@theackwardstation:
I understand the value of trying to look at things from different points of reference, but this backwards way of thinking can lead to incongruencies as much as it can be interesting. The main issue is that it leads to confirmation bias since we're putting what's supposed to be the conclusion in the position of the premise.
If we discuss her role in the narrative from the premise that Carrot is a side character, we can only look at the events that corroborate that possibility and we can only project participation that corroborate that possibility, therefore we can't look at the complete picture and the discussion becomes pointless. It's an exercise for which no answer will be productive. The same is true if we use the premise that Carrot will become a Strawhat.
Anyway, I know why you're doing that. You want to answer why is Carrot here with the Strawhats without falling into any bias, so you tackle the same question from both the premises that she is a side character or that she is not a side character.
Then you need to know that the context of my replies are as important, if not more so, than the message you are gleaning here.
Case in point - You seem to think that my argument leads to confirmation bias towards her being a Side character by supposing that she is one. Well, if you look in my post history, you will see that I have argued for Carrot being a possible crewmate far more than I have argued against her. I am not confirming any bias because I don't harbour any bias at all - I view Carrot for what she is. And if we are going to have any debate on what she could be, then we have to be open to both sides of possibilities and not just look at it from one view.
What I'm doing isn't proposing a narrative, even if it looks like it out of context. What I'm responding to is the question of 'why would Carrot be with the Strawhats for this long when she should just fade away after her arc'. I am creating an argument that IF we valued her as an intentionally placed sidecharacter, then these are the possible narrative-driven reasons why she is still front-and-center with the crew. I don't think I'm being unreasonable by opening up to this possibility, even if you think it's a backwards way of thinking. This is one of the only ways to really analyze a situation - by looking at it from all angles and seeing if we can make sense of it either way. Cuz at the end of the day this isn't a math equation with one finite answer. There are many things that have happened in the story that ended up having zero resolution, and we're just left to interpret whether Oda intentionally planned it to happen this way or if it's some glaring oversight that we're all supposed to blindly praise him on because of our own biases that Oda is a great story-teller who's gonna do something magical later on.
But this is particularly confusing because "side character" is such a vague concept. What's a side character? What are the limits of a side character? What's in the realm of action of a side character?
I wouldn't stick too closely to semantics, but considering the vagueness of the term, I'll do my best to explain. A side character is a tertiary character in the story. Not main character, not secondary. IE- Not a Strawhat crewmate. There are no limits or criteria to it, because the concept itself is not defined by 'limits'. A more specific term is Strawhat Ally, if you prefer. To me, she is a supporting side character, because the crux of the story does not revolve around her. As soon as someone joins the crew though? Their place is permanently elevated to the forefront of the story alongside Luffy, who is defacto main character, so by association they could be considered secondary supporting characters. A temporary traveller like Law, Kinemon and Johnny/Yosaku are not the primary focus of the story, making them important Side characters, but side characters nonetheless. This is my use of the definition, if it helps.
You see, I can't really answer your question if I don't know to which extent I can project her participation for this exercise. What can't she do in this raid as a side character because it would make her not a side character?
She can do anything. There is no limit. The point is - If her story does not continue to the end of the series then she is not a main character, the way we are going to be focusing on the Straw hat crew in its entirity. Even some honorary Strawhat like Vivi is not a main character. A character who hasn't joined the crew till recently like Jinbe will likely be elevated to Main/Secondary status due to his much-greater presence in the story moving forward, well into the end of the series.
Characters who reoccur and have an important role in the story but are not front-and-center of the story (Shanks, Vivi) are not main characters. The main story does not center around them being present. The main story does focus on the Crewmates, even if there are times when they are split up.
–- Update From New Post Merge ---
@Cockycent:
There is another narrative going on tho. Shinobu is shown in the flashback trying to prove herself as a Kozuki ally/Scabbard. Neko and Inu were curious of the Kozuki, but also were curious of the world and simultaneously were wanting an adventure.
We have Momo who denied the sword that he was supposed to receive. He has tried to prove himself as well. There is a chance that Shinobu and Carrot are both on the path to being Momo's retainers. There are missing components on Carrot's behalf, but outside of possibly being a nakama, I can see this as why she is positioned the way that she is
I can get behind this theory. All in all, I think we're both in agreement that with the factors at play, it doesn't really push Carrot to be defined by her actions being with the crew. There's enough room for Oda to make anything he wants out of her, be it a Strawhat Crewmate, a Nox Pirate, a Kozuki Retainer or simply remain as a Guardian of Zou.
