Esperia was Silenced by Imu! I just Know it!
One Piece Chapter 1185 Review/Recap
When we started this flashback to Brook’s life before he became a pirate, we all knew that it wasn’t going to have a happy ending. The fact that Shuri became Gunko and apparently killed Brook’s benefactor was proof enough of this. But Oda still managed to tug at our heartstrings by showing us what happened to his homeland and the people he loved. And with everything that we know about how Imu works, there’s little doubt that he was the one responsible for the end of Esperia!
Recap
After Prince Leuven and Candelle took Brook in as a kid, he trained hard to become a skilled swordsman and musician. Much to her frustration, though, Candelle couldn’t dissuade him from his perverted ways, even if he learned how to be a gentleman. Regardless, they were happy together, even more so when Leuven and Candelle married and had Shuri. And Brook continued to remain close to the Princess as she grew older. Life was good…until tragedy struck.
A mysterious fog engulfed Esperia one day, corroding all of their beloved instruments until they were unusable. People got sick and died from the smog, with Candelle being among them. But this was only the beginning of the country’s woes. With Esperia unable to pay the tribute to the Celestial Dragons, the World Government demanded that it sacrifice its citizens as slaves, or face destruction. King Leuven refused, and so the country went to war with the World Government. Brook fought valiantly, but they could not hold off the World Government forever. As Esperia was doomed, Brook rushed back to the palace to try and save Leuven and Shuri. However, he was horrified to find the King dead on the floor, with a demonic-looking Shuri standing over him!
Bro, what the heck?!??
Review
If I had a nickel for every time I’ve seen a Straw Hat’s home get destroyed by the World Government, I’d have two nickels. The fact that we’ve seen it happen twice now should be the most concerning aspect, but somehow, it isn’t. It’s the fact that the fandom can guess that what happened to Esperia was planned.
From the outset, the chapter drops context clues that the fog that crippled Esperia wasn’t natural, but man-made. Do you guys really think that a freak fog could destroy a country’s most valuable product or kill a large chunk of its population on its own? That’s too sus, even with how crazy the series is! And then there was the way the World Government immediately demanded the Esperian’s sacrifice its citizens as slaves. That’s not out of the ordinary for such a corrupt organization, but the fact that they jumped right to that demand makes it sound like they knew what was coming beforehand. The most damning evidence of all, though, was Shuri under the influence of Domi Reversi. That, and the demonic l figure looming over her that some think might be one of the Five Elders!
It all adds up, you guys. Imu orchestrated the destruction of Esperia. What I want to know is why? Why go to so much effort to destroy it? Unlike Ohara, Esperia wasn’t trying to uncover the conspiracy that the World Government has kept up for centuries. They weren’t actively antagonizing them, either, until they had to defend themselves. For that matter, why would Imu use domi reversi on Shuri and her father? Yes, both! You can see the wings on Leuven’s corpse!
What Happened Next?
We’ll likely have to wait until the next chapter to find out what happened, and that won’t be out for another two weeks. At the moment, though, the only explanation that I can come up with is that Imu wanted the family’s power for himself. He learned of how strong the royal family of Esperia was, and wanted that power for the God’s Knights. So he put the country in a position to defy him so he could destroy it, and then had Shuri and Leuven try to kill each other and claim the winner as his new servant. If making Shuri kill her father wasn’t monstrous enough, the fact that he kept her real personality suppressed to the point she couldn’t remember who she was is pure evil! For all we know, Shuri could’ve been a prisoner inside her own body and forced to watch as she was forced to do all these horrible things! That’s a fate worse than death!! And when you consider what Brook eventually went through after becoming a pirate, his life has been downright hell!
I don’t know how much longer this flashback will be, but at this point, I want Brook to save Shuri in the present day. Freeing her of Imu’s influence might kill her, but at this point, death seems better.
I Give “Y’all Better Buzz off” or “Mindya Own Beeswax” 4.5/5
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Brook really had a rough childhood on the streets!
One Piece Chapter 1184 Review/Recap
You know, I didn’t expect that we would be getting another flashback in the Elbaph Arc, but now that we are, I’m glad it’s about Brook. It’s only just occurred to me that out of the Straw Hat Pirates, his childhood and youth are one of the only ones that remain unaccounted for. And with how much Oda has been teasing the relationship between him and Gunko (or Shuri), I think that it’s best that we see it for ourselves. It gets even better in this chapter, though, as we get to see Brook’s childhood and how he became friends with Shuri’s parents! Another flashback in a flashback!
Man, Oda loves flashbacks, huh? At least he’s making a well-written story, though.
Recap
Seven years would pass, and once Shuri turned 14, tales of her beauty attracted princes seeking her hand in marriage. She soundly beat them all, saying she had no interest in weak men, let alone any who couldn’t play music. In other words, Brook.
Even after all those years, Shuri still had a crush on Brook, much to his dismay. Much to her dismay, he kept asking women to see their panties. Still, the two were very close, with Shuri loving his music, just like her father. That makes Brook remember how he first met the King.
When Brook was 11, he was a street urchin with no family left, but he still loved to play music, no matter how bad it was. One day, as he was playing in the junkyard, a stranger heard them and took a liking to the boy, sharing a meal with him. Before long, the two became friends.
One day, though, Brook was captured by corrupt Marines. They seemed to think that he was a courier with some sort of illegal powder they were after, so they beat and tortured him, but he just kept singing. Right as they were about to kill him, the stranger, Prince Leuven, and the royal guard found him. They had busted the entire drug ring, and Leuven and Candel promptly dealt with the scum, saving Brook’s life.
When Brook woke up, he was in the royal palace. Leuven liked him so much that he decided then and there to take him in and have him attend school to learn music! Brook’s dreams were coming true!
Review
Oh my gosh, you guys, that was just so touching! I had no idea that Brook had had such a rough go at it when he was a kid. Then again, it seems like all of the Straw Hats didn’t have the happiest of childhoods, so I guess that tracks. But still, it’s so sweet actually getting to see it.
I think that Brook’s childhood is going to hit home for people who had similar circumstances. There are plenty of people out there who have genuine talent at something, but due to their background in life, it never gets recognized. Ergo, seeing that Brook formed a genuine friendship with Leuven back when he was a Prince and impress him with his musical talent is pretty heartwarming. The feeling was entirely mutual, too, because as we saw with Leuven’s life back at the palace, he hated how cold and unfeeling it was. He hated the fancy food and shallow women, but in contrast, he was brought to tears by Brook’s homemade meal, no matter how bad it tasted. I really like seeing people feel happy over things that we take for granted, and I’m glad that Brook made such a good friend.
It should also be noted how accurate the title of the chapter really is. Having known hardship from a young age, Brook understands that things such as status and power in life mean little in the grand scheme of things. After all, everyone ends up as bones when they die. The difference is that Brook has gotten to keep enjoying life as a talking skeleton, hence why he’s always so full of life and energy. It’s pretty thought-provoking, if you ask me.
Sadly, we all know that eventually, this is going to end in tragedy for everyone involved. Brook will likely lose his home, his big bro, and spend decades resenting Shuri for what he thinks happened. Knowing who Imu is, though, it’s probably his fault. Whether that means that Shuri can be saved, though, is up in the air. One thing’s for sure: I’m looking forward to seeing what happens.
I Give “Only Bones Left Behind” a 4/5
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Putting the “Pop” in Pop Culture!
