@Seafarer33:
It is a trait of the character that I do enjoy. All this time has passed and he didn't undergo any shonen-style power-up ; he is still the weak guy that makes up for it with an unbending will and relies on his friends to do the heavy lifting.
I would argue that Usopp's recent exhortation to Kinemon and Kiku is very much that, too. "Look at me, I'm frightened to death with snot running from my nose, but I still don't give up and face (run away from) whatever's coming at me".
The thing is that with Oda's track record can be undone the very next arc. I have no problems with Usopp being the physically weakest Strawhat Pirate. But she long should have found his courage. He found it at Arlong Park, then at Whiskey Peak, in Arabasta. And then again Skypiea, in Water Seven and Enies Lobby. And the most recent one being Dressrosa, where he ran away yet again only for him to find his courage again (only for that to lead to being off-screen beaten by Trebol. It just doesn't add up. And in Wano he tried to convince Nami to lie to Ulti to save her own skin.
One could say that in this instance he was thinking of Nami and not himself. That might be true. But the we have to remember that he told Chopper that at some point they (not Usopp specifically but true companions) just shall not remain silent, when someone talks ill of their companions, respectively their captain. He literallymotivated Chopper and himself into not giving up even after beaten up badly. Not because they want to win the fight but because Miss Merrychristmas spoke ill of Luffy. And yet here we are at Wano where he's willing to let Ulti talk ill of Luffy to save his own skin. It's like we hit a reset button with Usopp each new arc.
If he'd only half as much of an unbending will as Takemichi, it would easily be my favortie character arc of all the Strawhats. But he's pretty much the same as before only with more experience. It just doesn't add up.
