Pretty good chapter. Liked the Kuma's part and the hat.
Reposted from the Spoiler thread.
I predicted the Strawhat to be Roger's since 2 years ago:
http://vnsharing.net/forum/showpost.php?p=1351894&postcount=5108
Use Google translate
I think the fate he mentioned here is 緣, a common concept in Asian countries like Japan, Vietnam, which means a predestined affinity, a natural bond, linkage, bonding. In our culture, when two person meet each other and make a special bond, whether good or bad, they believe it's Fate/緣, a bond resulted by the action of their previous lives, perhaps. Rayleigh meeting a special man who also wears the hat of another man special to him is what moved him. A strange meeting, that he think organized by Fate/緣 and is thankful for. Seeing that hat again, in another special person, really made one feel strange.
It's Luffy's own ability, including luck, that lead him to his success. The major role destiny plays is to lead him to meet and bond with special people .
I don't see anything wrong with the hat. What Rayleigh realized here is: perhaps the meeting between Roger and Shanks is destined. Roger saw the potential in Shanks and entrusted his hat. Destiny then led Shanks to meet Luffy. He saw the potential in this boy and gave his treasured hat to the latter, like making a bet. Later destiny let Rayleigh and Luffy cross each other's path. It's not like the hat made Luffy Pirate King. It's just a symbol of faith and hope in the next generation, not what made a man PK.
It's majorly the meeting between two person that's destined.
Well, Luffy did write his own destiny. Saving Alabasta, being the first and only one to ring the bell in Skypea, invade Enies Lobby, intrude Impel Down, taking part the biggest war ever against the Marines. Luffy has already accomplished more unprecedented stuffs than Roger had. Even Roger had not done that much damage to the three major places of WG. Perhaps Luffy will become the first one to truly reconcile Fishman and Human too. The straw hat can be said to be some soft of crown a king entrusted to the one he saw with potential. It's all about one's own ability.
A short-haired Ace wearing that hat and a shirt wouldn't made any discernible difference in appearance I think.
Luffy resembled Roger but not a copy-paste of him, like capable of running away from his opponent when necessary, and laughing off petty insult, thank to the influence from Shanks.