Baratie Arc: Part III

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In this part we will see the lengths Sanji is willing to go for what he believes in, the length Zeff is willing to go for what Sanji believes in--what Don Krieg is willing to do to get fed and Gin... poor poor Gin...


When we last left off, Sanji was dragging Luffy away to go back to work. Two days after that (according to a panel not shown) Don Krieg arrives.




This just to reinforce that flags say a lot about the kind of crew that sails under it. In this case, the people at the restaurant give us a very clear idea about what the flag means. The hourglasses being a threat, of course, because it shows that their time is running out. Maybe doubly fast. But also note the projections on either side of the skull that kind of look like fins. They aren’t fins, of course, but armor and we’ll definitely see how that plays into Krieg’s personality. Overall this is not a flag that promises a battle, but simply promises death about as hardcore as Krieg can make it.

Of course there are different reactions to Krieg’s arrival. The customers are a little freaked out, naturally. You can really see ‘aw shit’ written in the fluffy haired guy’s face.



The cooks are also freaking out. That’s what comes from bravado and being able to beat up someone starving. Patty is shaking in his boots literally. Both Carne and …the other guy, are freaking out and basically telling Patty, ‘we told you so!’. Also passing the blame is something that occurs often in this arc. Here, of course, they’re essentially telling him he done screwed up. Though of course I don’t think Carne expects Patty to actually go chase them off.



On the Merry we have a whole bunch of reactions.

While it’s difficult to know for sure how much Usopp knows about this Krieg guy, it’s not beyond the realm of the imagination that he knows a fair amount, being a pirate fan that he is. Also Usopp is a talkative guy so I can imagine him finding out from someone else—likely Johnny and Yosaku. Also interesting to note, this is another close encounter for Usopp. Meaning, so far since he left Syrup, there have been threats of a huge fight (Johnny attacking and Fullbody specifically) but Usopp hasn’t yet had to get involved. He’s also so not ready to get involved. He’d like to exit stage left, please and thanks.

Nami is freaking out in the background… though if you note, she’s on the upper level. So she’s not just standing and gripping the bars but literally hanging there, caught between hiding and looking away. Nami certainly knows the threat that Krieg poses, especially in her career. She would also like to exit stage left, please and thanks, but in her case she’d like to take the ship with her.

Johnny and Yosaku are of course freaking out because it’s Don freaking Krieg and even though they could be a frog’s hair away from beating him when they are at full strength, right now they are decidedly not so can they please get going they don’t want to die.

Zoro—he’s probably at least heard of Krieg. It’s hard to imagine not being a bounty hunter, former or otherwise. But we know that the ship is pretty damn wrecked, so he’s not particulary stressed about it. There are no worry lines or stress. That being said, he’s not unprepared. He has his hand on Wado and is focused on the ship; ready for action should it come.




Luffy comes off a little naïve here. Krieg definitely doesn’t have that kind of reputation. But of course the only person Luffy knows in this whole situation is Gin and Gin is a good guy, Luffy knows this. So why not assume that Gin is coming back to say thanks? Also I love his expression. He is so damn excited to see such a big ship.

Sanji isn’t particularly worried either. He doesn’t know what’s going on, though I think he knows Krieg’s position well enough on the seas that Gin’s not coming to just say thanks. But he takes in the full situation of the ship. This is important, because like Zoro, he’s not worried at this moment at what might happen in regards to Kreig’s reputation, but what is right in front of him.



Zeff, too, is taking in the ship, looking puzzled as to what may have happened to it—but I think that he also has suspicions of what it may be. So his expression reads to me as ‘that looks familiar. Could it be…?’




And holy shit is it a big ship. Look at that thing! It’s towering! The figurehead is fierce and it really looks intimidating as hell… And it’s also a complete wreck. Almost as if the size and power of the ship doesn’t make a difference. Hmm.




First let’s look at Sanji. This is showing us that he knows the sea. He knows the power and strength of galleons and what might have happened to it. But more important, look at his face when he says it. Whereas he was calm even knowing it was Krieg’s ship, here the tension is back in his face, he’s grinding down on his cigarette and sweating. Natural disasters really ping him, I think, remembering his own situation. Also, man, it’s really humbling when you think about it. No matter how big the galleon, the sea is stronger and there’s not a ship that can’t sink.

Luffy is pulled in a bit to Sanji’s slightly tense mood which you can tell in his body language, the faint frown, his hands on his hips. It’s difficult to say what he’s thinking, of course, but I think it’s something like: “Hmm, yep. That’s a pretty wrecked ship. It still looks pretty awesome, though.”




There’s such a great sense of atmosphere and tension here, too. All we see here (and in the panel directly above) is a hunched shadow. We know that Krieg is a badass, but we havne’t seen him and all we’re doing is relying on the reactions of others to tell the story. Patty and Carne are still freaking out a little but Patty notices that something is off here. Even the customers are like… what…are we seeing exactly.

Also of note, the curly brow design on the doors, and the customer on the right, rocking a shirt vaguely reminiscent of Mihawk.




Also, look at this. Krieg matches his ship in terms of size and sheer presence. Even wrecked, that ship commands a certain amount of respect and fear and here it’s no different. You can see how tough he must be and unlike the pirate captains before, Buggy, Kuro and Alvida, you can definitely tell this guy is going to be strong as hell. Also, completely opposite of Gin, he says he’s sorry for intruding and offering to pay for food, whereas Gin shot a guy, came in and demanded it. So Krieg looks like a better guy.

Only we know what an asshole Krieg is so let’s look at this from a character perspective. Right from the start he knows just the right words to say to people. He knows how make a presentation just how he wants it. Massive, but humble. Saying he’s going to pay so they can’t just chuck him out in his ear before he even gets started. Apologizing for intruding because that elevates people that might be intimidated by his size. In other words, they are the bigger person, looking down on this strong pirate brought low by circumstances and who might not be as strong as he thinks he is when it comes to the sea. So they can gloat (or feel compassion) in feeding someone they would otherwise have been bullied/killed by.

In any case, Kreig is appearing with a DON because it’s a great entrance and Krieg is a consummate actor.

Also Gin. He’s supporting his captain… but look at his face. There is nothing happy about that expression. I think it’s probably a split between knowing what the Baratie can be like and that he might be welcomed here, considering what happened last time. Though Sanji’s presence may ameliorate that somewhat, he’s still going to be pretty cautious.



Compare and contrast –

Patty and Carne’s expectations have been jounced. Carne can’t believe what he’s seeing but Patty is making a dangerous assumption. It’s one thing to take in the situation, but it’s another to assume some guy is weak just because he is worn-out looking in one instance. Especially since Patty uses that assumption in what Krieg is really like in how he treats the man.

On the other hand, Luffy just says he looks like he’s starving. He doesn’t assume he is—just that that’s what that appears. Sanji’s having a moment. His words are mild, but his expression says it all. Look at the concern lines around his eyebrow and the sweat. He’s like shit this guy is starving. And he feels so much empathy for that situation. How can he not? It’s like seeing the most terrible point of his life again.


At any rate, Krieg gasps and collapses.



Aww, Gin, baby, you deserve a much better captain than that. Look how loyal he is to the guy. He’s begging them to save his Captain. Not Don Krieg. But his Captain. The guy that means the most to him right now. And ah, it’s pretty heartbreaking. Gin can read people’s expressions. The customers have no interest in saving him they’re either closed off, like the woman or sweating a little like the guy, I think feeling bad about it but that’s Don freaking Krieg.

Gin’s face is just tragic. He’s desperate. This is a long shot and it looks like things are turning against him but he has to make it work because he can’t lose his Captain. Someone has gotta help. Please. He’s such an authentic guy.

Also, just to note, while I said Krieg was a consummate actor, I don’t think he’s acting here. He really is at the limits of his strength.




And Patty shows that he's a jerk, but a jerk with bravado. It’s easy to get confidence when the other guy is obviously starving and at his lowest point with his ship in a complete mess.



Gin is pissed. He’s doing things how you said they worked. Don’t change tunes on him now.
As for Patty, there are several things going on here and it’s actually pretty complex, so let’s look at negatives (- - ) and positives (++)

(- - )Firstly, he is drunk on power. Krieg is at his weakest so Patty decides not only not to feed him but to keep him there and call the Marines. It’s pretty damn presumptuous of him, especially as he has no idea how many men Krieg has with him. All he sees is a chance to take advantage of the situation.
(++) Yeah this is actually not a bad idea. Phrasing aside? Krieg is not a good dude and let’s not forget that. Even if he’s weaker then assumed, he’s still a pretty terrible guy. It’s a good opportunity to get this kind of scourge off the seas t stop him from hurting people.

(--) Patty says his conviction is customer service and the customer is love. Gin even shot a guy and Patty was willing to give him food should he pay. Krieg has done nothing yet to the Baratie and despite having money, he’s already discounted from being a customer by very virtue of his reputation. Patty’s conviction isn’t followed through all the way, in other words.
(++) It’s easy, especially in a shonen manga which is all about conviction, to go pshaw what a loser. But really, it’s a more pragmatic view of things. Yeah he’ll serve anyone but he’s not going to serve a guy like Krieg. Granted I think he’s doing a lot of this mostly because he can and Krieg can’t fight back, but again there’s an element of knowing Krieg is actually a terrible guy.

(--)Patty is very much falling into the same groove as Fullbody. It’s somehow even worse. Who knows how long the Navy will take to show up? It could be a few hours, it could be a day. (given that it’s the sea, it’s certainly not just going to be a fifteen minute jaunt) They’re going to keep Krieg there, in a restaurant, and go further to punish him by not feeding him a thing. Not even old food or bad food. No food. At all. Even though he is literally starving to death right there.
(++) Again, though, it’s fairly pragmatic, given what level a threat Krieg is.




And it goes further here. The customers and cooks have slightly different concerns. The customers are mostly concerned with making him pay for what he’s done. Especially for the rich looking mustachioed guy. It’s sort of like mob rule right here. For him, it seems that he doesn’t even care if the Navy gets there or not. It’s not important that Krieg receive due process but that he die right there after all he’s done. And, yes, there’s some aspect of this that you can sympathize with. But let’s think about this, at this juncture, we don’t know that Krieg is a shit. What if was the victim of false rumor? This would be a pretty terrible thing to go through.

The cooks on the other hand are more concerned with keeping the Baratie in one piece. This is understandable. At least for Stitchstache, it seems that what most concerns him is keeping Kreig from attacking. It’s not malice, just business, and recognizing Krieg’s strength in comparison to them. It’s harsh yes but it comes from a place of fear rather than punishment.




Krieg is a clever bastard. He lets Patty be on the top and puts himself on the bottom, promising he’ll be good and begging for help. All his words are used to create an advantage for himself, to lull Patty into a false sense of security. Granted he’s coming from a place of desperation right now. Gin can’t stand it. Krieg is the strongest person he knows and everything he is is tied up into Krieg and Krieg’s strength. But I also think he really cares for Krieg as a person and cant’ stand to see him in the same place Gin once was, bowing to this bastard and so desperate for food he’d lower his head. It’s hard to see someone you admire and care for in this position. Also Gin fully believes in Krieg’s dream of greatness and this is completely against that.




Even the customers are being pulled by their sympathy. They may not like Krieg (though I doubt any of them have been affected by him before this) but to see a guy once so strong now desperate and scraping. It’s like they’re about to break and give in or at least feel like shit about it.
Gin is breaking down about this. He hates this so much. He literally can’t contain how much misery this causes him and how much it hurts. There is nothing about him that is an act.
Patty sees through it a bit, even though I think there’s a modicum of doubt, he’s still a tough guy who stands by what he says and isn’t inclined to give Krieg an inch.

Also, incoming...



Bam. Right in the face. It’s interesting, too, that he’d go straight for that. Compare it to Gin who shot a guy because he assumed there was no other way to get food. Sanji kicked Patty out of the way—but in this case it’s because he knows him and how he is…and we know him at this point, too. Would he have stepped out of the way had Sanji asked or stood there and argued? No, Patty always has to be on top so the most expedient way for Sanji to do what he does is to knock him aside. He’s not interested in a pissing contest.

Also Gin’s expression. You can’t really see it but he seems happy and relieved that Sanji is serving Krieg. Krieg just seems kind of stunned. Like he wasn’t expecting things to work out this way.



I think Krieg’s appreciation really is sincere and right now he’s just super relieved. Inasmuch as it was an act to get them to feed him, he really was desperately hungry and to be able to eat after so long, of course he would be in tears.

But damn, son. The next panel over? You can get from Sanji’s expression that he knows he’s in for a fight. I think he’s petty much aware of what kind of guy Krieg is but, whether the rumors are true or not, he’s going to feed him.

As for what Carne has to say, let’s take a full page.



This is (half) the measure of Krieg’s strength. Deceit. Lulling people into a false sense of security and then taking what he wants. This is why he’s horrible, too. To pretend to surrender is one thing—but to act like a Marine? Someone who people put stock in for protection and hope and then turning it against them? And you can tell just from the imagery that Krieg is pretty freaking brutal about it, too. He takes no prisoners. In terms of pirates we’ve met in the East Blue, I’d put him at the very bottom of the list of terrible guys. (the bottom being the worst). But deceit is not strength. Deciet is very much cheating and relies on the other side being deceived, but also that they won’t be able to rally once the deception is discovered. If either of those aspects fail, Kreig is in trouble. (though he does have a contingency plan).

Here, too, Carne is assuming what Krieg is going to do. In this case an assumption is the safe choice, and, to make it plain, there is nothing wrong with making the safe choice. The cooks on the Baratie did not, after all, sign up to be pirates. They want to serve food to customers. They don’t want the restaurant, their home, to be destroyed. And in keeping Krieg weak to do it? That’s just fine. They don’t consider themselves strong enough to fight him being an asshole at them. Though Carne, too, is assuring that Krieg dying is the best thing to happen.

Krieg’s expression, too, is dark. Now we can say, of course he was planning to deceive them all along. But then again that may not be true. It could be he was just going to leave, but being exposed as what he is galvanized him into action and living up to his own reputation. It’s not made clear his true intent one way or the other, but I think it’s important to acknowledge that there may well be another reason. That being said, I think that it’s certainly more the case that he’d planned this from the start.



In either case, he drops the act in an instant and knocks Sanji away brutally. It could be he’s just an asshole taking advantage. Though it could be, too, that he was giving himself some breathing room since everyone is out to kill him and he saw how Sanji kicked Patty like it was no thing. Knocking Sanji out of range means not getting whacked himself. It could be a combination of both. Again, there’s nothing to say for sure but looking at different factors/motivations is a good idea. (not that I’m saying it excuses anything. )

Luffy’s like “oh crap!” He didn’t see that coming at all and is completely shocked. One of the cooks is shocked too, but Carne has his teeth gritted like “hell, I knew this would happen”
And Gin. That expression. It’s a mix of “Captain, nooo!” and “How could you?” and “Sanji!”. Like even he didn’t see this coming so brutally, even knowing Krieg’s character as he does, and on top of that, bringing Krieg here was his fault and I think that he knows Krieg doing this means worse is going to come and he’s utterly betrayed the guy that had helped him when he had no reason to. Gin is having a pretty hard day in other words.



There’s actually a lot to unpack here.

First, you get the sense (and will see later) that Krieg is not the kind of guy who likes being told what to do or even being implored to go against something he wants to do. The fact that he was desperate enough to make a promise (whether or not he intended on keeping it) probably galled the hell out of him.

Adding to that, despite Gin being his subordinate, Gin pretty much gave him an ultimatum. Don’t promise, don’t get fed. Even if that wasn’t his words exactly, it definitely put Gin in a position of power over Krieg and now Krieg, having bowed and scraped, likely has a need to reassert his dominance.

Adding to that, Gin is still trying to implore him to stop. Tell him what he’s doing is wrong and trying to stop Krieg in doing what he’s doing. It’s almost as if Gin’s loyalties are becoming divided.

But I think it also shows that he understands Gin’s value as a commander and is appreciative in his own way of the guy bringing him here, because he just crunches his shoulder in punishment rather than outright killing him.

Back to Gin, though, the power of his sense of gratitude is pretty strong. Krieg is his captain and he cares about him a great deal. Krieg is probably the only thing he has in the world really. But he’s still willing to stand up to him to his own detriment to stop Krieg from tossing aside Sanji’s compassion, which means even more because Sanji too acts to his own detriment.



Luffy is kind of pissed. He’s not sure what’s going on but he likes Gin so he doesn’t like to see him get hurt. On the other hand it’s Gin’s captain so it’s kind of a complicated situation. Also Carne ready to bolt and the customers already bolting.

And Sanji? Yeah he knew. Or at least he had a sense that this would happen. He’s smirking to show that he wasn’t fooled at all, and to present himself as a badass who doesn’t give a fuck. But look at his whole expression. Even if you just cover up his mouth, his eye is tense and worried. He’s sweating. They’re in deep shit and he knows it and he knows it’s because of him that they’re in deep shit.

At any rate, Krieg says he’s going to be taking the restaurant now.

As we go into Chapter 47, the Krieg is standing in the Baratie, Patty, Sanji and Gin are down for the moment with Luffy and the cooks still watching Krieg. Carne said I told you so. The customers are fleeing to their boat and Patty is starting to come to.



Being Gin is suffering. But he’s still reminding Krieg, trying to get him to follow his promise…even though I’m pretty sure at this point he knows it’s a no go.

Luffy is pretty much only concerned with Gin right now. He’s not happy with the way things are turning out but it’s not the kind of situation that can be resolved by punching anything. At least not yet. I also love Sanji’s expression as he rises. His own bravado smirk is gone and he’s letting out a puff of air, wondering what’s going to happen next and knowing it’s not going to be good.

The cooks are ready for a fight while some of the customers are fleeing.

Patty comes to and freaks out a bit when he sees Krieg standing.



Being full with a don. And again, acting I think. While it could be construed as some sort of mercy, he’s also playing into people’s expectations of him. They think he is strong and so he is strong, using sheer intimidation and words to get them off the ship. Could he take them all on? Probably not. At least not in the state his guys are in. But he’s acting like he has everything under control without really much to show for it.

Krieg reveals that he has a hundred subordinates on his ship, critically wounded and starving, and…




Look at these poor bastards. No food, more importantly, no water, and just lying around. Who can say whose even dead. This hits home that the world in and of itself is as brutal as hell. Leaving aside the whys and wherefors for now, this shows that no matter how strong you are, you can’t survive without food and water. A crew of the strongest of the East Blue (so they say) is slowly dying just because they don’t have the simplest of things. Water. Bread. And it’s a hard, horrible way to go.

He orders the crew of the Baratie to give him food and water for them. Carne refuses because he’s not going to feed the dog that he knows is going to bite his hand later.



Again, he’s using the power of his reputation and words. What’s he going to do if they don’t? What can he do if they don’t? Not much. It’d be a hell of a fight for him and there is no saying he would win. So he’s basically trying to intimidate them into doing what he wants and hoping they don’t look past the surface. It’s presentation and bravado, but as if right now? Not much else.



The cooks are intimidated just by that. Which is understandable. Krieg has a hell of a presence.
Being Gin is suffering. He knows he can’t win the battle and apologizing is the only thing he can do at this point. Even he’s intimidated by Krieg’s presence.

Blame is shifted yet again as Patty tells Sanji it’s his fault—and he’s not wrong. It’s been Sanji’s fault ever since he fed Gin to begin with.



Wise choice, Krieg says, but there is nothing in Sanji’s stance that says he’s intimidated. And we know Sanji well enough even from this point in the story to get the sense that he does what he wants and is not the kind to follow orders if he doesn’t want to. Looking first at the reactions though, it’s so interesting.

The cooks are outraged of course.

Gin is like…he can’t believe it. That Sanji would be A) intimidated by Krieg and B) do something like this when it was obviously against everyone’s detriment.
Krieg is self-assured. He’s got this. Yeah that bastard is intimidated alright. Though in reality, he doesn’t understand anything.

And Luffy… he doesn’t really know what Sanji is up to. I imagine that he knows this seems out of character for Sanji but isn’t shocked or anything, just mildly surprised, however seeing what Sanji will do rather than laying assumptions on him.

But let’s go back a few steps to Sanji. Why did he say that? He didn’t have to answer Patty after all. He could have waited until Krieg was in a situation much like Gin had been and fed him on the sly. Granted it would have been harder but not impossible.

I think he says so because it is his conviction to feed someone who is hungry and he’s not ashamed of it.



But look at his expression as he’s surrounded. He’s surprised a bit, judging by the exclamation mark, but not that surprised. His face is calm, his pose is his usual, hands in pockets, hips cocked forward as if prepared for action, but relaxed enough so that you get the sense that he’s not going to take it. This is his “resting pose” So what does it mean? Well let’s see. (but also look at the different poses of the cooks. The one with the hand on his hip seeming like, I don’t wanna do this kid but it’s for all our own good. The one just pointing at him with a frown. The one with a scowl but his eyes are hooded. )

Aside from what Sanji’s intentions are, I think this says something about how the relationship is in the Baratie between Sanji and the cooks. They don’t really know him. They don’t know his convictions or what he stands for. They don’t know the real relationship between him and Zeff. I think they care for him, there’s no doubt about that—but not enough to put their home and lives in danger by doing something so recklessly stupid. Especially when there is no doubt about the outcome. I don’t think they would really kill him, though. Mostly, I think they’re attempting to intimidate him into not doing it and show how serious they are about this. (Also I mean, this is One Piece, you could be riddled with bullets and not die.)



Here, they say as much. Though what they are also saying is that they think he’s doing this just to be badass. I don’t think that they think that he is intimidated either. I don’t think they know what he is doing but nor do they care. Sanji takes all what they say and I am sure that he listens to them but his expression remains blasé throughout.

Because look at the bottom panel. It could be that he’s calling their bluff. That he doesn’t expect them to hurt him, or if they do, he’ll still be able to go on. But also I think that in some way Sanji may even be counting n them to stop him. He cannot and will not go against his conviction of feeding people. He knows that about himself. He knows what a flaw it is and can be. Moreover he knows what Krieg is capable of. He knows the Baratie is in danger and that it is Zeff’s dream and how much he owes Zeff to keep it afloat and to keep things going. He knows all of this—but he can’t stop himself and would rather die than stop himself. He doesn’t know what they will do but he is giving them the opportunity to do it. If it was anything otherwise, I think, he would have stopped them. He’s more than capable of kicking the shit out of them even with guns aimed at his face.



Again reinforcing the point. Sanji knows what terrible people they are. He knows that this is a bad idea. But he is putting his life (or at least his unperforated state) on the line by standing up to them for what he believes in. And look at his grin there. He believes in this whole heartedly, but there’s stress there, his eyes are shadowed. Not only does he know it’s wrong but he really doesn’t want to get shot—he wants them to stop him I think on some level, but I think there’s a definite fear there, too.

Also Luffy’s expression, of course. Surprised at the strength of his words I think, but taking them in, absorbing what he says and who he is as a person by what he says and what he does.




And, of course, this is Sanji’s conviction, stated plainly. The ideal cook. He’s one of few characters (and perhaps the only one) to have their conviction stated right out in the open like this. The one thing he won’t back down on or change. It’s much like Luffy never taking a step back when he fights an enemy. He’s always driving forward. But this kind of conviction is both a strength and a weakness as you see right here. It’s not practical or pragmatic and will hurt more than it helps, but he’ll follow it anyway. I think in a sense, Sanji is also trying to convince them, too. Because this conviction is tied up with his passion in cooking and they’re cooks, too, so wouldn’t they want to do the ideal thing?

However before anyone can say anything, Patty clocks Sanji from behind and tells the others to hold him down. This seems like a pretty harsh move on the outset, and it sort of is, but he’s protecting Sanji from getting shot at—not all these cooks know him as well as Patty does. And how well does Patty know him?



Maybe well, maybe not. But it doesn’t matter because they have an understanding. Patty really shines here. He follows his own conviction (even if not the 110% way Sanji does) and lets Sanji follow his to a point. And he’s not even saying who is right and who is wrong. That’s a pretty strong thing to say! He recognizes conviction for what it is. And you can kind of understand where Patty is coming from. This is not the time to be ideal but the time to protect what is theirs. Sanji is kind of trapped. He knows the risk of going forward but can’t step back. He knows Patty is right on this level but as long as he’s conscious he can’t know about people that are hungry and not feed them.



Yeah, Krieg. Patty is no slouch. He’s saw right through you, Krieg, and he’s more than prepared to take care of you. Though of course it won’t be very effective, but that Patty realize they’re still at an advantage and can use it to protect something that he cares about. Anyway, Patty fires a meatball cannon at him which has a heavy impact and sends Krieg flying back—and do we need another reminder of how much Gin cares for this guy? No? Well have one anyway. Krieg has just been sent careening back and:



Yeah he feels things and he feels them hard. He does not want this guy to die. I am just fascinated by Gin’s emotions over this because it’s like really can’t hold anything back—in a sort of direct mirror to Sanji.

At any rate, Krieg is blasted back into the railing. They think he’s down for the count. There’s this pleasant exchange:



Man, that is pretty harsh there Patty. Leaving aside the concept of just desserts (because while the Krieg crew may be indeed as terrible as is rumored, who gets to decide the punishment mete out?) it’s certainly a sign of Patty once again showing he’s the dominant one in this situation. So dominant that if he wanted to roast those suckers alive, he very well could. Whether he means it (as in would actually follow through) is immaterial, but this is most significant in showing the world and harshness of the world Sanji spent his adolescence in. He was certainly influenced by Patty and men like him showing him this is what men think and do and how they speak. You can see some of that harshness later on, but somewhat opposite of Usopp’s chapter where words were used to manipulate others—here words are used to convey a certain presentation and posturing. A man has to have 1000% confidence. In this world, as was said, body language is so much more important.

So speaking of body language in just these two panels, what do we see? Patty is super confident, smirking, trying to get a reaction—either horror (from Krieg or Gin) or ‘you’re so cool, Patty-senpai!’ from anyone else. Sanji’s expression is mild and you could take it to mean that he’s just asking. But considering how much he was willing to sacrifice to feed these guys, my take on it is that his expression is more a carefully controlled neutral. He can’t be dominant in this situation (and in a sense, as I said, doesn’t want to be because dominance could well equal the destruction of the Baratie) but he can at least control how he’s viewed. In other words, asking without appearing overtly worried or annoyed.


At any rate Krieg gets back up in his shiny gold armor. Everyone is astonished. Patty is shocked to see him standing, but nevertheless leads his fellow cooks in a charge. They all get shot to shit by the guns in Krieg’s armor.




Sanji has gone straight from blasé to freaking out. It’s such an odd expression to see from him because he’s not angry, not exactly. I think it’s a combination of the sudden appearance of guns/the shock of the cooks being shot/maybe even a sting of guilt at what he’s brought about. And of course if Sanji is feeling guilt, than Gin is ten fold, once again, trying to hide his emotions behind his headband, frustrated and upset as fuck at Don Krieg’s actions.




Here, Krieg talks about his ideal of strength and what he considers strong. First of all, from what we can read right here, the primary indicator of strength is physical. Though not necessarily his physique, which is indeed impressive, but the armor and what it represents. Power. Impenetrability. Adding on to this he says that his diamond encrusted fists can pulverize any enemy and that his body is a finely tuned weapon. We’ll come back to that, later. But let’s look at another aspect of Krieg’s idea of strength.



Another aspect of strength is his 50 ships and 5000 men. So he definitely has man and fire power.

We’ll deconstruct Krieg’s claims in detail in the end of the arc, but before we move on, let’s look a moment at “No one more worthy of the title of Don”. Don generally means ‘lord’ but it also can be used to signify a mafia leader. That doesn’t really jive well together when you think about it. When I think of a mafia lord, I think of a somewhat overweight guy, maybe with a gun on him, but mostly using ‘family’ in order to administer “justice” and for protection. And while Krieg certainly has the ‘family’ aspect in terms of manpower, he takes on the guarding and protecting of himself, himself. To him, therefore, the Don is the Don because he is the strongest and not necessarily because he is the family head.

Finally, let’s look at what Krieg is doing. Yeah he shot everyone up, but he can’t actually make them cook unless they choose to do so. He’s got some legs to stand on but mostly he is trying to convince them by yelling at them, terrifying them into giving him food. And granted, he’s a pretty scary guy!




Just look at the set up of this. It’s amazing. Zeff stills Krieg’s bellowing by setting the food down. Almost the whole scene is quiet. That’s just how much of a presence Zeff has. It mirrors Sanji giving Kreig food, only Zeff didn’t have to kick anyone out of the way first. He just steps in and confidently takes control of the situation. So why is Zeff doing this? There are a bunch of different facets to this action, most of which we’ll cover later, but for right now, it certainly diffuses the situation. What could have lead to a war zone and a battle inside the restaurant has been quietly ended.



Firstly, Zeff is pretty much telling Krieg what to do here. Secondly, Krieg, who was just two seconds ago bellowing about how he was so much stronger than everyone else, is sweating and his pupils constricting at finding out this guy is Zeff. That’s how much presence Zeff commands even though he hasn’t been a pirating for quite some time. The cooks ask Zeff why he would do such a thing, especially when Krieg could use his men to come and attack, and Zeff said that is if they have any fighting spirit left.



This is such an awesome statement. It tells you so much about Zeff. On first reading this, you get a feeling Zeff might be someone important just from Krieg’s reaction—but this line proves it. Zeff knows some shit. He knows the way of the sea. He’s at the very least been close enough to the Grand Line to know what people who have been defeated by it look like. Of course we know he’s been through the Grand Line as well… But aside from that, we get that Zeff is experienced as hell in the way and dangers of the world.

Everyone freaks out over the revelation of Krieg having been to the Grand Line except for Luffy who just repeats the word Grand Line in an astonished way as if surprised that Krieg had been there. Either he didn’t connect the dots that Gin had been there. After all, Gin had just told Luffy not to go, not that he’d actually been there himself.


As we enter chapter 48, Krieg expresses surprise that “Red-leg” Zeff is still alive. Even to the point of calling him peerless.



This is just an awesome scope and way to reintroduce the scenario, by the way. You get to see the entire restaurant, sans customers. All the injured cooks. Sanji caught between ready to move and staying put. Gin clutching his shoulder. The three most dominant figures are the three captains, Zeff, Krieg and Luffy, all standing with their shoulders squared and their hands fisted.

But here Zeff is acknowledging his past. Which says that he has no shame of what he was or what he is now. But that the past is very solidly behind him. He’s no longer a pirate but a cook. Almost as if trying to stave off an unnecessary challenge.



Krieg is doing two things here.

First, in his mind, he’s calling Zeff out on his bullshit of trying to act so badass like he’d be a cook if he hadn’t lost his leg.

Secondly, he’s underestimating Zeff just like Patty underestimated him. (Krieg) Zeff has no armor. Is an older pirate. And even lost his best weapon in his leg. He barely registers as a threat to Krieg’s eyes.


Zeff? Doesn’t really give a shit what Krieg says, I think. He’s just listening to Krieg, saying nothing to neither confirm or deny the man’s suspicions, letting the man come to his own conclusions because they don’t matter. Though he is, on another level, I believe, waiting to see what Krieg will do with knowing this information.

In any case, this shows Zeff as a man with enormous confidence and composure. But he’s had a lifetime to learn and refine it.

Also, Krieg goes on to explain how he is called Red Leg Zeff because his pants were red with the blood of his enemies. That shows that Zeff is from a more brutal world. He did not just kick ass, he made sure asses stayed kicked. He was a pirate and pirates aren’t nice.
But why is this important aside from exposition?



This is why it’s important.

For Krieg, being able to fight and dominate is the most important aspect of anything. If you can’t do that, you can’t be anything. That’s what he believes in wholeheartedly and why he puts in so much stock in conquering and being strong. He represents the pirate trying to make a Name for himself. Not just Krieg of the East Blue, but something more than that, to make his impact on the world.

For Sanji, being able to fight and dominate is also super important. Kicking ass with a flair is how you show that you’re on top of the pecking order. Someone not to be messed with. A man’s man. He represents the up and comer, still waiting to get into the ring. That’s one aspect of it. Tying into that, though, being reminded that Zeff can’t really do that thing anymore. Yes, he can kick ass still, but not as much as he used to. And whose fault was that exactly? Why did Zeff lose that leg? Because of Sanji.

For Zeff, fighting may have mattered once upon a time, but now he defines himself not as someone who fights, but as someone who cooks. He’s telling both Krieg and Sanji that fighting isn’t as important to him as what he is doing now. It’s both showing that he’s content in where he is and saying in a sort of subtle way that fighting is not the be all and end all of everything, and losing the ability to fight doesn’t mean he’s lost everything.

Krieg says that Zeff not only managed to enter the Grand Line, but left it uninjured so he wants the log book.




I like how Luffy asks for conformation rather than just believing what Krieg says about someone else.

The most important thing to take away here is how Zeff feels about the log. A log is a record, not only of where they went and what they saw but what they did. In other words, the log book is full of memories and the pride of his pirate crew. People he still cares about, and memories he cares about enough not to just hand them over to Krieg on his say-so. And it’s not even because he wants to keep it to himself because of these memories, but because Krieg is an asshole. Moreover, someone who wants to build his reputation on the work and adventures of others. That doesn’t sound so strong to me.



Krieg is so wrapped up in himself that he can’t see the ocean for the fishes. He’s not unintelligent though, for all that. Information is pretty vital and is a callback to Yosaku suffering from scurvy because they didn’t know enough to bring fresh fruit with them.
Information and preparation are important things to have/do. But Krieg’s fatal flaw was and is not that he didn’t have the information. It’s that he assumes that having information is the only answer. In other words. He’s strong because he has armor and men and ships. Nothing else can be strong but that. If he has information, he’ll be able to conquer the Grand Line with no problem. And it may help him, true. But as we know and as he knows, the Grand Line is unpredictable. There’s nothing in Zeff’s log book which will tell him about an approaching storm or a sea monster about to breach. Additionally, there are places that Zeff has never been to and dangers he’s never faced, Krieg will be going in absolutely blind.

Also he’s saying how badass he is after his ships got the shit sliced out of them by Mihawk. Krieg you are a drop in the bucket.

And Luffy’s listening face. This is about the Grand Line so he’s going to absorb all the bits—except it’s really about Krieg so I don’t think he cares all that much but listening and letting Krieg say his piece. Krieg goes on to say he’ll steal the log and this ship.




For all their roughnecked ways, there is something pure about the Baratie cooks. Whatever their reasons, they just want to cook and be cooks. Baratie is the only place they can do it. They are on just this side of not being pirates. But this shows something about the pirate life that we’ve seen a little of and will see again. These guys had nowhere else to go. People chased them out. Wouldn’t let them cook. Granted it’s possible they could have found other lines of work, but cooking is their passion. A pirate life—or at least the semblance of one—lets them be themselves, have a sense of family/camaraderie, and allows them to follow their dreams at the same time.



Krieg blusters yet again, trying to convince them via volume control. I believe he believes it, but I also think he needs them to believe it, too. In his line of work he has to show confidence every step of the way. But then he says he’ll find the One Piece and oh no you didn’t. Luffy says that he’s the one that’s going to be Pirate King (with a Don)



Aww, Patty is concerned, you big lug. I don’t think Sanji has any idea what’s really going on with this kid but of course here,

Luffy states his conviction. He’s not standing down. He doesn’t stand down on anything, but especially not his ambition. This is important because—



Unlike Krieg, Luffy doesn’t care if people believe what he says or not. (Barring certain circumstances with nakama) We know he’s serious about it. But everyone else looks at this scrawny chore boy who doesn’t appear to be particularly strong and obviously doesn’t know what he’s saying or getting into. And as for the latter half, they are right. Luffy doesn’t have any idea what he’s getting into—that’s half the fun—but more importantly, it doesn’t matter to him so long as he’s moving forward. Also there is something to be said about enjoying something and being excited =/= not being serious about it. We know that Luffy is. And Luffy knows it’s not a game of any sort. That he will face dangers untold. But damn if he isn’t looking forward to it.

But to that end we have another ‘oh hell no’




This time from Usopp. Who has been listening this whole time, along with Zoro. To Usopp this is absolutely crazy and um can they not go to a place which will end up killing them because they’re definitely not as strong as Krieg and he wants a nice healthy pirate life thanks. Zoro basically tells him to shut it because this is Luffy’s moment to shine and if Usopp wants to express his concerns, this is not the time and place to do it.




Zoro and Usopp with a ddon! Though Usopp’s pose is more ddon’t do anything rash. And he is ready to run at a moment’s notice whereas Zoro is looking forward to a possible fight.
But for Luffy—it’s just not time to fight yet. Krieg hasn’t actively attacked him and probably won’t until his guys are fed anyway.



Take it how you will, but to me? This is an angry laugh—and a forced one. How the hell else is Krieg supposed to react to this situation and still be the dominant figure in it? By laughing at him of course and mocking his tiny crew. But I think really in his headspace, he’s pissed that Luffy even has the audacity to try for the Grand Line where he, Krieg, had failed.



As evidenced here. Krieg is pissed. Like Luffy doesn’t understand the gravity of it. But he needs Luffy to understand the gravity of it because it’s a matter of personal pride. He was not just defeated by any sea, he was creamed by the Grand Line, but only because he lacked information.

Also Luffy’s indignant response. He has four nakama, thank you very much. Also notice that Sanji has gone from ready to fight to just sitting there listening to this inane conversation, because what the hell else is he going to do?

Everyone reacts to this statement with various degrees of shock and horror except for this smug bastard:



I like the eyebrow raise, okay? Shut up. But this of course tells you that Zoro likes the thrill of danger, the more dangerous the better—And Usopp is dying. This is literally killing him. 50 ships in a week why are they doing this don’t you understand they’d all be dead? And personally, while I admire the hell out of Zoro, I would be in Usopp’s camp.


But back to Krieg for a moment.



No one is going to downplay Krieg’s achievements, even if they are ignorant. Notice the specks flying by? We’ve seen it before with Zeff and while it’s difficult to say for sure what they are meant to represent, I think it is something like a moment of sincerity or importance. Kind of like a wind or a physical representation of ki or will. Krieg is sincere about this. He dislikes empty boasting. People need to be able to do what they say they can do. I’m sure he’s had many people try to come into the crew that said they could do things that they couldn’t and I’m sure he dealt with them accordingly—because Krieg is all about living up to his badass reputation as he feels, and perhaps rightly so! That he’s earned it.

At any rate, Krieg says that he will give them a chance to give him what he wants and leave or he’ll kill them. There is a combination of ways you can look at this really.
A) He has a smidge of gratitude, in the sense if they follow his orders it’ll be all good.
B) He knows his guys and himself wouldn’t be able to take them in an extended fight (which might also harm the Baratie, have him lose the log)
or
C) a combination of the above.

Personally, I’d go for C, though in this case, for me anyway, he’s telling himself he’s the kind of guy who would let people off the hook because Krieg is strong enough to not be forced into anything.




Gin is such a sincere guy that I believe him. It would be one thing if Krieg hadn’t promised, but he had, and Gin trusted him not to break it despite the fact that looking like a Marine or raising a white flag to attack others isn’t far off from making a promise and breaking it. But this is different, of course, it was a promise to Gin. Gin who had been loyal. And there is no way Gin can make this betrayal up to Sanji.

But Zeff tells him to forget it because it’s not really his fault.

It was Sanji’s free-will to feed Gin and Don Krieg after all.
But it’s not just Sanji. Zeff said “cooks”. So while Sanji fed Gin and Krieg, fully knowing the consequences.

Patty kicked Gin’s ass and attempted to kick Krieg’s ass while knowing the consequences. (even if he wasn’t fully convinced they’d apply to him)

And Zeff gave Krieg food for his men while knowing the consequences.

In other words, Zeff will not blame a man for being hungry, or to be desperate to help others that are also hungry. Though again, we ask, why did Zeff do it?



Man is the blame game popular around the Baratie.

It also goes to show that while you can debate how well Syrup knows Usopp, it’s obvious the cooks of the Baratie don’t know Sanji all that well to think that he would do such a thing. Nor do they know Zeff all that well to think that he would allow such a thing if it were truly the case. They are jerks—but they are ignorant jerks. Of course they don’t know of Sanji and Zeff’s past, so how can they understand their motivation?




They then turn on Sanji. At least they give him the benefit of the doubt of having lost it but they’re determined that someone get the blame for this. Sanji has a leg raised again in a defensive posture, but he’s not moving and his expression can’t be seen. But I don’t know if Sanji can come to his own defense. No matter what they say, the Baratie is going to get
attacked. And it’s largely due to Sanji. But also a deeper part I think is, what can he tell them his reasons for doing it? I don’t think Sanji can even articulate it. He would literally have to rip up one of the most painful experiences he ever had an analyize it and say, no this is why. And you know he’s already TOLD them why he wanted to feed Krieg and Gin. Because it’s a cook’s ideal and he will feed whoever’s hungry. That’s his cook’s ideal. But they can’t/won’t accept him at his word.



Until Papa-bear Zeff steps in. If you tell me he doesn’t love the hell out of Sanji I’ll tell you, and more importantly show you, how wrong you are. But he is pissed here. Yes we’ve seen him yell before at Luffy and at Sanji, but that was flash in the pan anger of you guys are frustrating idiots. Mostly inspired by Luffy being a frustrating idiot. Here he is angry, but it’s tempered by the fact that he knows their ignorance. But ignorance is no excuse of accusing Sanji of disloyalty in this way in this manner.



And here, Zeff articulates that which Sanji can’t. And just focusing on the right panel for now, this answers the question of why he fed Krieg’s men.

Because he knows what it’s like to be hungry yes, a small part of it.

But I don’t think Zeff really cares that much about feeding Krieg’s men to be honest. Zeff was a hard as nails pirate and is a hard as nails cook. Yes, I believe, even as a pirate he would feed people that were starving, but I don’t think he’d do it when the Captain was like oh and I’m also going to take your stuff. Zeff would have been like hell you are and crushed his skull like an egg. I say this because he certainly didn’t go out of his way to feed Gin.

Mostly, however, I think he fed Krieg’s men because Sanji knows what it’s like to be hungry. Because Sanji would keenly feel the pain of these starving men and be driven to help them, while at the same time not wanting to help them because of the consequences. As we’ve already seen, the cooks were ready to shoot him and Sanji was ready to let them do it.

Additionally, if Sanji had managed to get the food for Krieg’s men, the blame would have fallen solidly on his shoulders. Not just the cooks blaming him for causing calamity, but him blaming himself. It would have been another burden of guilt on his shoulders and so Zeff took it off his shoulders hoping that would be enough so the cooks wouldn’t go railing against Sanji. But they did and so he takes it a step further, giving them a hint as to why this happened.

He’s also telling Sanji, I know why you did it, of course I do. I’m defending it. I made the decision and we’ll take the consequences.

Focusing on the left panel now… Smoking is not something you just do. Regardless of Sanji’s reasons for starting (and I’ll get into that when it comes time) smoking is soothing. That is a really freaking painful memory for him, it still haunts him—but he’s lighting up both to get rid of that horrible feeling and I think to readjust himself. If you’ll notice he hasn’t had a cigarette since Krieg coat hangered him. Now he’s going back to normal. Getting his cool back on and manly pride. Telling himself he’s got to get up off his ass and be ready for what’s coming and that this fight is okay.



And the cooks of the Baratie are tough guys but also not entirely stupid and I think they get the hint, which is why they are all sweating. Patty asks for the story pretty much…
But Zeff cuts them off. They don’t need to know any more. He’s explained the motivations, which he’s implicit in making. They made the choices that lead to this fight, they are in this fight, and if they don’t like it they can also leave this fight. But the cooks of the Baratie decide to stay and defend their home.

Now let’s take a moment to let Sanji shine.




Is he a BAMF or what? And this is also his conviction, too. Just because he’s a cook doesn’t mean he’s a pushover. He’s hardly that and he will defend the Baratie with everything he has. It also speaks to how much he likes Gin. I think he really considers Gin a friend in some respects and doesn’t blame him, but he’ll be damned if he won’t kick Gin’s ass if he has to, and without mercy.



And here we’ll end with the relationships between Patty, the voice of the cooks of the Baratie, and Sanji stabilize once more.

Patty has some inkling of Sanji’s possible past, but he’s not about to let what he views as Sanji’s hypocrisy pass without comment.

Sanji meanwhile doesn’t give a rat’s ass what Patty thinks about his ideals and is going to stick by him and Patty can ram it if he doesn’t like it.

And that’s how mutual understanding is done in the world of the Baratie.



Themes

Courage of Conviction: There are as many kinds of convictions as people that have them.

Sanji’s courage of conviction has the most focus. His is so strong that not only is he willing to risk his own life for it, he’s also willing to risk the lives of others. He lets them stop him from going all out, he doesn’t fight them even when he can, he tries to convince them of his own view point in the best way that he can. It’s not a pragmatic way to go about it, certainly, but when it comes to feeding people Sanji is almost ruled by this desire to do so no matter the cost.

While Patty’s conviction is largely tied in with customer service, which can be somewhat arbitrary, he has an even stronger one with protecting and defending the Baratie. That is why he customers are his conviction. Why he won’t serve Gin who has no money, why also he won’t serve Krieg who has money but will only be a detriment to the restaurant, which they know by Krieg’s reputation. I think it’s also why he’s discontent with Sanji supposed gunning for the top spot, because he feels like Sanji doesn’t show the Baratie respect—fighting with the customers, ruining their reputation. Fight with marauding pirates all you want but don’t decimate our pay base. Still when it comes down to it and his feet are in the fire he will lead the charge against Krieg and will stay and fight for this place that he calls home.

Luffy’s conviction is to not ever back down from going for what it is he wants to do or believes in. This applies to everything from becoming Pirate King to declaring war on the world government just to show he means business. We’ll explore this more as the series progresses, but suffice to say that he is not afraid to put his life on the line for his conviction—but unlike Sanji, he doesn’t want to put anyone else’s life on the line. He wants to be Pirate King AND everyone to survive.

Zeff’s conviction is a bit understated. He’s an older man without the fires of youth or the boiling cauldron of middle age. His conviction revolves around preserving the Baratie, as well, but it’s the people of the Baratie he’s most concerned about. First is Sanji because, feelings aside, Sanji was instrumental in bringing the Baratie into existence. He worked his ass off for it just as much as Zeff did, so of course Zeff is going to preserve the place for him. Secondly is the cooks. He makes sure they have chances to blow off steam, but also doesn’t let things go too far. He lets Sanji and the cooks fight but tells them to do it in the kitchen. Because third on his roster, and somewhat less important, are the customers. Zeff obviously wants them to keep coming back, but his main priority is just giving them great food and not necessarily making sure they have a great time. He lets the other cooks and sometimes waiters do that for him.
While Krieg’s goal is Pirate King, his conviction is that he is the strongest—and so must

continue to be the strongest. The best way to do that? Become Pirate King who is the pinnacle of strength, but first, conquer the Grand Line. His men, as we will see, are more or less just means to an end. He is so desperate to follow through his conviction to be the strongest that he’ll go right back to the Grand Line, even after having been decimated. Moreover, so desperate is he that he’ll admit he has a flaw. He repeats over and over, after he discovers the existence of Zeff’s log book, that all he lacked was information. Aside from that he is the strongest and will always be the strongest—and everyone has to know that even if he must yell it into them.

On the flip side of this, there are those without the courage of conviction or no conviction at all.

Usopp still lacks the courage of conviction. He’s quite capable of having it. He had it in spades when he was defending Syrup, putting his life on the line and then sacrificing his reputation for the conviction of keeping Syrup peaceful. Buuut when facing the dangers of the Grand Line? Not so much. Oh he wants to be a pirate but he’d rather not get in over their heads before they even learn to swim. In other words he has the conviction of becoming a warrior of the sea, but not the courage to follow through. At least not on his own because a whole fleet destroyed in seven days? That’s crazy!

And Gin? Poor bastard doesn’t know which way to turn. It’s possible he never really had a conviction before this but be the best Gin he could and help the captain to his utmost but now everything is in pieces and he can’t seem to get a grip on what he should believe in or should be doing—and we’ll see more evidence of that and the consequences of it shortly.

Judging by Appearance v. Seeing Which way the Wind will Blow

Judging by appearances will almost always bite you in the ass. Patty and the customers saw Krieg as weak and since he was weak they decided just what they were going to do with him. Which was not feed him and keep him locked up. Further, Patty was assured that just one hit with the cannon would knock Krieg out of the game, but not hardly, it only really upped the ante. Judging by appearances and what you think you know can really do a lot of damage to relationships. Patty assumes he knows what’s going on in Sanji’s mind and why he’s doing things. It makes him look at Sanji in a negative light and treat him in a negative way. Could they have gotten along better had Patty not assumed the worst of Sanji? Possibly.

Zeff is a master at seeing which way the wind will blow. When he talks to Krieg, he doesn’t assume he knows what Krieg will do. He merely answers Krieg’s questions and asks some of his own. Because of this, he doesn’t get Krieg riled up. Krieg leaves with the food to feed his men and even says they will have the opportunity to live should they leave.

Luffy is also good at watching which way the wind will blow, but in his case, he has a different intention. Whereas Zeff tries to diffuse situations or keep them from blowing up into even bigger situations, Luffy watches what people say and do, sees who they are and decides what it is he wants to do. Whether he wants to fight or not. This is because he knows the consequences of a fight and he knows he will not back down once he has started, so he watches to make sure he knows what he wants to do before he steps in and does it.


You Get What You Pay For

I really do think that if Patty and the cooks and customers had not had such a hate on for Krieg and threatened to not only turn him over to the Marines but starve him, he would have been less inclined to want to kick them all in the teeth and take over the Baratie. They posed themselves as a threat and in the world Krieg lives in, he can only appear to be weak in cases of deception, and so he made sure they knew how strong he was—and since he was already down that path, it wasn’t as if he could stop himself because stopping himself would reveal a chink in his armor. Cruelty and malice begets cruelty and malice.

Because on the same side of the coin, if Krieg had not been such a horrible, cruel, malicious person himself—people would be less inclined to have a hate on for him. Yes there are victims of circumstance who people hate because of what they think they know, but it’s pretty heavily implied that not only is he a raging asshole that he prides himself in it. Being able to push around whoever you want means you’re strong.

But then you have Sanji who treated Gin with compassion and friendship, and gets that so far in return with Gin apologizing profusely even if he is at a loss about what to do about the situation. But more importantly, you have Zeff—who took in these no account cooks and gave them a chance and so they are loyal to him and the Baratie. So loyal that they don’t even question him for long. They go straight from “how could you side with Sanji?” to “this is all your fault, Sanji” not thinking Zeff would be at fault or at most was blinded by Sanji’s greedy ambition. Tying in with the above, I think that because he and Sanji gave Krieg food out of compassion for Krieg and the men’s starvation, Krieg is less inclined to kill them all out of a smidge of gratitude.


Presentation

Presentation is key in this world. It’s not just about words, it’s about actions, how you look, how you hold yourself. To the men of the Baratie and to Krieg’s own person, it’s important that the world perceive you exactly the way you want. Capable, unflinching, smooth as fuck and badass extraordinaire. Softer emotions don’t have a place here because these are not soft men. I believe this is largely due to the fact that the cooks of the Baratie certainly and perhaps Krieg come from worlds where for one reason or another they were constantly bounced out on their heads without even being given a chance. Have that happen too often and you get hesitant about opening yourself up. Plus it’s a swaggering man thing. Being a Man is a source of pride, and in the Baratie, this is what it means to be a Man. To be tough. Snarky. Growly. Which is what Sanji is.

…but not really what Zeff is… because Zeff has confidence in who he is and his own masculinity. Which is a gruff masculinity to be sure and he’s hardly any better with emotion than the rest of the bastards, but he exudes the calmness of knowing exactly who he is and where he stands without posturing.

…Except when he’s trying to push Sanji away and then he dials the posturing up to eleven because emotions what are those?


Playing the Blame Game: Never does anyone any good. When it comes down to the wire, you have to take responsibility for your own actions. Or if you're going to fight, and have to fight, there's no sense wasting breath bickering about whose fault it is.


Characters

Since we’ve pretty much covered everyone throughout let’s just focus the antagonists at this juncture.

Krieg: It’s easy to think of him as a one dimensional villain and we won’t see it get much better the further on we go, but I think he’s actually a lot more complex than we are lead to believe. We don’t know what got Krieg locked up in prison in the first place or why he wants to maintain his strength. But I see him as a man desperate to make his mark on the world in a powerful way, not something you can do in the East Blue. Also if we look at as goes the captain, as goes the crew… well all we’ve had to go on is Gin so far but what Gin tells us is despite what we know of Krieg being deceptive and willing to do anything to win, Gin trusts him—trusts the promise that he made. Krieg doesn’t like false boasting, and I believe that, at least to the crew, he doesn’t like or make false promises. But, that being said, the Baratie are not his crew and I feel like there is some fear in Krieg, especially in this state. If people think he is weak he will be taken advantage of and suffer for it, so he is always the one in control and in command. But again I also think he’s not without a little bit of gratitude. In the end, though, all that is covered by himself. His own personal stake in things. His own name. His own pride. His own title as Don. He has a burning desire to preserve that if nothing else. He looks out for number one and he is going to make it the biggest number one he can.

Gin: Is still a sobbing devastated mess. I don’t think he’s ever emoted so much in his life, but at this point in time, it’s like he can’t stop. Gin very much wears his heart on his sleeves and everyone knows it. He’s a huge morass of guilt and anguish over Krieg’s actions but feels like his hands are tied because he really believes that Krieg is stronger than anyone and unstoppable. But he is resolutely loyal to his captain, risking his life to bring Krieg back there. To get him fed. Moreover it’s not out of any hope of a promotion or praise or gratitude, but simply because the captain that took him in and that he fights for is on the verge of death and Gin wants to help him. He’s about as dedicated to Krieg as any of the Straw Hats are to Luffy which is why what will happen later will hurt.

Comments

[viridiansoul]

I just love Sanji's indignant expression when he hears Krieg mocking Zeff's current life as a cook. And also Zeff's explosive yelling to the cooks blaming Sanji. Those two scenes imply how much they genuinely care for each other beneath their seemingly hostile relationship.

Additionally, if Sanji had managed to get the food for Krieg’s men, the blame would have fallen solidly on his shoulders. Not just the cooks blaming him for causing calamity, but him blaming himself. It would have been another burden of guilt on his shoulders and so Zeff took it off his shoulders hoping that would be enough so the cooks wouldn’t go railing against Sanji.

I've never thought deeply about the underlying intention of Zeff giving out food to Krieg's men but come to think of it, that's a pretty good point. I guess Zeff's action was to protect Sanji rather than to manifest his own conviction. Though whether Zeff would have refused to help Krieg's fleet had it not been for Sanji I can't say for sure. Zeff did state to Sanji that he's going to feed anyone who comes to the Baratie no matter how villainous they may be. That's the one premise which serves like the very cornerstone of the Baratie, after all. Anyway I think Sanji thought Zeff would understand him putting conviction over preserving the restaurant, after all they've gone through on that god-forsaken island.

In the chapters you covered in this post, Zeff stole most of the show. Like you said, he let the cooks have their own ways, all the while not losing control of the situation and thereby asserting quiet but immense presence. I guess the reason why Sanji is accustomed to the ways of pirates is not just because he grew up fending them off, but also because Zeff treated his cooks very much like a true pirate captain would; Letting them be themselves so long as they don't hurt crew unity. He really is a great character(and foster father)! No wonder Sanji is such a huge badass :)

[we_are]

Oh yeah, you're right about the Baratie and Zeff serving them regardless. Damn, I'd forgotten. When I review I do a major read through of the arc and then the sections so things tend to get a little broken up over time-- But yes, you're right. I mean he wasn't really around to deal with Gin.... but I think that ties in with a concept that's going to show up not next part but the part after.

Zeff does steal most of the show, though, because the great thing that One Piece does is establish the world the characters live in and the past which informs the present. Like, not necessarily backstory either but-- here is Zeff, here is what he is like. The cooks of the Baratie as well. Here is how all their personalities and the Baratie itself has further shaped Sanji's outlook on the world and how he deals with particular things.

It's really pretty fascinating.