@Jabberwok:
He did convince them to give them all their money and –-- then just attacked them for no reason. That's enough to seriously piss them off, but Riku was displayed as an excellent ruler for at least a decade. You'd think people would realize something weird was happening, especially when the guy is crying.
And then he was manipulated in order for a third party to become the saviors. I do agree, Dressrosa population or at least the majority of them did not question what happened that night despite their Kings being acting out of character, you would assume that they will be questioning things and some may be did, but Oda didn't give panel time to it which I found it lacking. I also have a problem on how they just accepted this pirate crew as their ruler during that night.
Oda probably wanted to make Dofla a super cunning man, but Crocoboy is the man.
fighting and tying up the Plateau group just to immediately let them go? What was even the point?
They fight in order to calm/help their fellow citizens after realizing how they been played by Dofla for the past 10 years and just realized how Riku didn't have anything to do with in the first place and them freeing them also has (Probably) to do with how guilty they felt of distrusting Riku at the face of panic and destruction caused by him and his men 10 years ago.
–- Update From New Post Merge ---
@Darth:
It's especially annoying, since it feels like an excuse to just keep some characters out of said conflict.
Yeah Oda, why do you keep Ussop and Kinemon out of conflict with this chip chap excuse.
The most cringe worthy of those moments thus far was the moment on the plaza, when Riku and Fujitora decide to do nothing and just place their bets on Straw Hats.
Hell, Fujitora even says that he won't allow the place to become a warzone, when the beginning of the next chapter shows very clearly that it is a warzone already.
I will not let it SINK, implying that its already is a war zone, but he won't let it follow that route, but we can interpretate those scene how ever it fits us best.
Saying that doesn't not mean in anyway that he will go out and stop the problem himself and like he said 'I'll make all my bets on the Strawhats', he has probably been following their achievements and know what he's capable of also their might be another reason as to why he's not doing anything other than seating around and we have yet to discover it, keep in mind that this has been hinted by Sabo himself.
Though… I did toyed with the idea of it being intentional.
The same as several chapters of "We place our bets on Luffy, cause he can never lose!" being intentional.
IF... this is a set up for subversion, and Luffy doesn't win with Doffy, then it can lead to some good things.
And if it's played straight, I don't see it being satysfying in the slightest.
Yes Darth is good to have dreams once in a while.