I will never stop thinking about the fire/water dynamic relationship represented through Saboala and the lack of acknowledgement with this… or am I just insane about these losers?
Anyways, I don’t know if Oda intended this but I am absolutely obsessed with it and cannot stop spiraling and searching for more clues/parallels. They’re polar opposites. They are the antithesis to each other’s existence. They should never mix, and when they do, it’s usually to destroy the other. Yet in the case of Sabo and Koala? They work perfectly.
Let’s start with Sabo. He’s reckless, impulsive, quick to act without thinking things through. He’s constantly moving, doing as if there’s a fire lit under his seat. Staying still and focusing on one task seems to be his kryptonite as if he needs to consume as much as possible. He ignites passion in others through his bold actions as the Chief of Staff of the RA. He is lighting the flame of revolution with each island he lands upon, his reach in influence spreading like a wildfire after Cobra’s death. Simply erecting his image caused others to get all riled up and inspired. And with the Mera-Mera no mi, his is fire itself.
Koala, on the other hand, she’s more stealthy. She’s rational, thinks things through before acting and acts according to plan. She’s more level headed and strategic— the cooling properties of water. Though we don’t see much of her in canon, I still take the movies as an opportunity to learn about the characters; an extension of canon. She’s understanding and empathetic of Sabo’s bond with his only living brother yet is delicate when approaching it, cautioning him to act pragmatically. Looking at it on a deeper level, Koala spent her time with the Sun Pirates— a group of fishmen pirates as their only human member. Fishmen. As the assistant teacher in fishman karate, her connection to them has been obvious from the start. This goes to show her symbolic representation as water, even more as the ocean. She has the Sun Pirate’s brand on her back. Just like the ocean reflects the sun off its back, Koala does so the same.
So yes, Sabo and Koala are Fire and Water individually and how they interact. Sabo is wild and acts on his own, constantly ruining her plans. And Koala has to adapt to every situation he gets them into like how water takes the shape of whatever container it’s placed into. Yet Sabo’s hotheadedness and impulsivity inspires others, even Koala herself, bringing out the ferocity water contains.
Yes, they are Fire and Water, polar opposites yet similar in so many ways. Water is mostly known for its cool, healing properties, but people tend to underestimate how dangerous a puddle of water can be. And as someone who grew up by the ocean, you are taught and always warned to respect the waves. Have you ever seen how scary they can get on a bad stormy night? The homes they destroy? The ships they crack like stepping on a fallen twig? The water, mother sea herself, can be wild, unforgiving, merciless and just as dangerous as a flame out of control. Koala constantly appears sweet and cute, but she can scare and subdue even the right hand to the most wanted man.
And likewise, Sabo is constantly viewed as insane, having a few screws loose, willing to crack a man’s skull open for just so much as breathing in his baby brother’s direction the wrong way— He’s feared; the World Government wants him gone because he’s doing too much damage. But a flame can harm as much as it can heal. It brings warmth to the cold, when used correctly it gives back to the people whether it be cooking or illuminating someone’s path and showing them the way— like he does with the Lulusians. Fire can be used to burn the earth and bring forth new life. It always baffled me when I was younger driving by fields and seeing them burn; grown-ups explained to me how they were actually using the flames to get rid of the old land and encourage new, fresh soil to plant a new harvest. And that’s what Sabo is trying to do. He leads people to the revolution, he shines a light on the injustices of the world, he’s working to get rid of the old regime to put in place a new one that actually serves the people.
Koala and Sabo are water and fire. They are equals. One curbs the other; one inspires the other. They work in tandem despite their differences. They shouldn’t work together despite their stark similarities. They complement and nourish each other without consuming. It wouldn’t work with just one. They need both.
This will forever be my Roman Empire, and I’m making it your problem too.
