@Urouge:
I think we're disagreeing on a technicality. I would say that Garp follows whatever orders he's given like he should (unlike Smoker). What holds Garp back, in my eyes, is that he doesn't assume anything. For instance, it should be implied that Sengoku wanted him to stay at MHQ, but Garp wouldn't follow implications. Instead, he just does what's necessary to follow exactly what's asked of him, while doing whatever he wants for the rest. I could see Luffy being the exact same way in Garp's position while still believing that he's following orders. The first example that comes to my mind is Little Garden "but you just said to break the pillar, were you joking?" With everyone getting pissed at him for being an idiot about not understanding the entire situation. The red herring idea doesn't seem like Oda's style to me, since the line didn't leave much room for interpretation. Normally Oda would say something very ambiguous which isn't a total lie if he intends to throw us off. He certainly has no problems with ambiguous responses in the SBS, since probably more than half of them end that way.
Hmm. Yeah. This is all pretty true. I guess you are right. Garp's attitude and personality just makes me think that he follows his own form of Justice, which is what Smoker does, and thus why I relate the two. Smoker is much more blunt and rude about it though, so a much more extreme version of Garp. But Vanessa is probably right, and I am more than likely just taking that attitude of Garp's a bit too far. So yeah, I will concede that you guys are right about Garp. I'm phrasing what I mean about him poorly anyway.
@Urouge:
I've been saying this since chapter 250 came out (and that Kuma told Rayleigh that Roger's son was going to be executed).
Chapter 250? Well, I have always considered Rayleigh playing a part, and thus how the crew meets back up, but up until a few chapters ago we didn't know of any reason for him to get involved. Now we know Ace is Roger's son, and Rayleigh being his old bestie and all, we have motive. What Kuma said is still in the air, but I would think it had a little bit more to do with the Strawhats or some larger picture, not simply "Roger's son is getting the axe". That much was in the news already; assuming, of course, that Rayleigh knew of Ace and Roger. I would think he did. And again, from what Kuma asked Nami on TB, I don't think he knew Ace was Roger's son.
@Vanessa:
I'd compare that to sending just a captain(Very Good) with a couple of marine grunts to capture CP9.
I wouldn't. Like I argued with Ivotas, back then we already knew of the War, so we already knew that the main forces were being pulled to the front lines. They couldn't spare anyone else. Yeah, it was a dumb move, I agree, but I doubt they had much to spare. Plus, given the phone snail connected Lucci to Spandam and Spandine, I doubt it was the Marines that were calling those shots. More than likely it was Spandam/Spandine wanting revenge, and taking what they could get as far as forces are concerned. This case with Garp would be much different, especially given his comment.
@Vanessa:
Plus Law's line wondering what they could be there for when the marines had the auction house surrounded sort of affirms it. I mean if they were there for him, Kidd or any of the other pirates he'd be more cocky about it.
Wait, what? His line was about Kuma, the warlord, being there. It wasn't Kuma though, as we later learned. Did he say something while in the Auction House? Like I said, when they were all inside and the Marines were calling to them over the loudspeaker, they said, "You damn rookies!!". They knew who was in there. Sengoku had already been informed earlier that chapter. There is a base there, after all.
@Urouge:
You're missing Law's line about how they'd been there for a while already, so they must be there for something else.
I must not know what line you guys mean. Kidd's fire-breathing guy tells Kidd that the place is surrounded, but that is after the Marines and Sengoku already confirm that Law, Kidd, and Luffy are inside.
