Wow, wow AND WOW! I loved Luffy in this chapter! Call him stupid or too weak, but that's 100% him. Standing up for other people when nobody else is doing it. Critics have to understand that Luffy sees things from his own perspective. He can't help his heart when his friends are attacked.

@G_soildier:

coby won't take Smoker place but like@ Sh Avenger said he will do something i agree, however strawhat is not the bad kind of pirates as he himself states. of course coby has no reason not to meet up wih the crew. But as far as actively seeking to apprehend, na. That said i can't picture Coby ever being a match for Luffy, or Zoro or even Sanji one on one. I do think he too will be legendary just not on Luffy et al scale.

yeah, Smoker can improve in Haki, and perhaps kendo or swordmanship with his juttle(sp?), speed not neccesarily so, but even with or without haki, those things like punches and Joker threads can be avoided in a similar fashion to Aokije against Whitebeard or Kizaru, i am yet to see even a bruise on Kizaru, mabe in that picture wih Akainu clipping that plant, and wih Rayleigh but otherwise. It should not be this easy to hit Smoker, i think. but yes he is lacking overall, his punches seem too light, no damge like others we have seen in one piece. I think Smokers relevance will somewhat depend on Admiral Greenbull…. intuition mabe.

This is just my (maybe even fanboysh) view/hope, but im waiting Coby to be some kind of wild card in the future. Truth is we don't really know shit about him and how far he can go. He has been in the shadows like decades now, which might mean: A: He is a less relevant to the storyline and will be. B: Oda is building something big for him, kind of like BB. Oda has stated before that he likes to make weak characters strong, and Coby no doubt has shown that he has been those both. He's kenbunshoku haki and growth overall to this point is something Smoker could not even imagine. Cobys past seem always haunt him, so it's easy to judge that he has not that big meaning in the end.

What about Smoker? It's about the time to get even some kind of backstory about him. We all know he is here to stay, but how important he really is when watching the final arcs? It's a really big dissapointment that he couldn't even find some kind of new smoke type or something which could upgrade his power. Guy is pretty much repeating same panel with same phrases over and over again. He's kind of a dull now and Oda knows that. There need's to be other relevant future marine character who will change the organization with Smoker, and i think Coby could be that guy, even in a role far important than Smokers. I think we'll see the suprise when Coby get's Luffy to the serious trouble. That drama is made to happen. How and why? Because that is so Oda.

@G_soildier:

why did smoker growth slow so much? his fight with vergo and law and joker, all seem to show his biggest problem as to why he is so weak seems to be his mastery or lack of mastery of his fruit. things that should have be avoidable he took it to his loss. I wonder if vegapunk has something like the magical chambers in Dbz,( where a year passes in one day) will Smoker leave his visit to Vegapunk's island a new man? hope he stays relevant.

becuase as far as marines are concerned, i think apart from large fleets at this point it would be surprising if apart from, the fleet admiral, admirals and Smoker(themselves) any single active marine tries to tackle the strawhat in the way of one vice admiral and his lackey's, or lesser rank soildiers.

But mabe that was so when the Strawhats finally came back with the amount of Rear admirals ect they amassed, mabe all of The new g1 except he vice admiral in charge there moved.

I think it's more lacking overall, not just a fruit abilities. Vergo had a much stronger haki than him and Doflamingo totally owned him in speed. He couldn't even beat Law in the sword battle. If Oda want's to keep him relevant, he indeed need some kind of power up. Other good option is that Cody takes his place, which im really open minded with.

This Kaido is huge beast reference is too obvious from Oda. It would be awesome to see him being same side as Luffy. I dont remember Luffy fighting any big villain who is at his height yet. (Foxy and Wapol doesn't count.)

@DEE:

He might end up escapin' holdin' doffy on his shoulders.
the crew's gonna split. some will be arrested.. some will escape and fight on their own.
Then it all ends up like Enel/Moriah… we'll see them sometimes later in the new world.

When u said that, i might see him rescuing Doffy from Kaido or something. Even though that would be the worst ending for both of them. Bellamy still being pathetic for following guy who just tried to kill him like 3rd time a row(?) and Doffy being some little shrimp in shadows that nobody cares of? Nobody want's to see that from this great mastermind. I really hope is path will end up on top. You have to give some dignity to these long way characters. If Bellamy follows Doffy, his time in the whole series is over after Doflamingo has no place in the new era. That Crocodile - Mr 1 realitionship with these two? Never going to work! We need something new if thats the case.

Well well, Bellamy might be a fool, but sametime he surely is the true comrade and real pirate with the heart like SH's (i dont refer anything). Say what you wanna say, but in the end his dramatic story gave me the chills. With a good group he would be respected as a real mate or captain. Homever, Luffy must be is his next man to follow, when they both share that same thing:

Ideology of what being the pirate really means.

Explaining these quick loses by saying DD's crew has gotten soft is valid, but doesn't count on Pica. I just dont see any signs of laziness in his personality. He still look's physically same as years ago and take thing's much more seriously than his comrades (way more smarter). He might even be the only one who's power hasn't fallen down. No doubt Doffy is still strongest but easy time's has clearly made an impact to him. Sitting down in his castle with a freaking coctaile, complaining in Marineford how smoothly his business is going. This guy deserves his destiny.

Can Bellamy really continue alive after just a shameful life? I dont count on it either, but i think at this point would be a good to end one character from it's misery. One of the saddest pirates in the whole history of OP. No doubt Doffy is the most heartless villain so far.

Does Doflamingos way to read mean that he has really bad long-sightedness?

I still dont understand Barto's barrier ability. It's not only that he can create some invisible walls to protect himself but now he can make ladder from those invisible walls as well.

Call me a whiny but that look's like a ability without imagination or design whats so ever. Maybe it should symbolize Barto protecting himself (as a troll) from all his enemies/haters but still implementation feel's like a easy and lame same time.

Years ago there's was allready so much epic abilities going on so i was afraid of that Oda is out of good devil fruit ideas in the future. I hope this not the case. I hope he is just saving best ones to the last, and character like Barto will just left behind.