TL;DR:
@Darkstorm:
I'd suspect Jinbei is far more powerful then when Newgate used the power of his name to save the island.
While I agree with this, it can still be assumed that Jinbei alone (or even with Fishman allies) cannot withstand constant attack forever. It's more likely someone will have to stand up and announce the same type of protection for the island that Whitey did. That, or the World Government allies with them or some such. I'm sure there are tons of options, really, I just don't find the whole "Jinbei will stay and protect…" theory to be plausible.
@Darkstorm:
With Fishmen guarding the city, they could stop anyone from ever getting close to the enbubbled city, which would mean the effectiveness of DF powered marines would be cut down. Mind you, I'm making some assumptions of the layout here, so it's shaky ground.
Well, I have to wonder… if the water dwelling people are so superior to humans naturally (in that arena), why did the 'Great Pirate Age' affect them so badly? I would think they could defend themselves quite easily given the home territory. And if they couldn't then for whatever reason, I cannot imagine them being able to now (easily). I mean, I agree with what you are saying for the most part, but something isn't right…
@Darkstorm:
I guess I just instinctively feel that he's too strong for the strawhats.
Yeah, I understand that. HOWEVER, this was another thought I touched on way back in the first page(s) of this thread. Essentially, I thought that if Oda ever intended to make a warlord one of the crew members, then Jinbei would be the best fit. For starters, his introduction was completely humble. He had been captured, beaten, thrown in prison, and then beaten some more. His first page ever in the manga, and he is in chains at the bottom floor of the world's greatest prison. This had even more of an affect on me because how long since his name had first been mentioned, and him being the last warlord to be revealed (physically). Lastly, at this point in the story, the warlords aren't the big, bad, mysterious, invincible pirates that they were made out to be earlier on. Sure, some of them are still a long shot from the main characters, and others are more or less endgame opponents. Jinbei, however, has a (formerly frozen) bounty lower than Luffy's, and has been shown to be about on par with Luffy whilst on land. Obviously in the water he has an advantage over anyone, but even more so against Luffy so we cannot compare power there. Even if we could, I would assume Jinbei is only slightly stronger. He doesn't come across as extremely overpowered to me…
@Vanessa:
NO! We're gonna argue and you're gonna like it!
FINE! You're wrong and I'm right! I have to be right! I'm always right!!
@Vanessa:
I have noticed all those things you mentioned, but all that for me just further cements Jinbei into the "Vivi" role I see him playing during the crews' stay at Fishman Island.
Hmm. I suppose I cannot tell the difference there. With Vivi, I knew she had other responsibilities. Granted that was back when I first started reading the series, so I didn't look for patterns. Perhaps Wiper or Paulie might serve as a better and more recent example for me. In which case I thought Wiper would join and I was torn between Paulie and Franky up until the Sea Train. In either case, I couldn't see anything that defined them as supporting roles only. I didn't speculate much then either.
@Vanessa:
Yeah I see the crew as being fully established before they enter the New World. It'd just be odd having someone join up while they're on the second half.
No, not that. I mean you think there is only one person left? As opposed to two people? What about the chapter numbers though? If you don't count Luffy as a number then his line in the first chapter must be referring to 10 people other than himself. If he included himself in the ten, he would count himself as crew member #1 and not #10, no?
@Strohhut-Ruffy:
Chapter 69 is where it happens.
http://www.onemanga.com/One_Piece/69/05/
Ah, thanks. I was one my phone so I couldn't get the exact chapter. I knew it was in the 60's though.