#which will involve taking down if not the world government at least the celestial dragons (especially imu and the gorousei)

[sun-archeron]

thinking abt luffy, and how he grew up so poor that if he wanted to have a decent meal he had to go into the forest and fight big, dangerous animals. but at least he was strong enough to be able to fight, while there were people that lived close to him that had to live amongst the trash, hoping to find scraps they could sell so they could eat once during the day.

thinking abt how luffy values food so much, how he always eats as much as he physically can. how he values the people that feed him, that eat with him. whether its a luxurious meal or just an apple they share.

thinking abt how pretty much everytime he saved/liberated a place/island/nation was bc someone from the place had fed him.

how when he actived gear 5 he was fighting to save a nation that its main problem was starvation. and not only that but the food there had also been weaponized to mock them and make them suffer more. and it was fighting for them that he fully reached the form of nika, the form that will allow him to bring down the current government and its system which creates these areas where people starve

also! how in zoros introduction we see him eat something that was on the dirt, partly bc he hadnt eaten in a long time and partly bc someone made it and risked themselves to bring it to him. and how sanji is always happy to cook for anyone whos hungry and absolutely hates food waste. and how these two are luffys wings

[kaizokuou-ni-naru]

Could you do a meta on the theme of freedom and what it means to different characters? (Sorry if this seems like a basic thing, but I'd love to hear your thoughts!)

hell yeah hell yeah. (this wound up being more an examination of luffy specifically, because the theme of freedom in one piece is very tied up with luffy as a character.)

first of all: freedom and its importance is the central theme of one piece. i’d go so far as to say the main dichotomy in one piece isn’t so much good vs bad as it is freedom vs order/oppression. the most obvious way this is expressed is through luffy- as the series protagonist, obviously the way he thinks and what he holds important is going to be very important in how the series presents itself and its themes. and, simply put, luffy prizes his freedom and that of his friends above all else.

one of my very favorite reveals in one piece is that luffy’s dream isn’t actually, necessarily, to be the pirate king. or at least, not the way everyone else perceives the title- as the conqueror and undisputed ruler of the seas and the pirates that sail them. luffy just wants to be permanently, unquestionably free, and he sees becoming pirate king as the way to do that.

it’s a very straightforward dream. if you ask me, i’d say it’s the dream of someone who, as a little kid, had a person he loved very much get killed for seeking the freedom that had been stolen from him.

many of the worst crimes of the series’ most despicable villains involve taking away the freedom of people and enslaving them (the world government, doflamingo, and arlong all come to mind). the celestial dragons enslave people on a whim. doflamingo literally turns people into puppets when he’s bored. and this is also what brings luffy into conflict with them. all of his direct attacks on the world government come because the freedom of someone he cares about is threatened- robin at enies lobby, camie and hachi at sabaody, ace at impel down and marineford.

all of the strawhats have something either metaphorical or literal holding them down when they’re first introduced, be it zoro imprisoned in the marine base at shells town or sanji held back by his debt to zeff or nami enslaved by arlong or brook trapped in eternal darkness in the florian triangle or even jinbe, who meets luffy through a literal prison break. and every time, it’s luffy who sets them free to pursue their dreams.

luffy is always setting people free, be it one person or a town or a prison or a whole fucking country. it’s how he winds up a hero time and time again despite proclaiming himself not to be one, and it’s also how he winds up with just so many devoted allies and admirers, starting right at the very start of his journey when he facilitates coby’s escape from alvida and continuing straight up to the most recent arc with the liberation of udon.

additionally, the primary opposing force against the world government and probably the closest thing to an overarching big good the series has is the revolutionary army, a group that singularly revolves around liberating oppressed people. outwardly luffy doesn’t have much in common with his dad besides a general penchant for raising hell, but they do both prize freedom above all else, which is the exact trait makes them both massive thorns in the world government’s side, since the world government’s oppressive nature is inherently antithetical to true freedom. you could even call them natural enemies (wink wink).

struggled for like fifteen minutes on how to end this, but for now i’ll just settle for saying that one piece as a series is all about freedom, and the wonder of being able to live and dream however you want, and the evil of taking that away. freedom and the drive to seek it out and defend it is the most fundamental aspect of luffy’s character, and the freedom he’s given his crew and thousands of others in turn is why they’ll be loyal to him to the end of the world. 

[disneydeb1928]

One Piece Theories: The Truth of the D. Clan

                                                       - The Void Century Theories, Part 3

This is the third part of my Void Century Theories Series. This one is a long one (I apologize).

The D. Clan

So, first I think we should review, what exactly has been mentioned, in canon, on this topic:

1) It is first brought up by Kureha, on Drum Island, when she revealed that the true name of the late Pirate King was “Gol D. Roger” and told Dolton that Chopper had joined up with a very “dangerous man” (Ch. 154)

After stating Chopper has joined up with a “dangerous man”, she then smiles and says, “D’s will is still alive?”

2) In chapter 594, which takes place after Marineford, the Gorosei are discussing the possible connection between Rayleigh and Luffy when one of them says, “The ‘D.’s are always the troublemakers… especially Portgas… it seems his name has been a little too visible lately.”

3) Law actually talks about the D. Clan twice. The first time, is right before the timeskip, in chapter 729. After leaving Amazon Lily with Luffy in Rayleigh’s care he says “Still, I wonder what the Dark King’s [Rayleigh] is up to… the ‘D.’ will always bring a storm without fail… heheh…”. Later, during the Dressrosa arc, Doflamingo questions Law about why he would trust the Straw Hat Pirates as much as he does.  Law replies “Because I know the ‘D.’ will blow up a storm again!”. However, both of these statements are merely echoing what Rosinante told him as a child.

Rosinante refers to where “I come from”, which must be referring to Mary Goise, the home of the Celestial Dragons. He says that will someone “with the name of ‘D.’ begins to make a name for themselves in the world… all the elders all groan and mutter… that ‘D.’ will surely bring with them another storm…”. We know that this is true based off the comments the Gorosei made (see above). He also says that it is a name that people have “secretly” been inheriting throughout history. This is highlighted by the fact that, just a chapter prior, when Law revealed his true name to Baby 5, he said “the ‘D.’ is a secret’ (Ch. 763). Rosinante then states that, in Mary Goise, the “’Family of D.’” is know as “God’s Natural Enemy”. Of course, many have taken this to mean ‘the Celestial Dragons natural enemy’ since the Celestial Dragons see themselves as gods.

When Law demands to know if that makes him a monster, Rosinante admits that “no one knows the actual truth”. However, we know that’s not true. This sentence is important because of a connection it has to the conversation between Law and Sengoku in Episode 743. Sengoku says,

“At least, I know Rosinante had no idea [about the meaning of that ‘D’]. So that wasn’t the reason he saved you.”

While it was a beautiful moment, it should be noted that Sengoku seems to be implying that had Rosinante have known about the true meaning behind the ‘D.’, it might have played a role in why he saved Law (even though we all know Rosinante was a big softy). Sengoku almost seems relieved to hear Rosinante didn’t know the truth. Then, he thinks,

“So he is one, too. The people with the name “D.” always lead a checkered life.”

The dictionary defines ‘checkered’ as: marked by periods of varied fortune or discreditable incidents. It at least implies that Sengoku knows something about the D. Clan.

Now, let’s review the people who appear to know something about the ‘D.’ (at least part of it) and the implications that could have:

1.) Dr. Kureha – (See Explanation Above)

Implications: Kureha aas born on September 8th, 1383. To put this into perspective, that makes her older than every known ‘D.’-bearer we’ve been introduced to in the story so far. In fact, that makes her 141 years old. As mentioned before, she is one of the people who knows Gold Roger’s real name. We know that Roger began to complain about the papers calling him that when he met with Whitebeard (around August) in 1500, so it is very plausible that she simply remembers what he used to be called before the propaganda began. However, her last comment, “D’s will is still alive?” is something of interest.

Grammatically, structuring the sentence as “D’s will” would give the same meaning as “Will of D.”. Both are describing a possessive condition. So we know that she is specifically referring to the Will of D. in this sentence. When she says this, she is smiling, implying that she is pleased with this fact. My question is, why would she have reason to believe that it wasn’t alive. I understand that some families with the ‘D.’ in their name have gone about hiding it, but there is still Monkey D. Garp, who is very public with his name. It’s possible that she’s been living a secluded life for a long time, but if she knew about Roger how had she not known of Garp? Also, I would stipulate, that her reaction makes me believe that there is an emotional connection to the “Will of D.”. It is absolutely possible, that her sentiment could more general, in that she’s happy to see that the World Government wasn’t able to extinguish another token of the past. Or it could imply something else. I think a lot of people wouldn’t be surprised if Kureha had met Roger in the past. He was a sick man and she was a genius doctor, capable of amazing advances in medicine. I think it is also possible that she knew others bearing that initial.  

2.) Roger and some of the Roger Pirates – (As mentioned during my discussion on Joy Boy’s treasure, they discovered the true meaning at Laugh Tale)

Implications: While Roger appeared put out by the idea that the newspaper was covering up his name, he didn’t seem too beat up about it. In fact, we honestly can’t garner much from Roger’s reactions to anything. He, much like Luffy, didn’t seem to let things bother him.

However, I would like to take a look at his last words before his execution. There are two main versions I have seen floating around, but I am sure, due to translations, that there are many more. They are:

·         “Inherited will, the swelling of the changing times, and the dreams of people. These are things that cannot be stopped. As long as people seek the answer to freedom, these will never cease to be!”

·         “Inherited Will, The Destiny of the Age, The Dreams of its People. As long as people continue to pursue the meaning of Freedom, these things will never cease!”

Of course, the first person who springs to mind when I read this, is Luffy, who talks about freedom being a large reason in why he wanted to become a pirate. What I believe Roger is saying, is that as long as people are not content with oppression, and instead chose freedom (which can taken many forms), then people’s dreams and will (Joy Boy’s, Roger’s, Ace’s) can never fully be extinguished (which parallels to what Whitebeard said during Marineford).

Now, freedom mean many things, to different people. Luffy sees freedom as becoming a pirate; Zoro sees it as becoming the world’s greatest swordsman; Koby sees it as becoming a Marine. If you notice, despite having a dislike at the idea of becoming a Marine, Luffy never does anything but encourage Koby (in his own way). Because ‘freedom’ in this sense, is more about following your ambitions – your heart’s desires – reaching for the stars.  

3.) Whitebeard – Roger informs Whitebeard the true meaning of the “D.” during their last meeting before turning himself in. In fact, Whitebeard has enough understanding on the subject that he can confidently say that Blackbeard is not the man that Roger is waiting for [to find the One Piece]

Implications: After Roger complains about his name change, WB asked him this,

“Now and then I come across some people with the name “D.”. Even in my own crew, there’s Teach. Just what is ‘D.’?”

So, Whitebeard is admitting that “now and then” he comes across ‘D.’-bearers. He doesn’t specify how often or even how many bearers he’s come across during his time (at this point WB is 50). However, we know that by 1500, the only ‘D.’-bearers that we know (currently) existed were:

·         Jaguar D. Saul (born March 6, 1397)

·         Monkey D. Garp (born May 2, 1446)

·         Rocks D. Xebec

·         Gol D. Roger (born December 31, 1447)

·         Monkey D. Dragon (born 1469)

·         Portrgas D. Rouge

·         Marshall D. Teach (born August 3, 1484)

We know that Whitebeard was a part of a infamous pirate crew known as the Rocks Pirates and that his captain, Rocks D. Xebec was a ‘D.’-bearer. Now, we have no idea what went down during the crew before they separated – or even when they separated. We don’t even know if the entire crew participated in the God’s Valley Incident. But what we do know, is that the Rocks Pirates were involved in a lot of the taboo subjects of the world. I go into this a lot deeper in one of my previous theories specifically on the Rocks Pirates, but it is very telling that two of the previous crew members end up with a Road Poneglyph. We also know that he is including Roger in his statement, but I also think it is likely he knows Garp as well. I think it is obvious that we have not discovered all of the current or past ‘D.’-bearers, so all we can do, beyond this list, is speculate.

Whatever it was that Roger ended up telling him, Whitebeard appears to keep to himself for the next 24 years. Not that I’m surprised, that man really didn’t care about pursuing any power other then keeping his family safe. However, at Marineford, he says,

“It’s not you [Blackbeard]… The man Roger is waiting for… is definitely not you, Teach. There are those who inherited Roger’s will… and one day, someone will appear who will inherit Ace’s will… As long as that ‘bloodline’ survives, their flames will never die… that will has been passed down from long ago…!!!”

4.) The Marines – They seem to have some awareness of the significance – or at least Sengoku does (as shown by his conversation with Law during episode 743)

5.) Doflamingo – After Law makes the comment about blowing the D. clan being able to blow up a “storm”, Doffy becomes enraged. This sees to indicate that he knows what Law is referencing. This wouldn’t be surprising since he knows the truth about the Treasure in Mary Geoise.

Implications: However, it could simply be that he, much like his brother, was reacting to the fear that the Celestial Dragons instilled in their children about the ‘D.’ clan and was angry that Law knew.

6.) Im-Sama – I think it is clear that if anyone in this story holds all the answers, it’s Im-Sama. They are clearly deeply rooted in the one piece mythology

7.) The Gorosei – Being second to Im-Sama and who the rest of the world view as the most powerful group in the world, it can be concluded that they, at least, know what Im wants them to know on the subject

Commonalities Between “D.”-bearers: All of the members who have passed, have all died with a smile on their face, in what appears to be, acceptance of their fate. This is, of course, with the exception of Teach, who feared death during Marineford.

[all-blue-headcanons]

@wereallmadhere000 - Hey there, thanks for the ask! Admittingly this one was a little hard for me to write as the yandere trope is pretty... specific which it’s hard to imagine one of these two boys being like that? Therefore I’m taking a few liberties with things, so I’m hoping you don’t mind too much!

Yandere Eustass Kid with Reader Headcanons

+ Being in a relationship with Eustass “Captain” Kid is no easy matter. The man is as fierce as he is possessive, armed with an explosive temper as well as a natural disposition towards casual violence. Even towards his own crew, the captain of the Kid Pirates is a harsh leader without much tolerance towards fuck ups and disobedience so you’re going to have to develop nerves of steel in dealing with this hot-tempered man if you hope to get with him! - That being said, he’s not an ‘abusive’ partner. Rather, Kid feels intensely and lust often goes hand in hand with aggression, both volatile and rich emotions that can eat away at a person if left unchecked. Just as Kid relishes violence and bloodlust, so too does he crave close intimacy with his loved ones of which he has very few in this merciless world. Killer, his childhood friend and companion, is one of those few people that Kid feels such deep platonic love for as the Massacre Soldier was the only person he was able to rely on during a loveless upbringing. + That means that Killer is the only person Kid trusts to be around you. Even Heat and Wire are growled at sometimes if they start getting too friendly with you in his eyes, the red-haired man very much preferring to be the centre of attention in your little world. God forbid any of the lower crew members try anything funny; Kid will happily beat their ass senseless and toss them overboard into the sea, not caring much if they’re able get back on board or not. - People soon learn to keep their eyes away from you, let alone dare give you much attention... + While Kid is not (intentionally) abusive, he can be harsh and even seem uncaring at times. This isn’t down to any malice or disdain towards his lover, however - rather the man has no experience on how a healthy relationship is supposed to work. What Kid considers to be affectionate is often possessive and clingy at times, the man becoming desperately needy for attention and isn’t afraid to become a petty little shit when he doesn’t get what he wants. - A cold shoulder along with the silent treatment are the usual responses towards any perceived slight, which can be strangely disconcerting given the captain’s usually brash behaviour. For everybody else, the tension on board can be cut with a knife as Kid pointedly ignores his lover... but it never lasts for long. Once his petulance burns itself out, the man is back for more, playing it extra sweet in the hopes of getting you to play with him again. + Killer is the one who has to explain it to you once he realizes how serious the relationship between you and Kid has grown. Thanks to the World Government’s actions in South Blue after the end of Gol D. Roger’s era, many parents either abandoned their children or were brutally killed trying to protect them due to governmental officials wiping out as many of the ex-Pirate King’s ‘potential spawn’ as possible. Kid is one of those survivors and his childhood was as brutal as it was unforgiving, leaving the boy with no other option than to grow up as quickly as possible. - Whatever parental figures he had at the time cared little for the red-haired boy during his youth, leaving him to figure out his own path in life. Kid’s earliest life lessons were that few people were to be trusted, much less accepted into the angry youth’s heart... or at least that was the case until Killer came into his life, the tall blond remaining to this day one of the only people understanding enough to deal with Kid’s eccentricities. Nobody knows better than the Massacre Soldier that Kid is not a conventional partner and will be there to support both you and his childhood friend, knowing full well what his friend has experienced and to prevent a rift growing between the two of you. + In time, Kid learns to become a more wholesome partner but it’ll take a lot of patience, time and understanding from you, almost as much as Killer himself to be able to handle your captain at his worst. No matter what, he’ll remain as fierce and possessive as he ever was but will learn how to handle any grievances in a healthier fashion... - “What the hell, Kid? You got blood all over me again!” You yell while wiping your face clean of crimson splatters, a headless marine dropping to the floor beside you. You can only watch as the man sheepishly grins despite the battle raging all the two of you and shrugs. “What? He was checking out your ass behind your back!”

Yandere Doflamingo with Reader Headcanons

+ In all honestly, there’s not much difference in a relationship between Yandere!Doflamingo and Regular!Doflamingo. The man is a self-proclaimed God, a Celestial Dragon and Child of the Heavens despite long having since been thrown out of Mary Geoise along with his family. Even though many years have passed since that terrible day, Doflamingo has become King once again and his word in Dressrosa is law above all... - Unlike Kid, Doflamingo actually enjoyed plenty of healthy exposure to a loving relationship from the start of his troubled life. His parents were unconditionally loving towards their children and each other despite the difficulties they soon themselves after having descended to the ‘world of humans’ below and it is due to these experiences that Doflamingo has his own peculiar views on love. In his eyes, love towards him truly is unconditional - and to break that means you never truly loved him at all. + That being said, Doflamingo adores you intensely and like Kid, it is a fierce and possessive affection. Unlike Kid however, it is one that the Heavenly Demon feels he is completely and utterly entitled to and his wrath knows no bounds when he doesn’t get what he wants. He’ll move mountains if he has to and tear heaven and earth asunder if he must, but you are his and his alone and need to understand that as soon as possible. - On the surface, you look like any other of the many young admirers and lovers that frequently stop by the palace. There is never any shortage of women and even the occasional man hoping to secure a favourable position likes yours when it’s obvious you’re the man’s most favoured partner, yet despite their best efforts, Doflamingo is content to play only for a short while before returning his affections back to you. + “What’s the matter, love? Did you think anything about that was actually serious?” Doflamingo will chuckle if you seem put out at all by this behaviour, the man treating you more like a favourite toy than an actual person and partner. It’s hypocritical in a way, that Doffy can seem to play with whomever he wants but if anybody should so much as look your way... - “Young Master!” The Donquixote Family will cry out in shock as Doflamingo suddenly cuts down a few lowly recruits for the simple crime of looking at you in a way he doesn’t like. To Doflamingo, it is a crime even more unforgivable than laughing at his family, such filthy men daring to lust so openly for his partner right before his eyes! You don’t get to go out so often after that particular incident, for Doflamingo would gladly kill any number of people who so much as looks at you the wrong way. + Doflamingo’s possessiveness only grows worse over time the more he’s attached to you, the longer you’ve been together. Having lost so many of his own family members over the years, he takes no chance in risking losing you as well; only the Donquixote Family is to be around you, long term members that the man feels as though he can trust with you alone, even if he has to have somebody watching you at all times. Never are you to go anywhere by yourself, let alone speak to anybody outside of those ‘allowed’ to interact with you. - This isolation can be as stifling as his possessiveness at times, especially when Doflamingo is busy with work but he’d rather that and cage you, his precious little pet, than risk letting you fly free. When you entered this relationship, you knew full well what you were getting yourself into and of the kind of man you were getting involved with... + “Let you go? Whatever for, my darling? Do you not enjoy the finest food, the most beautiful scenery and gifts anybody could hope to enjoy? I am your God, Name. You need nothing else in life, only me...” Doflamingo will purr if you ever dare bring up the subject, his large and powerful hands caressing your form that even though he’s not using his strings, he might as well be doing so for all the control he has over you now.