The Darts on the Cover Page
Yamato’s Cover Page Series Vol. 26: Ulti — “If anything happens to Petan, I’ll hunt you down to the ends of hell.”
The silhouettes from last week were indeed Ulti and Page One. Just as Oden had Izou and Kikunojo by his side, will Yamato save this sibling duo and take them as followers? But Ulti hurt Otama and beat up Nami and Usopp. Being saved by Otama would be a pride issue — and even if she became Yamato’s follower, things would get awkward when they eventually join the Straw Hats.
Water Seven Arc Self-Homage
Ulti used as a dartboard target. “Dartboard brow” — as you know, it’s an insult Zoro threw at Sanji. This line appeared at the start of Chapter 322, “Puffing Tom” — in other words, in the chapter where the Water Seven arc began. This week was packed with Water Seven callbacks.
Ever since learning about the Norse myth where Loki tied a rope between a goat’s beard and his own body for a tug-of-war to make a goddess laugh, I’ve believed that Franky — the trickster — is modeled on the Norse Loki. And the Loki who appeared in the Elbaf arc shares these traits with Franky:
- Initially hostile to Luffy, picking a fight
- Bound in chains
- Responsible for his father figure’s ruin (Franky’s father figure was Tom)
- Has an older-brother figure with the opposite personality
- A beast master (Franky had Baldimore’s cyborg animals)
- Attacked by a sword that ate a Devil Fruit
Give Me the Key
The development of needing to steal the key to free Loki mirrors defeating CP9 and collecting keys to free Robin at Enies Lobby.
A Pants-Wearing Man on the Sofa
Summoned by Gunco: Saint Sommers of the God’s Knights (House Shepherd), sitting on a sofa in his boxer shorts. This looks just like Franky when Usopp met him at the hideout under the bridge.
The Qilin User
Also summoned alongside Sommers is Saint Kilingam of the God’s Knights (House Rimoshif) — the Qilin. The feathered mantle suggests an Awakened Ox-Ox Fruit, Mythical Model: Qilin. A Qilin user — just like Kaku, the shipwright from Water Seven.
Embarrassed by Indecency
Gunco blushing and averting her eyes from Saint Sommers’ underwear. She herself walks around in barely-there clothing, yet she’s embarrassed by someone else’s indecency — this chapter must have won Gunco a lot of fans. Embarrassed by indecency brings Paulie to mind, and Paulie also appeared in Water Seven.
Falling Asleep Mid-Conversation
Saint Kilingam suddenly falling asleep in the middle of a conversation. This looks familiar — it’s the reunion scene between Garp and Luffy, which also happened in Water Seven.
The Egghead arc was full of Ohara and Enies Lobby homages, so the following Elbaf arc naturally continues with Water Seven self-homages. This raises the question: will we get payoff on things like why Enies Lobby was a city that never sleeps, whether giants built the Gates of Justice, and how the giant hole in the ocean got there?
The Pentagram (Abyss)
The mark Saint Kilingam was drawing while asleep seems to be the condition for warping — probably referring to the tattoo on Saint Sommers’ left arm. Do all the Five Elders and God’s Knights share the same tattoo?
But Shamrock and Gunco entered the castle suddenly, without being called by anyone. And then there’s this line from Saint Sommers: people from non-member nations have no human rights — yet the Celestial Dragons visited a grave, showing respect. Does that mean King Harald tried to approach the Celestial Dragons, or even to sell out his nation? And did Loki, having learned of that plan, kill his father?