Part 3
The Look Chapter 869:
This one will be brief, while this moment could be used to say Pudding is jealous of other woman with Sanji and yes while I understand how one can reach that conclusion I really don’t think it is. For one we don’t see Pudding facial reaction to the moment nor really good enough body reaction like in 864 with the gun to really judge Pudding state of mind.
Two even later Pudding seemingly didn’t have a negative reaction to Nami later on in 876 like another love struck woman in the series would have and react if it was her man or react even like her.
I would more so say the moment was just another chipping away at Pudding facade and her questioning of weather Sanji is what he says and presents himself as you know genuine, she most likely solidifies her opinion of Sanji being what he is and not Pudding preconceived notions of him.
The Shutting of the Door Chapter 870:
Now we get to this moment, as we learned previously in chapter 856 we learn one of the three reasons why Sanji cannot leave just yet is that he cannot abandon his shit-stain family even if he has nothing but open contempt for them to there current trajectory, Luffy being Luffy decides to help.
Here we dive more into Sanji reasoning beyond what was stated previously, why would Sanji ever save his family by there patriarchs own words fell into the enemies trap (whom would not do the same previous if the situation was reversed).
Because he couldn’t stand to disappoint not only himself but his father, no not ball chin Judge his actual Father Zeff, that if he couldn’t separate/move past the scars and damages of his past to save his family or really anyone then he really couldn’t face his father again if he was such a small tiny tiny man.
Asserting that he didn’t do this out of some form of love for his blood father, that the Sanji that fled Germa and was a part of the Germa family that they remembered had died that day and will never be back, because he doesn’t consider himself a Vinsmoke much less he considers Judge his father.
So just like that faithful day 13 years ago where Judge casted Sanji out of his life, now Sanji a man is casting Judge and his family (Brothers most likely minus Reiju) out of his life wishing to never see them again.
As with earlier Judge seems to hold on to the idea that Sanji is his son and a member of the Family: Why do you hit your father, why do you forsake your family, you’ve come back to me my son.
Judge himself believes/holds on to the idea that Sanji has this belief/hidden love for the family that he will respect him since he is Sanji dad, ultimately what Sanji says to judge here tarnishes that being the ultimate proof that “Vinsmoke Sanji” is dead that this love he believes Sanji has for the Vinsmokes is non-existent, so Judge has not only lost a son not being able to control them, but lost the love of one.
Half Truth & Hidden Means Chapter 873:
Now we reach the chapter that should have fully confirmed the cake theory with Sanji and Pudding baking it, but again people claimed Sanji would never cook the cake for Big Mom cause so and so reasons, or Pudding haters like Flower on & shippers like the aforementioned SaNa shippers online like Perma Negra (remember a bunch of other shippers just parrot what he says and agrees here) claimed see Pudding not doing it for Sanji and crew she won’t be redeemed.
Well of course those people were wrong and probably missed obvious stuff in The Last Jedi but just incase they missed it.
After Pero gets Big mom on the straw hats trail, he and the rest of the family panic on what to do next. While they gotten rid of Big Mom for the time being that still leaves the matter of the cake, a task that not only took days to make with special ingredients but one that made Big Mom imagination run wild one she has never tried before will only satisfy her.
Her comes ray of light Pudding to the rescue saying with her chocolate skills and Chiffon cake skills that they can make the cake together, even if she has to use other means to get Chiffon to come along and that Sanji humiliated her so if Big Mom wipes them out she deserves a reward.
To anyone that isn’t blind in there ways, Pudding was clearly not truthful to her family right there as we find out later on, but even then with Pudding thinking back to Sanji during the wedding, if people remember that moment its not emotions of embarrassment she expressed, it was emotions of being touched emotionally and shaken, those shippers that you see on online tend to just flat out ignore stuff they want to like Sanji saying the evil side was pretty much a mask, I wonder why its oh so easy for them to forget.
Even what Pudding says at the end with rewarding Big Mom and Sanji embarrassing her brings out confused expression from her family with ?!.
Without Pudding plan for the cake, the strawwhats would have no way to stop or even prevent a wipeout by the Big Mom pirates, with this cake or Pudding they would have meet their grossly end.
The Eyes tell the Truth 864:
Now we get back to Capone as he uses his Tank treads to escape Big Mom forces, while Pudding comes down from the sky to get Chiffon to join her cause and save the strawhats (really obvious but again shit shippers and bad posters like Perma Negra and Flower didn’t see the obvious) in the best panel that chapter that is not only adorable with Pudding but a great expression from Bege.
Even with a gun pointed at her and threats by Bege known killer who wouldn’t hold back, Pudding is steadfast in her resolve and mission to talk and get her sister Chiffon. Even with the knowledge of Big Mom hunger pains returning and the threat it poses Chiffon doesn’t want to help Pudding and just like Lola before she is leaving Totland behind her.
Pudding makes one last plea that revealing the motive behind her actions isn’t what Chiffon expects, she isn’t doing this to save Mama, her family or even Gotland itself, she needs to stop Mama before she kills him and all his friends.
The veil is lifted, the pretence has dropped what she said back to her family was a lie to get them to go along with her plan of saving the straw hats and the truth of her actions were saved for Chiffon, someone whom would whole heartily help those that saved Lola (Is pudding aware of the past on Thriller Bark?).
Pudding has clearly fallen for Sanji at this point, and even the next chapter proves it even more with Pudding reaction to seeing Sanji again, her heart starts beating faster she begins to freakout a bit and even has heart in her sentences awww (again said previous shit shippers thought she was still evil at this point even ignoring the sound effects)
Why My Pudding is this Cute and Dere Adventures of Baking the Cake Together Chapter 876:
Now we get to the second most controversial chapter this arc judging by the reactions it produced, 100% confirmation not only was Pudding not lying to Chiffon about wanting to help the strawhats meaning no ulterior motive, her love for Sanji, but that the cake baking that our own Greg made was leaving the hype station full speed ahead. I can remember the comments now, and visual representation of what shippers, "sanji experts" (including the bad shippers I talk about) and detractors were like with this chapter:
Fuck you Greg
Why is Sanji helping Pudding baking the cake she lying to them
Why is Pudding helping them
She betrayed his trust why is Sanji going along with Pudding
Pudding turning good makes no sense
Sanji would never bake for Big Mom
He better poison that Cake or else
The Cake won’ t stop Big Mom
Fuck this and fuck Greg
Yeah just a few moments from people online form mostly bad poster like the ones mentioned above, but to me nothing that happened was out of character for Pudding, Sanji or even the man himself Oda he clearly set this all up to happen.
Pudding coincidently appears right after Big Mom trots her way out of the crater produces by Zeus, within reason Luffy and the others are weary for Pudding appearance considering what has happened not only in the jail cell but at the wedding, but Pudding swears she means no ill will with her appearance.
Sanji understandably is glad Pudding is here and that she is pretty much unharmed considering all that has happened since the last saw each other in 864 and for the first time ever not only is Pudding happy Sanji was worried about her but its the first time we ever saw a reaction like Sanji from a woman especially to Sanji complete with heart eyes in all three eyes and gurgling in the mouth.
Pudding called out of her love mode by not only Chiffon telling her to focus but the incoming berserk Big Mom hot on their tail, but before the Pudding plan is explained we have the cute, funny, and threatening Mayadere moment of her relishing in the current situation the straw hats find themselves in, of course Chiffon corrects Pudding and helps get the straw hats caught up with why Mama is chasing them, another mayadere moment pops out but asking Sanji to join her (foreshadowing for whats to come up next). Chiffon takes a hold of the situation and asks Sanji if what Pudding told her was true that he was a great chef, Sanji confirms Pudding statement which leads to Chiffon asking to come with them and help make this Cake to save them.
Now we get into prime Tsundere territory with the best panel (and one of Pudding best faces) in the chapter of her while denying but ultimately revealing why she has come this way and why she come up this plan; She Came to stop Mama because she didn’t want Sanji (particularly him) and his friends to die. Leaving the others shocked by her statement and Sanji getting the picture to come along and help with Pudding tsundering out.
With the gang together they head out but not before Pudding can save the crew again from Big Mom, by dealing with the Seducing woods from impeding their path so they meet with Big Mom by using her DF powers to clear the path to the Sunny
Sanji thanks Pudding, Pudding is shocked to see Sanji on not noticing he jumped on while making a face quite similar to one Pudding displayed before back in 851 with what she imagined Sanji expression of shock would be with her third eye. Pudding and Sanji have a back and worth that include Sanji heart compliments and pudding being bashful. Chapter ends with Sanji not being worried about his crew saying they need to hurry and whip up the cake that will knock Big Mom out.
Lets start from the top:
Greg is not at fault at all for what Oda does, hell i doubt any fan has any real/huge influence on what Oda does with his series so, Greg making a theory about a total Oda way to end this arc perfectly while keeping the power balance while ending it in a unique way that made sense with what he has built up. Be lucky that Greg if anything has some impact cause if it was me:
(and get Oda to watch a bunch of Twin Peaks David Lynch stuff)
Pudding isn’t lying to the strawhats, her intentions have been clear as day from when she first brought up the cake plan to her family back in 873, Sanji can tell that Pudding is being sincere in her attempts to save to only him but the others and being honest with herself unlike how she was in 864 so he Sanji can believe and put his hopes again in his Ray of Light.
Pudding herself as stated from the 862 till now has gone through a metamorphosis, Sanji shattered her preconceptions of not only the world, herself and himself in there time during the Wedding, yes while Sanji still is a pervert like she know he is Sanji himself is deeper then that and the inner humanity, kindness and genuine he showed Pudding in 862 and beyond help her along with Sanji stating that Pudding was lying to herself about her true self. She fell in love with him and still has a ways to go with her character I imagine.
Yes while she did betray his trust earlier, this is ignoring not only the change in situation but the change in both characters. This isn’t the same Pudding who laughed at his expense and shot his boring sister, Sanji is also not the person Pudding previously thought he was, Sanji has called out the true Pudding and is seeing her current actions and characters atm, Sanji character this arc has been emphasising his kindness which also stands to forgiveness. Either Sanji fully has forgiven remains to be seen (Pretty sure he has its Sanji) but Pudding is actively trying to make up for what she has done and build trust between her self, Sanji and the Starwhats.
Hell she saved them from being caught by Big Mom.
I think I done a pretty good job so far with explaining and showing why her helping and her change of heart makes sense or atlas give more insight as to why it does make total sense, if you disagree its fine….its fine….your good….its fine….
:P
It was never a question of weither Sanji would cook for Big Mom, one of Sanji defining aspect as a character especially in his early chapter was the willingness to help anyone who needed food. Either you be rich or poor, beautiful or ugly, kind or conniving no matter what Sanji would always cook for those who needed it. Thats why he cooked for Gin all those years ago when he came to Barriette when all other chefs like Patty refused not only showing his kindness but also giving us more insight to his character as he learn later he knows what its like to starve and he would never let that happen on his watch.
Even if you want to use the panel of Sanji saying he only cooks for his friends (guess what Luffy said he would never run away again in Dressrosa and guess what he’s doing now), when the situation calls for it he will change his mind here. I mean do people expect Sanji to sit on his hands on not helping with the only way to stop Big Mom?
I’m sorry Luffy that your flesh is being cut by a hat sword I can’t cook for big mom, sorry Nami your burning to death with flesh being seared from your bones but hey I stuck by what I said, Brooke life won’t be so bad as a toy or in a book right I couldn’t live with going against what I said earlier? Chopper at least you won’t be going to wast and they will make a fine stew out out of you, besides you can easily rationalise Sanji is doing this to save his crew so is he really cooking for Big Mom?
This plot point of Sanji poisoning may be the one of the dumbest perpetuated/considered by fans who know nothing like Flower thats so ludicrous and ignorant of Sanji’s character they go right next to the shit shippers who didn’t see obviousness of Pudding turning good (hey guess what Flower is both). If anyone ever even for a sec thought Sanji would ever consider to poison/sully food not only do I question your understanding of Sanji character but One Piece as a whole.
Literally in Sanji first introduction shows his dedication to food, that even when Fullbody requested the wine that he knows the taste of to impress his date Sanji didn’t listen and knowing Sanji character he brought out the wine that best suited their meal like a real chef who respects food would do.
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When Fullbody put the fly into his soup to try a ruin Sanji reputation he wasn’t made at his attempt to sully his rep he doesn’t care for that he cared about Fullbody wasting food and beat the shit out of him for it.
(It says wasting in the better translations)
People like to bring up the bit of Sanji putting razor blades into Zoro food, but they miss the point when: A). its a gag, B). Zoro asked for them directly, C). Sanji would never harm someone with food if they couldn’t handle it, D). Zoro handled it and like it.
So if your telling me your a Sanji and and understand One piece, that you could look at the examples above and through out the series with Sanji and his ethics with food and you can tell me with a straight face that you think its 100% possible for Sanji to do it, I don’t know what to say.
The Cake will work a be a part in the ending of this arc, but I don’t think it will be the golden ticket and thats all thats needed, there will be more but I will go further into that later.
Leaving the Door Open Chapter 879:
As George Lucas said
So I will wrap this up here (maybe I will do more of this later), but before we move after thinking about it there a tiny moment here in 879 that I didn’t put to much thought into until now.
Sanji, Pudding and Chiffon are near Cacao Island and while Pudding is wrapped up in Rayibn she still converses with the others but most notably about Lola.
We learn that Lola herself was the Minister of chocolate, a position thats been left open ever since Lola departed on her own journey but only because the one that can only fill the void Lola left is Pudding and she keeps rejecting the position having no desire for it.
Pudding herself refuses to fill the position holding out on the idea that if Lola were to ever return she would have her old job/position, in vain knowing if Lola were to ever return she most likely would be killed she holds on to the idea of seeing her again.
The Minister of Chocolate is one of the last vestiges of Lola being on Whole Cake Island if that position is filled what reason is there for lola to ever to return, meaning Pudding will have to let go of Lola of possibly ever seeing/talking to her again. When you lose someone be it death, leaving or another reason so young, you protect and lock away whatever you have of them as a way of holding on to them and not letting go.
This job is the same for Pudding, this is the last thing on WCI of her sister if she takes it Lola is gone.
Character:
One aspect of this arc that tends to be brought up by fans is, why was this arc about Sanji if all he does is not grow or change as a character like for example his relationship/experience with woman even after the evil pudding reveal. As soon as it was revealed you have thread after thread on other sites about how Sanji would change from it, to possible hitting Pudding and what he would do, what would his reaction to be when he meets Pudding again.
Same could be said with Pudding throughout the arc about weither she was evil or not, was she lying, when she was revealed to be evil and many claimed (I think even Greg said so) she would not be redeemed, to with the wedding (which I saw and knew the twist with the third eye torment coming) and her reaction to Sanji words, to what people wondered what her she would be like after the cake fell.
Sanji this arc wasn't supposed to see a huge change/shift in his character and the way he operates; more so the year of Sanji was to delve into his past a bit more insight to his character and for us to again get to know what has made Sanji such a fan favourite character after the "flanderization" with his actions he did this arc, it wasn’t supposed to challenge him character wise. It wasn't an arc of change but to fall in love and show what has defined Sanji.
Pudding was too show just how ones own environment and family life has such an effect on you, how much one can be a product of it without a helping hand from loved ones who care for you, like making you hide yourself and build up a facade to protect oneself thats not true to whom you are, that just having one person be there for you, say something that is genuine and from the heart can change the world for you, to help lays the stones and ground work for you. That she will move on from the past that defined her and move forward dealing with her past and the actions she may have caused.
A sentiment that I've seen online (shippers included) regarding Pudding coming/ongoing redemption arc, that Sanji and by extension Oda absolving of what Pudding did that Sanji has no reason to forgive her so condoning what she did just cause of looks or that she has no reason to help them and hasn’t done enough yet. While I disagree with the setament she wasn’t done enough yet, I can see her doing more to make up for it,no one is absolving Pudding of what she did but her redemption and forgiveness is possible (if not already forgiven by Sanji the one who really has final say) and will most likely happen.