Next Straw Hat Crewmates (Vol. 8 - Onigashima)

[andre]

I think SeaOfHope did, very well in fact. But let's go ahead and break it down some more.

He didn't. Posting about why Luffy wasn't able to and equating it to Momo at the moment is fine, but I specifically said that I think Momo will be at a greater state of preparation in the future and I've also brought up Shanks and Buggy as examples of young pirates on high level crews. Thus, the thesis of my response was that I think Momo will be a character capable of doing so after Wano. You responded to that (even if I disagree), SeaOfHope did not, so he didn't really respond at all.

Being aware of danger doesn't equal being adequately able to overcome it.

It took Luffy ten years of training to be ready for adventure on his own. Momo has weeks, at best.

Sanji already validated Momo's bravery. But Momo still has to be protected by Shinobu, Kin and the others: his safety is of utmost importance, and he's physically unable to go up against Kaido without putting himself and Wano's future in major peril. Momo, Tama, all these kids, they aren't ready, their moment hasn't come yet.

Carrot is realistically just a few years older than them, but she has proven that she can protect herself and others. Yamato has that capability, as well. That's one of the things I personally look for when thinking who could work and who couldn't.

Oda has been preparing Momo for his big moment for a long time now. He's definitely going to wield his father's sword and he's a dragon for some reason. We've seen him studying the sword, we know he's been influenced by three of the greatest pirate crews ever, and he's being prepared not just to man up, but to fight for his dream. I'm only 50/50 on Momo joining the crew, but I think that 100 percent he's going to have some impressive combat feats by the end of Wano, whether it's through some time hijenks or just because of all the small ways Oda has planned it out.

[Shift]

I like to look at a person’s fighting style and ask myself “How could Oda expand upon that and give them multiple move sets and special finishers”

Though with Oda’s mind it’s hard to tell what is limited and what’s not

That's certainly part of it. I just happen to think that potential comes with actually being a capable fighter, and that usually gets demonstrated pretty early. Momo just isn't at that level and reasonably can't be befote the crew leaves.

[Kaworu]

Crocodile's actions in Alabasta 2 years ago were despicable but my goodness does his character design sing symphonies of badass and memorability even to chapter 991. In my opinion, Crocodile is one of Oda's best character designs. He didn't need any exposition or build-up (yet he got them), just merely looking at him incites a story within your mind. Crocodile is so psychotically delicious. In another manga, he could have been a main character.

Yeah he's great, really good dialogue too.
He's due back (overdue), hope to see him soon.

[Shiebs]

That's certainly part of it. I just happen to think that potential comes with actually being a capable fighter, and that usually gets demonstrated pretty early. Momo just isn't at that level and reasonably can't be befote the crew leaves.

Oh I don’t think any children will ever join the crew, after chapter one that’s not even an option

I was talking about when analyzing characters like Carrot, Yamato, Shinobu and Caribou and there power sets and how much Oda can do with said powers

I mean I’m just not sure how much you can do with electric gloves, a spiked club, decay powers or mud

But then again look at how much variety he’s done with simple stuff like kicking or using strings as weapons, he’s obviously very creative so just because I can’t figure out how he might create a variety of attacks with a fighting style doesn’t mean he can’t

[wolfwood]

Caribou will come thru with his awakened mud soldiers.

And when he needs to run away he'll use his mud face changing.

[Zhenja]

put others at risk to protect him.

That's something you get with anyone not only children. You just have to do it more often for the children.

[Shiebs]

Sorry, but his time has passed.

We’ll see, I mean he’s def coming back into the story at some point, maybe even as an ally

His time shall soon be upon us again

[omy785]

And Crocodile even before that

Sorry, but Vivi beats you all

[Monquito]

Sorry, but Vivi beats you all

Except Gin.

16 chars

[Coookie]

Gaimon would like to have a word with y'all.

Also, Shushu.

[SeaOfHope]

You didn't address what I said at all, which is unfortunate, because I don't disagree with anything you said about Momo at this point in the story.

Sorry that I didn't address it, it's not that the reasoning isn't valid, I just believe in this point in time taking in a child recruit and exposing them to danger that Luffy very well knows about supercedes that. He was very defensive about Tama and when she was incapacitated near death by Kaido, he lamented he wish he could have been there to protect her. I like that Luffy acknowledged Momo's resolve to escape on his own, but as the set execution has shown, he is still a vulnerable child. I don't know where the Shogun plot line will go. I have a few ideas, but we gotta see how this unfolds.

[MiyamotoMusashi]

Luffy was a weak baby still when Shanks left. Momo will, at the least, have the resolve of a man and I think will have something to show combat wise as well. Also, Luffy is most like Roger and the Roger Pirates featured Buggy/Shanks as 9 year olds.

I like the idea of Momo as a crewmate, but I wouldn't bet on it. First issue is color. Momo would be Pink and Chopper already has that color on lockdown. Second is that while the idea of him matching Oden's feat and sailing with the crew sounds good on paper, it's a bit neater than Oda typically does. Yamato represents someone else who is seeking to quite literally take up Oden's will as well, so Momo becoming his own man with his own dreams outside of the things his father did makes a lot of sense to me.

Now for my Tama argument..

Luffy declared to become the greatest pirate and surpass one of the strongest right in front of him, was not afraid to hurt himself and stood his ground against grownups, whereas Momo only got the development recently to match that, inspired by Luffy, so no idea what you are talking about.

Luffy already had the resolve that Momo grew into, and what was the reason Shanks bet on him in the first place.

Just that Momo and Luffy do/did not have the combat ability to back that resolve up.

--- Update From New Post Merge ---

Edit: Just to add to that, Luffy´s resolve post meeting Shanks

[Solid]

Now for my Tama argument..

what about it?

[STP_PS]

So, this will most likely be an unwanted opinion and I might be part of the minority but what if the next recruit is someone who was once allied to the marines (I'm referring to X Drake). Much ala Nico Robin in terms of being an enemy during the Alabasta saga: Drake, a character who is currently affilliated to the WG but who seems to have his heart set on true justice might make a decision to turn the tables over the long haul. Among other things, making his story the reverse of Coby's has a delightful tone to it. A WG official who decides to rebel after noticing that not all the shines is gold and that absolute justice can be blind. At the very least Drake might stick around with the Strawhats or Law. Peace...

[andre]

Luffy declared to become the greatest pirate and surpass one of the strongest right in front of him, was not afraid to hurt himself and stood his ground against grownups, whereas Momo only got the development recently to match that, inspired by Luffy, so no idea what you are talking about.

Luffy already had the resolve that Momo grew into, and what was the reason Shanks bet on him in the first place.

Just that Momo and Luffy do/did not have the combat ability to back that resolve up.

--- Update From New Post Merge ---

Edit: Just to add to that, Luffy´s resolve post meeting Shanks

https://s2.mangabeast01.com/manga/On...e/0584-007.png

Luffy was weak. I was wrong to label him a baby. His reasons for crying are pretty adult, and he certainly has the same resolve as well, but he can't fight. If Momo stays as he has been since we've met him, there's no way he joins the crew. My point of contention, that I keep saying, is that I think he's going to really establish himself in some way by the end of this arc. His big moment of resolve is wanting to be the Shogun and I've been thinking about what that means as opposed to who Oden was. The character arc he's going through constantly is trying to create his own shadow apart from his father's and the way that seems most probable is through his devil fruit. I feel like Oda is throwing us bones for some reason and I can't quite figure it out. Momo becoming more strong doesn't seem to be the answer, but it still seems to be a possibility because we don't know what's happened with his mother's fruit and Oda has dangled the possibility of devil fruits from dead people showing up since Wano began. We also have the unknown capabilities of his dragon fruit, which, if he does join the crew, I imagine will be what sets him apart and makes him special. He's a dragon and he can fly. In essence, it just seems plausible that Momo will gain something, whether it be combat ability or something else, that will allow him to reach a level that younger Luffy couldn't in chapter 1. I'm still only 50/50, or 49/50, but I hardly think his age is the impediment you and others seem to.

So, this will most likely be an unwanted opinion and I might be part of the minority but what if the next recruit is someone who was once allied to the marines (I'm referring to X Drake). Much ala Nico Robin in terms of being an enemy during the Alabasta saga: Drake, a character who is currently affilliated to the WG but who seems to have his heart set on true justice might make a decision to turn the tables over the long haul. Among other things, making his story the reverse of Coby's has a delightful tone to it. A WG official who decides to rebel after noticing that not all the shines is gold and that absolute justice can be blind. At the very least Drake might stick around with the Strawhats or Law. Peace...

A marine joining is a pretty popular idea around here. There's support for Smoker and X Drake.

--- Update From New Post Merge ---

Sorry that I didn't address it, it's not that the reasoning isn't valid, I just believe in this point in time taking in a child recruit and exposing them to danger that Luffy very well knows about supercedes that. He was very defensive about Tama and when she was incapacitated near death by Kaido, he lamented he wish he could have been there to protect her. I like that Luffy acknowledged Momo's resolve to escape on his own, but as the set execution has shown, he is still a vulnerable child. I don't know where the Shogun plot line will go. I have a few ideas, but we gotta see how this unfolds.

That's basically my point. It's really hard to gauge where Oda will go with this. There seem to be lots of different possibilities. What I can say for sure is that the Shogun will be opening the borders of Wano, and that Wano has some role to play in the coming of the Dawn. That could be on Luffy's crew, or otherwise, but we don't know enough yet.

--- Update From New Post Merge ---

what about it?

Honestly, I could see her more as a coda character, who starts her own journey well after One Piece is found, in a Wano that's opened up in a "turned upside down" world. It would be a great way to end the series. As for joining the crew, I've come to doubt it, but if a kid could do so with any role, it would be as a ninja.

[SeaOfHope]

So, this will most likely be an unwanted opinion and I might be part of the minority but what if the next recruit is someone who was once allied to the marines (I'm referring to X Drake). Much ala Nico Robin in terms of being an enemy during the Alabasta saga: Drake, a character who is currently affilliated to the WG but who seems to have his heart set on true justice might make a decision to turn the tables over the long haul. Among other things, making his story the reverse of Coby's has a delightful tone to it. A WG official who decides to rebel after noticing that not all the shines is gold and that absolute justice can be blind. At the very least Drake might stick around with the Strawhats or Law. Peace...

He's currently a part of SWORD, which is a covert faction of the Marines that has unknown motives. It's implied that they have been monitoring the situation surrounding the Yonko to have a better idea of what they are planning, preparing for a war that may occur. It is interesting to note that they comprise of like-minded Marines that seem to be on a more lenient sense of Justice, if Koby and X-Drake is any indication. It might explain why Aokiji is affiliated somehow with Blackbeard.

With that in mind, I don't see why X-Drake would abandon that because he decided to ally himself with Luffy. It's a temporary alliance that he formed with him because Koby's constant man-crush on Luffy convinced him that he could trust Luffy would aid him in the situation no one else could. I don't see him joining when his motives aligned with SWORD is very top-secret and confidential.

[Deicide]

X Drake is an interesting character and my favorite supernova, but I don’t think he’s done enough to be considered a possible crewmate yet.

[Shiebs]

X Drake is an interesting character and my favorite supernova, but I don’t think he’s done enough to be considered a possible crewmate yet.

I just think it would be funny cause his name is literally Diez Drake

It would be like Oda has been dangling him as the tenth crew member in front of our face the entire time

And you know how much Oda loves his foreshadowing

Also he definitely has a sad backstory that we’ve only seen snippets of

Still don’t think he’ll join but I can see the appeal

[Deicide]

I just think it would be funny cause his name is literally Diez Drake

It would be like Oda has been dangling him as the tenth crew member in front of our face the entire time

And you know how much Oda loves his foreshadowing

Also he definitely has a sad backstory that we’ve only seen snippets of

Still don’t think he’ll join but I can see the appeal

I can see the appeal as well. I mean, he's my favorite Supernova since the chapter that introduced them all. I was intrigued the moment Urouge revealed he was a former marine.

It's just that, for now, I don't see him going with the crew as a crewmate. A new ally? Totally. But not a crewmate, at least with what we have seen so far. But things can always change, of course.

[Kaworu]

Luffy declared to become the greatest pirate and surpass one of the strongest right in front of him, was not afraid to hurt himself and stood his ground against grownups, whereas Momo only got the development recently to match that, inspired by Luffy, so no idea what you are talking about.

Luffy already had the resolve that Momo grew into, and what was the reason Shanks bet on him in the first place.

Just that Momo and Luffy do/did not have the combat ability to back that resolve up.

--- Update From New Post Merge ---

Edit: Just to add to that, Luffy´s resolve post meeting Shanks

https://s2.mangabeast01.com/manga/On...e/0584-007.png

This was always a liiittle too much for me to stomach.
Child abuse on screen? I thought this was a comic for kids!?