Next Straw Hat Crewmates (Vol. 8 - Onigashima)

[Dragon D. Luffy]

It's not mentioned in passing, it's stated in the beginning that the Straw Hats would bring the Dawn of the World and then followed up by her curiosity on why this would be Pedro's last venture. He then told her before he ordered her to help the ship set sail is that she will understand their importance and their voyage. She was already helping the Straw Hats for seemingly no reason outside a desire for adventure, but Pedro meant a deeper reason for him lending his aid. Meaning that the knowledge will eventually come to her when she realizes what the Straw Hats are striving for that both Kozuki Clan and Mink Tribe have awaited "for centuries." Pedro died after laying down the foundation, it was up to the rest of the Straw Hats to carry that out since he knew ever since Luffy was shown the Road Poneglyph he would be the one to do so. If it didn't involve Carrot, I once again ask you: what was the point in her being told this if it didn't matter to her? Pedro could have had an internal monologue and it would have had the same effect.

That's why I say the inherited will of Pedro was to see the Dawn to its fruition. By the time he fought Baron Tamago, he already knew the Straw Hats would be the ones who will do it. All he did during the time as the Nox Pirate captain he just laid the foundation so that their journey will become easier when the time comes...which is about now.

Spoiler:

https://i.imgur.com/PdlFSwF.jpg

The journey he wanted as a kid, but needed a moment to "shine." Which he imparts onto Carrot.

Spoiler:

https://i.imgur.com/pVfspC1.png

It doesn't ring the same where there's no payoff on Carrot's end to note this.

--- Update From New Post Merge ---


Except you knew the purpose behind Kinemon/Momo, and Law. One was freeing the country from the tyrannical reign of Orochi and Kaido as well as completing Oden's will of opening Wano's border. The other was the person who pretty much set in motion all the things that have transpired to now: -> destroying the SAD factory's production of DF and kidnapping the creator -> break a hold of an underground broker supplying said DF -> igniting the wrath of Kaido. All of Law's actions have led to the eventual confrontation of Kaido.

So no, comparing these 3 to Carrot are not even close. Since, once again, you don't why she's been as prevalent with the Straw Hats till now. You could have had Pedro and Pekoms do any of the things you guys claim she was there to do. Both could display Sulong: Pedro was solely allowed by Nekomamushi to accompany the Sanji Retrieval Team assumedly because he was the only one who could calm down Pekoms if the need arises. This was confirmed by Pekoms later in the arc. Pekoms had a richer history with Pedro considering he was a member of the original Nox Pirates crew before defecting. In fact, Pekoms even knows of the circumstances of Pedro's lost lifespan, something Carrot herself didn't know. So ignoring all that and comparing her to them is rather disingenuous considering no one knows why she's constantly helped out the crew for this long with seemingly no narrative purpose provided.

This restriction is arbitrary. There is no rule saying a character to be integral to the main plot in order to appear in more than one arc.

A good example of this are Camie, Ratchan, Duval and Pappag, who also appeared in multiple arcs.

Carrot is this saga's Hatchan. She is around, she may even have things to develop, but at the end of the day, she is secondary.

[SeaOfHope]

This restriction is arbitrary. There is no rule saying a character to be integral to the main plot in order to appear in more than one arc.

A good example of this are Camie, Ratchan, Duval and Pappag, who also appeared in multiple arcs.

Carrot is this saga's Hatchan. She is around, she may even have things to develop, but at the end of the day, she is secondary.

It's arbitrary because that part is being ignored.

Camie was the first "real" mermaid, brought the crew takoyaki, and was involved in the slave trade that was discussed by Hatchan earlier in Sabody. In fact, she led them to Sabody Archipelago where pretty much all the events that unfolded there occured. After being rescued, Hatchan was the Straw Hats' guide and exposition for Sabody Archipelago and brought the attention of the slave trade as well as the Celestial Dragons to Luffy. Especially when he got shot. Duval was only a minor antagonist that later would lend slight aid to the Straw Hats, but nothing worth of note. Pappug was a talking starfish. Also a fashion designer with his own line. Seriously, not even comparable.

I'll insist these points again since I've mentioned them in previous discussions:

• Carrot wasn't the reason the Straw Hats ventured to Whole Cake Island nor Wano.
• She provided no exposition during the arc since she had no knowledge of the outside world.
• She had no narrative initially that intrinsically tied her to Whole Cake Island that warranted her inclusion.
• She wasn't expected on the mission at all. She was to be on standby on Zou with the other Musketeers in the case Jack returned and to guard Momonosuke.
• She didn't need to be the Mink representative of the arc. That was Pedro's role, and with good intentions.

Yet, when she got involved in Whole Cake Island, she was infinitely more useful than all the characters you just listed and is just hanging around with the Straw Hats for apparently no reason. Right now during the raid, why was she with the Straw Hats and not the Mink Musketeers despite Shishillian telling Inuarashi he would take control of the Minks? Did we forget that? Was there an in-story explanation that justified her inclusion?

Spoiler:

That is something that is constantly hand-waved and why I find arguments like this disingenuous.

[andre]

My position is this. Carrot can join, but if she does, she's by far the crewmate whom Oda has has done the worst job of making into one. There would be absolutely nothing nearing the string of non-relevance that she's had for dozens of chapters now, among crewmate characters present but not yet joined.

[theackwardstation]

My position is this. Carrot can join, but if she does, she's by far the crewmate whom Oda has has done the worst job of making into one. There would be absolutely nothing nearing the string of non-relevance that she's had for dozens of chapters now, among crewmate characters present but not yet joined.

If Carrot joined, she would probably be among my least favorite Strawhats (despite my defense of her recruitment), but I don't think it's a fair comparison what you're doing there by ignoring context and circunstance, since we're in a dense super saga right now and OP is much more complex and convoluted nowadays than in the past when the crew was built.

You can argue that any Strawhat should be recruited after a focused arc about them (so there wouldn't exist a "a string of non-relevance for dozens of chapters") even at the current stage of the series, and that's a fair point. You're free to be disappointed when new crewmates don't meet your personal standard.

However, this is just close-minded to me. If Carrot joins the crew, this is just long-term storytelling instead of the method previously applied to the majority of the crew, but still fulfilling the same purposes in which the building blocks of her recruitment were scattered throughout 200 chapters, therefore containing many strings of non-relevancy followed by meaningful episodes of development and characterization.

I must admit that I would be personally disappointed if, suddenly, out of nowhere, Luffy called Carrot his crewmate and made her officially a Strawhat, since I believe that Carrot still needs more focus before her recruitment. However, to me what's missing is just one last step of development, which can easily fit in with current events in Wano. I guess many people wouldn't be happy about it (because some readers hate Carrot lol), but maybe they would be able to agree that this last step helped establishing her as a proper crewmate.

[Robby]

I think finding out Oda's previous editor really loved the character, and that editor left at the start of Wano, explains a lot.

[otakufan]

Glad to see Carrot's going after Perospero as expected, but I'm not going to read too much into it at this point. There are a lot of directions that encounter can go, particularly if Wanda, Marco, and Big Mom end up sticking around, though I suspect Linlin, at the very least, is unlikely to consider Carrot or Wanda as targets of interest and will probably opt to rejoin the battle with Luffy, possibly drawing away Marco to try to slow her down and/or keep her from being as effective as she could otherwise be.

Similarly, going to need to see where Yamato's plot thread goes once he catches up with Momo and Shinobu, which I suspect will occur just in time to save them both from one of the Beast Pirates' heavy-hitters - King and Queen seem preoccupied with the brawl in the main chamber, so I'm leaning toward one or more of the Tobi Roppo.

That said, the reveal of Yamato's color scheme is a big plus in my book... Really like his look.

[SeaOfHope]

I think finding out Oda's previous editor really loved the character, and that editor left at the start of Wano, explains a lot.

If you're referring to Naito, he wasn't an editor then when Zou started and ended nor at the beginning of Whole Cake Island. So that argument doesn't really work.

[Dragon D. Luffy]

It's arbitrary because that part is being ignored.

Camie was the first "real" mermaid, brought the crew takoyaki, and was involved in the slave trade that was discussed by Hatchan earlier in Sabody. In fact, she led them to Sabody Archipelago where pretty much all the events that unfolded there occured. After being rescued, Hatchan was the Straw Hats' guide and exposition for Sabody Archipelago and brought the attention of the slave trade as well as the Celestial Dragons to Luffy. Especially when he got shot. Duval was only a minor antagonist that later would lend slight aid to the Straw Hats, but nothing worth of note. Pappug was a talking starfish. Also a fashion designer with his own line. Seriously, not even comparable.

I'll insist these points again since I've mentioned them in previous discussions:

• Carrot wasn't the reason the Straw Hats ventured to Whole Cake Island nor Wano.
• She provided no exposition during the arc since she had no knowledge of the outside world.
• She had no narrative initially that intrinsically tied her to Whole Cake Island that warranted her inclusion.
• She wasn't expected on the mission at all. She was to be on standby on Zou with the other Musketeers in the case Jack returned and to guard Momonosuke.
• She didn't need to be the Mink representative of the arc. That was Pedro's role, and with good intentions.

Yet, when she got involved in Whole Cake Island, she was infinitely more useful than all the characters you just listed and is just hanging around with the Straw Hats for apparently no reason. Right now during the raid, why was she with the Straw Hats and not the Mink Musketeers despite Shishillian telling Inuarashi he would take control of the Minks? Did we forget that? Was there an in-story explanation that justified her inclusion?

Spoiler:

https://i.imgur.com/29mrQrj.png
https://i.imgur.com/wg6PMTG.png

That is something that is constantly hand-waved and why I find arguments like this disingenuous.

So now you are saying Carrot is joining the crew because she is not too important like Law and Kinemon but more important than Hatchan or Duval?

That is even more arbitrary. You are deciding there is a sweet spot of relevance that needs to be hit for no other reason than your wishful thinking. It's easy for you to keep the discussion that way because no matter how many examples I give of characters all around the same range of Carrot, you's reply with "but it's not identical to Carrot!". And of course there aren't, since two identiacal chars don't exist. So as long as you stick to the fact Carrot is unique, you can pretend her specific traits just happen to be the ones that decide a strawhat crrwmate.

It also makes no logical sense because if Law can't join despite being so repevant and Hatchan couldn't despite being so irrelevant, then the only thing this proves is that relevance doesn't matter. Amyone could join.

And since that doesn't make sense (because we know anyone can't join), it's more logical to come back to the default argument where THE MOST relevant characters join, which has always been the standard in OP. And which Carrot falls short of by a lot, with the whole "disappearing for 60 consecutive chapters in the arc she is supposed to join".

[wolfwood]

If you're referring to Naito, he wasn't an editor then when Zou started and ended nor at the beginning of Whole Cake Island. So that argument doesn't really work.

Nice to finally put a name to the pervert

[SeaOfHope]

So now you are saying Carrot is joining the crew because she is not too important like Law and Kinemon but more important than Hatchan or Duval?

That is even more arbitrary. You are deciding there is a sweet spot of relevance that needs to be hit for no other reason than your wishful thinking. It's easy for you to keep the discussion that way because no matter how many examples I give of characters all around the same range of Carrot, you's reply with "but it's not identical to Carrot!". And of course there aren't, since two identiacal chars don't exist. So as long as you stick to the fact Carrot is unique, you can pretend her specific traits just happen to be the ones that decide a strawhat crrwmate.

It also makes no logical sense because if Law can't join despite being so repevant and Hatchan couldn't despite being so irrelevant, then the only thing this proves is that relevance doesn't matter. Amyone could join.

And since that doesn't make sense (because we know anyone can't join), it's more logical to come back to the default argument where THE MOST relevant characters join, which has always been the standard in OP. And which Carrot falls short of by a lot, with the whole "disappearing for 60 consecutive chapters in the arc she is supposed to join".

I merely speculate that she might join the crew. It's not the fact she's less important than Law and Kinemon and more relevant than Hatchan or Duval. I was saying that her involvement is very strange because you don't know exactly why she was placed in the story, like I literally just bullet pointed for you. You don't know why she was necessary to go to Whole Cake Island. You don't know why she did any of the things that arc. You don't know why she's sticking with the Straw Hats despite her race fighting a death battle atop the skull dome. You don't know why she does anything, really. The story has never justified why Carrot has been in the situations and why she did the things she has done. You can't place her as those I just mentioned because their role was established fairly early and you knew the intent behind it. Oda doesn't include characters for no reason, so why bother with Carrot?

I'm not the one deciding relevance, I never did. I'm pointing out that there were characters who were purely there for the exposition of the arc and others who were narratively connected to it. The fact is Carrot doesn't exist in those 2 hemispheres, but you're phrasing it like I'm saying Carrot is unique despite lacking specific traits and relevance than others who have joined the crew. I'm saying, like I've just wrote, you don't know where in the story she goes since her presence in the narrative never justifies her inclusion.

If she's irrelevant and meant to be a background character, why is she with the Straw Hats during the raid when she was supposed to be with the Musketeers? If she wasn't relevant, why include her at all despite the things I bullet pointed for you? If she was to go back to Zou after this arc was over, what was the purpose of her character that could have been carried by any of the other Minks, Pekoms included? That's not arbitrary, that's called ignoring what I said.

[Monquito]

I mean, ~Canonically speaking~, Carrot justifies her WCI presence by being the only actual Mink from which we've seen the whole capabilities of Sulong. So quit insisting with; But Pedro and Pekomz could've done that. Yeah, but they didn't, Carrot did, that's a fact.

Also ~Canonically speaking~, Carrot spent like 2 entire weeks with the Minks, and she's been like what? 20 minutes with the SH's, and that's somehow extra rare??, Shinobu, for instance, has been longer with Nami this arc and you don't seem to wonder why.

[SeaOfHope]

I mean, ~Canonically speaking~, Carrot justifies her WCI presence by being the only actual Mink from which we've seen the whole capabilities of Sulong. So quit insisting with; But Pedro and Pekomz could've done that. Yeah, but they didn't, Carrot did, that's a fact.

Also ~Canonically speaking~, Carrot spent like 2 entire weeks with the Minks, and she's been like what? 20 minutes with the SH's, and that's somehow extra rare??, Shinobu, for instance, has been longer with Nami this arc and you don't seem to wonder why.

Yeah, I insist that because under no circumstance was Carrot required for that. Especially since the reason Pedro was selected among his peers was because of the case Pekoms went Sulong. The team was already decided. Luffy and the "Swirly Hats" went to get back Sanji, Pekoms was their guide into Big Mom's territory and bypass security, and Pedro was the Mink representative who also had a previous history with the island and was selected personally by Nekomamushi because he was the one who knew of Pekoms' tendencies which we later found out was his lack of control in Sulong form. Its very telling you refuse to acknowledge this simple fact.

Spoiler:

So yeah, Pedro and Pekoms could have done that. Quite easily, in fact, had they been the only Minks to go. You throw Carrot into the mix and then you wonder what could she have done that those 2 couldn't in a required situation, like if Pedro didn't have to sacrifice himself to free the Sunny and had been the one to display Sulong. It was already foreshadowed by Inuarashi that the Minks could do this as reflected by Nami.

That is canonical. What is strange is that you don't seem to acknowledge that the reason being with the Straw Hats doesn't make sense when it was established that Shishillian would lead the Minks in Inuarashi's stead. She gets to go off on her own, like last time, without obligated to help them out or be with them for any reason explained in the story. So I suggest you quit bringing up that she was only used as a hype tool when in a required situation where she wasn't, they both could have feasibly demonstrated it. She wasn't even the one who provided exposition to explain the ability, Jinbe did.

Spoiler:

I don't count Shinobu because her story begins and ends in Wano, as she said in the flashback if she can consider herself a retainer of Oden, and by proxy Momonosuke. Where is Carrot's end point in the story when she had stated she wanted an adventure and that the story never addresses why she should exist for this long?

[Paraplonq]

I find it weird that people are using Carrot's lack of purpose in the story as a reason for her to join, shouldn't it be the other way around?

I understand feeling a bit suspicious that there really is no reason for this character to get as much screentime as she does but to me that only indicates how unimportant she is in the grand scheme of things.

Also, i think a lot of people overestimate her participation in WCI, sure, she had a high panel count but how many scenes were focused on her? I can only think of the sulong chapter, aside from that she was just playing assistant.

That is not to say that Carrot for sure won't join, i'm just pointing out that the "there was no narrative reason for Carrot" argument is some really weird backwards logic.

[The B-Mack]

At the end of Wano, Carrot is going to pull a Johnny/Yosaku and say "Ight Imma Head Out"

[Deicide]

I find it weird that people are using Carrot's lack of purpose in the story as a reason for her to join, shouldn't it be the other way around?

I understand feeling a bit suspicious that there really is no reason for this character to get as much screentime as she does but to me that only indicates how unimportant she is in the grand scheme of things.

Also, i think a lot of people overestimate her participation in WCI, sure, she had a high panel count but how many scenes were focused on her? I can only think of the sulong chapter, aside from that she was just playing assistant.

That is not to say that Carrot for sure won't join, i'm just pointing out that the "there was no narrative reason for Carrot" argument is some really weird backwards logic.

Also, Carrot did have her purposes in the story, most of them already fulfilled, but whenever we point out her roles, people deny them. Her purposes were:

- Show mink capabilities: gliding, electro, sulong. (Done)
- Have a mink witness Pedro’s sacrifice. (Done)
- See Pedro avenged. (Loading...)

Why Carrot was mostly left out of Wano? Because she had no purpose tird to Wano until now. Oda has not been grooming her into becoming a main character, or else she’d at least be featured in SH activities in Wano.

[SeaOfHope]

I find it weird that people are using Carrot's lack of purpose in the story as a reason for her to join, shouldn't it be the other way around?

I understand feeling a bit suspicious that there really is no reason for this character to get as much screentime as she does but to me that only indicates how unimportant she is in the grand scheme of things.

Also, i think a lot of people overestimate her participation in WCI, sure, she had a high panel count but how many scenes were focused on her? I can only think of the sulong chapter, aside from that she was just playing assistant.

That is not to say that Carrot for sure won't join, i'm just pointing out that the "there was no narrative reason for Carrot" argument is some really weird backwards logic.

I know its weird that it comes off like that, but I always thought that it was odd that Carrot has been around this long without a real purpose for inclusion, whether it be exposition or narrative ties and she has neither. I feel like why she comes off as irrelevant is because she doesn't move the narrative in a direct or understandable way or provide information crucial to the story moving forward without contriving a reason like being a hype tool or a being viewed as a potential power-up for Chopper like people have posted here in the past and present.

Its weird because Oda doesn't have characters around this long for no reason and he never justifies why she had to do things she has done or have an identifiable purpose to still be in the story around the Straw Hats and I can identify any side character anyone brings up to deny this. For her to be around this long without knowing what her role in the narrative is strange. Like avenging Pedro, why couldn't Pekoms do it? He was a Nox Pirate member that defected, he considered Pedro like a brother to him, Pedro was the only one to calm him down in Sulong form, he was distraught upon hearing the news of his death, he defected from the BM Pirates by helping Luffy escape the Mirror World and brought Sulong to Luffy's attention. It's almost as if Carrot really wasn't needed to do the things I just listed, especially with 2 Minks in the arc, but people act like she was quintessential for something as rudimentary as displaying a transformation any member of the Mink Tribe could do. Pekoms was even about to display those feats, too, had he not gotten shut down fast.

If she truly was to go away after this arc, why would she do this? Will the reason justify why she's been prevalent for 3 arcs in the story? Or is that made up to say she'll go back to Zou out of obligation to her people or she's done with adventure where never once in the story she has shown that obligation or disinterest in the world around her? That's why a lot of us who discuss her candidacy cling to Chapter 877 & 878 in Whole Cake Island because it actually presented a tangible and potential arc for her in the story and would probably explain why she needed to be around that arc. If not else, why was she there?

--- Update From New Post Merge ---

Also, Carrot did have her purposes in the story, most of them already fulfilled, but whenever we point out her roles, people deny them. Her purposes were:

- Show mink capabilities: gliding, electro, sulong. (Done)
- Have a mink witness Pedro’s sacrifice. (Done)
- See Pedro avenged. (Loading...)

Why Carrot was mostly left out of Wano? Because she had no purpose tird to Wano until now. Oda has not been grooming her into becoming a main character, or else she’d at least be featured in SH activities in Wano.

And Pedro bringing the Dawn of the World to her attention and that she will understand is nothing that will persist because it was only to monologue to the readers despite the fact he told her this himself?

[TheGarc]

I really don't understand that take about the editor and that being the reason why Carrot got screentime. When Naito joined the WCI island arc was already happening which means Carrot was already part of the WCI-Crew so Oda must have had a plan for her. Do you seriously think an editor was responsible for all of Carrots development in WCI (Pedros death, Sulong, bonding with the Straw Hats)? And now that Oda changed editors he is like "finally I don't have to listen to that guy and can quickly wrap up Carrots story". Oda would never let himself get influenced this much by an editor if it doesn't follow his idea of the story.

Also who cares if he likes Carrot or not? Lots of people love her. She is incredibly popular and it is not just this forum where many people already count her as a Straw Hat just look at comments online everytime she appears or does something. She is also included in many Straw Hat crew fanarts (this also counts for Yamato). She was also voted as the 26th most popular character in the last official poll with only Reiju ranking higher from the new Zou/WCI characters and this was before her big moments with Pedros death and Sulong form. (on that note I expect a new character poll sometime in 2021 maybe even announced with chapter 1000)


Also YES Carrots "lack of purpose" IS interesting and very unique in OP especially now at a point in the story where Oda can't afford to waste multiple chapters on things that don't matter in the end.

[wolfwood]

This character is sexy, er i mean interesting please use her more sounds exactly like the thing an editor would be able to influence. Dude get feedback on what works and what doesn't from these dudes and this guy apparently liked her to the point of imagining rabbit-editor babies, so it stands to reason that his notes probably read -Needs more carrot

[SeaOfHope]

This character is sexy, er i mean interesting please use her more sounds exactly like the thing an editor would be able to influence. Dude get feedback on what works and what doesn't from these dudes and this guy apparently liked her to the point of imagining rabbit-editor babies, so it stands to reason that his notes probably read -Needs more carrot

He became an editor for One Piece around the 5th or 7th of January. By then, Chapter 851 had dropped around that time. By that time, Carrot was already introduced, foreshadowed her interest and inclusion in WCI, stowed away on the ship, went with the Sanji Retrieval Team to get back Sanji, trapped in the Mirror World with Chopper, and aided in conquering the Mirror World.

Yeah, I don't think Naito had a direct impact on what Oda's plans were for her.

[Dragon D. Luffy]

Also, Carrot did have her purposes in the story, most of them already fulfilled, but whenever we point out her roles, people deny them. Her purposes were:

- Show mink capabilities: gliding, electro, sulong. (Done)
- Have a mink witness Pedro’s sacrifice. (Done)
- See Pedro avenged. (Loading...)

Why Carrot was mostly left out of Wano? Because she had no purpose tird to Wano until now. Oda has not been grooming her into becoming a main character, or else she’d at least be featured in SH activities in Wano.

You'd think if Carrot was actually being written to be a protagonist, she wouldn't only show up when the plot requires her. Because the thing about protagonists is that they don't need to wait to hbe necessary to appear, they always appear because the story is about them.

Heck, you want a good reason Carrot was in WCI? Character diversity. Oda could have sent just the 5 strawhats, but he wanted to send more characters. Hence Pedro and Carrot. Maybe send other strawhats like remaining 4, but I guess he wanted to give a shining arc for the ones who didn't appear in most of Dressrosa. And instead of repeating characters, he made new ones. As a result, WCI is more interesting.

--- Update From New Post Merge ---

Btw I showed a pic of Carrot to a friend of mine who is an actual furry and he wasn't impressed. He said she's not furry enough for his tastes and replied me with this.

Spoiler:

He said Carrot is closer to the 10%.

But hey, maybe Oda's editor was into a different range. Who knows.