One Piece - Chapter 599 (manga)

[Nightengale]

Originally Posted by The Small One

Smoker as admiral? No way!
It was said, that all Vice-Admirals know how to use Haki (so this seems to be a neccessary requirement for the promotion to a VA). So logically to become admiral, you should be much better with using it.
Smoker on the other hand had no idea, that Haki even existed, when he was kicked by Boa two years ago. So even if he learned it in the meantime and became as good as Luffy, there is no way, that the Marines waited for two years to promote a new Admiral.

This was something interesting I found note-worthy for a longest time.

There are clearly some few top-tiers or close-to-it level people in One Piece, whom strangely, have little to no knowledge of Haki at all, despite having been in the surroundings of which Haki users flourish.

Case, Crocodile. He was defeated by Whitebeard once, and I don't see him having fallen in the first half of Grand Line. He doesn't seem to have any knowledge about Haki whatsoever. Even if we excuse that, Smoker not knowing about it seems strange. I can understand rookies like Coby not be in the know-how to keep some 'secrets' well-kept to prevent a wide-spread understanding of the Haki concept, but someone like Smoker, who's acknowledged to be reasonably skilled, have experience are not privy to beneficial understanding of how Haki works.

[raziel16]

Originally Posted by hero147

It should be defeat. By the time Luffy hits the New World, he will have to deal with Admirals and the Yonkou. If he can't defeat Sentomaru here, how will he hold his own in the New World?

Agreed. The whole crews just got back from 2 whole years of training and Oda has to show what they're capable of to satisfy his audience . Owning Sentoumaru and 2 pacifistas would be perfect to mark their comeback (and some kind of revenge for the battle two years ago)

[Hisoka??]

Originally Posted by james0246

I'm also confused as to why a few are against Luffy actually doing something. He has been something of a second fiddle to the real powers in the One Piece universe for close to 100 chapters (at least since the Moria fight, which is still hotly debated). So, it only makes sense to me that his re-introduction after being presumed dead would create more of a bang than the fizzle so many are describing (i.e. Luffy simply running away).

not sure about others, but I'm not against luffy doing something making the news.

I'm just saying that he need not do so, and I'm against them making the news for no good (in character) reason.

I'm seeing quite a few wanting Luffy to do something big and make the news to announce their return. I just don't see them having a need to do so. They aren't exactly attention seekers.

[aliasxn]

Originally Posted by Hisoka??

not sure about others, but I'm not against luffy doing something making the news.

I'm just saying that he need not do so, and I'm against them making the news for no good (in character) reason.

I'm seeing quite a few wanting Luffy to do something big and make the news to announce their return. I just don't see them having a need to do so. They aren't exactly attention seekers.

But it's not like they are doing this to show off, things are just working out that way. They would've gladly left Sabaody without incident, but the marines found out they were there and are sending troops. Now some people are saying they should run away... Why?

[kari-no-sugata]

Luffy's relative increase in strength should be bigger than any previous "power-up". Ditto for the other members. In other words, this should be a bigger power-up than Gears was for Luffy. I'm not saying it absolutely has to be, but it's rather what the storm demands.

Luffy has gone from having only vague ideas about Haki, but vast potential, to having mastered the basics plus having gone well past the basics. So he now has DF powers + Haki. He will still have some way to go of course to where he'll be by the end of the series but he should now be a class above all or nearly all VAs. He should also be a clear class above Sentoumaru now.

Thinking from the authors POV, the readers don't need to see everything or even half of what Luffy can do now. He doesn't even need to KO Sentoumaru or beat him down. Rather, just need to make clear Luffy's relative progression, and make readers hungry for more. So, I expect for Sentoumaru to realise that he can't beat Luffy now and that Luffy won't even use "flashy" abilities like the Gears.

I also won't be surprised if Zoro can now solo a Pacifista. Probably Sanji too. Though we might see the other crew pitch in as well. I'm expecting Sentoumaru to realise he seriously underestimated the crew and to beat a tactical retreat.


PS Bit surprised to see some people basically saying that now Marine HQ is now like a lock on reaching the New World. G1 wasn't and unless specifically stated I see no reason for the new Marine HQ to be.

[raziel16]

Originally Posted by The Small One

Smoker as admiral? No way!
It was said, that all Vice-Admirals know how to use Haki (so this seems to be a neccessary requirement for the promotion to a VA). So logically to become admiral, you should be much better with using it.
Smoker on the other hand had no idea, that Haki even existed, when he was kicked by Boa two years ago. So even if he learned it in the meantime and became as good as Luffy, there is no way, that the Marines waited for two years to promote a new Admiral.

He knows. Right after he got kicked by Hancock he did said "so this is the Kuja's haki"
We didn't know whether Smoker is capable of using Haki or not. All this time, he didn't need to dodge any attack (no need to use CoO) and he always uses his seastone staff against fruit user (no need to use CoA)

btw, back then Hancock can easily kick and broke the seastone staff. So I guess that means once you got the CoA, seastone can no longer affect you anymore

[aliasxn]

^

Only the tip of the jute is made of seastone.

[morbosfist]

Smoker almost surely didn't know Haki prior to the timeskip. His reaction to Boa's kick indicates he's never even been hit by it before. He wouldn't be so surprised if he had fought someone like that before. He may know now. I wouldn't put it past him to have learned.

[DJ Trouble]

Even if any of the characters that didn't know Haki before the timeskip have learned, they'll all pale in comparison to Luffy's development, not just because Luffy has more potential, but also because Luffy's entire time these past two years was spent improving his Haki control under the tutelage of a master.

I hope Smoker pops up soon so Luffy can kick his ass.

[Kallen4life]

Haki or not Smoker still has his seastone stick .. and he flies

and Croc has his water-draining death-touch


although if Smoker is the new admiral i wouldn't expect him to lose to Luffy anytime soon

[morbosfist]

Yeah, Smoker has his jutte and his flight, but he's also overconfident in his invincibility. If he hasn't learned Haki yet and tries to go up against Luffy, he's going to get schooled when Luffy starts raining Haki-powered punches.

[Gin]

Originally Posted by Hisoka??

not sure about others, but I'm not against luffy doing something making the news.

I'm just saying that he need not do so, and I'm against them making the news for no good (in character) reason.

I'm seeing quite a few wanting Luffy to do something big and make the news to announce their return. I just don't see them having a need to do so. They aren't exactly attention seekers.

If Luffy is going to become the pirate king, he has to start making headlines again. He's not just going to sneak into the new world and try to keep a low profile, that would be ooc for him. And even though he just wiped out the fake strawhats, he won't let the marines attack them instead of him, Luffy isn't the kind of person to let others suffer in his stead.

Its not that the straw hats are attention seekers, it just so happens that the majority of their actions attract attention.

[Slayerx]

Originally Posted by Gin

If Luffy is going to become the pirate king, he has to start making headlines again. He's not just going to sneak into the new world and try to keep a low profile, that would be ooc for him. And even though he just wiped out the fake strawhats, he won't let the marines attack them instead of him, Luffy isn't the kind of person to let others suffer in his stead.

no... he does not HAVE to make headlines to become pirate king; He undoubtly will, but he doesn't HAVE too. They can do everything they can to sail under the radar and avoid unnecessary attention. Futhermore, Luffy would not allow INNOCENT people to get hurt in his stead; the strawfakes are not only bastards, but bastards that tried to hurt his nakama (the most unforgivable of crimes to the strawhats)...

[Gin]

I didn't mean that Luffy had to actively try to make headlines to be king, I meant that if Luffy is going to be acknowledged as the pirate king, his action have to start warranting press coverage again.

[DJ Trouble]

Originally Posted by Slayerx

no... he does not HAVE to make headlines to become pirate king; He undoubtly will, but he doesn't HAVE too. They can do everything they can to sail under the radar and avoid unnecessary attention. Futhermore, Luffy would not allow INNOCENT people to get hurt in his stead; the strawfakes are not only bastards, but bastards that tried to hurt his nakama (the most unforgivable of crimes to the strawhats)...

Doesn't he? What's it even mean to be Pirate King? Being the strongest pirate? Being the richest? Having the largest empire? The most territory under your control?

I've never bothered to define it, and I can't recall a clear cut definition ever being given in the manga, but you can't be Pirate King without having the world recognize you as such, if for no other reason than Roger being recognized by the entire world as the previous Pirate King.

[Kallen4life]

Roger was only named PK after he sailed to Raftel

I think he was already called worlds strongest man before that (although WB and possibly Garp were a match for him), but only got the PK title after Raftel - the last island in the New World and presumably the single most dangerous/hard to reach place in the world


Luffy's gotta get to Raftel too now


he doesn't need any headlines, but he'll undoubtedly get them on the way there

Being the richest? Having the largest empire? The most territory under your control?

completely irrelevant to being the PK

[hero147]

Wasn't it mentioned somewhere that Roger loved doing things in a grandiose style? And since, there have been countless parallels between Roger's and Luffy's personalities, I'd assume Luffy was geared the same way. And what's grander than a bang towards his crew's comeback? Luffy doesn't go out of his way to increase his fame, but he isn't against the idea either. When he became world famous and received his first bounty, he looked pretty damn happy.

[Bari_Phillis]

They'll go to the New World with a bang, definitely.

10 bucs say that Zoro finishes off the 2 pasifistas before sanji gets a chance to do anything :P haha, that would be so like him, taking the spotlight

Personally, I think that Luffy will own Sentoumaru. He was freakishly strong without haki (the Kujas mentioned this). WITH Haki, he is just going to rape.

[Slayerx]

Originally Posted by DJ Trouble

Doesn't he? What's it even mean to be Pirate King? Being the strongest pirate? Being the richest? Having the largest empire? The most territory under your control?

I've never bothered to define it, and I can't recall a clear cut definition ever being given in the manga, but you can't be Pirate King without having the world recognize you as such, if for no other reason than Roger being recognized by the entire world as the previous Pirate King.

To Luffy, the pirate king is the man with the most freedom
and also one piece...

[Talendra]

Originally Posted by Slayerx

To Luffy, the pirate king is the man with the most freedom
and also one piece...

Thats not completely true, is it? I mean, you're right, that were his very words. However, he is on a adventure to travel to the PK-island and find the PK-treasure. Thats stuff "society" defined (as far as we know, at least) as being pre-requisites for becoming pirate king, and luffy is obeying these rules, thats (one of) the goals of his adventure, isn't it?