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Break next this week.
Welcome back, AP Forums.
Mangaplus: https://mangaplus.shueisha.co.jp/viewer/1007923
Viz: https://www.viz.com/shonenjump/one-piece-chapter-997/chapter/21619?action=read
Break next this week.
How unbelievable. How absurd. How incredible. How utterly monstrous. Kaido truly was playing when dealing with the Akazaya Nine. Despite his immeasurable strength, he sought solace in the Samurai’s spirit only to have his yearning dashed by the inability of his opponents. DEATH was what he longed for yet the experience from twenty years ago besetting Kaido’s very soul continues to eclipse all moments arising since. What he waits for now is a challenger that can awaken the life within him and cast his heart back into motion. A heart frozen by want and entrapped by pandemonium.
What an overpowering entity Kaido is. A distinct force that staggers any who seek to stand before him. Implausibility reckoned within mortal form.
(I suppose the same could be said for Zoro).
(And yay, forums are back!).
Zoro's face was the look of someone 110% done with scavenger hunts.
Yeah and we all know what happens when Zoro gets pissed:
!
I just wanna know who will be saving Sanji.
I guess Zorro will cut down dragon Kaidou's arm and show his Shimotsuki linage to Wano people.
Sooo…Does this chapter make Sanji officially a member of the Comic Relief Quatuor ? Along with Usopp, Nami and Chopper ? The way he let himself get caught certainly felt like it.
I quite enjoyed Zoro's anger at Queen and how casually he disposed of Apoo. It is low key but speaks volumes, love this "I do not even need to break into a run to get you". I hope with that the Ice Oni plot is truly done; no more games, just regular fighting please.
Black Maria clearly prefers a more pacified approach over direct confrontation relative to the rest of the Beast Pirate so I wonder if Sanji can resolve the situation through non-combative means. Can Sanji once again charm an enemy into a potential ally?
As for the other "would-be heroes" who got caught in the same trap, I would laugh if it were Bepo, Shachi and Penguin (potentially also Killer if he split off from Kid while on the third floor?). If Sanji did have to fight, him fighting alongside the Heart and Kid Pirates would certainly be exciting.
Regarding the Beast Pirate Headliners, they really have become a joke. Not only are they weak and laughably ignorant of the strength their opponents possess but their SMILE forms are becoming more and more ridiculous. I find it increasingly challenging to take the Headliners serious when they keep taking forms like Hamlet, Fourtricks, Poker and Mizerka. Did consuming the SMILE and beating the side effect really benefit them at all? Fortunately Luffy and Jinbe were able to bypass those Beast Pirate Jokeliners waiting for them at the floor 3/4 staircase.
Rip sulong bepo.
Maybe it's better this way, they would only get captured again and force law to surrender.
Author Comments: https://www.viz.com/blog/posts/mangaka-musings-11-29-2020
Eiichiro Oda
I’m laughing so hard every week watching Kaizokuou ni Ore wa Naru TV. Thank you!
I warmed up to this chapter more after first read. It's a pretty good chapter.
Still I can't really be so hyped about Kaido's "feat" at the end. The doublespread looks beautiful and this event fulfills a narrative purpose, but it's a little random that flame clouds can lift an island so effortlessly. I see it as a contrived (yet cool) plot device instead of a demonstration of power. It doesn't bother me though, much better than the birdcage.
@uniaka:
Rip sulong bepo.
Maybe it's better this way, they would only get captured again and force law to surrender.
Bepo is in Onigashima already.
I just wanna know who will be saving Sanji.
Technically, he could escape on his own. His inner fire could burn those webs.
I think Kaido was only able to lift the entire island with Big Mom's help. She said she had no soul power to waste on Marco, and was in a hurry to arrive at the roof. Soon after she gets there, Kaido starts his act, so I think Big Mom turned the dragon flame clouds in a homie. We will probably see the clouds with demonic faces soon.
I also believe everything that has been happening with Sanji will come to character growth. At least, I hope so. He can light himself on fire to escape the spider web, so I hope he's able to get out of this situation on his own.
I figure if it's real webbing heat should do the trick to melt them away.
Black Maria is looking more and more to be some sort of spider or spider yokai. I'd love to see the visual of Robin's many arms tangling with Maria's many arms.
I think Kaido was only able to lift the entire island with Big Mom's help. She said she had no soul power to waste on Marco, and was in a hurry to arrive at the roof. Soon after she gets there, Kaido starts his act, so I think Big Mom turned the dragon flame clouds in a homie. We will probably see the clouds with demonic faces soon.
I also believe everything that has been happening with Sanji will come to character growth. At least, I hope so. He can light himself on fire to escape the spider web, so I hope he's able to get out of this situation on his own.
No. It's clearly all Kaido. Yamato said as much and wasn't at all surprised by what he was doing.
No. It's clearly all Kaido. Yamato said as much and wasn't at all surprised by what he was doing.
All Yamato said is that dragons fly by flame clouds and Kaido was using them to lift the island.
That doesn't exclude Big Mom making the flame clouds work on their own.
Zoro was on top of his game this chapter, finally somebody gets the fact that this is not a kids playground but an actual Emperor fortress.
Then there´s that tool waste of a character, I really like him (more than Zoro) but holy hell this is too much for me, damnit.
What´s the point of his level of Observation detection if he can´t read the situation properly and jumps straight into a death trap? He´d be dead in 3 seconds without plot armor. I know this is super weak reasoning but no idea what to say.
This was really the only thing I wished wouldn´t happen during this arc after her introduction. I mean she´s way too hot even by OP hot enemy female standards, honestly what did I expect…
Would be nice if somebody took Robin and teleported her (Law) or dropped her off (pineapple head) ASAP to where Sanji lies tied up, proclaiming his love for an enemy officer in the biggest pirate war he´s ever participated in.
Thanks in advance.
By the way, did the underlings imply they caught others before? Probably another loser...maybe Penguin?
I didn´t want to see Apoo get much screen time on the island and Zoro finally cut him properly (hope he´s out cold for the foreseeable future), so this was as added bonus to Zoro being a beast.
Don´t get me wrong, everything else but the Sanji portion was great.
I feel like I´m repeating myself, but Queen is such a brilliant character, no Beast Pirate comes even close to him.
Ugh, Sanji, Sanji, Sanji. I want to hope we're not about to get another Kalifa situation, but this first scene was not promising. There's a spot of hope if Oda wants to turn the idea of him throwing away his pride to use the Raid Suit into a theme. At the very least, bring back smart, Mr Prince Sanji and have him think up a way to handle Black Maria without physically hitting her rather than just throwing the fight.
Zoro's moment was pretty damn cool and drawn fantastically, but I am looking forward to him being put more of a struggle at some point in the future.
The ice oni plot seems to be under wraps surprisingly quick. Will there be something else happening to delay the vaccine distribution. Chopper in his samurai gear and face half iced over is the coolest he's looked in literal years and it would be great to see him trying different forms and being forced to fight in that state.
Zoro seems to have cut the balcony railing at the crucifixion mount in his warning shot at Queen. Just some more battle damage to watch out for the continuity of.
The falling of Okiku's arm is the first acknowledgment from Oda that the other side of the hole in the ceiling actually exists on the roof. Good to know it's not completely a one-way opening. And lucky for Kiku (in relative terms anyway) that does appear to be her left arm. Imagine how dark it would have been if an arm fell and it wasn't the same one we saw get blasted off earlier.
And then Onigashima lifts up in an absolutely jaw-dropping panel. It was an easy guess that Kaido at least would go back to the mainland, but I figured it would be to burn the capital in dragon form, Smaug-style. At least we don't have to worry about how everyone else catches up with him this way. Hopefully this means we'll finally get to see the top of Mount Fuji. In fact, I wouldn't be shocked if this moving island situation finally ends with Onigashima either balanced precariously on top of it or impaled on the mountain in the way of Shandora on the beanstalk. I'll be interested to see what happens to the citizens when Kaido arrives. I don't want them to be all talk about their newly-revealed secret hatred of him. Hopefully the fact that they're flying Oden-shaped balloons will make it impossible to hide and force them into a fight or die situation.
I love that we can see the flames spiraling back to Kaido as their source in the final panels. Who is he talking to though? The fallen Scabbards? Their final survivor? The mystery guest from Decks of the World that Marco brought?
Some people have said that Kaido being able to produce flames in human form is evidence that he's an actual dragon, but I'm just not seeing it. Making flames is just something some people can do in One Piece's world. Luffy, Sanji and Kinemon all have totally devil fruit-unreleated fire moves. It can't even be that high level of a thing if Pearl could do it back at the Baratie. Luffy himself is able to make a not-dissimilar-looking lingering wreath of flame to wear for Snakeman, though it obviously doesn't lift him up (and the anime decided to just have it be steam for whatever reason). So colour me unconvinced on that one. I remain in came World Government genetic experiment Kaido.
Really fun chapter overall, even if that one plot thread is going a direction I'm not a big fan of. Some incredible artistic highlights in Zoro's moment and the final spread, not to mention more inspired Gifter designs through the middle. The anticipation for chapter 1000 is starting to get painful!
Zoro was on top of his game this chapter, finally somebody gets the fact that this is not a kids playground but an actual Emperor fortress.
[…]
I feel like I´m repeating myself, but Queen is such a brilliant character, no Beast Pirate comes even close to him.
But nobody is acting like this is a kids' playground other than Queen himself.
By the way, did the underlings imply they caught others before? Probably another loser…maybe Penguin?
Probably talking about this
This chapter solidifies my belief that Chopper's next power up is right around the corner and it's Ice Point or Yeti Monster Point or whatever but he's gonna control that ice.
Chopper has never been bothered by the cold, and he said so himself, and the other effect to the virus is going on a rampage? Who's got a toooooon of experience controling his berserker mode? Yup, Tony Tony Chopper. Sure, he'll have to tinker with it, and he's going to, in order to make a vaccine/cure, but he'll be an ice monster before they leave Wano. And that's how Chopper will still be a pet in the eyes of the Marines. One, they won't be able to see whats going on in Wano, and two, when they do hear the news I'll bet the information mentioning the StrawHat's pet transforms into a monster will be lost again.
Hum… maybe Chopper will have two bounties. one for the cotton candy loving pet and the other for the monster that tends to appear whenever the StrawHat crew goes above a certain level of chaos.
That's why I don't see the Ice Oni plot as being "resolved", it was never actually an issue, just a set up.
I see people complaining alot that Oda is rushing, but I get the feeling that he's not rushing because this is all just the set up, until chapter 1000 he's just setting the board. Every week new match ups come up. We all thought that Nami & Usopp vs Ulti & Page 1 would be their main fight this arc, that would be resolved after chapter 1000, turns out it already happened, it went poorly and Tama showed up with her pokemons. Forget all bets are off, the table is not even open yet.
I'm on the 5 acts theory camp and I can compare it to the CP9 saga. First we had the Water 7 part of the story, we saw the crew hanging around in Wano and connecting to the people, now we're on the Ennies Lobby part, but not the tower of justice yet. This is just Luffy running around creating chaos behind him and the crew and allies trying to keep up. And we did get the cool StrawHat crew stance in chapter 989, as if they jumped into the Rocket shooting into the tower of justice. But even in the tower of justice they ran around before settling on their final match. We haven't even seen a flashback with Ace on it.
Drake is right there, witnessing all Chopper does and whatnot.
Good point.
I forgot that. Then… will this be the time Chopper gets a respectfull bounty instead of a gag one?
He even missed when all the StrawHats in Dressrosa got a 50 million increase.
BM ship finally made it to onigashima and onigashima left. LOL
Good point.
I forgot that. Then… will this be the time Chopper gets a respectfull bounty instead of a gag one?
He even missed when all the StrawHats in Dressrosa got a 50 million increase.
Why would chopper get a bigger bounty for healing people?
The spread of the island hovering over the Flower Capital is going to look absolutely breathtaking.
Another awesome Zoro moment. He got tired of the bullshit and straight up one shotted Apoo. We might see in a serious battle now.
As I said in the spoiler thread, I found amazing that Kaidou's new Onigashima plan he told earlier in this arc was LITERAL and he just decided to go ahead with it as if the current raid meant nothing to him.
Still funny to me how Zoro slashing Apoo is supposed to be badass while it was a cheap shot. That's what make him a pirate I guess.
Anyway, I want Sanji to move on to his real opponent, whoever it is, soon. I wonder who the other person who got caught is. My guess would be one of Law's crewmate but maybe it's whoever was following the crew at the beginning of the raid.
Also, please don't make Marco "steal" the fight against King. It wouldn't be interesting to me if King is not defeated by some of the young pirates.
I'm interested to see if next chapter the alliance between Kaidou and Big Mom will be broken. But more importantly I want to see the matchups being finalized.
This chapter solidifies my belief that Chopper's next power up is right around the corner and it's Ice Point or Yeti Monster Point or whatever but he's gonna control that ice.
Chopper has never been bothered by the cold, and he said so himself, and the other effect to the virus is going on a rampage? Who's got a toooooon of experience controling his berserker mode? Yup, Tony Tony Chopper. Sure, he'll have to tinker with it, and he's going to, in order to make a vaccine/cure, but he'll be an ice monster before they leave Wano. And that's how Chopper will still be a pet in the eyes of the Marines. One, they won't be able to see whats going on in Wano, and two, when they do hear the news I'll bet the information mentioning the StrawHat's pet transforms into a monster will be lost again.
Hum… maybe Chopper will have two bounties. one for the cotton candy loving pet and the other for the monster that tends to appear whenever the StrawHat crew goes above a certain level of chaos.That's why I don't see the Ice Oni plot as being "resolved", it was never actually an issue, just a set up.
I see people complaining alot that Oda is rushing, but I get the feeling that he's not rushing because this is all just the set up, until chapter 1000 he's just setting the board. Every week new match ups come up. We all thought that Nami & Usopp vs Ulti & Page 1 would be their main fight this arc, that would be resolved after chapter 1000, turns out it already happened, it went poorly and Tama showed up with her pokemons. Forget all bets are off, the table is not even open yet.
I'm on the 5 acts theory camp and I can compare it to the CP9 saga. First we had the Water 7 part of the story, we saw the crew hanging around in Wano and connecting to the people, now we're on the Ennies Lobby part, but not the tower of justice yet. This is just Luffy running around creating chaos behind him and the crew and allies trying to keep up. And we did get the cool StrawHat crew stance in chapter 989, as if they jumped into the Rocket shooting into the tower of justice. But even in the tower of justice they ran around before settling on their final match. We haven't even seen a flashback with Ace on it.
I think that would be pretty cool for Chopper to have 2 different bounties….1 as a cotton candy loving pet and 1 as a ferocious monster. Kind of like Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde with his 2 identities. I would love a huge jump in Chopper’s bounty, the marines and the world need to realize his monster side for sure.
Chopper is not really getting a rise for fixing up a bunch of demons.
His hands will be full for the next hour or so, so don't expect much action from him.
Why would chopper get a bigger bounty for healing people?
Sorry if I didn't present my idea clearly.
I don't think anyone would get a bounty for healing people, not even Marco. :p But Drake could report that Chopper actually ate the Human Human fruit and is a great doctor, that could raise his bounty since he'd be seen as a human member of the crew and not just a pet.
The bounty increase would be for his monster point, but finally someone outside the crew would witness it and pay enough attention to report it to the Marines.
@Buggy:
I think that would be pretty cool for Chopper to have 2 different bounties….1 as a cotton candy loving pet and 1 as a ferocious monster. Kind of like Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde with his 2 identities. I would love a huge jump in Chopper’s bounty, the marines and the world need to realize his monster side for sure.
Yeah, that's what I was thinking. Chopper can easily fit that trope and i could see Oda playing with it.
Can't really say I feel sorry for Apoo. He decides to serve Kaido of his own free will and sell out others he meets to be pressed into service, only to get used as a pawn on a whim by Queen and tag-teamed by two Supernovas.
@Kaido:
Can't really say I feel sorry for Apoo. He decides to serve Kaido of his own free will and sell out others he meets to be pressed into service, only to get used as a pawn on a whim by Queen and tag-teamed by two Supernovas.
There is no need to feel sorry for any pirate currently present, but Apoo did say that there is no other choice but to serve under a Yonkou, so there is no real free will involved (unless you want to die).
However, what is absolutely bizarre is Drake's focus on Apoo and how much he hates him. Because if there is nothing more to it (apart from Apoo being a snitch) then it's kind of funny, considering that Drake does what Apoo does - just 24/7. Ratting out allies is literally his job as a marine mole.
But Drake does it officially, kinda like Dr Manhattan and The Comedian, but not Rorschach, dude's totally breaking the law.
Did you guys see BM ship falling again in the final panel? I've never seen a pirate crew take so many Ls
Did you guys see BM ship falling again in the final panel? I've never seen a pirate crew take so many Ls
That’s one of Kaidos ships
This chapter was AWESOME! Arguably my favorite in all of Wano! Kaido has defeated the 9 scabbards, Zoro took down Appo alarmingly fast- makes me feel like Zoro should be called "Worst Generation Hunter" lol (since he took down Killer before too. And before anyone says it- yes, I know Zoro is a member of the Worst Generation too…though Oda and/or Toei seem to have forgotten that themselves most times they do group shots of the Worst Generation)- which I'll add shocked me because it looked like Drakes fight but Zoro just GOT SERIOUS AND SLASHED THROUGH HIM LIKE NOTHING.. which was oddly satisifying for me lol. And of course to top it off- the usual raising of stakes towards the end of the arc- (birdcage being a previous example)- in this case, the island being raised into the heavens to head towards wano proper!
Just an all around very hyped chapter!
@Syphin:
How unbelievable. How absurd. How incredible. How utterly monstrous. Kaido truly was playing when dealing with the Akazaya Nine. Despite his immeasurable strength, he sought solace in the Samurai’s spirit only to have his yearning dashed by the inability of his opponents. DEATH was what he longed for yet the experience from twenty years ago besetting Kaido’s very soul continues to eclipse all moments arising since. What he waits for now is a challenger that can awaken the life within him and cast his heart back into motion. A heart frozen by want and entrapped by pandemonium.
What an overpowering entity Kaido is. A distinct force that staggers any who seek to stand before him. Implausibility reckoned within mortal form.
(I suppose the same could be said for Zoro).
(And yay, forums are back!).
Any idea what's been happening to the forums? I feel like there's been multiple chapters worth of times that I'm rarely here because the forums keep being down
@fana:
Also, please don't make Marco "steal" the fight against King. It wouldn't be interesting to me if King is not defeated by some of the young pirates.
I'm interested to see if next chapter the alliance between Kaidou and Big Mom will be broken. But more importantly I want to see the matchups being finalized.
That is a fair point actually- I have been hoping King and Queen will be defeated by Straw Hats.
Zoro took down Appo alarmingly fast- makes me feel like Zoro should be called "Worst Generation Hunter" lol (since he took down Killer before too. And before anyone says it- yes, I know Zoro is a member of the Worst Generation too…
I think it's enough that he's already called "Pirate Hunter", that includes the Worst Generation, so… :ninja:
I think it's enough that he's already called "Pirate Hunter", that includes the Worst Generation, so… :ninja:
Obviously about to add 'Dragon Hunter' to his resume :ninja:
Zoro just displayed a taste of the abyss he possesses through his treatment of Apoo.
It was epic.
There is no way Zoro is getting shortchanged until his moment with Kaido where flashes of Oden will reverberate through Kaido's wound and the life gushing out. The future greatest swordsman will establish his dominance in this land of Samurai.
I just hope Sanji gets similar treatment as the Charming Perverted Knight that he is. If he can resolve his situation without having the need to be saved, it will serve as an immense expression of his abilities. Plus it would be cool to have Black Maria join the fan club of Sanji alongside Duval, Viola and Pudding. Who knows maybe Black Maria hails from North Blue and is a massive Stealth Black fan like Law, Drake and Hawkins. Sanji, it is time to embrace your identity.
By the end of Wano Zoro will be on the same sword skill level as Oden.
And Sanji will be on the same womanizer level as Oden…
Be warned male citizens of Wano, hide your wives, daughters, mothers and what not now, before it's too late. :ninja:
And Sanji will be on the same womanizer level as Oden…
Be warned male citizens of Wano, hide your wives, daughters, mothers and what not now, before it's too late. :ninja:
I knew those mountain pigs had to fit in somehow.
Zoro Vs Kaido
Luffy Vs Big Mom
Oda make it happen
Sucks that the forum went down on such an awesome chapter.
Sanji's moment was very eh for me. If I was Oda here, I would not at all have had 2 random mooks be able to make Sanji bleed. But that's assuming all is fair, and there's no real reason to assume that anymore, there's a clear bias. I have no particular stake in Sanji vs Zoro, fun to watch in the manga though.
Zoro's moment here was very good, that's some of the best drawn he's ever been, period, and I love his challenge to Kaido this chapter.
Zoro's the Rayleigh parallel, so the way I see it he'll always be very close to Luffy's level.
Kaido completely stole the chapter for me even with that great moment from Zoro, at the end of the day I'm reading this series for the "major events". I like comedic casual moments as much as the next guy, but that's not what makes this a legendary series for me. You don't become that without taking risks the vast majority of the time. I personally find Kaido's demonstration here to be just flat-out the most impressive thing I've seen in the series. I find no logical issue with it, everything works and has a precedent. This is in fact a series with magical powers in one way or another, not a hyper-realistic crime drama. This is getting the series back at "Marineford level events", which is a benchmark for the series I'm glad we're reaching again. And how could I forget the Chopper moment! Wano's repairing so much, thank God our little furball got another important doctor moment.
I was at one point rating the chapters, factoring in sense of urgency for how close they are to 1000 and whether they matched that. 995 (the one with the Nami moment) 9/10, 996 8/10, 997 9.9/10. 10/10 for me is something like Luffy vs Shanks.
When will zoro fight swordmen for a change, because so far only snow, rocks, music, and now club oni/dragon? Is mihawk like the only swordman out there, so until him he has to settle for hard stuff to cut.
@uniaka:
When will zoro fight swordmen for a change, because so far only snow, rocks, music, and now club oni/dragon? Is mihawk like the only swordman out there, so until him he has to settle for hard stuff to cut.
There was Killer. Those scythes pretty much worked as most swords do in One Piece.
998 prediction:
Marco takes Zoro and Robin, each holding onto one of his legs, and flies towards the ceiling.
Queen grabs his reserve bazooka and tries to shoot them down.
King goes for his beak attack.
Robin lets go of the leg, making Queen´s missile miss.
Zoro sends a one-handed flying slash towards Queen while holding on with his other hand.
Marco begins his defensive flame wheel motion to negate King´s drill peck (like when he absorbed Kizaru´s laser).
Zoro´s slash destroys the place where Queen is, making it collapse to the room below.
During his spinning motion, Marco throws Zoro upwards through the hole in the ceiling and proceeds to flame-block King.
Robin creates wings to land at Queen´s location.
The room below Queen is where Sanji lies beaten to a pulp by Black Maria.
Robin tells Sanji he can expect some alone time with her and Nami whom she´ll persuade, if he takes care of Queen, while she deals with Maria.
Sanji insta-stands up, stone hard, ready to rumble.
999 prediction:
Chopper and Brook heal people.
Tama and Yamato run into each other, forming a Momo defense force (Yamato, Nami, Usopp, Tama).
Luffy continues through the last floor.
Franky trades big manly blows with Sasaki.
Kaido talks even bigger.
1000 prediction:
A blur appears from one of the roof doors and casually blocks Kaido´s killing blow against the samurai with advanced armament, similar to Rayleigh blocking the elephant or Admirals blocking Whitebeard´s shockwave.
Zoro lands beside his captain and instantly slashes Kaido, who is caught off-guard after the unexpected block threw him off.
The rooftop door on the other side explodes, Kid and Killer break through, Kid bringing way too much iron for that door to handle.
Kaido starts to laugh hysterically, happy he got seriously hurt after long twenty years.
Big Mom fell off the island for some reason beforehand. :ninja:
I expect 998 and 999 raising the stakes even more. While Marco will probably get Zoro and Robin out of the arena, they may not reach Kaido, but instead be intercepted by King and fall each in some other place.
I don't think Sanji will escape Black Maria right now. Actually, I think this is the last we will see of him for now. His capture is part of the "we are all in trouble" moment I'm expecting.
Who's Who and Hawkins will act, turning everything worse.
I also think Perospero is going to defeat Carrot and Wanda and reveal the entirety of Big Mom's pirates is with him in a book or something like that. I really don't think Oda introduced characters like Smoothie and Mont-D'or to not use them now. I wouldn't be surprised if we get bounties of both BM pirates and the Tobiroppo, just to make everyone go apeshit with their threat level.
I think Luffy will reach the roof by the end of 999, only to find himself alone (or maybe with just Kidd) under the gaze of both Big Mom and Kaido, ending with a big spread of the two villains towering over the bodies of the (seemingly) dead Scabbards.
Then the curtains close, end of act 3.
Chapter 1,000 will begin the intermission. We will see what's happening in the outside world. It's the "Hancock will… Sabo will... Vivi will..." part that Oda teased last year. I think it will last more than one chapter, maybe reaching even three, with the first covering the Shichibukai's fates and Blackbeard's move. What better than having Admirals, Buggy, Mihawk and Blackbeard in a huge lore-filled chapter?
Maybe that's just me, but I would much prefer a chapter centered on our main characters for the 1000th chapter, just like the 100th chapter marked the true beginning of the Strawhat crews journey to achieve their goals.
Or at the very least, I feel like the main character(s) of the manga should at least appear in the 1000th chapter.