@Robby:
Greg in his column made an interesting suggestion for Rebecca and Kyros' arc in general so this seems a good time to share it.
Kyros' Flashback: Vol. 74 Chapters 741-742
Riku's Flashback (as told by Kyros): Vol. 73 Chapters 727-728
Rebecca's Flashback: Vol. 72 Chapter 721
I went back and reread those chapters, in that order, then reread last week's chapter's and this one. ANd whatever your feelings on Rebeca and Kyros, their overall story is actually really good and pretty touching. Its just thrown off a bit by the structure of the flashback… usually we would have gotten it all at once, in sequence, and a little closer to the resolution.
But their story IS good, and touching, and read close together its pretty effecting. Rebecca's goal from the start has been to live with the Toy Soldier, and Kyros' goal was to keep her safe an happy. Its nice, and critical, that we got some closure on them, especially given that they've been central focal points most of the arc. I don't understand how anyone can call this filler. (But then people called the Sabo flashback three chapters ago filler as well? What?) Especially given that now its pretty clear the placement of Sabo's flashback was specifically to highlight that Luffy knows all about family leaving family for the sake of stupid reasons, o of course he's going to go out of his way to prevent that kind of senseless nonsense.
I almost agree with this. But the thing I don't like up to now is that Rebecca and Kyros story makes the people of Dressrosa to look like idiots. Why they don't accept the love between Kyros and Scarlet, and the fact that he's Rebeca's dad? I mean, Scarlet felt in love when she began rejecting the idea of her dad to let Kyros to work for him. And Riku accepted the love between Scarlet and Kyros… so... wtf
Kyros should have to be publicly adknowledge for what he did to save Dressrosa. No matter that his main motive was to save his daughter, he organized the revolution against Doffly. So, if in the past Riku lied about the father of her grandaughter, now, when the flashbacks are over, he or somebody else should have to get the people of dressrosa out of stupid prejudices.
This scene was stupid when it happened; and maybe Riku keeps being stupid. But it's the kind of stupidity that certain stupid guy (Luffy) is good to remove. That's what I'd like to see in the next chapter, and then I'd sold for the whole story.