This text was originally written for Arlong Park forums’ discussion thread.

And it’s done. For real this time with no doubt remaining. While this still isn’t the best of Luffy’s finishers or Oda’s arc climaxes, I believe in choosing ‘done’ over ‘perfect’ and would rather be looking forward to seeing how the next arc builds up than I would be spending another six months trying to course correct Wano’s finale. I’m hoping for a more streamlined follow-up arc that doesn’t have to squash and stretch itself to make key moments line up with milestone chapter numbers. I will stand by this being the right place for Wano to end, bloated and imperfect though it was.

No shocker that it’s Germa in the cover story, though Ichiji and Reiju sure did make it from Cacao to Whole Cake quickly. I wonder if they found a way to hijack the mirrors.

I would never have guessed Oda would use magma as the means of ending Kaido and Big Mom. Even back in chapter 1040 when Big Mom was falling I didn’t read the bright spot she was seeing as lava (even though plenty of people said it at the time). It feels like an uncharacterstically fatal way for Oda to end two characters – especially seeing Kaido revert to human form, confirming devil fruit rules are in effect, even for molten rock. It also certainly seems ominous that the Marines’ top devil fruit is magma-powered and Oda chose the same substance to dispose of two of the strongest pirates in the world.

Even so, I’m not completely convinced of Big Mom and Kaido’s actual deaths. We know how crazy durable both of them are (with kaido seemingly coating himself in lava for a final attack anyway), and we can see from the silhouettes their bodies weren’t instantly melted the same way a normal person would be. Plus, there’s the eruption to justify them getting out of the underground and being flung far away from Wano, neatly resolving the issue of how to drive off or restrain them now that the battle’s done. While I’d be happy to see them stay dead, there’s not a bone in my body that would be shocked by a Kaido and Big Mom cover story in the future.

What if they get shot to the moon to see Enel?

The rest of the chapter moves like clockwork through the post-battle catharsis of celebrations, announcements and the remaining enemy underlings throwing down their arms.

I did like seeing Chopper being inundated with requests for medical attention, keeping his core skills relevant, and Brook and Franky showing off that they’ve got gas left in the tank since Brook only got an assist battle and Franky did all his important fighting from inside his mech.

Momo doubling down on not opening the borders is a good choice. I praised him back in chapter 1041 for making strides to becoming his own man, not just blindly following his father’s will and goals, and I stand by that. Oden was many great things, but a skilled politician he was not, and with Wano in turmoil and the World Government right outside I think it’s probably smart to not just recklessly open them the way Oden might have. The addition of a “yet” to what he was saying in 1041 shows the right kind of acceptance that the opening will eventually be necessary. But if it’s going to hurt more people than it would help, it’s fine as a long-term goal.

Interesting that the point of keeping the citizens of the captial in the dark during the battle seems to have been the Kaido/Momo dragon form mixup and the ability to do a sudden, surprise reveal of the Scabbards’ and Hiyori’s return to annoucne the new shogun. I wonder if there’ll be more to come of this, because it doesn’t feel like it was quite worth it as things are. There was one take I saw in the initial discussions that I liked – that the secrecy of the raid left things open for the citizens to wish for Kaido’s fall using the lanterns and have their wishes granted seemingly instantly, but does that totally flow? I think I’ll have to wait til after my whole-arc reread to say for sure.

I’m not really concerned about the prophecy about the dawn not being fulfilled with the end of the battle or whatever. It fits just fine for the sun to rise alongside Momo’s adult form reveal, signifying the return to a rightful ruler, not just the toppling of the wrong ones. It’s cathartic to see Kaido and Orochi done with, but the return of the Kozukis is the thing that will bring about real change for the common people of Wano. (Monarchist that I now apparently am)

While this week is really just a transitionary chapter between battle and aftermath, it had a couple of extremely nice spreads and it’s done its job in building my anticipation for the lore, the poneglyphs and the glimpses of outside Wano to an all-time high. We’ve spent two years on Onigashima and four in Wano. I’m ready for the next thing! Bring it on!