第28回：Bellamy's Power-Up

WHAT?? Oda-sensei just snuck a *huge* piece of info nonchalantly into this chapter! Dellinger’s mysterious appearance and vicious abilities, which have been hotly debated since Chapter 729, have finally been explained with two words: ’hybrid fishman’. Well of *course* that’s what he is! D’oh! Can’t believe I didn’t see that one coming. So, hybrid fishpeople…

Going back hundreds of years, fishpeople have been on the receiving end of racial discrimination from humans. They’ve even suffered enslavement by the Celestial Dragons. While there are instances of humans and fishpeople being friendly or at least tolerating each other, those are the exceptions that prove the rule. While this is purely speculation, this information might even have given us a glimpse at Dellinger’s roots.

For biological reasons, it seems unlikely that Giola is Dellinger’s mother even though she took care of him as a baby. Exactly how he found himself in a pirate crew may never be made clear but just thinking about the possibilities…well…everything from abandonment to being an orphan due to his heritage, the options all seem grim. Luckily, Luffy and his crew took huge steps towards breaking down racial barriers on Fishman Island.

Oda-sensei was able to pull off the surprise of Dellinger’s roots thanks to the rarity of hybrid fishmen in the series so far. If you predicted it, my Chopper hat goes off to you! Let’s look at two of the hybrids from the comic!

Here’s one known merman hybrid!

Note: This makes Cocoro’s granddaughter a quarter mermaid and explains why she’s such a strong swimmer for her age!

Bellamy bounces into action (HAH!) and initiates Spring Hopper! Back in Jaya, (Chapter 232) the result of Bellamy’s attempt to trounce Luffy with this attack remains one of the series’ most shocking and powerful images.

Feeling nostalgic I pulled out Volume 25 (my favorite volume of the series) and compared Bellamy’s Spring Hopper from Jaya to Chapter 769’s incarnation. Hoping to find something interesting. Guess what? I did!

The similarity between Luffy’s pose is obvious but careful readers will can also see how Oda-sensei managed to convey Bellamy’s power-up via Spring Hopper’s onomatopoeia. In Chapter 232, note the crisp and deliberate lettering of 『ドドドド！！』or ’dodododo!!’ for the sounds of the impacts. In Chapter 769 not only is the lettering deliberately rough, but the small character between each ’do’ sound 『ドッドッドッド！！』makes the start of the attack sound more staccato before speeding up into a drumming beat.

In fact, you can see the same rough lettering in Chapter 232’s Spring Hopper *just before* Bellamy goes in for the kill. This may be Oda-sensei’s subtle way of hinting that when Bellamy initiated the attack he was moving with approximately the same momentum at the time when the attack was at its most powerful in Chapter 232.

Also be sure not to miss young versions of Bellamy’s crew in his brief flashback.

Zoro VS Pica begins! As soon as Zoro sends Luffy and Violet safely ahead he lowers his katana and closes his eyes. Instantly I thought, "Wait…woah, this reminds me of Alabasta!!!" Wouldn’t you know it, that’s exactly what they were going for!

Following the twinkling trail of nostalgia from Chapter 769 I read all through Zoro and Mr. 1’s battle. During the resolution of that struggle, Zoro stated that he felt the ’presence’ of falling rocks.

Recalling words from his kendo teacher Koshiro, Zoro described the ’presence’ as an object’s ’breath’. In the face of a clearly superior opponent, a resolute Zoro awakened a dormant ability to sense ’where’ objects are. Sound familiar? Consider that Usopp was in a similar situation himself when he awakened his Color of Observation. As we all know, Zoro went on to cut Mr/ 1’s steel with his sword; a feat that no ’normal’ sword should be able to do. In so few words, was that battle in Alabasta the start of awakening Zoro’s Color of Arms??

In Episode 671 Robin, disguised as one of Doflamingo’s underlings, lures Trebol out of the Officer Tower. Take note of the over-the-top chain and lock Trebol seals the tower entrance and exit with.

Such extreme measures are probably to protect the true extent of Sugar’s abilities from any prying eyes among Doflamingo’s customers. Even when the door was wide open in Chapter 737, guards were posted at the entrance.

So can anyone explain to me why Trebol then proceeds to HURL AN ENTIRE PIRATE SHIP INTO THE TOP OF THE TOWER EXPOSING ALL OF ITS CONTENTS!?

He’s even putting Sugar at severe risk!

I don’t know whether to laugh or cower in fear from his lightning-quick rage! Good luck with that, Usolanders!