Syrup Island Arc- Part II
Jun. 10th, 2014 06:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
we_areWhile the last section introduced the concept of Words Have Power, both to hurt and heal—This chapter goes into the concept of actions speaking louder than words, as well as a close study of relationships as we compare and contrast Usopp and Kuro.
We closed with Usopp punching Kuro and defending his father and his pride. We open with Khaladore on the ground after the hit and let’s take a look at what he says:
First of all, why is he saying this? Well we know that Kuro is deceitful, but keep in mind Kaya is watching. He’s trying to persuade her, with words and suggestions, that Usopp is a bad influence and not to be trusted. What is more interesting here is trying to peek into Kuro’s own past. We know that he is a pirate and a pirate of some renown considering how much he’s been chased. So first, we can guess from this, that he knows what pirates are like—or rather, he knows what pirates are like because he knows what he himself was like. Of course there’s no doubt that he’s saying it so maliciously on purpose, but it’s nevertheless true that he was, and is, quite brutal himself. In other words, he’s speaking of pirates as he knows them.
Here, I believe, Kuro puts a foot too far. There’s a fine line between suggesting how violent someone might be to outright slander. Also, note, while he’s not necessarily lying (except for the fact that he probably doesn’t believe it himself) He is stating his own intentions and purposes, perhaps casting the blame on Usopp now so that when plans come to fruition, the blame may land Usopp’s way. He may also just be saying it because it’s a convenient enough motive to plant seeds of doubt in Kaya’s mind.
But just in case she doesn’t buy it, because she is kindhearted, he continues:
Painting himself a little as the harsh one here, and I think he knows it. But the key reason for him saying this, as before, is to get Usopp to react.
Which, of course , he does, but is stopped by the sound of Kaya’s voice. And here I think it gets some people. The guy just insulted Usopp really bad and not using violence? Why the hell not? He had it coming.
There’s this, first of all. Khaladore has been nothing but kind to her, of course she wouldn’t want to see him hurt. He has been a good person and taking care of her and he warned her. I have no doubt, again, that she blames herself for this mess. For not listening to him, for forcing him to protect her this way. And as for not wanting violence, remember this is a peaceful village.
But also most importantly: The first panel on the next page after she tells him to stop and not use violence, is this:
Look at his expression. He is angry. He is a punk. If you saw this image completely without context of the chapter or the series, you’d think Usopp was the bad guy. Or at least the violent one. In other words, he’s proving Khaladore right. Khaladore said he was a violent pirate and that’s twice he’s gone to punch him (once succeeding). Actions speak louder than words.
Let’s go back all the way to near the beginning of the series. Fuschia is a peaceful village which Shanks has been before, and they welcomed him. He brushed off insults rather than fighting for his pride. Why? Well for one, I believe, because they were beneath him—but also, perhaps to preserve the peace of Makino’s bar. Nothing would have happened had a fight occurred except destruction of more than a bottle. Also, as we’ve seen, the world is a hard place and pirates in that time were undoubtedly more harsh than they are now, directly following whatever example Roger set.
Tying back into this arc then, instead of brushing off the hurtful words, Usopp attacked. If he had not. If he had managed to brush it off, perhaps he might have been believed more readily when he tries to warn people, as we’ll see later. Now I’m not really saying that this is coded as bad, or that this is a lesson Usopp has got to learn, since it doesn’t come again—and it’s certainly not coded as good due to the consequences of this actions—But it shows the passion Usopp has for those he cares about and also that Usopp is Usopp, good or bad—and that words are power but actions leave a stronger impression. Khaladore won without even throwing a punch. That sucks but so does life.
Anyway, Khaladore tells him to get out—that he’ll let him off the hook this time but he’s not to come back after this—showing how clever a game he’s playing by being harsh under the guise of protection, but at the same time showing a trace of what could be labeled as compassion so that Kaya won’t think he went too much overboard. He very much knows what he’s doing.
Regardless of having just been told, Usopp tries to take control of the situation back by leaving under his own terms. Words are power. Here, too, remember that he has a dramatic streak which, as we see, also acts as a self-defense mechanism. He’s really mad and hurt but he’s not the kind of person who can go away quietly. I think, again, there’s a need to leave a lasting impression on people.
First, Kaya’s reaction. She’s obviously very upset about this. But, she’s very upset because of the situation—not because of what Usopp is. In other words, she doesn’t care that he has pirate blood—she may even know. Possibly she doesn’t even believe Khaladore at all when he says that Usopp is violent. She saw how the situation unfolded, and, moreover has seen from Usopp’s frequent visits, what a genuinely good-hearted guy he is.
Second, the kids defending their captain. They know Usopp really well and just what kind of person he is and, once again, step up to the plate for him.
And Luffy, oh Luffy XD As much as everyone gets pulled into his pace in terms of adventure, he’s very easily pulled into the emotional pace of others… especially those he likes. So here because Usopp is angry and passionate and the kids are angry and passionate, Luffy is angry and passionate, too. Though of course his anger at Usopp getting hurt is very much a genuine thing.
Here again, the kids want to charge in and fight so Luffy wants to charge in and fight and kick his ass just because everyone else is angry. Grr grr. I love Zoro holding him back—and as well he should. Because despite Khaladore being an ass, he didn’t really lie, he didn’t slander (too much, and then seemed to take it back) and is kind of in the right about all this. It’s not a fight Luffy should get into. I think that Luffy knows it too on some level because if he really wanted to punch Khaladore’s face in, not a whole hell of a lot anyone could do to stop him. Khaladore is pretty angry with all this, too if the throbbing vein in his hand is any indication, and he yells at them all to get out.
The scene shifts to Kaya, some time later and alone in her room, coughing. Khaladore comes in with lunch.
There is such a sense of isolation here, and loneliness and guilt. There’s a definite box motif, too, here. Now that Usopp is gone, she is back to being isolated in her box, which is fancy, yes, but no less stifling. All of this is definitely a strain on her system. Khaladore does not help the guilt that weighs on her.
Rather than trying to soothe her, he’s laying it on thick, putting the responsibility of the happiness of others on her shoulders. The cook made this for you and did his best so it’s unkind of you not to eat it. There’s something to be said here, granted, gratitude for the hard work of others—but Khaladore is using the gratitude as a weapon to push at her sense of guilt. And, while Kaya may be hard on herself, she is by no means weak-hearted and stands up for what she feels is wrong for the sake of another. As shown here:
She takes full responsibility for her actions. While we’ll see more examples of Kaya’s strength later on, it’s important to note here that Kaya, much like Rika, shows that you don’t necessarily have to be physically capable or wanting to fight in order to be strong.
In any case, Khaladore asks to sit and begins to spin his story:
The framing of this is definitely a lie and who can say how much else is, but regardless of the truth, he’s definitely a better and more convincing story teller than Usopp. But while Usopp’s stories are about himself, but used to raise the spirits of others, Kuro’s are ostensibly about himself—but to manipulate and prey on the sympathy and sense of responsibility of others. He goes on to say that her parents were his savior and she their daughter.
And then this:
He’s such a good actor, too. He uses words like humble servant, placing himself below her, and his body posture is lower, too, as if he’s weighed down by sadness and worry while she sits up and watches him. Then finally acts with passion as if it pains him and this is a thing he’s really worked up and fretting over.
And again, he’s relying on the word’s ‘bad reputation’ to secure this fact in Kaya’s mind that Usopp is a no good scoundrel. But let’s pull back here to look at another facet of the manipulation. He says that Usopp has a ‘bad reputation’, but notice how he doesn’t spell out any details. Because while there is no doubt that Usopp’s reputation isn’t the cleanest, it is no doubt mostly focused on his propensity to lie and go careening through the village every morning.
At first it seems that Kaya may be taken in by this. But there is no anger or betrayal or even shock in her expression. Most of it seems concerned, probably feeling a great deal of empathy for Khaladore’s distress. Khaladore further pushes against her compassion by saying that he was wrong and asking if she hates him. Basically the subtext of the conversation is: I know that I did wrong and I am just a humble servant who owes a debt to your parents, I care about them and you so while I may have been harsh it’s all for you.
And of course Kaya says she doesn’t hate him, utterly taken in by this presentation of who he says he is. And who wouldn’t be? All his actions and his words shows that he cares about her and is just doing what he thinks is right. Yet, while this compassion and appreciation makes it easy for Khaladore to manipulate Kaya…
It works against him as well. Regardless of his reputation, and regardless of what Kaya has just learned about Usopp and the fact that he punched Khaladore twice, Kaya still understands that he is a good person. Because for a solid year, he snuck in and cheered her up. Also note here, Kuro betrays himself. It’s subtle and yet what he says doesn’t jive with the good guy image he’s trying to present.
It doesn’t matter whether Usopp is a good person or not. It doesn’t matter if Kaya trusts him or not. Kaya being emotionally reliant on anyone other than Kuro is not part of the plan and so he’ll do his best to shut her down. Part of the reason why I think he refuses to be drawn into the argument because, if he were to engage, he might be forced to agree with her.
At any rate we cut to the kids, Nami and Zoro just sort of hanging around.
Firstly I just love the atmosphere. You can almost hear the crickets chirp. This is sort of a summer island to me, or late spring, easily laconic and peaceful, made for just loafing around and absently wondering where Luffy went off to. Also the face that Usopp always goes to the shore when something happens is pretty bittersweet, because you know that he’s missing his father and maybe longing for adventure.
Also I just sort of love Zoro not really caring what Luffy is up to and just letting him go off and do his own thing. There’s a kind of lazy familiarity about it and, as we’ve seen in Gaimon’s arc, Zoro and Luffy are the type to do their own things. There’s nakamaship and loyalty there, sure, but they are very different people. Which is fine. Nothing good or bad about it. Just is what it is.
They talk about Onion a bit and say that he disappears and ends up running up the road and wailing about something. Which he does because he saw a man walking backwards. And of course the kids don’t believe him but in moonwalks Jango who says he’s just a hypnotist passing through. They ask to see his skills and:
It’s something to keep in mind. He says he won’t do it, but he does it anyway, putting them and himself to sleep in the process. Why he goes along with it anyway is anyone’s guess, but there is more to Jango than meets the eye.
The next few pages are mostly just talking but have tons of little characterization details, showing much with just posture and intent.
And, damn, just how evocative is this? You can almost smell the salt water and hear the waves crashing up against the rocks. Also Usopp’s posture is not quite relaxed and not quite tense either, it seems as if he’s working through stuff or just taking in the beauty of it or sadness of it… and for someone who has spent most of his screen time talking, just note how still it is here.
And in comes Luffy. These panels, simple though they may be, is really the first time we see Luffy’s sense of play and just goofing around. I mean he could have chosen to come up behind Usopp, but decided to do it in a fun way, looking at Usopp from a different angle (that is, upside down) and how many as kids liked to do that and still do? Looking at people from upside down and peeking through stair banisters or the like. Also you can tell that he’s a pretty active kid since he lands on his hands without much trouble and just seems to enjoy being physical like that.
Also interesting here is that he actively went hunting for Usopp to confirm about Yasopp. He’s interested in people, Usopp in particular at the moment, and seeking to make a connection.
Also I just love Usopp’s startled expression. I don’t know. It’s just so natural without being exaggerated and is a sort of reflection of his truest self.
Hee, Luffy just floppin’ down on his butt and looking happy, simply because it was a fun thing to do. And just them sitting together, this conversation. It doesn’t seem like much, but keep in mind what we know—Usopp hasn’t seen his dad since before his mother dies. He’s just now hearing about him out of the blue. This is a really pivotal moment for him as he’s lived maybe the last ten or so years without much to connect to his past.
And gosh, just imagine how exciting this is for Usopp to hear. Not only does this guy know his dad, but that Usopp looks just like him. It’s obvious Usopp idolizes Yasopp , wanting to be like him, and to hear something like that probably hits him quite deeply. You can tell from his huge smile in the left panel where he’s plying Luffy for more information. And here, Luffy doesn’t try to guess or make up stories, just says that he doesn’t know but:
Dat grin. Just thinking about it and him is enough to make Luffy smile. It has some really great nostalgia for him. Also Usopp’s reflected happiness in the left panel. He doesn’t even process that it’s Shanks or what that means, as we’ll see, so most of his happiness I think is partly of hearing about Yasopp, but also that Yasopp is so well liked—because that’s what Usopp wants for himself, too.
And just look at this pose right here. Comparing directly how it was earlier when he was by himself, all angled arms and alertness, here he is leaning back on his hands just processing this, relaxed and also kind of blown away… and Luffy mirrors it as they both watch the sea. And this just says something so important that we’ll get into later. But also, just, evocative. Can you imagine the summer day this is? Man, I just wanna be there… but moving on.
I love that Luffy is as startled as Usopp was. Though we know Shanks is pretty popular, Luffy has no idea, which means he doesn’t really keep up with that sort of thing. Usopp does, on the other hand, and for a kid on the East Blue, he knows his stuff about pirates. I can even see him collecting all the information he can on pirates, just so that he can read about him and get a chance at seeing his dad maybe. Usopp is just stunned by this news. Luffy goes on to say that Yasopp is the best sharpshooter and we see that it’s true.
There is no joke or lie about his abilities here. Though he’s definitely showing off, which is a trait we also see in Usopp. He may also be exaggerating here, but we’ve really no reason to doubt what he says.
Now this is important because it shows first, how much he cares for Usopp and how much Usopp is on his mind. Yasopp has told Luffy about him so many times, Lu is just sick of hearing about it. The fact that he does it while he’s drunk possibly could mean that it’s a kind of painful subject to him, or that he just likes babbling about Usopp—to the point where he’s going to babble and Luffy is going to listen to it, whether Luffy wants to or not.
Second, of course, it shows Yasopp’s motivations. He had to force himself to leave because the pirate flag was calling him. A sense of wanderlust and adventure. (also is that Shankis in the background raising his arm?) It’s interesting because it’s the first we see of a reason to get into piracy. Just because he wanted to and felt a deep need to do so. It’s hard to say what prompted this need and it’s easy to see him as a runaway and neglectful father—but there is nothing in the context of the manga that codes it as such.
We’ll get into that in a second, but first:
Look how happy Usopp is, just in the right panel. He’s just blown away by this news and hearing about it is probably the best thing that’s happened to him in a long while. Also the fact that the most important thing to him, that he wants to confirm, even above Shanks who is a famous pirate, is Yasopp’s popularity. It really ties in, again, to Usopp’s own need to be popular. Which we see with him wanting to be captain, claiming Luffy and the others are his crew, and even his 80,000 followers, because a guy has gotta be pretty awesome to have that many followers.
And now:
This is Honest!Sopp. Look at his pose. It’s definitely one of conviction, and as we’ve seen, he doesn’t lie about his Dad. He even says to tell you the truth. Though abandonment definitely isn’t brushed under the table, he’s nevertheless proud of his father for following his dreams. This is echoed in Banchina, who we will see later, who had no regrets marrying Yasopp. This suggests that he didn’t just up and leave with no warning. That his family knew about it and accepted it. Of course, it’s impossible to say accurately with the given information, but I don’t see it outside of the realm of possibility.
Also the fact that Usopp’s pride is tied up in Yasopp is both touching and kind of sad. It says that he doesn’t really find much pride in who he is on his own terms, but who he is related to and the strength and awesomness of that person. Usopp’s self esteem is kind of pitiful, in other words, which we’ll definitely see—and it may well be tied up in Yasopp leaving. It’s impossible to say—but you can easily see a thought process of, if he cared about me more/if I was worth staying for, he would have stayed. Naturally, we won’t know until Usopp sees Yasopp again.
We all know that Luffy dislikes people talking badly about those he cares about. Also Usopp’s pissed expression at remembering it. We rarely see Usopp this angry, but it’s an honest side to him, too.
But then he pulls back from it—and what he says? Well, he says pretty much the same thing about a billion chapters later at the end of the Enies Lobby arc. Though, to note, he doesn’t say if they beg him but imagines they will. I think though at this point it’s kind of a lie to himself, and in the same vein as being a captain. If Khaladore acknowledges him and his worth and apologizes for saying bad things about Yasopp, he might come back. Yet at the same time, I can see—had things not progressed as they did, Usopp sneaking back anyway. Though that is, of course, conjecture on my part.
They then spot Kuro and Jango down on the beach at the base of the cliff where they talk about Kuro’s plot to assassinate Kaya. Moving on into the next chapter, Luffy and Usopp are watching this unfold. But first, another small note on Kuro’s character:
Kuro is pedantic. That is to say, he believes in the power of accurately naming things—except in this case the “accurate” name of something is what he wants the thing most to be. As if he can change the meaning of the action just by rewording it. This is key because whether it’s called assassination or accident, since no one else is hearing about it but them, means nothing to anyone but Kuro.
And on a similar note:
Clunky exposition aside, this again shows Kuro not wanting specific words attached to things… But also it shows the power of the word Captain, what it means and what it implies. One thing it means, of course, is responsibility. Something which Kuro wants no part in, and he’s determined that Jango should know it, too.
Other than a classic case of Luffy seeming to not pay too much attention… There’s two interesting things here:
First, another example of Usopp keeping on top of pirates big enough to get their names in the newspaper…
But also something subtle which we’ve seen throughout Luffy/Usopp interactions which is their closeness. Usopp has wrapped an arm around Luffy’s shoulders, though true it was to claim him for his own pirate group—they’ve sat side by side in relaxation and now are lying down, close beside each other, watching the scene unfold. It’s important because it, combined with a sort of shared history and definite shared age, shows that they are peers—but also that we can see that even now Usopp has the capacity to be friends with Luffy in the traditional sense. Of course Zoro (and Nami eventually) are his friends too, both in the nakama sense and actual friends sense, but Zoro we’ve seen, is pretty chill hanging out by himself. He’s older than Luffy, comes from a different background, and, as I said, is a much different person. But where Zoro is the mature one, Usopp is the kind of guy that Luffy can sprawl next to and trade Pokemon cards with.
We’ll get more into friendship and nakamaship dynamics when we see them, but for now it’s just something to realize and to note.
At any rate, Usopp goes on to say he’s heard about Kuro who was famous for his plans, robbing and plundering, but that he got executed three years ago.
The words are not too important (for our purposes) except perhaps to show just how much of a long form planner Kuro is. What is important here, is to act as a Before example to Jango’s posture. It’s pretty open and pretty bold. He goes on to tell Kuro the only reason he worked for him before is that he got a lot of benefits…and asks if he’ll get a good share this time. Kuro says he will and Jango says to leave “the girl to him”.
Look how closed off Jango’s posture has become. He’s not just folding his arms, he’s gripping himself. You get the sense that he’s not really happy with this situation. While that doesn’t excuse him for going along with it, I think the doubt shows something a little redeemable about his nature. Besides which, he’s doubtless afraid of Kuro and maybe even feels a lingering sense of loyalty to him. Which is what I love about One Piece, really. Even henchmen are complex
.
There is more clunky exposition and Kuro says that Jango must hypnotize her to get her to sign the will leaving him everything should she die on accident. He also says he’s spent the past three years building up trust in the village. Jango says that he would have just robbed them straight on without having to go through being a butler for three years, but Kuro says that if he’d done that, the Marines would start chasing him down.
Of course, by peaceful, he means ducking any and all responsibility and not getting his own hands dirty with this mess. He cares about no one but himself in this entire thing.
And Jango isn’t afraid to call him out on his bullshit—while at the same time revealing something interesting about Kuro. Her parents died naturally. He didn’t intend for them to die at all, nor did he cause it, and seems the faintest bit hurt or annoyed by the implication. Perhaps he is annoyed that Jango thinks him that cold blooded, or careless, or perhaps he’s annoyed that they died without him planning on it—which foreshadows the idea that even the best laid plans can’t be overturned—but also I wonder if it suggests a little something else which we will come back to later. Jango basically says let’s not argue about this, which can sort of imply that for him, killing Kaya is pretty much the same thing—and says that Kuro needs to send the signal because the ship has been anchored over a week:
This suggests they are a pretty murderous bunch—and an apt reflection of their captain, which is still Kuro more than Jango, since it’s never implied that Jango took on any more crew himself, even for three years.
Again, it seems, Luffy isn’t paying too much attention to what’s going on. Though this certainly seems like a straightforward situation and he did react to the first mention of them murdering Kaya. So I think it’s more that he’s used to seeing big situations mostly through action. Here it’s just planning and he’s not a big planner so is getting somewhat turned around in the glut of detail. He’s not the best at following along with this kind of stuff and is basically asking Usopp to consolidate for him.
Of course, here’s the irony, if you remember Kuro said the same thing of Usopp—that he lusted after Kaya’s wealth. But also, that Usopp is really freaking concerned for his own well-being. Also to note, this entire time he’s just thinking to himself.
And now he’s freaking out and looking pretty damn horrified by it all, but also way out of his depth. He’s heard this terrible news but has no idea how to process it or even what to do with it. Of course, in those two sentences, it’s all the consolidation of what’s going on that Luffy needs and so:
Luffy’s declared his piece! And, Usopp’s face is priceless. He’s like what are you doing you idiot you’re going to get killed why my life.
As is proved here. Interesting, though, that Usopp gets caught while carelessly trying to stop Luffy from getting killed. Also note there’s nothing remotely “butlery” about Kuro’s expression or posture. Kuro demands to know if they heard anything.
Which of course spells one of the fundamental differences between Luffy and Usopp. Usopp’s first instinct is to lie even to save his skin, even if it has the smallest chance of saving his skin. There’s no way Kuro would actually fall for a lie like that, but Usopp is damn well going to try. Luffy can’t lie anyway, and there’s no point in not answering the question. Also he’s a dumbass.
Jango decides to hypnotize the:
Firstly, I love the reflection of the chakra in Jango’s glasses. It’s such great artistry. Also, previously, Jango told him to look and so Luffy is looking curiously. Usopp assumes that that thing, whatever it is, is going to kill them. Though all Jango said is that they will fall asleep. Of course, given what Usopp had heard, no one can blame him for thinking they’d die because of it and hell, for all he knows, they might sleep and then be drowned or something. Either way he’s hiding from it.
There is a great mirror here. Usopp is looking back, concerned about Luffy’s well being, and Khaladore catches Jango easily with one hand. Khaladore could have very easily let Jango fall over. Yet he didn’t. Curious.
Also an example of someone's own weapon coming back and biting them in the ass.
And then this, I love the height of the thing, the sense of falling— Also note, Usopp charging after him trying to catch him, and his expression after he hits the ground.
Usopp is a goodhearted guy and is freaking out over Luffy’s supposed death. He has no idea what to do about this and it’s probably the first kind of violent death he’s seen.
Jango, too, is interesting here, because you get the sense again that he’s really not up for the whole killing people thing—even if he was once. There’s the sense that he’d rather avoid unnecessary death if he can, but also he feels if he’s in for a penny, he’s in in for a pound. Also Kuro shows an interesting conflict as he answers Jango’s question.
He goes on to tell Jango to attack some houses in the village as well to make it look like a raid and then to go kill Kaya. Tomorrow.
Tying these two images together, you can definitely see that Kuro is tormenting Usopp on purpose, like pulling the wings off a fly. Kuro is both demonstrating to himself how pathetic Usopp is, and how strong his own plans are. Also, that Usopp isn’t even worth killing. But—there’s also something else. His expression after the direct question is kind of inward, as if he’s saying no because he doesn’t want to see Usopp killed. And then in telling Jango his plans, he bolsters himself to be the smirking bastard we see on the bottom right.
At any rate, Usopp bolts. And we’ll take a whole page here:
This is basically the core of Usopp right here. He loves his village. He cares for Kaya. Right now, they are his treasure and he doesn’t know how to protect it. He doesn’t feel like he really has the capacity to protect it and it’s frustrating and there’s very much the sense that he feels hopeless. But the person he remembers most is Kaya. Meeting her and how much she’s gone through. Also look how angry she is with him. She’s nothing like the Kaya we see in the present. Of course she was deep in mourning for her parents, but Usopp tells her not to be afraid. He’s just a super compassionate guy who understands other people better than he understands himself. Having lost his own mother, he recognizes how hard it must be for her…and probably understands how isolated she is all by herself. Also, he does nose into other people’s business, but it’s never for cruel or hurtful reasons, mostly he just wants to help where he can.
As he goes running, he tears by the kids, Nami and Zoro without really having seen them. And there’s a little moment of Zoro characterization here.
Firstly, he notices Luffy isn’t there.
Secondly, he doesn’t know why Usopp is mad, nor does he care why Usopp is mad. Usopp is not any part of his concern. Also, look how well the Usopp Pirates know their captain. On the same token, Zoro knows his captain, too. If Usopp is panicking and Luffy isn’t there, it might mean he’s involved with something, so Zoro’s going to check it out.
So of course, Zoro wants to get to the shore to figure out what the hell Luffy is into, and if, possibly, he needs help. I love the Usopp pirate group galvanizing into action and Zoro just not caring because...he doesn’t a whole lot. We’ll see this more with Zoro. Crew, though right now, his captain is his main priority. The rest can take care of itself or doesn’t matter. His job is to make sure that Luffy isn’t trapped in some stupid cage again and is sort of impatient with other people holding him up.
Usopp charges through the village, trying to get the people to believe him that the pirates are attacking, in a true ‘boy who cried wolf’ scenario, the villagers don’t believe him and are angry with him.
Consequences=actions. You spend your whole life lying about the same thing and people tend not to believe you. Khaladore is honest because he generally is, and he spent time gaining their trust while Usopp took it for granted. One on hand, it’s sort of understandable. Yeah he was lying and teasing the, but he’s a kid and they’re adults and it’s fine for kids to tease them. But it’s a pretty serious situation he was crying out every day to make them react, and they are no longer in the playground.
Now, look at this. Even though he realizes it’s going to be a wasted effort, he tries anyway. In this case, actions speak louder than words and actions have consequences. Khaladore acted completely trustworthy for three years, while Usopp lied daily for longer… But the inherent sadness in this goes back to the fact that, as we’ll see, Carrot, Onion and Pepper know better. Usopp has to actively lie to them to protect them.
For the people of the village, who have undoubtedly seen Usopp grow up, the fact that they don’t believe him despite the franticness of his nature once again shows their relative disinterest in him. I don’t think they are cruel people and while there is a certain fondness, they certainly don’t have a close relationship with him. I also wonder if it’s a case of child vs adult. They still see Usopp as a kid who can be irresponsible, and Khaladore is very much an adult and the responsible one.
At any rate, we’ll leave this here at the beginning of Usopp’s character arc, right before the shit really hits the fan.
Themes
Words Are Power: But actions are louder. While in the last part we discussed how Usopp lied and Kuro told the truth, in this part it’s flipped. Usopp’s actions show the truth of his nature, Kuro’s show the lies of his.
For Usopp, while regrettable that he was provoked into punching Kuro, the foundation of his anger was from an honest place—defending his father’s name who wasn’t here to do it for himself. Going to sit by himself afterwards showed that he was more hurt that he let on. Hiding from something he knows is dangerous, and even running away, shows that he has a healthy sense of self preservation—but at the same time, reaching out for Luffy as he fell and going to tell the villagers anyway, even if he won’t be believed, shows that he cares for people and has a protective nature, even if he doesn’t have the resources to back it up.
The truth of his actions are also reflected in his crew, who understand him based on what they’ve seen him do, not only what he says, because they’ve seen him lie and know he does, and yet have unshakable faith in him—moreso as we’ll see.
Kuro’s actions are based almost completely on lies and deceit. He worked up to being trusted. He allowed Usopp to hit him. He’s slumping and woeful as he speaks sadly of Kaya’s parents, manipulating her kindheartedness, but then ramrod straight when he doesn’t want to get into the conversation. With Jango it’s as if he’s an entirely different person, fulfilling the role of the moment. And we come to see that even this is a deceit on some level, as it is now, it still is. He acts like the captain, though he claims he isn’t and he promises what he doesn’t intend to deliver to secure Jango’s help.
Along with that, we haven’t seen Kuro’s crew yet, but from what we have seen, his crew’s actions reflect the truth of him. It is implied that they are violent and bloodthirsty. Jango himself is a direct contrast to Kuro, blunt and calling things what they are, to Kuro’s changing the words around to something softer. In a way he can be said to be the honesty of Kuro, both in his own agreement to kill Kaya, but in his regret in having killed someone he didn’t intend to.
Responsibility:
There’s a really interesting mirror in these chapters in responsibility/irresponsibility. Where responsibility is coded as good, even if it can be used against you. (and also inevitable, but we’ll get into that later)
Kaya takes responsibility for Khaladore’s apparent distress after she allowed Usopp on the grounds. She takes responsibility for Khaladore’s welfare and the inherited will of her parents and inherited apparent gratitude that Khaladore had. In reality, regardless of being sick, as the mistress of a house, she has more than herself to look after.
In direct contrast, Kuro foists off responsibility and by extension, blame, wherever he can. He makes things the faults of others so that he never has to pay for anything that he does. We’ll see more applications of this later and certainly tie it into the arc as a whole.
The World is a Hard Place:
The Syrup Island arc is perhaps the most normal of the arcs that we’ve seen when directly compared to the real world—and it also has the hardness of the real world. Kaya’s parents died. Not through some pirate attack or waylaid plan, naturally, Kuro said, implying some sickness. Usopp’s father ran off and his mother died through illness. This stuff happens in the real world and people have to go on in spite of that, yet it definitely shapes who they become. As Usopp said, even wealthy people aren’t exempt from heartache. But alongside that, even strong people aren’t exempt from normal every day grief. Kuina died just from falling down the steps. Why do I mention strength? Well because of how strength is coded in shonen series in general. Strong in the sense of fighting=good. But no matter how strong you are, you can’t predict the unpredictable and sometimes people die in simple ways.
Also, yes, Luffy would have died were he not rubber. Everyone was sure he was dead. And this is not some case of the shonen hero coming out of the rubble full of grit and blood, though we certainly see that. No, it’s a case of Luffy surviving because of who he is—and that it is what makes him the game changer.
Characters:
Usopp: These two parts have laid the groundwork for Usopp’s nature, and this part, his core. His most honest self is friendly and warm natured, someone who understands people at least in terms of shared experience and grief, someone who is afraid of, tbh, scary things and would really like to avoid them if he can, but who is ultimately protective of those he cares about. His pride of others is high, but for himself is pretty low.
Kaya: Even while she is a boxed daughter in a sense, hidden behind the walls and kept from things, expected to be obedient through responsibility to Khaladore, she is nevertheless her own person. She enjoys words, but is not fooled by them, instead judging others through their actions. Usopp had been nothing but kind so she doesn’t believe he’s as scummy as Khaladore suggests. Khaladore has been there for her for three years and probably one of the few direct connections to her parents she has, and has been nothing but kind, so she can’t believe he wasn’t acting out of her best interests. She’s responsible and brave enough to stand up for the truth as she sees it, trying to mediate between the two to the best of her ability. And while she doesn’t like violence, I believe it stems from not wanting to see the two people she cares about most hurting each other.
Kuro: Is deceitful and cold, but a strange consequence is catching up to him anyway, as we’ll see in the next part.
Relationships
As more crew are added, it’s important to begin to study the nature of the relationships that are formed and how they progress. For the most part, these will mostly focus on the Straw Hats themselves as the world is huge and relationships are complex across the board. Though I will diverge if I find it necessary. (Also let it be said the x doesn’t denote shipping.)
Luffy x Usopp: As you can see right from the start, their relationship told in body language is starting out as a pretty close one. They have more or less the same maturity level, both are kids at heart and, really, both are finding their way in the world. Usopp really brings out the young side to Luffy and Luffy’s presence helps relax Usopp into a kind of honesty. Yes, he does and will lie around Luffy but it’s more of a: let me tell you a story, lie then, I’m secretly great and awesome so validate me, lie.
Zoro to Luffy: While loyal and protective of his captain, it’s more of a working relationship at the moment. Which isn’t to say they aren’t close and won’t get closer, they’re still feeling each other out in their own, slow, see what happens way. Though despite the seeming distance of their relationship, even as it stands now, don't forget that Zoro has risked his life to help Luffy more than once and trusts him completely.
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Date: 2014-06-11 08:13 pm (UTC)Oh, yes. Absolutely.
Wow! I only now realised that this whole time, even after rereading this arc many times, I've kept misremembering what happened to Kaya's parents. Not that Kuro was innocent, that stuck in my mind, but for whatever reason I thought they perished in an accident at sea (somewhere close to the island). But no, I checked my copy now and Usopp really did say it was a disease. Weird how the mind works.
But also something subtle which we’ve seen throughout Luffy/Usopp interactions which is their closeness. Usopp has wrapped an arm around Luffy’s shoulders, though true it was to claim him for his own pirate group—they’ve sat side by side in relaxation and now are lying down, close beside each other, watching the scene unfold. It’s important because it, combined with a sort of shared history and definite shared age, shows that they are peers—but also that we can see that even now Usopp has the capacity to be friends with Luffy in the traditional sense. Of course Zoro (and Nami eventually) are his friends too, both in the comrade sense and actual friends sense, but Zoro we’ve seen, is pretty chill hanging out by himself. He’s older than Luffy, comes from a different background, and, as I said, is a much different person. But where Zoro is the mature one, Usopp is the kind of guy that Luffy can sprawl next to and trade Pokemon cards with.
Very true. (Ah, they're so adorkable together already. ♥) There are some things that Zoro gets more about Luffy than anyone else does, and their unspoken understanding is quite special. But Luffy and Usopp have that physical rapport right from the start. Zoro, Nami and most everyone else take a bit longer for that, I think.
no subject
Date: 2014-06-11 09:36 pm (UTC)