The Straw Hat Pirates conclude their loose ends in Wano and finally prepare to depart the land after having been disengaged from the outside world for a significant amount of time while events altering the landscapes of politics, power and possibility have transpired. The world has changed and the actions of Straw Hat Pirates on Wano have directly contributed to the reality they are about to return themselves into. The Straw Hat Pirates are now a Yonko crew with strong ally connections who are also about to get a new addition to their crew.
The young yet tempered mind of Momonosuke has displayed the effects of its tragic and liberated journey against the towering force of one of Wano’s enemy’s most significant assets. Ryokugyu overwhelmed the Samurai but when Momonosuke was backed into a corner, even Ryokugyu felt the searing pain of the resolve affirming Momonosuke’s heart. Momonosuke bowed his head to save Wano and now with the nation released from the shackles of tyranny and darkness due to a combined effort of alliances and friendship, he realises the need for Wano to be able to defend itself. Momonosuke takes Ryokugyu on himself in order to convey to Yamato that the burden of being Wano’s defender has been released from him. Momonosuke understands Yamato’s dream and now that an opportunity has arisen, Momonosuke wishes wholeheartedly for Yamato to embrace it. The fear of facing an Admiral dwarfs in comparison to the desire Momonosuke has in wanting Yamato to be free. Momonosuke fights to give Yamato a send-off toward a future where he too has the freedom to pursue his dreams.
With conflict once again at the doorstep of Wano Kuni, will the Straw Hat Pirates be summoned to the nations defense or will the Samurai of the liberated Country endure to fend off the threat of the newly appointed Admiral? Based on what we have seen, while the Samurai can defend and fend off Ryokugyu’s attacks, they do appear to be overwhelmed by his abilities with just their current forces. If Yamato were to remain alongside them, I can see a path forward but with Momonosuke’s request, there may not be a conclusion for Yamato to this current battle. Along with the events in Wano, around the world varying forces are also making their move. Shanks has set his sights on One Piece and Sabo has become the icon for the Revolutions rebellion. Wrapping around all these developments is Sakazuki and his unphased desire to mete out justice. Once the dust is all settle, how will the structure of the conflict appear?
Ryokugyu arrives and his first stop is the Prison Mines holding the captured Beast Pirates. In order to vent and likely silence Queen and King for the scientific and historic knowledge they possess, he took out all the Beast Pirates present there absorbing their life force in the process. It is unclear if the Beast Pirates were all killed by Ryokugyu but he does seem like a guy who doesn’t understand mercy. On top of being able to absorb others life force, Ryokugyu is also able to instill within other forms life. As he walks across the barren lands of Wano, life flourishes and springs to forth. It’s a curious power that gift life but within the hands of Ryokugyu, it serves a very foreboding darkness. One that has targeted Luffy.
The consuming Night of wickedness has ended and given way to the emancipating radiance of the rising Sun. Time flows and restitution begins its ascent against a backdrop of ruin and relief. As the Kozuki clan return to represent Wano, the process of restoration unites the nation upon the desire of creating a paradise that once used to reflect Wano. Loss becomes the foundation for growth and pain becomes the driver for recovery. To honour the fallen means to move forward and live. A new day has dawned and with it, the freedom to enjoy it.
The brilliant thing with how Oda-sensei scripted Yamato is that no new arc needs to be incorporated within the manga to develop and push forward their story. Every single major story thread that the readers expect to feature within the future of One Piece has been made so Yamato heavily ties into it. When you think about it, the extent to how Yamato has been crafted to seamlessly fit into the future story of One Piece, you can’t help but wonder what Oda-sensei’s intentions for Yamato truly are. So much effort and care has been taken to establish a character that would have no problem existing within the future story alongside Luffy.
The land of Wano crushed under hatred and destroyed by animosity held unjustly toward the people left the hearts of all suffocating in misery for twenty years. Each dawn that arose reminded the people of the hell they resided in and of the inescapable reality governing all aspects of their lives. Freedom became a dream, a visage that would disappear and be forgotten with the rising of the sun and the opening of their eyes. Hope diminished and cries for salvation softened until nothing but silence could be heard. Yet, within that suffering, a flicker of hope endured. The last remnant of perseverance driving the nation forward through the endless torment breaking their hearts, minds, bodies and spirits down piece by piece day by day. The prophecy of Toki echoed throughout Wano and became the silent prayer the people would whisper earnestly to themselves. It became the hope that held the nation together. Twenty years later, as Toki promised, the Akazaya Samurai returned to liberate Wano and ensure the Dawn greeting the day was the signal for the end of the long night that began when Oden died. And the one ushering in the new age for Wano is none other than the son of Toki and Oden, a boy that sailed aboard Whitebeard, Roger and Luffy’s ship, a boy who became a man whose name means “invincible”, the heir of the Kozuki line and the true Shogunate of Wano, Kozuki Momonosuke.
He won. Luffy won. He challenged the world’s strongest creature and together with the Ninja-Pirate-Mink-Samurai alliance, the forces of Kaido were defeated. The twenty year long night that began when Oden died has finally been illuminated by the glimmer of hope awaiting in the future. Momonosuke in turn has also saved the Samurai and arrived in the Flower Capital with the Akazaya Samurai (those that can stand) and Hiyori to declare an end to the night and usher in a new dawn for the people of Wano Kuni. The time that stopped on the day Oden died has begun to move again with the arrival of his children, Momonosuke and Hiyori, and the Samurai who believed in them.
Looking at Yamato as a character, Oda-sensei introduced them in a very specific way that directed him toward Luffy. From the fact that Luffy was the person Yamato was waiting for to Yamato’s expression of wanting to travel aboard Luffy’s ship. There wasn’t much hesitation in Yamato’s mind about leaving with the Straw Hat Pirates once Wano was liberated and its borders opened. In order to make a case for Yamato remaining in Wano, the narrative would need to entrench Yamato and his desires within the plot threads of Wano but as at chapter 1049, that has not yet happened (potentially it still could). Rather, Yamato leaving with Luffy has only been reinforced.
Leading up towards the conclusion for the Wano Arc (as at chapter 1049), discussion regarding Yamato’s role aboard the Thousand Sunny in the case they join has been debated very broadly as certainty remains lacking within the established story. Nothing extends out as definite but there are notable possibilities promoted. I for one have been championing the Stonemason theory. Recently though, I have been made aware of the Master Brewer possibility. Initially, I conceived that role as an intensely uninspiring one but the more I think about Master Brewer, the more plausible it seems, especially when you bring into the equation Oden.
12Dimension 