Thinking about how Buggy and Shanks parallel Zoro and Luffy but if Luffy dropped his ambitions. The agreement between Zoro and Luffy was that Zoro would follow Luffy, be his first mate, be his swordsman, the first member to join his crew and set sail to achieve Luffy’s dream of being Pirate King IF Luffy never got in the way of Zoro’s dream of being the Strongest Swordsman in the world.
Buggy and Shanks were “apprentices” to Roger (and really more or less they were his sons). They were learning from Roger and learning what being a pirate SHOULD BE. So as apprentices, it would go without saying (at least as far as Buggy is concerned) that that means they need to be the ones to carry Roger’s Legacy. That they should be the ones to get their captain’s treasure and carry out what he wanted for the world. We see it in what Buggy is CURRENTLY doing. That he wants to inspire people to achieve their dreams. Crocodile sees piracy as a business, and Mihawk sees his position as a power pirate as a means to live a peaceful, lazy life where no one would dare bother him. But they don’t have the ROMANTICISM of a dream anymore. And all those years ago Buggy heard Shanks say he was no longer throwing himself into the romanticism of pirating and adventuring anymore. He’d be a pirate sure, but there was no drive, no DREAM behind it anymore.
And then he asks Buggy to still be a part of his crew. I can only imagine what that request must have felt like to Buggy. For Shanks to tell him “I won’t be the pirate king you saw me as. I’m not seeking any dream. But come be a part of my mediocracy. Just settle for less, Buggy.”
Now of course, Shanks still went and became a HUGE big name pirate. One that achieved Emperor level. But in that moment? In that moment it felt like Shanks was asking Buggy to give up on his dream, settle for being a pirate simply to be a pirate, and betray what they had learned from Roger.
Luffy was never going to get in the way of Zoro’s dream. Zoro’s desire was Luffy’s desire and vice versa, because as they said themselves in the show- the pirate king shouldn’t have anything less than the best swordsman on his crew. But Buggy’s desire was not Shank’s desire. I’d argue it probably still isn’t! I know Shanks is now making his move for the One Piece, but I honestly don’t know that that is his true objective. I think he thinks his place is to BE THERE when the battle for the One Piece happens. He placed a bet on the new generation and he is going to be there to see that bet come to fruition.
And I think part of that conversation between Shanks and Buggy was how they were each grieving. They had both lost a captain, but also a father.
But Buggy has not given up. His own dream was rekindled this most recent chapter (yes partially because he believes Shanks finally wants to be pirate king too), but partially because he finds himself SURROUNDED by people who know longer believe in the child-like wonder of adventure and treasure and the DREAM of becoming PIRATE KING. I think Buggy HAD also given up down the line. I think we saw a Buggy who’d lost his way at the beginning of the series. I do think Buggy doesn’t have the... best morals... But whether it’s intentional or not Buggy is not who we saw at the beginning of the series and he’s rallying so many people under him, and giving them sanctuary, and honestly? Reaching a king’s status to so many people.
But honestly? If Luffy suddenly went “You know what? I’m happy with what I’ve got here. I don’t need to be pirate king anymore. We don’t need to get the One Piece.” The Straw Hats would be SO LOST. Sure maybe they wouldn’t all get immediately angry or upset as Buggy had and asked “Well, what DO you want then?” But they are a crew made from the collection of DREAMS. And everyone’s dream is their own dreams. Zoro’s ambition became Luffy’s ambition, but that would never had happened if there was even a small chance that Luffy would be satisfied with anything that fell lower than reaching their dreams.
All this to say I’m proud of Buggy and support him as Leader of Cross Guild LMAO I hope he continues to fail upwards.
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Oh my god I cannot shut up about this I am so sorry
BUGGY DIDNT JOIN SHANKS BECAUSE HE DISLIKED HIM/THEY WERE RIVALS
He DIDNT JOIN SHANKS BECAUSE HE ABANDONED THE LEGACY OF ROGER
Or atleast thats what it looked like to Buggy.
“Always being right next to Shanks who were so full of promise made me abandon my dreams” !!!!! SHANKS WAS THE PROMISED ONE. THE ONE WHO WOULD HAVE BEEN KING. BUT HE ABANDONED THAT JOURNEY AND IT BROKE BUGGYS HEART. IM SCREAMING
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Buggy is… goated??? Unironically????? Not as a gag?????????
Tbh I never liked Buggy because I thought he’s basically Usopp except with no character depth or redeeming qualities. This chapter punched me square in the face.
He actually grew balls of steel after all those beatings from Crocodile and Mihawk and recreated Roger’s last moment. And it’s actually epic. He’s crying and his body is nowhere to be found and Crocodile is stomping on his head, but he has a dream. The dream that he abandoned like 20 years ago and haven’t said it out loud to a soul. He’s now screaming it out loud to the world. That’s legit so cool.
Also turns out Buggy secretly wanted Shanks to inherit Roger’s legacy. He did care about Shanks and hold respect for him after all. His real grudge was born out of bitterness because Shanks seemingly abandoned their dream... the dream he previously gave up from lack of self confidence and secretly entrusted it to Shanks. The treasure map had always been just an excuse.
(Not sure why I didn’t expect this. Oda loves writing goofy, seemingly gag stuff only to make them sad in hindsight. I never expected this petty grudge to be anything more than a gag like “haha look at this stupid shallow guy”)
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The fact that Buggy’s last words to Shanks were about not forgiving him for making him lose a treasure map and that’s why he left…
Then the first time they meet again in twenty years Shanks says to Buggy he’ll give him a treasure map…
Shanks never forgot Buggy’s last words to him……
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