![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rainsometimesReposting something (with slight revising) that I put on Tumblr yesterday - about why I am still so darn fond of the fight between Usopp and Perona in Thriller Bark.
I still really love the Usopp vs Perona fight.
In part simply because it allows Usopp to be badass and uniquely useful in a way he can't rationalise away - it's true that they're unlikely to need to fight someone of Perona's powers again, but right then without him there, the crew would have been screwed for sure. (That's certainly true for other moments too, but it's extra emphasized here.)
But I also love it because, while it's leavened with humour (never a problem for me), it also offers such interesting insights regarding Usopp. Some of them have angst-filled implications (which makes good fodder for fics!), like what it says about his self-esteem problems (huge) or regular Usopp's relationship to Sogeking, as Sogeking here is implied to be something a little more than just a persona.
Beyond the angst, though, I love what it says about the character's inner strength. To be such an active, creative, encouraging, frequently positive, life-affirming and fun-loving person as Usopp is - not to mention his genuine courage and compassion - in spite of having self-loathing problems to the extent that he's pretty much immune to negative ghosts... Frankly, I think it's just really impressive and, yes, in itself quite admirable.
Finally, paradoxically it seems to me that from this moment on, Usopp slowly gets better and better in terms of self-esteem, until he basically gets to a point (right before the timeskip) where he's able to determine to believe in himself - always easier said than done!! - in order to be strong enough to help Luffy, rather than just keep fighting on regardless. And now I'm wondering if his progression is not just due to getting a boost when he needed it the most in the Perona fight, which was then further helped by his making other necessary interventions in the big team-up vs Oz and Moria (like saving Sanji from getting crushed to death, for instance). There could be more behind it. Maybe he, too, got at least a part of that same realisation of his inner strength that I had when reading these chapters. Usopp likely will never have to fight negative ghosts again - but having his psychological resilience confirmed in this way might still have proved unexpectedly beneficial. ♥
...Plus, it also all reminded me of the Shishi Hokodan arc in Ranma 1/2, so that was a bonus fun to see the parallels between two otherwise fairly different favourite male characters. Ryoga would have no trouble with Perona's ghosts; and if he only got some basic training in martial arts and ki manipulation as it works in the Ranmaverse, Usopp could totally ace the Shishi Hokodan. (Or at least he could back in Thriller Bark: I'm less sure of his current self... Happily.)
Comments very welcome!
I still really love the Usopp vs Perona fight.
In part simply because it allows Usopp to be badass and uniquely useful in a way he can't rationalise away - it's true that they're unlikely to need to fight someone of Perona's powers again, but right then without him there, the crew would have been screwed for sure. (That's certainly true for other moments too, but it's extra emphasized here.)
But I also love it because, while it's leavened with humour (never a problem for me), it also offers such interesting insights regarding Usopp. Some of them have angst-filled implications (which makes good fodder for fics!), like what it says about his self-esteem problems (huge) or regular Usopp's relationship to Sogeking, as Sogeking here is implied to be something a little more than just a persona.
Beyond the angst, though, I love what it says about the character's inner strength. To be such an active, creative, encouraging, frequently positive, life-affirming and fun-loving person as Usopp is - not to mention his genuine courage and compassion - in spite of having self-loathing problems to the extent that he's pretty much immune to negative ghosts... Frankly, I think it's just really impressive and, yes, in itself quite admirable.
Finally, paradoxically it seems to me that from this moment on, Usopp slowly gets better and better in terms of self-esteem, until he basically gets to a point (right before the timeskip) where he's able to determine to believe in himself - always easier said than done!! - in order to be strong enough to help Luffy, rather than just keep fighting on regardless. And now I'm wondering if his progression is not just due to getting a boost when he needed it the most in the Perona fight, which was then further helped by his making other necessary interventions in the big team-up vs Oz and Moria (like saving Sanji from getting crushed to death, for instance). There could be more behind it. Maybe he, too, got at least a part of that same realisation of his inner strength that I had when reading these chapters. Usopp likely will never have to fight negative ghosts again - but having his psychological resilience confirmed in this way might still have proved unexpectedly beneficial. ♥
...Plus, it also all reminded me of the Shishi Hokodan arc in Ranma 1/2, so that was a bonus fun to see the parallels between two otherwise fairly different favourite male characters. Ryoga would have no trouble with Perona's ghosts; and if he only got some basic training in martial arts and ki manipulation as it works in the Ranmaverse, Usopp could totally ace the Shishi Hokodan. (Or at least he could back in Thriller Bark: I'm less sure of his current self... Happily.)
Comments very welcome!