Ну и наставляет пистолет на Дофламинго он, в итоге, уже правой рукой. Думаю, это может означать, в том числе, и то, что Росинант даже и не думал в стрелять, в брата, потому что вероятность точного попадания была бы изначально снижена, потому как используется не ведущая рука.
Такие вот факты.
Ну и к чему было все это расследование?
Мне кажется, Ода специально сделал его леворуким, чтобы, во-первых, максимально подчеркнуть его отличность от старшего брата во всём, а, во-вторых, с присущим автору символизмом, ещё немного раскрыть его характер. Детали! Детали решают все.
Что мы вообще знаем о левшах, особенно о левшах мужчинах, коих в процентном соотношении больше, чем женщин?
Что среди них довольно большой процент людей с расстройствами речи и депрессиями, что среди левшей встречается много творческих и одаренных артистически личностей, при этом их характер, зачастую, более мягкий и ранимый, по сравнению с правшами. Звучит знакомо, не правда ли?
А ещё в различных языках (англ. "sinistral", франц. "gauche", нем. "linkisch" и др.) слово "левша" имеет аналоги, подчёркивающие неловкость, несчастливость, неудачливость и неуклюжесть человека с ведущей левой рукой, что, разумеется, не имеет ничего общего с реальностью, однако отлично вписывается в характеристики нашего персонажа, которого мы все так любим 💖
Let me start by saying that I'm really looking forward to seeing Doflamingo appear again in One Piece. Yes of course, I am very interested in what role this charismatic scoundrel will play in the future and in the finale of the whole story. But I’m even more concerned about answers to questions related to the still unsolved mysteries of his past and everything connected with it.
I would really like to know:
• The real reason why the Donquixote family left The Holy Land of Mariejoise 38 years ago (and whether it has anything to do with the God's Valley incident).
• Is the outcome of this incident at all connected with such an incredible difference in the upbringing of the Donquixote brothers and the development of their characters (I recently wrote my thoughts on this matter).
• What exactly did the Homing's family know about the D heritage and the bearers of this initial (in particular, Rocinante, and how this influenced his fateful decision to save little Law at any cost).
• By whom and for what purposes was Trebol sent to Doffy (after all, it is obvious that the Donquixote family simply could not be left alone after their betrayal of the Celestial Dragons). What role did they prepare for him in the hierarchy of the world, and how successfully did he cope with it in the end? Here I would like to recall Trebol’s interesting phrase about Doffy, which Hody Jones also said to himself at one time. That they were chosen by Heaven itself. I wonder who really put these words in their heads? After all, by Heaven one can only mean one thing — the ruling elite.
• Well, we all remember the shackles on the legs of the defeated Trebol. What was that all about?
• To see confirmation that the Donquixote family had indeed been under constant surveillance ever since they moved out of Mariejoise. Confirmation that Doffy was deliberately taken in a timely manner, turning him to the dark side and turning him against his own father. At the same time, they grew a crown of greatness and superiority on the head of the heir to the Donquixote family. At the same time, they did not ignore Roci — after all, how quickly the Marines picked him up after the incident with his father. And it was not just anyone who found him, but Sengoku himself. What was he doing there in the North Blue? How did he end up there at the right time? Complete mysteries. And in general, how did it happen that the brothers were initially separated on opposite sides of the barricades — is it the hand of fate or is it someone’s intention?
• And finally, what the hell is wrong with Doffy's eyes! What has he been hiding under his glasses since early childhood? The consequences of some kind of injury, heterochromia, blindness in one eye, strabismus, or some rare feature that confirms the similarity with the eyes of Imu himself?
In a word, complete mysteries. Unanswered questions. However it will be all the more interesting to find out the answers to them. Of course if Oda sensei considers it necessary to answer them.
Russian translation below 👇
Вопросы без ответов.
Начну с того, что я очень жду, когда в сюжете One Piece снова появится Дофламинго. Да, разумеется, мне очень интересно, какую роль этот негодяй ещё сыграет в будущем и в финале всей истории. Но ещё больше меня волнуют ответы на вопросы, связанные с нераскрытыми до сих пор загадками его прошлого и всем тем, что с ним связано.
Я очень хотела бы узнать:
• Истинную причину, по которой семья Донкихот покинула Мариджоа 38 лет назад (и связано ли это с инцидентом в Долине Бога).
• Связан ли вообще исход этого инцидента с такой невероятной разницей в воспитании братьев Донкихот и становлении их характеров (я уже как-то писала недавно свои мысли по этому поводу).
• Что именно знали в семье Хоминга о наследии Ди и носителях этого инициала (в частности, Росинант, и как это повлияло на его судьбоносное решение спасти маленького Ло любой ценой).
• Кем и для каких целей был подослан Требол к Доффи (ведь очевидно же, что семью Донкихот просто физически не могли оставить в покое после их предательства тенрьюбито). Какую роль они ему готовили в иерархии мира, и насколько успешно он с ней справился в итоге. Тут хочу вспомнить интересную фразу Требола про Доффи, которую также говорил в свое время и Ходи Джонс про себя. О том, что они были избраны самими небесами. Интересно, кто вложил эти слова в их головы на самом деле? Ведь под небесами можно подразумевать только одно — правящую верхушку.
• Ну и все мы помним кандалы на ногах побежденного Требола. Что это вообще было?
• Увидеть подтверждение того, что за семьёй Хоминга действительно непрестанно следили, с них пор, как они переселились из Мариджоа. И, соответственно, что своевременно взяли в оборот Доффи, настроив его против родного отца. При этом вырастив корону величия и превосходства на голове наследника семьи Донкихот. При этом они не оставили без внимания и Роси — ведь насколько же быстро его подобрал Дозор после убийства отца. И нашел его не кто-то, а сам Сенгоку. Что он вообще забыл в этом Норт Блу? Как он там оказался в нужный момент? Сплошные загадки. Да и в целом как так получилось, что братьев изначально развели по разные стороны баррикад — это рука судьбы или все же чей-то умысел?
• Ну и, наконец, что же, черт возьми, такое с глазами у Доффи! Что он скрывает под очками с самого раннего детства? Последствия какой-то травмы, гетерохромию, слепоту на один глаз, косоглазие или же какую-то редкую особенность, подтверждающую сходство с глазами самого Иму?
Одним словом, сплошные загадки. Вопросы без ответов. Однако, тем интереснее будет узнать ответы на них, если, конечно, Ода посчитает нужным на них ответить.
