Chapter 1,040: Wasted Words On Young Ears

Ivotas

Could someone please explain to me what exactly happened to Kazenbo that it made it shrink? Don't really get that part.

I didn't read it that way at all. It's clear that it's not a flashback.

I actually think that the wording in the official translations sounds more like an actual conversation than the fan translation that clearly has her complaining to a person who's not there. It's not implying that it actually really happened (also because Roger died the second he those words so no way for Big Mom to chew him up for that) the wording just has the tone of an actual conversation.

As both a big fan and friend of Stephen I have say that I do get why people have been unsatisfied with the official translation over the years. There's just something about them that pales in comparison to the scripts he's done as a fan. They are not bad translations. But they are just not on the level they once were.

Deicide

@Captain:

Grim Reaper seems to be something more than an illusion. King didn't really hit Zoro with the blade of his sword at all, so there wasn't much blood when we last saw him. Now there's blood everywhere, suggesting that that scythe did some real physical damage. Still lots of ways it could be a misdirection, but my current read is that there's something real there.

The blood is most likely from the reopened wounds once healed by that mink medicine.

–- Update From New Post Merge ---

@Ivotas:

Could someone please explain to me what exactly happened to Kazenbo that it made it shrink? Don't really get that part.

My take is that it was the explosion dispersing Kazenbo's fire away, so he shrunk. However, I don't think he's completely gone, as we didn't see him disappear.

Zik

@King:

She heals by transforming her bones into Homies. That's one of the basic applications of her fruit too, but done in a clever way.

That's not really explaining away how she heals though.

If Big Mom turned a broken chair in to a homie are you saying the chair would no longer be broken?

Maybe I missed that but I don't see how turning her own broken bones in to homies actually heals the bones. A broken inanimate objective transformed in to a living thing via the use of souls/soul energy doesn't seem like a clever basic application.

Seems like an advanced technique.

The gigantification is weird too, but I also don't see it as Awakening. I think Deicide is correct that her Incarnations are her Awakening, since they are external pieces of Big Mom that can use the same powers as her, giving her greater range.

Given what we've seen the wide range awakening can do I wouldn't limit what Big Mom can do to one thing.

kouch_lee

So, the One Piece universe has nuclear weapons?

astagadragon

Me and several others 10+ chapters back: Big Mom will lost to Kid and Law

Non-believers: reeee there is no way Big Mom will lost to these 2 no name mooks! She's gonna defeated by Luffy in Elbaf to close her 500+ chapters appearance!!

Well who's laughing now?

See, there is a shonen formula, maybe you all know: if the protagonist rival powered up and start shouting shonen power up lines (my last attack etc) then no matter how hard the antagonist plot armor is, they will lose.

Not to mention Big Mom already showed her ultimate attack and ultimatr form, her defeat is confirmed by showing those 2 things alone. I'd say this chapter is her desperation attack moment and yet it will rarely be useful.

Then, what next? There is no way Big Mom will appear in Elbaf. What for? Revenge to Luffy? No way, Luffy didn't defeat her. Kid and Law do. Even if she does appear, her credibility as a villain would be less because at this point Luffy and Zoro are more capable of defeating her.

So, yeah. Big Mom is finished. Cheers for her awesome stint since 2015!!

King Cannon

@Zik:

That's not really explaining away how she heals though.

If Big Mom turned a broken chair in to a homie are you saying the chair would no longer be broken?

Yes. She could order the chair to fix itself and it would try to do so. Homies have to obey her.

In fact, that's exactly what he did with her bones. She told them to fix themselves. Did you miss her biceps going "yes, mama"?

Ivotas

@Deicide:

My take is that it was the explosion dispersing Kazenbo's fire away, so he shrunk. However, I don't think he's completely gone, as we didn't see him disappear.

I see. Be that as it ma,, I find it kinda disappointing that the threat Kazenbo was for the past few chapters to be resolved in such a lackluster way. I know it's not offpanel and but being Wano's equivalent of Arabasta's bomb or Dressrosa's Bird Cage, just being resolved in a few tiny panels just leaves a sour taste in my mouth.

Also that explosion kinda irks me the wrong way. It's big enough the blow a huge hole into Onigashima but it's weak to overcome the small shield Yamato put up and set off the other explosives within the same room.

Deicide

@Ivotas:

I see. Be that as it ma,, I find it kinda disappointing that the threat Kazenbo was for the past few chapters to be resolved in such a lackluster way. I know it's not offpanel and but being Wano's equivalent of Arabasta's bomb or Dressrosa's Bird Cage, just being resolved in a few tiny panels just leaves a sour taste in my mouth.

Also that explosion kinda irks me the wrong way. It's big enough the blow a huge hole into Onigashima but it's weak to overcome the small shield Yamato put up and set off the other explosives within the same room.

I think the threat was only delayed. But yeah. it's pretty weird how we went on this chase against time, only for the threat to be seemly extinguished by a totally unrelated event. Yamato running to the armory (which he was doing before Kazenbo manifested anyway) was enough to setup the bombs' threat and BM's downfall, so Kanjuro being alive AGAIN and creating the big fiery yokai seem unnecessary.

However, I feel Kazenbo's existance will lead Marco to the armory (he was last seen bringing Izo to investigate Kazenbo), and he will team up with Yamato in whatever task Momo wants to give by this chapter's end.

Also, Kazenbo not completely disappearing may mean he still has a role to play.

Monquito

@Captain:

Grim Reaper seems to be something more than an illusion. King didn't really hit Zoro with the blade of his sword at all, so there wasn't much blood when we last saw him. Now there's blood everywhere, suggesting that that scythe did some real physical damage. Still lots of ways it could be a misdirection, but my current read is that there's something real there.
.

We can see blood beside him right after finishing his vs with King.
Grim Reaper is very likely an hallucination, Chopper mentions he's worried about the side effects of the mink drugs before seeing him, and those spirals all around in the backround.. I've read enough X-Men comics to know that represents illusions and stuff like that.

I think the whole point is that both of Luffy's wings get their own uncontrolable sequels to deal with in future arcs.

Sanji's having something with his awekened genes.

Zik

@King:

Yes. She could order the chair to fix itself and it would try to do so. Homies have to obey her.

In fact, that's exactly what he did with her bones. She told them to fix themselves. Did you miss her biceps going "yes, mama"?

I must've missed that.

Guess there's more to the nature of homies than I thought. Telling a living object to heal itself and it being able to just cuz it has a piece of soul or an entire soul in it is pretty inexplicable in more serious moments as opposed to Brook moments.
@astagadragon:

Me and several others 10+ chapters back: Big Mom will lost to Kid and Law

Non-believers: reeee there is no way Big Mom will lost to these 2 no name mooks! She's gonna defeated by Luffy in Elbaf to close her 500+ chapters appearance!!

Well who's laughing now?

See, there is a shonen formula, maybe you all know: if the protagonist rival powered up and start shouting shonen power up lines (my last attack etc) then no matter how hard the antagonist plot armor is, they will lose.

Not to mention Big Mom already showed her ultimate attack and ultimatr form, her defeat is confirmed by showing those 2 things alone. I'd say this chapter is her desperation attack moment and yet it will rarely be useful.

Then, what next? There is no way Big Mom will appear in Elbaf. What for? Revenge to Luffy? No way, Luffy didn't defeat her. Kid and Law do. Even if she does appear, her credibility as a villain would be less because at this point Luffy and Zoro are more capable of defeating her.

So, yeah. Big Mom is finished. Cheers for her awesome stint since 2015!!

I mean if Luffy had did this nobody would be saying Luffy defeated Big Mom.

That's not how he defeats enemies. They get knocked out cold.

All Law and Kid did was knock her off the island while she was still conscious. She even says this will not kill me implying again the obvious.

Pretending she won't show up again in the story is kinda ignoring the obvious.

Ivotas

@King:

Yes. She could order the chair to fix itself and it would try to do so. Homies have to obey her.

In fact, that's exactly what he did with her bones. She told them to fix themselves. Did you miss her biceps going "yes, mama"?

"Go heal yourself" has to be one of the most stupid hax applications of any power I've ever seen, if that's the case for the base ability. Also just because she gave that order and received a "yes, mama" it's hardly any proof neither that it is the base ability nor that it is awakening. I'm not particularly interested in the discussion wether Mommy's powers are awakened or not. Just pointing out that the part you reference could be either and thus doesn't really prove much.

astagadragon

@Zik:

I mean if Luffy had did this nobody would be saying Luffy defeated Big Mom.

That's not how he defeats enemies. They get knocked out cold.

All Law and Kid did was knock her off the island while she was still conscious. She even says this will not kill me implying again the obvious.

Pretending she won't show up again in the story is kinda ignoring the obvious.

The narrator already concludes the battle. See, despite their so-called "ancient zoan toughness" no one in Tobiroppo/All Stars came back from their beating after the narrator said they're defeated.

So yeah, Big Mom is finished.

As for her next role… her threat level is diminished badly by losing to Kid and Law, she would've in no position to threaten the Strawhats. Luffy would go "nah I dont have any business with you Mom, I had Loki/etc to defeat". That would be mortifying for a character of her calibre. Better to end her role right here and now.

Raffy

It's not like Kid and Law went full Straw Hat who completely eliminated Crocodile's threat by taking down Baroque Works too or Doflamingo's by taking out his family. They just subdued Big Mom, her family is still very much active.
The Tobiroppo/All Stars going down just means Kaido's threat will be drastically reduced

Deicide

Personally, I'm less than thrilled by the possibility of Big Mom returning a third time…

But whatever, for now I just want to see Wano ending and get an update on the crazy stuff happening all over the world.

kevo_koma

Am I the only one who finds it extremely odd how Haki hasn't really been a thing in Onigashima?

I mean, other than advanced conqueror's haki, we have not seen any use of Haki. The only ones who used it were Ulti and Catman

Even Big Mom doesn't use Haki, not even her conqueror's haki.

Captain M

@Monquito:

We can see blood beside him right after finishing his vs with King.
Grim Reaper is very likely an hallucination, Chopper mentions he's worried about the side effects of the mink drugs before seeing him, and those spirals all around in the backround.. I've read enough X-Men comics to know that represents illusions and stuff like that.
https://i.imgur.com/H8eRrtH_d.webp?maxwidth=640&shape=thumb&fidelity=medium

I think the whole point is that both of Luffy's wings get their own uncontrolable sequels to deal with in future arcs.

Sanji's having something with his awekened genes.

Oh good catch on the panel with the blood there. I somehow missed that one.

Either way, the ruling out of Brook this week is setting the reaper thing up to be something more than just a gag. I'm very curious about where Oda's going with it.

Retro

Much as I was annoyed about how much of a tank she was, I will give credit for BM putting up a great struggle with Kidd and Law. This is the kind of battles I like when both sides are just giving it all they've got with their back and fourth. Also show the difference in resolution, for BM this is just another battle of status to her and trying to put the younger generation in their place. To Law and Kidd, it starts that way but they realize over time there's a lot more at stake then reputation and allowed them to keep fighting harder and ultimately win. I likewise gotta give it up for BM's lament on One Piece, blaming Roger for not making it easier to find, when she had all the time in the world to look for it but was more worried about being feared and rested so much on her laurels eventually the next generation was getting strong enough to surpass her. It's fitting irony really.

And yeah, I'm in the camp that doesn't think she's dead, down and out for sure. Question is how long, enough for the crews to leave and we get a later cover story out of it. Or least enough until the epilogue of the Wano arc.

Also quick run down: Ooof Law and Kidd look haggered there, glad for the win but wondering what the kickback is gonna be when they wake up. | Look at Raizo outlasting that treacherous ninja, bring me joy to see earlobes suffer. | Uh…hope Franky gets to Zoro in time there otherwise, unless he lands in something soft at the festival, I seriously doubt Zoro has enough toughness to survive that fall. | Am I bummed Yamamoto was robbed of his fight? Nah. Hey he kept the island from exploding, mission accomplished | Oooh so Zuisha's crime was against Joyboy huh. Interesting....wait Oda. Please don't tell me your gonna pull a flashback now? @_@.

Hey overall, good chapter and good fight, not even mad at the break, Oda earned it. Next time, I'm pretty sure it's endgame territory provided Oda doesn't hit us with a flashback before the final battle ^^;.

Ivotas

@Retro:

… Oooh so Zuisha's crime was against Joyboy huh. Interesting....wait Oda. Please don't tell me your gonna pull a flashback now? @_@.

It was not stated against whom the crime was committed, just that there was one.

Kdom

@Zik:

Also weird way to end that chap. Completely random info dump about Zunesha and his crime. If he didn't telepathically give Momo that info I wonder where and when he learned it.

It was said before Zunesha sink Jack that the elephant had commited a great crime long ago. Also Momo stayed in Zou to learn more about Zunesha

With Big Mom, it should be obvious her DF is already awakened. Just doesn't need to be said and there isn't any awakening mode. She's just always like that.

I feel like manipulating souls to alter, heal, and transform her body is all awakening.

i disagree. Awekening will be the next power up of Luffy and the concept is quite new and unexplained. Oda should have told us when the emperors use awakening like he did for Law and Kid
It is not to us to guess what is and what is not

electricmastro

In light of Zunesha's connection with Joy Boy, felt like sharing what's known about 600-1000 years ago so far.

DooMinator

Law inherited a part of Rosis DF. He saw him dying. Luffy did the same with Ace‘ power. He saw him dying. BB did it with WB. Big Mom with Caramell. There had to be some connecting to this.. BB and Big Mom got all of it, while Luffy and Law just received a few bits. Might be interesting to know the mechanics behind this.

Ivotas

@DooMinator:

Law inherited a part of Rosis DF. He saw him dying. Luffy did the same with Ace‘ power. He saw him dying. BB did it with WB. Big Mom with Caramell. There had to be some connecting to this.. BB and Big Mom got all of it, while Luffy and Law just received a few bits. Might be interesting to know the mechanics behind this.

Perhaps D. stands for Deathwatch or Deathview. I also accept any other languages where looking, gazing or staring at something is expressed by a word that begins with a d. Dankeschön in advance.

wolfwood

Wonder if the BMP are still stuck at the waterfall?

Now that BM fell off they just need to dump the candyman down the hole and then the whole family can go home and be useless in a more familiar setting

joekido the Second

The Whole story of One Piece is about what Joy Boy did 900-800 years ago and the legacy he left behind that was to be done by Luffy.

Rean

@wolfwood:

Wonder if the BMP are still stuck at the waterfall?

With both WG forces AND Zunisha heading towards them, their outcome is likely bleak.

wolfwood

@Rean:

With both WG forces AND Zunisha heading towards them, their outcome is likely bleak.

Unless they can trick them into trying to climb the waterfall

Deicide

@kevo_koma:

Am I the only one who finds it extremely odd how Haki hasn't really been a thing in Onigashima?

I mean, other than advanced conqueror's haki, we have not seen any use of Haki. The only ones who used it were Ulti and Catman

Even Big Mom doesn't use Haki, not even her conqueror's haki.

I just consider everyone is using it all the time, but the story doesn't show that because it's just not that important. It's like reminding people are breathing, it's just not necessary unless it becomes a key factor in the plot.

This also falls more in line with Marineford: haki was there, but we were unable to see it except in key moments in which it made all the difference.

RigaCrypto

@Deicide:

I just consider everyone is using it all the time, but the story doesn't show that because it's just not that important. It's like reminding people are breathing, it's just not necessary unless it becomes a key factor in the plot.

This also falls more in line with Marineford: haki was there, but we were unable to see it except in key moments in which it made all the difference.

Agree, it is like Luffys Gear 2nd … he uses it constantly but the fumes and heating of the rubber is not shown anymore, we just asume it was turned on at the start of the fight. On another note, in many fights you could see the participants hands/feet/weapon being totally black meaning they were coated it haki.

King Cannon

@Ivotas:

"Go heal yourself" has to be one of the most stupid hax applications of any power I've ever seen, if that's the case for the base ability. Also just because she gave that order and received a "yes, mama" it's hardly any proof neither that it is the base ability nor that it is awakening. I'm not particularly interested in the discussion wether Mommy's powers are awakened or not. Just pointing out that the part you reference could be either and thus doesn't really prove much.

She literally says "come back to me, bones" and her bones reply "yes, mama". I'm not sure how else that could be interpretated.

It's frankly no less believable than Zeus turning Nami's climatact into a mace just because his soul inhabits it. Homies can do all sorts of random shitto the objects they inhabit.

–- Update From New Post Merge ---

@Deicide:

Personally, I'm less than thrilled by the possibility of Big Mom returning a third time…

I agree. Especially because this defeat is already quite grandiose. It even has the obligatory "where did I go wrong?" villain speech.

I just do not see Oda dedicating another 2 or so chapters to another Big Mom fight.

Ivotas

@King:

She literally says "come back to me, bones" and her bones reply "yes, mama". I'm not sure how else that could be interpretated.

It's frankly no less believable than Zeus turning Nami's climatact into a mace just because his soul inhabits it. Homies can do all sorts of random shitto the objects they inhabit.

Oh, I wasn't critizing you for it. Just saying that a "go heal yourself" is a stupid hax application of that power. Also that the healing thing with what we know so far is still not clarified if it is awakening or not. Both are fair guesses with the info we have so far.

Tarek

I'm disappointed in Big Mom's display in this fight.
She didn't show any of her large scale attacks like Fulgora or turning Prometheus gigantic or any new stuff that would make my jaw drop. Her final attack 3000 leagues of Misery was super underwhelming.

I'm a bit disappointed by Kid as well. Damned Punk is an awesome attack but I expected more. There is giant sword on Onigashima, Wano is full of weapon factories. If Fujitora can pull meteorites from space and use the rubble from all of Dressrosa then surely Kid can do more with all that metal.

@theackwardstation:

Stephen's translation: "You got this whole world in this 'Great Era of Piracy'?! Easy for you – you're dying!! But when these kids rise up all over the world, we**'ll** be the ones who have to deal with them!! Just tell us about the One Piece before you die!! Does it exist?! It better!!" Everything about the way it's translated sound like she's talking to Roger before he died, especially the details I highlighted. Totally different from the scans.

I don't know which one is closer to the original, but it just sounds like a weird choice by Viz.

I get you now. I don't read the fan translations and it didn't cross my mind that this could be interpreted as a past conversation due to obvious reasons.

Retro

@Tarek:

I'm disappointed in Big Mom's display in this fight.
She didn't show any of her large scale attacks like Fulgora or turning Prometheus gigantic

I think Misery is suppose to be an upgraded version of that, just now a combination of Hera and Prometheus and able to move more freely. It's only because Big Mom kept getting interrupted we don't see her really attacks in play, but I'm certain if she hit either Kidd or Law, that they've been smoking heaps.

@Tarek:

I'm a bit disappointed by Kid as well. Damned Punk is an awesome attack but I expected more. There is giant sword on Onigashima, Wano is full of weapon factories. If Fujitora can pull meteorites from space and use the rubble from all of Dressrosa then surely Kid can do more with all that metal.

True but magnetism still has certain ranges for it to work. They're kinda hundreds of feet in the air and its hard to tell where the factory is at the current. So Kidd likely was just working with what he got, also remember the beams he used were under Big Mom's powers, him calling them together keeps some opponents off them and he didn't have time to cobble together something bigger.

astagadragon

@Raffy:

It's not like Kid and Law went full Straw Hat who completely eliminated Crocodile's threat by taking down Baroque Works too or Doflamingo's by taking out his family. They just subdued Big Mom, her family is still very much active.
The Tobiroppo/All Stars going down just means Kaido's threat will be drastically reduced

Do you really think Big Mom's children pose that much of a threat after the crew curbstomped Tobiroppo and even Calamities? Without Katakuri?

They can't even counter King or Marco's kick lmao

And seeing that WG's battleship and Zunesha is on the way to Wano, chance's that they will be defeated once again before have a chance to show off.

Big Mom's finished here.

Marcotty

Linlin can most definitely still appear and be a major antagonistic force in Elbaf. Everything falls back on her original desire of a family of all races. A stubborn and angry Big Mom can spin enough rationality to decide she's gonna go force the giants to join her and then get her revenge. Especially if it's triggered by a struggling BM coming across the ko'd body of King. Have her escape with him (conveniently removing any worries of him suffering immoral government experimentation again and giving time to cool down so he can give some comfortable lore dumb).

Linlin might even beat us to Elbaf depending on how long we spend in post-war Wano and potential other pit stops like Sphinx or Ace and Whitebeard's grave. Then just spread her kids around (not that they really even need to be fought) and have Big Mom high on Giant Souls and maybe Yggdrasil energy, and you have an easy super Mama Monster worthy of attention.

All that remains is… what's the 3rd race she's missing?

RigaCrypto

@astagadragon:

And seeing that WG's battleship and Zunesha is on the way to Wano, chance's that they will be defeated once again before have a chance to show off.

Big Mom's finished here.

And guess who will be ready and lurking about Whole Cake Island at this time to get his hands on some powerful mates (maybe from the prison book) if none other then Blackbeard. At least something tragic will happen to WCI if BM falls at this point in time.

uniaka ikuzakas

This post is deleted!

Rean

@astagadragon:

Do you really think Big Mom's children pose that much of a threat after the crew curbstomped Tobiroppo and even Calamities? Without Katakuri?

They can't even counter King or Marco's kick lmao

And seeing that WG's battleship and Zunesha is on the way to Wano, chance's that they will be defeated once again before have a chance to show off.

Big Mom's finished here.

Add to that the fact that Oda is already beginning to close off the loose WCI threads via cover story.. The BM pirates are clearly headed towards a bad, bad end and very soon.

Chams

Unpopular opinion: the giant sword in Onigashima won't be used for anything. It's just decorative.

Deicide

@Chams:

Unpopular opinion: the giant sword in Onigashima won't be used for anything. It's just decorative.

Maybe it will actually factor in Kaido's defeat. I mean, everyone was expecting it to be used against Big Mom, why not Kaido?

uniaka ikuzakas

Roger: You want my treasure? Go and find it at ~~Raftel~~, ~~Laugh Tale~~, wano.

Or maybe I put it in Elbaf…

The Light of Shandora

@uniaka:

Roger: You want my treasure? Go and find it at ~~Raftel~~, ~~Laugh Tale~~, wano.

Or maybe I put it in Elbaf…

It all makes sense now, Roger had dementia.

otakufan

@uniaka:

Roger: You want my treasure? Go and find it at ~~Raftel~~, ~~Laugh Tale~~, wano.

Or maybe I put it in Elbaf…

Spoilers: One Piece was left in one of the chests on top of the cliff on the Island of Rare Animals in the East Blue, and was promptly found and stolen before Gaimon arrived without anyone realizing what it was.

Zik

@astagadragon:

The narrator already concludes the battle. See, despite their so-called "ancient zoan toughness" no one in Tobiroppo/All Stars came back from their beating after the narrator said they're defeated.

Yeah I find it funny Oda basically had different circumstances and requirements for defeating Big Mom compared to how every other arc villain has been defeated and for most likely how Kaido will be defeated. In the end, Law and Kid still come up short compared to Luffy if that wasn’t already obvious from them needing to team up to do it.

So yeah, Big Mom is finished.

For this arc.

As for her next role… her threat level is diminished badly by losing to Kid and Law, she would've in no position to threaten the Strawhats. Luffy would go "nah I dont have any business with you Mom, I had Loki/etc to defeat". That would be mortifying for a character of her calibre. Better to end her role right here and now.

Pretending Big Mom is no longer a threat is delusional to say the least especially in story but I can see Luffy saying something stupid like that.

–- Update From New Post Merge ---

@Kdom:

i disagree. Awekening will be the next power up of Luffy and the concept is quite new and unexplained. Oda should have told us when the emperors use awakening like he did for Law and Kid
It is not to us to guess what is and what is not

I didn’t say anything about Luffy and awakening.

To me it comes off that Big Mom was already using awakening powers the same way Oda had Chopper in his awakened form ever since Enies Lobby and didn’t say it at the time.

It’s not about readers guessing but some things just being common sense assumptions.

ea77

@astagadragon:

The narrator already concludes the battle. See, despite their so-called "ancient zoan toughness" no one in Tobiroppo/All Stars came back from their beating after the narrator said they're defeated.
So yeah, Big Mom is finished.

As for her next role… her threat level is diminished badly by losing to Kid and Law, she would've in no position to threaten the Strawhats. Luffy would go "nah I dont have any business with you Mom, I had Loki/etc to defeat". That would be mortifying for a character of her calibre. Better to end her role right here and now.

This mostly applied to the dinosaurs, all of which took multiple finishing blows before being knocked down. The other two weren't dinosaurs.

LightningAce

@Deicide:

Maybe it will actually factor in Kaido's defeat. I mean, everyone was expecting it to be used against Big Mom, why not Kaido?

Kid will lift it magnetically and ram into Kaido, killing him.

King Cannon

@Zik:

Yeah I find it funny Oda basically had different circumstances and requirements for defeating Big Mom compared to how every other arc villain has been defeated and for most likely how Kaido will be defeated. In the end, Law and Kid still come up short compared to Luffy if that wasn’t already obvious from them needing to team up to do it..

She was defeated in a way similar to Moria, who too was victim of bad luck due to a tower falling on him. Luffy kept slamming him, but the tower was an unintentional consequence of his attacks.

No one, however, says Luffy didn't beat him. Law and Kid created the necessary circumstances to beat her as well and had luck on their side. The bombs were merely an unintentional consequence of their moves.

It's doubtful that Big Mom will return as a major villain, especially with Luffy beating someone of equal strength. She already got nearly three chapters of fight, was pushed to her absolute limit (to the point of getting broken bones) and even had her "defeat speech" moment. The fight definitively felt like her "final decisive one", as she got to pull all sorts of bullshit like skeleton Homie healing and the Prometheus + Hera fusion. Everything else was recycled from the previous arc.

wolfwood

The sword? I suppose Kidd could use the handle to punch him with

Dany

Big Mom technically defeated herself; she would have been fine if she didn't claw into the bomb. :ninja: No but seriously, either Oda couldn't think of an awakening for her or he's saving it for a future arc. Regardless, her role in the story is not finished. I wouldn't mind seeing her show more and get properly defeated but I get the feeling that will just not happen which I actually prefer as that leaves Oda to do something different with her than be outright put down like Kaido will be.

astagadragon

@Rean:

Add to that the fact that Oda is already beginning to close off the loose WCI threads via cover story.. The BM pirates are clearly headed towards a bad, bad end and very soon.

Oh yeah, the cover story also tells us the situation in WCI… I can tell everything will be going to hell already. There is only Katakuri or Cracker as legitimate strong threat there, ripe for some plundering!

Big Mom's credibility as a villain took a nosedive in this arc. You can't expect us to become scared if she would appear later (for 3 consecutive arcs?).

Dany

@astagadragon:

Big Mom's credibility as a villain took a nosedive in this arc. You can't expect us to become scared if she would appear later (for 3 consecutive arcs?).

What if her awakening is really strong? That's all Oda really has to reestablish her as a threat. I'm not sure that's where Oda's going with her though.