@Malintex_Terek:
How am I a fanboy?
I didn't say you were a fanboy, or at least I didn't mean to. I said that you have a perceived fanboy bias, by which I meant you are quick to label anything that disagrees with your opinion as a fanboy bias.
@Malintex_Terek:
Your favourite character recieved no character development this arc and instead turned into a babbling retard with no fighitng prowess and a lame-arse return to the crew, especially following Franky's entrance last week. How utterly pathetic.
First of all, when did I say he was my favorite character? I said I like the guy. I like pretty much all eight of the mugiwaras. For the record, my favorite major character is probably Sanji or Zoro, but Franky is getting up there.
And second of all, yes he's a pathetic chicken weakling, but that's part of who he is. Yes, his return was lame, but that apology was almost the only thing that he could have done to return! If you want my thoughts on Usopp's character development in this arc, then go read my long-ass post on the first page of the "was Water 7 important?" thread.
@Malintex_Terek:
Usopp had the opportunity to pursue his dream of going to Ebalf but instead chickened out, instead preferring to stand in the shadow of Luffy's ambition.
I wouldn't say his dream is going to Elbaf. His dream is to become a great man of the sea. I personally think that he was lying to himself when he abandoned his nakama and he had wanted to keep travelling with them all along, but let his attachment to Merry get to him, leading to that argument and fight with Luffy. Bottom line is, he wants to keep sailing with Luffy, so that's what he's doing. He's in no great hurry to visit Elbaf.
@Malintex_Terek:
It's a huge Berserk parallel, except Guts is capable and actually followed his own path and Usopp is just an annoying barnacle. Oh, and he also lacks any definate purpose on the crew since Franky has usurped his position as "shipwright".
I don't see how this is a "huge Berserk parallel" when the two manga have very little thematically in common. It's a similar situation to what you described, but I sort of doubt it's a direct parallel. And yes, sometimes plot conventions happen more than once between manga. It's a fact.
And as to his role in the crew, Usopp is a damn good sharpshooter. Yes, he's a coward, yes, he's a pussy, yes, he does some lame-ass things, but he's damn fine at using ranged weaponry. His role at the very end of the Enies lobby escape and his earlier exploits with cannons and his slingshot have proved that much. Now that their brand new Beast King (or whatever the hell it's called) has some cannons, Usopp's role as a sharpshooter/gunner will be a little more defined and worthwhile.
@Malintex_Terek:
Until W7 I never thought he had anything to prove to anyone. Then Oda made a big show about Usopp actually going somewhere and look at him now. Luffy's tears seem almost like outright mockery rather than sincere empathy.He's even farther away than he was a hundred chapters ago. What kind of idiocy is this?
He has a fuckton to prove. His dream is to become a great man of the sea, and he isn't anywhere near it yet. If he wants to achieve this dream of his, he needs to prove to himself and his nakama that he can be someone brave, dependable, and strong. He isn't anywhere near it yet. Luffy cried not because he was mocking Usopp, but because his best friend is back on the crew and he was happy to see him again. I don't see how that's so hard to believe.
@Malintex_Terek:
Now, I'm not bashing Oda because I love the way he handled Usopp; he hooked Usopp fans with a wriggling worm and then bastich-slapped 'em for all the fanboy speculation. This character is going nowhere anytime soon!
Again, your perceived fanboy bias. Usopp went through a hell of a lot this arc, and is still shooting towards the same dream, but isn't near accomplishing it yet. Again, read my long-ass post from earlier. And I still think that Oda had Usopp return the way he did because that's what he HAD to do: apologize.
@Malintex_Terek:
Zoro was obviously making a scene to benefit Usopp; he wasn't being all that serious. Luffy pretty much forgot him; the only time Luffy thought about Usopp on his own was on the Sea Train en route to Enies Lobby. He even set sail without thinking about Usopp.If he's that forgettable, honestly, was he really worth a hundred chapters worth of all this build up anticipation?
This could be true, to a degree. However, Luffy HAD been thinking of Usopp on occasion during the Sea Train (go back and check; nagahana's name comes up now and then), but he was also willing to let Sogeking replace Usopp's role on the crew for awhile. Who knows, maybe deep down Luffy had actually realized that SK was Usopp?
And when Luffy saw Usopp take his mask off in the final battle against Lucci, it made a difference. Luffy also needed that rant from Zoro in order to willingly abandon Usopp, but both Luffy and Zoro forgave their sharpshooter after that apology (or it seems that way, at least).
So yeah, from this rant of yours, I gather that you really can't stand Usopp, and are willing to make up reasons that Usopp's a worse character than he actually is. He's not my favorite character, but I think that he is a good character, and a worthy crew member. So sue me.