Chapter 956: ‘Big News’

The one grip I have with Oda is his tendency to have big events occur off screen. This is certainly done on purpose to create mystery and suspense. It works. It’s a week after the Reverie and all the nobles have returned home. Garp and the Neptune family are at the Ryugu Palace. Garp asks them not to “fear humans for an incident that happened to the Nefertari Family of Alabasta.” This event isn’t elaborated on, but we should expect it to be tragic. Meanwhile, days prior, the World Economy News Paper are preparing stories for the following issue. He mentions the “casualties” and how “death sells.” He’s given a check from the Government to suppress the details of Reverie. However, he refuses to do so. When a member of Cipher Pol threats him, Morgans beats him up.

News spreads. On Momoiro Island, the Revolutionary Army are shocked by the “news” regarding Sabo, as are Sterry and the Dadan Family. Doflamingo is overjoyed at the news, while, Blackbeard tells his crew they need to set sail to “claim something before the Marines do.” X Drake informs Koby that Kiado and Big Mom have formed an alliance. He tells Koby that Cipher Pol is present in the Flower Capital in Wano. Meanwhile, Koby is heading to Amazon Lily to capture Hancock. The final shocker is that the Shichibukai have been abolished. Proposed by King Riku Doldo and Nefertari Cobra, the Government agreed to end it. I’m not really concerned for the Warlord’s though, Buggy always escapes somehow and Hancock is tough.

This sets up the Marine’s for interesting conflicts with the Shichibukai. The most interesting match up will be the Marines verses Mihawk, although I expect that Oda will resolve that conflict off screen. There’s so much that has happen in this chapter. But let’s get this out the way. I don’t think for one second that Sabo is dead. It’s unnecessary to kill both of Luffy”s “brothers” and considering all the effort to retrieve Ace’s devil fruit and the perfect symmetry of that moment would be a waste. I think Sabo most likely has been captured. However, I think a third more terrible thing could have happened. Sabo killed Vivi and fled. Maybe he was framed or it was an accident, but I think that is what probably happened.

While, Morgans newspaper can’t be trusted, I think at least tell the truth most of the time. The fact that X Drake is a double agent in Kiado’s crew is surprising. This new Marine unit, SWORD seems interesting. Their goals are clear yet but both X Drake and Koby are apart of it. With Cipher Pol present in Wano things are getting interesting. They were suppose to negotiate with Orochi but the deal fell through, with Orochi shooting one of them and telling Cipher Pol that he wasn’t afraid of Nobles or Marines. How will they respond? History suggest with violence. Regardless, they could be a wild card in this upcoming war.