what makes me think the winner has to be a dwarfing superpowerhouse is this: all the winners and diamante are still in this thing, with barto being the only one that can be turned 'fodder' without interfering with the story-progression of this arc. burgess is too important as one of blackbeard's very limited crew, and will probably make like his captain and run away once he sees someone superpowerful. but that still leaves it up to sabo+barto to defeat mystery-d, as well as diamante if it even gets that far (it won't - are we really going to see lao g and the rest of them fight? unpossible) and i just can't picture sabo losing the mera mera no mi in a normal, got beat-up kind-of a way

with what has happened recently, oda almost needs another superpower appearing ala shanks during the war to end this cleanly, lest we lose tournament-plot advancement for a lot of very important characters (sabo most visible of them all).. it can't be kaido because that just poops all over the entire arc; he'd instantly become the number one focus for the rest of dressrosa. and while i'm sure at some point the coliseum floor will break and everyone will crash in to the toy factory, it seems like all these story lines need to stay separate for at least a little while longer (luffy hasn't found his way out of the coliseum yet - else why waste all the panels of him talking to bellamy about leaving?). all that can/should happen after everyone gets to the royal palace, but nobody is there yet - i dunno i probably need to stop typing now because i'm ranting. someone help me think through this?

@Monkey:

Kizaru effortlessly took out nearly every single Supernova two years ago, and you doubt a fellow Admiral can handle Law and the Strawhats why exactly?
A Buster Call is for destroying whole islands, why would they destroy Dressrosa to catch a rogue Shichibukai and two Supernovas.
Hell I'd actually warrant that a Buster Call is LESS dangerous than a single adimiral. The Strawhats were surviving albeit stuck against the BC, this being AFTER they had fought through Enies Lobby and CP9. Plus Law in a modern context they would probably kick a Buster Call's ass.

i guess you're right. it was pretty effortless

edited to add: though.. they are going after yonkou after all. but luffy is also probably stronger than the marines think

i liked this for sure but if that were the case, why isn't there more back up? akainu only sent fujitora (http://a.mpcdn.net/manga/p/770/412750/17.jpg) and i guess the cp0. is that enough to take out some of the new world's strongest? why not a buster call

i think it'd be cool if kyros was hit by elizabelio the first, and similary, ricky will be knocked out by elizabelio the second would make for some sort of.. poetic historical justice.. or something

also, does the fact that don chin jao knew garp give the theory that the chinjao gang were impel downers some more legs?

@1PceXperience:

Gecko Moria and Arlong were pretty caring of their crewmates

hmm you're absolutely right. i should have qualified that with "the majority"
on a side note: man i love the one piece wiki. is it mostly this community that keeps it updated?

Thanks to Aohige for pointing out that Doflamingo truly cares for his crew, which I think is especially important because so far every villain has treated their naka-mates like fodder.

But I think Oda is showing this side to Doflamingo to remind us how wrong we are. Doflamingo's crew would die for him, the same way I think the Strawhats would for Luffy. If it absolutely came down to it, the rest of the Mugiwara would gladly sacrifice themselves to see Luffy become the Pirate King. Ussopp sacrificing himself doesn't automatically mean that Luffy doesn't care for him, rather it shows Ussopp's unwavering loyalty to his crew and his cause. Oda, in a very neat way, is showing us just how devastating and soul-crushing the quest to become the Pirate King can be. I imagine Doflamingo's last monologue (either after defeat or prior to his escape) will go along the lines of:

Luffy, along your journey you will not only lose your brothers (Ace) but your nakama as well. Are you prepared?

And of course Luffy probably won't lose any of his crew because that's what he wants to protect most, but it gives Doflamingo this incredibly human side that we haven't seen from other villains/pirates with the ambition to become King. For that reason, I don't think it's time for Luffy and Doflamingo to fight just yet, but who knows. I really just can't wait until the next chapter comes out.

(Apologies if someone already posted something along this line!)

Hey guys, do we know what Bleuno meant by "grand line scientists have already proven the ability transfer theory?"

http://www.mangapanda.com/103-2492-3/one-piece/chapter-385.html

Or if that translation is even any good?

NEVERMIND I just read the Mangastream version. He's saying "Who" and not "What."

_I don't really know what to think about Garbage-Dragon-Suke not knowing what Luffy was.. it almost doesn't make any sense what-so-ever.

The only way it makes any sense to me: I think Trash-Drag-Suke is actually recognizing the Devil Fruit within Luffy. It doesn't make any sense that a Samurai wouldn't recognize another human, no matter how you slice it: he was born at some point pre-kidnapping and has been interacting with the PH staff/other kids post-kidnapping. So what is so special about Luffy that Garbage-Suke wouldn't instantly get? His devil fruit. This has crazy implications, most of which aren't even worth going in to unless I'm actually right for some reason. But I think interesting nonetheless_

@400MillionBelis:

You probably skipped a lot of chapters and arcs if you're predicting this.

16 characters of: I must have

I'm gonna make the prediction that Luffy and Zoro are gonna fight each other after this arc, for the title of Captain. Zoro probably feels like he's way more serious about reaching his goals/finding One Piece than Luffy, and that Luffy is being far too wreckless with his life (and by extension the lives of his crew).

I think an event like that is important because it re-grounds the entire crew and emphasizes their purpose. More importantly, it's something you wouldn't expect, which is very Oda in and of itself. That also means it probably won't happen, but I can see that fight really re-stating how mature and serious this whole journey and series is/can be.

It won't be a stomping: even Usopp held his own against Luffy at Water 7. I also wouldn't be surprised if Zoro won, and then Luffy just said, "F it - I'm down to keep adventuring with you guys," only to save the day and re-claim the Captain's seat right after. I guess the point I'm driving at is that Luffy needs a reality check, and I don't think anybody can/has the nerve to give him a serious one except Zoro.