Whew, I’d really hoped to get through this before the next chapter’s spoilers dropped, but life just gets in the way sometimes. Hoping to be back to a degree of normalcy next week.

Good to have One Piece back from its break in this busy time though, and I’m happy to be getting (at least a little of) exactly what I want from the Holy Knight confrontations. Off the bat, Yamato’s cover story takes a big, expected step toward giving them their own crew. Thirty chapters deep though, is there really time to recruit any more Beasts Pirates besides the dino siblings?

Gunko talks about the World Government wanting to use the giants as a mercenary force, and the chapter takes the time to emphasise that, from little things like Ripley carrying Franky as he fights to the gorgeous spread of the crew ripping apart the nightmares. The average, noncombatant giant might be beatable by the best of humans, but I would wager there are more average giants than there are top level humans, and the potential of a fully trained giant fighting alone or a moderately trained giant supporting a top level human is terrifying to consider.

I’ve repeatedly hyped myself up for the creative potential of Gunko’s arrow powers in a fight, referencing Soul Eater’s use of a similar power multiple times, and the reality does not disappoint. I love the redirects of both projectile and close range range attacks, I love the zippy way she moves around to dodge and strike along the arrow lines, and man do I love Usopp freaking out when the arrow points to him, and Nami trying to pull it to another target. Funny how Saul’s group didn’t seem to try that for the kids. But I wonder if the the arrows being physically tangible but immovable to other people could be key to fighting Gunko. Imagine just hopping on top of one and charging up it the wrong way to meet her attack with your own.

We also get confirmation that the Holy Knights share the Five Elders’ regenerating properties. I’m happy to see this. The power scale for raw, physical might more or less hit a ceiling with Kaido. Trying to pull out another gang of enemies who are just stronger would have verged on late Dragon Ball levels of absurdity, so making these guys undamageable puzzle bosses is a smart move. They can be a serious threat without raising questions about why they can’t solve all the World Government’s problems on their own.

Plus, I’m curious about what the weakness will ultimately be. Joyboy’s haki seemed to dispel the Elders’ demonic forms, but it didn’t do any apparent physical damage, and the Holy Knights don’t seem like they can transform like that. I hope the answer is a bit more interesting (and less monster trio exclusive) than just haki.

Finally, holy moley, Usopp went for the kill. Even as the most “normal” Strawhat, this is a look at how he might measure up to a an actually ordinary, undefended human, and it sure makes a statement. And we’ll just be sticking a pin in Brook knowing about the Holy Knights out of hand. Iiiiiiinteresting.

The confrontation ends with the Strawhat group ejected from the svar, so I guess they’re being sent to the Underworld to pull Luffy and Loki into the battle. And speaking of battles ending, it’s a little disappointing to not have seen more of Killingham and Summers’ ones. There are hints – Killingham being able to induce sleeplike states even adults after all and Sommers’ field of thorns. I think seeing a bit more of the futility of fighting with Sommers could have gone a long way to make Robin and Chopper agreeing to hide make sense. As it is, it feels a little abrupt, even callous of them to accept Saul’s sacrifice so readily.

The last lines of the chapter are a big lore hook, implying again a level of familiarity between the Holy Knights and Harald. But contrary to all previous build-up, Sommers here suggests Harald either defied or outright betrayed them by changing the country’s culture. So not as bad a guy as we thought? But if he’s not, why did Loki kill him, and if it’s because Loki is evil, why is he being set as a parallel with Luffy earlier in the chapter. The mystery keeps building! This arc’s flashback is going to be something else.

Seeing Gunko in action gives me a good feeling about the direction of the arc. Good, old school puzzle powers and a bit of mystery building for the flashback, increasing both Harald and Loki’s moral ambiguity. We’re in the early stages of a new volume with nowhere for the momentum to go but up. I see a good few weeks ahead.