BTW, I know I'm kinda late on this, but the main reason why I doubt Big Mom being the emperor with the zoan army is because she just doesn't strike me as the type of person who's obsessed with absolute power. She just seems to be some grotesque monster with an eternal sweet tooth. I mean, just look at how she refused Luffy's offer to give her Neptune's treasure just because she couldn't
eat it! 
That being said, even if the captain herself isn't interested in the artificial fruits, that may not necessarily mean her CREW isn't. After all, we saw Pekoms and the egg guy watching Caesar's broadcast of the weapon demonstration, did we not? Also notice that they took the king's treasure with them anyway despite their captain refusing it. Heck, Pekoms' turtle zoan could even be one of those Smile fruits! So I guess my point is that I COULD see Big Mom's crew being the beastman army if she allows those guys to act on their own interests (I guess as long as it results in more confectionery treats for her). Otherwise, I still have my doubts. So for the moment, my money is still on Kaidou being the Zoo Emperor, with Blackbeard as the runner-up choice (since he's apparently been hunting for DF powers anyway).....
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Small One
Well, if they can create the fruits, they should have understood their mechanisms. Therefore they should also be able to change them, like removing the water/seastone weakness.
And with they I mean Ceasar and Vegapunk. (After all it was Vegapunk who started it with the fruit Momonosuke ate)
Thing is, that the fruits were supposed to be something rare and unique. I think somewhere in the beginning there was said, that there is only a total of 100 fruits at all.
So having a fruit equals 'beeing a guy who matters in this world'. Now it just becomes kind of normal. It's like the complete OP world is suddenly turned upside down.
Until know, the author more or less avoided the usual Shounen clichee of ever increasing powerlevels, but this seems like a step in this direction.
|
Oh, don't get me wrong, I believe I understand your argument well enough.... basically, you think that the introduction of "fake" devil fruits will cheapen the impact of the real ones, yes? If so, I totally get that! And under different circumstances, I might even agree with you. However, it's not like Oda ever really stated that it
wasn't possible to replicate the fruit's powers (which we already had a hint of anyway with the Kumabot's lasers being based on Kizaru's). And it's pretty clear that the fruits were something that were heavily researched for a long time anyway.... if that weren't the case, there wouldn't be a
devil fruit encyclopedia in existence, would there not?
So why
wouldn't people like CC and Vegapunk have at least a slight understanding of their mechanisms?
But with that being said, I think we shouldn't be quick to judge whether or not the Smiles are
perfect or even something that's
improved upon when compared to the real deal. Like for instance, is the Smile's power permanent? Temporary? Weak to the ocean/seastone as you pointed out? Are they
stronger or
weaker than their original counterparts? Until those particular questions are answered, I personally don't see a reason to believe that the Smiles, in any fashion, undermine the original devil fruits (especially since they're currently only restricted to zoan-types, anyway).....