@Galleon:
This is how I have been feeling for a while now, so I agree. There are too many people choosing one over the other, but what is wrong with both just joining? People are putting way too much credit in these "patterns" that skews their view of the series, such as the Devil Fruit number theory. For the latter joining as a stowaway, I surely expect this to happen to Carrot. Just like how Neko and Inu did with Whitebeard and Roger.
Carrot may not have the same super laser-focused development like Yamato has gotten this arc (whether its Strawhat or Momo related), BUT, it's not to forget that Carrot did manage to record meaningful interactions with the Straw Hat Crew in general, most of them anyways. That is something no one can't ignore, regardless whether it was over hundreds of chapters ago, or whether you like Carrot or not. There is also this thing that Carrot was interested in seeing giants, so if the next arc will be about Elbaf, she can hop right along.
I don't think Oda will just drop that out of nowhere. But, hey, who knows. I only know where I stand here still, and that is both are going to join.
I think for most people it's not "either Yamato or Carrot, not both", nor patterns like the Devil Fruit number theory that basically died with the Hito Hito no Mi: Model Nika. It's simply that Yamato has all the hallmarks of a future protagonist, and Carrot doesn't. Yamato has the tragic past, a person he's looking up to, circumstances that prevent him from following his selfish dream until Luffy came along and removed these shackles, a unique design, unique abilities, and continuous focus ever since he appeared. Beyond that there are meta-narrative hints like how much the anime and merchandise are pushing him, often presenting him alongside the Straw Hats like maybe only Ace or Law before.
Carrot did not only not get super laser-focused development this arc, she basically got none. Her fight against the enemy who is supposedly responsible for her tragic past that transpired in the present was off-paneled, Luffy wasn't involved in that plot thread at all, she was sidelined to the Minks as soon as they reunited which is most of the entire arc, and even during Whole Cake Island she didn't get the focus other Straw Hats got during their specific arcs. It should be telling enough that the official One Piece team was completely surprised by her placement during the last popularity poll.
People have been saying that she will reflect on Pedro's last words and realize the importance of the Straw Hats, and that she can contribute her own part towards that purpose. I think it was said ever since we left Whole Cake Island, that it's totally going to happen soon, either when she tells the Minks what happened, or when they made a grave for Pedro, or when her long absence from the story during Wano or while waiting for the story to pick up Perospero vs. Carrot & Wanda again was seen as a sign of an approaching tsunami of development. We're still waiting on that. We've been waiting for almost 150 chapters for something to happen. And sure, it can still happen, but at some point people should realize that that with every passing chapter it gets more and more unlikely than it was from the start.
