@Megadoomer:
Like I said, a lot of this is open to interpretation. It's just that, if you actively ignore or dismiss every single thing that people bring up in regards to her potentially becoming a crewmate, then of course you aren't going to see anything that qualifies her.
It's possible to acknowledge that characters have some potential or qualifications, even if (in your eyes) there are major flaws standing in their way. Take O-Tama, for example; some people think that she could join the crew because she has a history with Ace and a desire to leave Wano. I feel like that's outweighed by the fact that she's an untrained eight year old who has to rely on outside forces to defend her, but I'm aware that other people feel differently, and the potential is there if Oda chooses to take the story in that direction. (Even if I don't think it's likely)
Agree with every single sentence here
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@Daz:
I'll just again ask how the job of "lookout" fits into a thematic whole of Carrots character, and point out that even if Franky didn't bond with Luffy until very late in the arc, he was on CONSTANT display throughout it, especially after his 7-chapter tragic dream-establishing flashback. Even Jinbe, who has been handled bizarrely and had so many absences, is put in the limelight before the end of arc will-he-join cockteases.
With every passing week whatever "momentum" Carrot had is increasingly negated, especially as DogKing has taken her spot as Mink surrogate of the arc. And why wouldn't he? He has way more dramatic investment in the current arc than Carrot, who only has "do what Pedro wanted, I guess".
Wanting Carrot to join at the end of this arc means that a major arc-relevant emotional subplot has to be conjured for her out of thin air, ASAP. Which would still feel off. I mean, it wouldn't have been satisfying if Franky hadn't joined at Water 7, and then did join for real at the end of Thriller Bark after getting some focus near the end, would it?
It's a fact that Carrot's time with the crew and panel time in general has diminished. It doesn't help her case, but again, none of my statements or general thought that she may join are saying that she joins at the end of Wano. It was careless of me not to notice that this is a "end of Wano" thread. That doesn't go against the thought that she may join some day as i've been saying.
Also, when I speculate or theorize, I don't do it on a "I want ____ to happen" basis. I'm fully aware that most actually think this way. I preferably want no one to join, but it isn't up to me because i'm not the writer. I go off what I see. I have never seen any plausibility in the "I want ____ to happen" type of arguments. It's too forced and narrow-minded to even think of an alternative conclusion. If Carrot didn't have the treatment that she got in WCI arc and some of Zou, I wouldn't even try to make a case because there is none.
As you said, Jinbe is being handled in a bizarre manner. Maybe because having someone join post timeskip will have to be handled dramatically different due to the bonds shared of the crew after being separated and formed again.
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@HeartOfDarkness:
Carrot, being one of the few mink characters in WCI arc, did not get any significant development but she will get it in an arc where she's been sidelined and will be even more sidelined since minks are supposed to be heavily involved….
Makes a lot of sense.
1 I remember being told that we are not supposed to reduce other's quotes into 1 word, but I see it might be just me that may be spoken to when it's done. Now that I have checked back, it was you who did it and when I did it back, the mod said he didn't see you and that you should know better. Now you're doing it again. That makes me question if i'm really being spoken to for making a good argument or am I doing something that is against the rules. I didn't do it out of nowhere. It was reciprocated energy. I was also spoken to for saying that certain arguments are weak, but just saw someone do the same exact thing, but w/o adding their own reasoning on page 116. They weren't addressed about it by a mod in here.
2 Carrot got development during WCI arc. She actually went to the crow's nest and was more vigilante about the job that Pedro was doing earlier after his death. She even said that she wanted to be useful in that regard.
3 Is there no way for a Birdie (Ruler's Aide), what Carrot and Wanda are, to separate themselves from the other Minks in this arc? They are said to have more stamina as well. I doubt we're more than 40% into this arc. I don't see a deadline here for character to add to her case. To say she's definitely joining or better yet in this arc, after seeing the way Jinbe is handled is a reach. I haven't seen 1 person say that once tho.
