I'd have to disagree. We know that if anything, the ending of the series is the one part of the series where he knows exactly what he wants to do. It's going to be extremely well controlled. This does not, however, mean everyone will enjoy it. That's a given. But as I mentioned above, this could very well be his last to chance to throw around crazy ideas and have some fun with the series. I certainly don't want to deny him that opportunity.
Now, if Oda simply pulled this idea of of his ass, I'd feel betrayed but it is very clear now that he had this idea in mind for a long time, it has a purpose and he's not just jerking us around. Now suddenly a plethora of ideas make perfect sense, like for example, Sentoumaru appearing and announcing himself Vegapunk's BG with the man nowhere in sight. Why would it make sense for Vegapunk's bodyguard to show up, apparently for a duel in the not-too-distant future, without the man he's supposed to be guarding?
NOW it makes sense. And now we can safely rule out the idea with great certainty suggested from 512 about him being in his stomach as they're likely to meet again in a situation where Sentoumaru will actually have to perform his job.
A time limit of three days? How was Oda going to pass the time reasonably?
NOW it makes sense. I mean look, we've already passed a night and are into another day (not accounting for their earth's rotation and a time difference granted).
We had the crew members pulling out their GREATEST moves and Luffy for the first time in the heat of a real battle, calling for everyone to retreat. How were they going to make it three days in that condition?
NOW it makes sense. Sure, he could have pulled the eating meat and sleeping bullshit out of his ass again but isn't THIS a much better solution?
We had a cast slowly assembling that seemed on par with a series finale albeit a mid-way point. How was he going to wrap everything up?
NOW it makes sense.
My point is, he didn't do this on a whim. He knew this was going to occur from at LEAST 9 months ago and he's been digilently working to this point. I'd hesistate to see this as a weakness or a trek back in the story, but rather the ULTIMATE example of something that many of us wanted to see anyway, the Strawhat Crew….WITHOUT the crew. Now instead of them fending for themselves without Zoro, they're literally fending for themselves.
Beautiful.
Regarding how the women reproduce....honestly? Come on people, Oda has 'explained' how a giant blast of water can shoot up from the ocean hundreds of feet into the air delivering a ship to a sky island. I wouldn't be too concerned about how Oda will depict women reproducing without men. And besides, we've already seen proof that the elder has seen men before. What if they literally grow from spores.
And what's this fanservice bullshit? Christ, people throw around the word like they know what it means. If any toilet humor pops its head up it's INSTANTLY fanservice these days. Forget it being an adult playig childish pranks on purpose to look like an ass, which is exactly what Oda is doing. He's going to get heat from fans for doing it and he knows it, and he loves it. I know more than anything the reaction he wanted to evoke from his male readers and that was, "OW!" With that simple scene he succeeded. The image was almost enough to put me rolling on the floor in agony. He already did that with Robin and what's the one way to beat THAT scene? Have a woman with Amazonian strength try to yank off your wank. Mother of God...