Heartwarming / This Bites!

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Warning: Spoilers Off applies to these pages. Proceed at your own risk.

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"We won... YOU HEAR THAT? WE WON! IN THE FINAL COUNT OF THE STRAW HAT PIRATES AGAINST THE WORLD ITSELF, AGAINST REALITY ITSELF! WE! HAVE! WOOOOOOON!"

Alabasta Saga

Twin Peaks

• There's something smile-worthy about the image of a tiny Transponder Snail chatting to a giant Island Whale.

Whiskey Peak

• If there was any doubt about Cross having a place on the crew, Luffy dispels it by a Meaningful Echo that states perfectly that there are things Cross can do that Luffy can't, which is exactly why he belongs.
  Luffy: I can't cook. I can't predict the weather, I can't swing a sword, and I can't lie. And I'm not that smart, either.
  • And Cross realizes what he means when Luffy declares him Third Mate of the Straw Hat Pirates.

Drum Island

• Soundbite being worried about Cross when he gets a bad case of Primal Cholera.
• Cross easily diffuses all of Chopper's insecurities about being a monster on a crew full of monsters, and when he uses Soundbite to let Chopper eavesdrop on Luffy and Sanji's conversation about his powers, the fact that they think him being a monster is cool leaves Chopper speechless.
• This phrase that shows that despite Kureha's abrasive behavior, Chopper is her family, no questions asked:
  Kureha: Do you actually care about my son, or are you just playing on his insecurities to shanghai him into your little pirate band?
  • Not to mention Cross's indignant retort that they would ever think of Chopper that way.
• During The Reveal in Chapter 14, after Zoro calls Cross out on his hypocrisy about telling dangerous secrets, Cross admits he didn't tell the crew about his future knowledge because he didn't trust them to not freak out and kick him off the crew. It's literally enough to drive him to tears. But of course, this is the Straw Hat Pirates we're talking about, and this confession doesn't even make the thought of kicking him off the crew cross any of their minds. It's almost enough to give him Tears of Joy.
  • And then Cross proceeds to give his crewmates what they asked for, by hinting in the future that their (at least smaller) dreams will come true: that Nami will become rich, that Sanji will find his love paradise, that Zoro will get into amazing fights, that Usopp will become the awesome warrior he's dreamed about (and attain the moniker of "God"), that Vivi will see her kingdom saved, that Chopper truly belongs on this crew... and most of all, despite not reading it himself, that he believes, with all his heart and soul, that Luffy will become the King of the Pirates.

Alabasta

• One of Cross's reasons for not peeking on Nami: Don't stick it in friends. He respects her too much and has too much emotional investment in their friendship to blow it on something stupid like peeping on her.
• Ace's joy realizing Sabo is alive.
• Luffy's Papa Wolf reaction when B.R.O.B. gloats about how it ripped Cross away from his world and will enjoy the Straw Hat Pirates as a source of entertainment.
  Luffy: STAY AWAY FROM MY CREW!
• Cross sticking up for Lassoo due to being a former dog owner.
• When Cobra gravely asks the Straw Hats to protect Vivi as though she were one of their own, Soundbite of all people has this to say:
  Soundbite: Correction, SHE'S one of our own, PERIOD.
• Kentauros of the Super Sonic Duck Squadron threatens to track the Straw Hats down and peck them to death if Vivi gets hurt, and Sanji satisfies him with this response.
  Sanji: If Vivi gets hurt, then that means that the bastards who did it literally went through us first and we're six feet under anyway.

Sky Island Saga

Jaya

• When Robin asks Cross if he'll only trust her and tell her his secrets when she tells the crew about her past, Cross corrects her by saying that he already trusts her to certain degrees; he's just waiting for the day when they'll become friends, completely and utterly. And he's really looking forward to that day.
• Cross's talk with Nami after Luffy and Zoro's encounter with Bellamy in the bar leaves her hugging him, laughing and crying with joy.

Skypiea

• After Cross plays a pretty epic prank involving a creepy-ass ghost story, he's elated to see Nico Robin among those laughing.
• Cross's promise to the Going Merry to keep her sailing with them. Crosses into Tear Jerker because of how unsure Cross is that he'll be able to keep that promise. It takes appealing to B.R.O.B., but he pulls it off in the end.
  • Merry confesses to Cross her dream, even if ships aren’t supposed to have dreams of their own: she wants to continue adventuring with her crew. And Cross validates her dream, assuring her that they want her to be the ship which will bring them to Raftel.
• While the crew is frantically trying to treat Cross after being assaulted by Eneru, they suddenly realize that Soundbite left the SBS running and the whole world heard what happened. They start to chew Soundbite out for this until he angrily retorts that he was a little distracted by watching his BEST FRIEND being tortured nearly to death.
• After the Golden Bell is rung, a random family in the North Blue is shown crying from the sound, and afterward, the father tells his son a new bedtime story: "Noland the Adventurer". After 400 years, he's been vindicated the world over!
  • From the same chapter, the Tontattas celebrating Noland's vindication.
• Wiper shares the story of Noland over the SBS and Montblanc calls in to tell him he heard the story loud and clear, then they promise to meet up in Skypiea. Manly Tears abound.
• Soundbite's reason for wanting to get stronger? He's supposed to be Cross's partner but couldn't help him against Eneru.
• When Conis joins the crew, Pagaya asks Luffy to watch over her. Luffy responds that since he's already made that promise twice, he'd of course make it a third time.
  Vivi: Twice? He made it for me, but who was the other one?
  Nami: (Face Palming but smiling) I'm going to kill Genzo when I see him again...

G8

• In Chapter 32, Robin finally admits she loves being a Straw Hat.
• Jonathan and Jessica's genuine love for each other.
  • After he gets caught throwing out her cooking and she's worked out her anger, Jessica reveals that she's mad that he didn't tell her. She would rather be told what he dislikes about her cooking than have it thrown away since all she wants is to make delicious and healthy meals for him and the other soldiers.
• When Drake scoffs that Bellmere would be ashamed of Nami becoming a pirate, Jonathan (who knew Bellmere) calmly demands that Drake apologize.

Water 7 Saga

Davy Back Fight

• Cross insists that Lassoo and Soundbite are his partners, not his pets, and fully-fledged crew members so that Foxy can't claim them alongside Cross for the Foxy Pirates.
• After being made a Foxy pirate during the Davy Back Fight, Cross is completely apathetic about it because he knows he'll be back in a few hours once the Straw Hats win.
• Soundbite came up with the entire plan to win Cross back from the Foxy Pirates. See also under Crowning Moments of Awesome for more details.
• Cross and Itomimizu bonding over being co-commentators, showing that ultimately there are no hard feelings after the Davy Back Fight.
• Foxy and his crew genuinely loved each other in canon, but the depiction here is somehow even more Heartwarming given that bunks are divided by sea of origin so that everyone has friends in their comfort zone and each newly claimed member is given one free chance to cheat on behalf of their old crew before it's considered mutiny, showing just how far Foxy goes to make his massive crew feel welcome and at home.
• During the countdown after Luffy knocks Foxy out, we are given glimpses of the listeners counting down with Cross:
  • Eight features the customers of Takoyaki 8, Hachi being particularly exuberant.
  • Seven has Ryuboshi and Manboshi dancing and making Shirahoshi laugh.
  • Five has Mr. Five counting down from urging of Ms. Goldenweek and Apis.
  • Four features the Veggie Trio and Merry wearing afros, making Kaya laugh.
  • Three features Garp, Coby, and Helmeppo.
  • Two features Ace, Squard, and Whitey Bay, the latter of whom has her ship's cannons fire off with the countdown.
  • One features Dragon, smiling.
• In Chapter 35, Robin attacks Aokiji not out of rage for trying to use Ohara to break her, but for attacking her friends.
• Also from that chapter, all of the Straw Hats reassure Robin that even if they can't fight the entire world and win, for her they'll damn well try.

Water 7

• Jinbe steps in when Hammond began threatening a couple kids for listening to the SBS, which Hody banned, and declares a new ban: No one is going to stop anyone from listening to the SBS.
  • Jinbe sheds Tears of Joy when one of the said children states it's stupid to hate humans for hate's sake.
• Koala is happy as she can be when she hears the SBS broadcast of tolerance between Fishmen and humans.
• Despite normally killing anyone who learns their secret, Vivi's and Cross's SBS broadcasts about tolerance convince Boa Hancock to spare Marguerite after the latter figures out that the Gorgon Sisters got their powers from Devil Fruits, rather than fighting a Gorgon as they said. And it makes them realize how much like the World Nobles they've become.
• Pretty much all of Cross's and Robin's interactions in Chapter 36 qualify.
  • Robin's reason for screwing with Cross by tricking him into seeing her in her underwear? It's an older sibling's job to embarrass their younger siblings.
  • Cross manages to convince Robin at Water 7 that even if she no longer needs them as a source of strength, Saul would be overjoyed to have her wearing hats like his.
  • Lastly, Cross's words as Robin goes to find a cowboy hat that goes with her outfit, as well as Robin's response.
  Cross: You know we'd go to the mats for you... right?
  Robin: Of course I do.
• Despite Cross doing his best to avoid killing anyone, he flat-out tells Nami and Zoro that if he handed Spandam over to Chopper for dissection, it still wouldn't be half as bad as what Cross himself plans to put him through for what he did/will do to Robin.
• What Robin is willing to do to protect every crew member from Cipher Pol, including taking her own life.
  • Overhearing this conversation also destroys any doubts Nami and Zoro felt about her loyalty. They're stunned in horrified silence.
• Usopp is afraid to take part in the attack on Enies Lobby, so he dons a mask and creates his canon “Sniper King” persona to try to boost his courage. Luffy and Chopper don’t see through the disguise, and they think “Sniper King” is a stranger who has come to help them. However, when “Sniper King” claims Usopp was too afraid to help save Robin and sent him in his place, they immediately say he’s lying, that no matter how scared Usopp might be, he would never abandon a friend who was in danger. Usopp discards his costume, because he can’t go through with storming Enies Lobby as someone else after his friends expressed that much faith in him.
• After Leo defeats T-Bone to prove to himself that he deserved to be on the crew, he received a pair of Dope Slaps from Luffy and Zoro. While the latter was annoyed that Leo had been holding back during their sparring, the former was upset that Leo doubted his right to be in his crew.

Enies Lobby

• The entire arc is already such a wonderful proof of love in canon, so how could you ramp it further? Why, by letting the whole world knew how far the Straw Hats would go for one of them.
• Robin telling in Chapter 39 what happened to Ohara quells the last doubts any of the Straw Hats had about her and her motives. One notable example is Boss, whom Robin extremely angered in Chapter 38 when she helped Cipher Pol 9 to sabotage his and the others' rescue attempt, after which he said she owed him big time. Now?
  Boss: I was sorely mistaken. She doesn't owe me a damn thing. She hasn't owed anyone anything for a long time.
• Robin's pleas for her crew to leave so at least they will be safe if she dies hit them hard enough to quell their rage temporarily.
  Nami: Robin...
  Vivi: Damn it, she's making it so hard to stay mad at her…
  Carue: She's been cawwying this fow how wong?
  Boss: Too long, my friend… Too long by half.
• When the Straw Hats are trying to convince Robin to live, the voice that finally gets her to say the words comes from Soundbite filtering through a very specific caller: Jaguar D. Saul himself, speaking from beyond the grave.
• The sheer number of pirate crews causing trouble for the Marines with the express purpose of drawing some heat of the Straw Hats at Enies Lobby. While a fair few are also doing so to try and show up the Straw Hats, they still want to help.
  • Said crews range from rookies like the Barto Club (who's been at sea even less than the Straw Hats) to one of the Four Emperors themselves (with over 20 years at sea).
• The giants stationed at Marineford stage a mutiny. They were already angry over hearing about Oimo and Kashi, but learning that Robin was Saul's ward and thus family by extension, and she was in Enies Lobby, was the straw that broke the camel's back.
• The moments when Carue and Soundbite Take a Level in Badass for the sole sake of protecting their charges from certain death.
  • Carue is carrying Vivi, Conis, and Su through the battlefield of Luffy and Lucci's fight. Unfortunately, even as a Supersonic Duck, he's unable to outrun the assassin. Due to his species' abilities, he sees his clawed hand moving in slow motion towards them but is unable to move away fast enough. All the while he chants the mantra One second, one second. When Vivi appears in the claws' reflection next to his own, that mantra comes together, SHAVING clicks, and he dodges Rob Lucci to escape!
  • Hattori obstructs Soundbite's voice by throwing flour into his mouth. That leaves Cross defenseless: neither he nor Lassoo are fast enough to fight the dove who moves to slice Cross's head open. Like with Eneru, Soundbite is unable to help his best friend. His fear and his need to save Cross are strong enough that he awakens his Devil Fruit and shouts at them, at which Hattori reels back in surprise.
• What is Boss's dream? To become a fighter in his own right who is equal to the Dugong that trained him in his youth. He considers mastering the Six Powers and the Six King Gun as the first step to follow his master.
  • The TDWS pleaded with Disciple (Boss's former name) to train all four of them because they wanted to stay together. He was the only one left they hadn't asked yet.
  • Disciple wanted to give up on training the four pups when he thought he was failing them in his teachings. Next time he saw them, they fought and knocked out so many Sandora Catfish that they littered the beach, for the sake of proving to him that his teachings were working.
  • His peers Chief and Lancer Dugong always knew that he was stronger than them, and thus he would have been chief. They stayed silent about it because they knew his dream lies somewhere else. After the Straw Hats met the Dugongs, Chief gave Disciple the title and name that he'd earned, Boss, and his blessing to follow his aspirations and go with the pirates.
• Carue is distracted by Vivi getting hurt in the middle of the Marines' free-for-all, but when he sees her still kicking ass, he realizes that she's strong enough to handle herself and that he doesn't need to protect her anymore, which means he can refocus on protecting his friends.
• Zoro praises Kaku's fighting skill, and when the assassin asks if the Straw Hat Pirates need a shipwright, the swordsman answers that the position is already taken, and their crewmate-to-be is downright super.
  • He also tells Kaku that Luffy would probably let him join if he really wants to.
• Cross giving Robin back her cowboy hat after he frees her.
• When Spandam screams that Robin is a demon and how impossible it is for the Straw Hats to really want to save her, Soundbite retorts that even if Robin is a demon, she's theirs, period.
• Vivi is the one to save Robin from virtually certain death, even though she was the one who (justifiably) disliked, distrusted, and even hated Robin the longest.
• Cross snapping Robin out of her Heroic BSoD when the Buster Call shelling begins, complete with a Headbutt of Love.
• The sheer amount of people calling the SBS to encourage Luffy to win his battle over Lucci just makes apparent how much the Straw Hat Pirates mean to the whole world (if you forget the World Government, mind you).
  • GOL D. ROGER himself speaks to Luffy, reminding him that he has to win to protect his crew from being killed by Lucci, and declaring that his old hat suits Luffy very well.
  • While launching his last attack, Luffy remembers how he met every one of his crewmates and how every one of them became a Straw Hat Pirate. Then he utterly trashes Lucci, because the assassin would kill his beloved friends if he were to win over Luffy.
• Nami, Vivi and Chopper giving Robin The Glomp when they're safely back on the Merry.
• Cross gives a noogie to Robin while the SBS is running. Because that's a brother's job to embarrass his big sister. And Robin gives him a hug in thanks.
• When the Straw Hats finally meet up with Iceburg, Cross reveals his last-ditch chance to save Merry, and gets down on his knees to beg Iceburg and Galley-La to fix her up one more time. All of the Straw Hat crew bow right alongside him.
  • But ultimately, Merry is unable to stay the Straw Hat Pirates' boat... because she eats the Human-Human Fruit, Model Child, transforming her into a little girl. She's utterly distressed to not being able to carry her crewmates anymore, but still begs to stay with them. As with Cross, the idea of kicking her off the crew is not even a possibility for them. Gloriously immortalized, courtesy of the artist Renu, here◊.
    • And it's quite telling that Cross considers this the Straw Hats' greatest victory: they fought against reality itself to save Merry... and they won.

Post-Enies Lobby

• When Dorry and Broggy's endless dueling finally comes to a close, the first thing the both of them do is celebrate that neither of the two best friends will have to kill each other.
• When Tashigi's still depressed and reeling from the SBS broadcast from Enies Lobby. Merry thanks her, saying that since she saved Cross' life, and Cross saved Merry's life, Merry owed her her life. Tashigi needs to leave the room to cry and compose herself.
  • Also, Merry said that purely because Tashigi needed to hear it. The poor woman had been berating herself for ever believing in the Marines, and Merry (as well as Cross and Soundbite) was able to give her something to feel good about. For all their jokes and teasing, they really do care about her well-being.
• Cross's words have moved Hancock to such an extent that Marigold tells him the only reason the Straw Hats and their secret alliance don't have their full support is her need to stay a Warlord to protect her people from slavers and the World Government.
  • And what's Cross's response to the fact that they don't have enough manpower to protect Amazon Lily if Hancock does ally with them? "Not yet we don't."
• Combined with Funny: Koala's three bets that paid off? 1. Luffy is Dragon's son. 2. Dragon is Garp's son. 3. Sabo is Dragon's son. When someone tries to tell her #3 doesn't count, she punches him through a wall, says that blood doesn't matter; Sabo is Luffy's brother, so he's Dragon's son too. Sabo and Dragon, overhearing this exchange, have this conversation:

  Sabo: Ah, look sir-!

  Dragon: Sabo, Koala just collected her rightly won earnings that resulted from her good luck. Do you wish for her to give you the same treatment?

  Sabo: Ah... no, sir?

  Dragon: Then let's leave matters at that.

  Sabo: (with a barely-restrained grin) Y-Yes, sir!

  • Doubly heartwarming since Sabo's biological parents are such assholes.
• When a furious Garp declares to Merry and Cross they now are on his shit list, Luffy—despite being terrified—refuses to let him hurt his crew, quoting Shanks as he declares Garp can hit Luffy, but his friends are off-limits.
  • And when Garp goes for hitting Luffy? The Straw Hat Pirates immediately move to protect him. Family or not, a threat to their captain is not taken lightly.
• Lassoo convinces Funkfreed to join the Straw Hat Pirates by assuring him that Cross will not be another wielder, he will be his friend.
• Cross outright tells Aokiji that if he ever harms Robin again, Cross will end him.
• Koala finally gets to thank Cross for his words of tolerance and peace between fishmen and humans. She feels that now, it's real and possible.
  • Later, Cross tells her to go to Sabaody Archipelago if she wants to talk to Hachi. She assures him she will remember it for when she has more vacation time.
• Merry is able to hear Sunny's voice. She reveals to Franky, Iceburg, and the three Galley-La Dock 1 foremen how much he's eager to go out there, how big his spirit is, how he's going to be the absolute King of the Seas... and so he can be nothing else than a crewmember to the Straw Hat Pirates, the Throne of the Pirate King.
  • And Sunny roars. Remember, a ship comes alive when its crew truly love it – Sunny isn't even finished yet and already the Straw Hats love him so much.
• Merry "forgot" to label Sunny's controls because she assumed she would be the one to his helm, and starts panicking when she realizes that maybe the crew would have another candidate in mind. Luffy gently reassures her they wouldn't want anyone other than her for the position.
• As Garp watches Luffy fly away and Iceburg stand up for his home, images of Roger and Tom come to mind, and he wonders who his counterpart in the new generation is going to be. When Coby pipes up, Garp just grins.
  Garp: Asked and answered…

Thriller Bark Saga

Lovely Land

• Vivi admitting she first wrote up her wedding plans the day she figured out she had feelings for a certain someone (who may or may not be Kohza).
• During the wedding preparations, Robin slips out to talk to Lil, the bride-to-be who's been forgotten in all the drama. She gives the poor girl some genuine advice and encouragement, which helps Lil stand up for herself later.
• The TDWS and the other three penguins getting along fabulously while their leaders Boss and Skipper try to beat each other up.
• Lil both deciding to follow her own dreams and encouraging her counterpart Burrato to do the same.

Thriller Bark

• Chapter 47: When Cross tries to come to grips with the sheer unnaturalness of the Florian Triangle, he starts singing Binks' Brew to both calm himself down and try and call Brook to them. It just gets better from there.
  • One by one, the crew joins in with him until everyone is singing along. And then they turn the deck into a party to fight back the darkness around them, complete with lights and music and Robin playing the piano.
  • And while the party is going on, Brook suddenly appears in the middle of it all, the first party he's had in 50 years. Everyone is so caught up in the atmosphere that no-one bats an eye.
    • Fridge Heartwarming in how it marks the Book Ends of Brook's solitude: his old crew died one by one in the middle of singing Binks' Brew, with Brook dying last. His (future) new crew joins the singing one by one, and Brook is the last to join.
  • And the next order of business is Brook pulling out his violin, and going into his solo. Cross breaks out the SBS, and the party goes global.
    • And it starts off with the heart-melting scene of Crocus and Laboon hearing the man they'd both been waiting for for all this time show up. The Tears of Joy they cry are well worth the wait.
    • The Red-Haired and Whitebeard Pirates having their own parties and joining in the chorus.
    • Rayleigh dancing with his wife Shakky as they sing along.
    • Even Buggy doesn't care if that crew has reserved his utter enmity; if they're playing Binks' Brew, he'll gladly sing along!
    • Smoker and Tashigi enjoying the music as well.
    • Neptune and his children are singing along, and the king declares how amazing the crew is for having the spirit to push back the despair of the Florian Triangle. Fukaboshi even gives a bottle of sake to Jinbe who's listening to it outside the palace.
    • Not just the living are enjoying the impromptu party it seems. At cemeteries and graveyards all over the world undertakers and gravekeepers could swear they can see the spirits of the dead dancing and partying among the headstones.
  • Cross giving Soundbite full permission to tell the crew of the relationship between Laboon and Brook. Brook breaks down in Tears of Joy of his own when he hears that his friends know that he's still alive.
  • Cross telling Brook the Undying Loyalty the Straw Hats have for each other, and if he joins, they'll gladly help him get his shadow back, no hesitation.
  • When Luffy first makes Brook the offer to join, Merry says that according to the Rumbar Pirates' ship, Brook can't join because he's already a captain. Once Brook's story is told and the skeleton starts bawling, the old galleon changes his mind, by 'popular vote'.
    • And Brook thanks his old ship for taking care of him all these years. The ship's sigh of relief is audible.
  • And at the end of it all, Brook accepts. We haven't even reached Thriller Bark yet, and the Straw Hats have their musician.
• In what has to be possibly the hardest thing he's ever done, Sanji agrees to trust Nami, Vivi, and Merry (three women) to take on Absalom (an unrepentant sexual predator) without his assistance unless they outright ask for it so that they can prove their strength against an opponent like him. The sheer amount of trust that had to embody for someone like Sanji is mind-boggling.
• In a sort of Fridge Heartwarming, newly-promoted Rear Admiral Brannew, after learning the details of what Moria has been doing on Thriller Bark, uses his authority and Bothering by the Book to stall his own fleet to allow the Straw Hats time to burn the island to the ground, despite Moria being a Warlord (and as such, technically his ally) and the Straw Hats being some of the most wanted pirates in the world.
• Margarita (the maid whose shadow inhabited Cindry's corpse) calling the SBS and declaring her joy at finally having a shadow again, saying how she can't wait until dawn so she can see the sun for the first time in a decade. And her boss, when learning this, had no qualms in throwing her a party to celebrate.
• Ryuma apologizes to Brook for his distasteful behavior the last time they met. Brook's answer is that It Has Been an Honour for his shadow to give the greatest swordsman in Wano – if not the world – a second shot at life.
  • Ryuma proceeds to acknowledge that it was an honor to fight Zoro, informs him that he has earned the right to Shusui, and bids him to bring word to his homeland that both times, Ryuma of Wano lived a good life.
• Even beaten and exhausted, Luffy refuses to give up against Moria in his Niddhogg form for a simple reason...
  For he sees the monster in front of him, and he sees the smiles of his crew, his friends, and he knows down to his bones that he cannot let the two meet.
• When Kuma attacks with the intent to eliminate Luffy and Cross, Zoro steps in to sacrifice himself like in canon, only to find he can only exchange himself for one of them. Nami knocks out Sanji in order to take Cross's punishment.
  • Soundbite reveals himself at this point, and while he acknowledges he can't handle sharing the pain, he begs so he can still be there for Zoro and Nami while they suffer.
  • Nami's reasoning also counts. Any cartographer could draw a map of the world and fulfill her dream, but no one could replace Cross.
• The Florian Triangle (or at least the Obelisk entities that create it) befriend the former victims of Thriller Bark and offer protection for Lola's new pirate haven of Skelter Bite.
• Soundbite shares with Lassoo and Funkfreed what he experienced while watching Zoro and Nami's sacrifice, trusting them with knowledge that would destroy Cross and could tear the Straw Hats apart if found out, and cementing the three as true partners with each other as well as with Cross.
• Su talks with Coo and reveals Conis idolizes Cross, and that she herself views Soundbite as her personal hero.
  • Su demands/begs that Coo try to find information on the mythical "Children of Inari" because she believes it will give her the ability to fight alongside her friends.
• The three mates of the Straw Hats, at Cross's insistence, perform a brotherhood ceremony.
• The Whitebeards are keeping constant watch over Ace's, Whitey's, and Squard's Vivre Cards, and are relieved that they are still intact, even if the trio are not in contact with them. Crosses with Tear Jerker since they do not know that the three of them are very much not okay.
• Chief Warrant Officer Ernest Gheilt calls the SBS to thank the Straw Hats for returning his shadow and announces that he and all of his subordinates have resigned from the Marines and will be at their service should they ever meet.
  • From the same broadcast, a teenager tells of his parents being able to step out in the sun for the first time he can remember, an unnamed pirate crew has grown to respect the Straw Hats so much that they've sworn to live by their standards from now on, and numerous parties take place all over the world held by/for people who've regained their shadows.
• The Thousand Sunny lets Perona hide on the ship because when Merry let a former enemy hide on the ship, they became a beloved crewmate.

Strong World Saga

Little East Blue

• Robin being able to laugh freely, then noting the only thing better is being able to laugh with friends.
• Robin and Cross's plan to manipulate Nami into becoming Perona's friend. The best part? Nami knows they manipulated her, and doesn't care, simply telling them both to expect punishment later.
• Nami bonding with Perona over having possessions that mean the world to them, be it a stuffed bear, or a hand-me-down shirt from a loved one.
• Vivi and Conis asking Robin to teach them the Void Language of the Poneglyphs, purely because they want to know about their history.
• Cross finally puncturing Yoko's pirate-hating thinking and helping her understand that not only are the Straw Hat Pirates truly good people, the memory of her late Marine father remains just an upstanding and righteous example of the Marine flag as he always was.
• T-Bone letting Yoko and Boss Kabuto into the Marines as part of the new Marine waystation.

Strong World

• Garp, upon realizing Shiki's appearance at Marineford was him grandstanding and getting ready to fight against the Straw Hat Pirates, tries to run off and help/save his grandson. Sengoku has to wrestle him down to prevent him from going after them.
• The Zodiac of the Dammed showing their willingness to coordinate with their allies to fight at the Zodiac of the Divine's side; they may be pirates, but they have no intention of standing idly by while some other pirates destroy the East Blue. It really shows the influence that Cross has had on them.
• Nami not hesitating to mouth off to Shiki because she knows that the Straw Hats are going to come for her.
  • Unlike canon, Nami is not alone with Shiki. Perona accompanied her, in ghost form, so her friend wouldn't be alone. She even refuses to leave when Nami tells her she can.
    • Raphey staying on the Sunny to guard Perona's body, even though she wants to be out kicking butt like everyone else.
• When the crew finds out that Shiki knew Roger, Conis immediately asks about Serra. Shiki not only recalls her, but praises her capabilities.
• When Shanks realizes that the SBS's 'special guest' is Shiki, he immediately tries calling the SBS to tell Shiki to stay the hell away from Luffy. When he realizes he's failed because Tsuru beat him to it, he reminds everyone that they shouldn't be interfering in Luffy's journey anyway, while also swearing that if Shiki wins, the Red-Haired pirates will make him regret it.
• Sengoku allows Tsuru to call into the SBS so she can warn the East Blue AND the Straw Hats about Shiki.
• Nami giving Boss a great big hug when she reunites with him at the Sunny, saying how much she missed 'you crazy bastards'.
• After the TDWS reunite, all of them are acting aloof and proud, until Boss says that real men don't hide their emotions. Cue all four apprentices hugging and crying about how much they missed each other.
• Perona can't help but smile when Xiao wants to play with her Hollows, and even creates one that she can do so.
• Vivi has been waiting for the right time to eat the Gust-Gust fruit and claim her powers. What is the 'right time' to her? To free Nami from Shiki.
• Nami describes the sentiment of her tattoo's redesign. Her old design was embracing Bellmere's will to live life. Her new design was to accept her mother's will to fight for what she holds dear.
  Nami: I am going to live the way she lived… and die the way she died. Never back down, and never surrender… Not when everything you hold dear is on the line, and especially not to someone like you.
• Perona suffers an emotional breakdown after saving Nami... because she realizes that she has people she cares about.
  • Nami comforts Perona, stating she has been through the same process.
• Zeff and the Baratie are in the middle of preparations for Shiki's invasion of the East Blue. Half of the prep is weapons. The other half? Boxed lunches for the resulting refugees.
• When Carrot, Pepper, and Onion agree to stop yelling that pirates are coming because of Shiki, Kaya admonishes them, telling them that if they stop, how will the village ever know Usopp is coming home?
• Crocodile is thrilled that his ex-officers Mr. 5 and Miss Valentine are aiding the Straw Hats because, in a twisted way, he still sees them as his men.
• Sengoku puts aside his rivalry with the Straw Hats and acknowledges he's most likely only serving to clean up what they missed, because he knows that this is a good cause and he refuses to do nothing when lives were on the line.
• Reiju quietly cheers on Sanji, demanding her brother show the world that Judge was wrong to dismiss him as weak.
• Luffy tries to tell Bartolomeo to back out of his fight with Shiki, only for the other pirate to yell that East Blue is his home too and he has friends and family that Shiki threatened. Luffy immediately agrees to the team up.
• Sanji and Gin bonding amidst the massive brawl with the invading Alphas. It really sells how much of an impact they had on each other during the events at Baratie.
• When Perona sends her ghost to say goodbye to the Straw Hat Pirates, she thanks them for showing her so much kindness even though they had been enemies a while before, and Nami in particular for being her first friend. Nami tearfully gives her a hug, and Perona promises to meet them again.
• Once Perona obtains her Warlord Status and return to the ruins of Shiki's palace, the Merveille villagers appear and decide to help her rebuild the palace so they can all live together in peace. What cinches it for Perona is when Xiao ends up declaring that she wants Perona as her big sister, since Ever has left to join the Barto Club, something that drives Perona to (happy) tears.
• Robin gives Vivi a lecture over not letting her new Logia powers go to her head in that she isn't a untouchable superhuman. Vivi takes careful note over those that did like Crocodile and Eneru and thanks Robin for those words. Then the Princess gives her an air wedgie when Robin remarks on her being 'even more of an airhead.'
• Hancock is the one to capture Shiki and when Sengoku notes she's being unusually helpful, Hancock flippantly states it's an exception. The reason? Because she wanted to help the Straw Hats.
• The fact that the Marine Women's Rights Association has a petition to canonize Bellemere as a saint. It seems that her actions to protect her daughters Nami and Nojiko are now public knowledge.

Summit War Saga

Road To Sabaody

• When Cross tells Luffy there is a chance for Vivi to come home in Alabasta, Luffy decides to grant her his blessing to leave if she wants it. But no matter her choice, she has a place on the crew.
• Merry starts panicking after Cross's revelation about their upcoming separation, feeling it would be like she sank because she's going to be alone. Vivi gives her a Cooldown Hug before reminding her she's a composite of the crew. All these tiny bits and pieces of her crewmates she's always carrying with her mean they will never leave her.
• Sanji finally comes clean about being the son of Vinsmoke Judge and his father's army of mercenaries. As one might expect, the crew shrugs off the idea he's from a criminal empire and happily state he's still their friend and crewmate.
• Right before Cross blows up on Chew and Kuroobi, we get a glimpse at Luffy's thoughts about Cross. It turns out Luffy originally didn't plan on recruiting anyone else into the crew beyond the original five. So why did he invite Cross? Because he sensed the hope Cross had when they first met and realized that he was lost and alone in the world, just like he was back when he lived on Mt. Corvo.
• Koala reveals to Cross that because of him, people no longer insulted Hack but asked him questions about fishmen and Fishman Island, to the extent that on one island he had to speak in the town's park because it was the only place large enough to fit everyone. Despite what he sometimes thinks, he is making a difference.
  Koala: You're not a normal person, Jeremiah Cross. You're a Straw Hat. You have an earthshaking dream and the guts, power, and friends that you need to get there. You may not be able to fix the generations of hate between humans and fishmen in a day, but that doesn't mean you can't do anything. Just think about what you can do, and who you can ask for help. And then... do it. And I assure you, whatever it is you do... will be glorious.
  • Feeling echoed by Jinbe when he thanks Cross for showing the next generation there is another way than holding on the grudges your ancestors created.

Skelter Bite

• Crossed with Awesome, Chief Warrant Officer Gheilt has made good on his promise, as he and his men have become Skelter Bite's second line of defense (after the Triangle itself). There is a measure of pride in his voice when he welcomes the Straw Hats back.
• Before the meeting with the Emperor representatives gets underway, Sheepshead tries to kill Porche only for Luffy to prevent it and cements the fact he would never let his allies come to harm.
• When Luffy climbs up the main mast of Skelter Bite to look at the entire island-ship below, the Obelisks appear to talk to him and Luffy promises them that he will return once the town is fully set up. This makes the Obelisks yellow with happiness.
• According to Merry, Lola and the others are well on their way to healing Thriller Bark/Skelter Bite's soul. And all of the souls of the wrecked ships the pirates repurposed into Skelter Bite's buildings are "enjoying retirement" now in this new life they have.
• Gin and Killer sharing a quiet drink without so much as a dirty look between them.
• On the fourth day before the Dead End Race, Jewelry Bonney walks in on Lucky Roux and Luffy in the same noodle shop. And while initially the two are having a rather hilarious scene where they're both seemingly unaware of each other, it turns out both knew the other was there the whole time, and begin talking cheerfully about the days when the Red-Haired Pirates were staying in Luffy's hometown.
  • And while it's not shown directly, Luffy directly thanks Roux for bringing Usopp a Tone Dial with a recording from Yasopp to his son, saying it meant a lot to Usopp. Roux tells him to Think Nothing of It.
• While on Skelter Bite, Robin finds some of Saul's old comrades to tell her stories of her childhood friend.
• During the party on Skelter Bite the night before the Dead End Race, X Drake storms out, triggered by the memory of the day his father and his crew were killed. Cross notices, follows him, and manages to lift his spirits enough that Drake returns to the party.
  • Later, during the Dead End Race, while talking to Bege over Transponder Snails, Drake uses Cross's often stolen signature word "Pi~ra~te" with pride for the first time in his life.

The Sabaody Revolution

• Soundbite has a genuine moment of sincerity between Cross when he reveals that he's styling the Sabaody Revolution after the spirit of the French Revolution, but is showing doubts on whether he has the right to covey his message using the French Tricolor flag, since he considered himself an American first and only spent a few years in France back home. Soundbite responds that come what may, he's both an American and a Frenchman, so the choice is up to him, but that he feels using it for a cause like this would be doing his fellow man proud.
• No matter how many pragmatic excuses there are for it, even Cross shows Kid some respect when the latter uses his powers to unlock the shackles of every single slave in the basement that they’re raiding.
• Bege has a soft spot for kids, holding the hand of one little boy as he leads him out of the ship where he was being held prisoner. Makes sense when you remember Bege is a family man and a doting father in canon.
• The explanation Cross gives for the French flag he's wearing as a patch, and the fact that the entire Sabaody populace picks it up.
  Cross: "Blue, the Liberty of the ocean, vast and unrestrained; white, the Equality of living under the same sky, free and clear; and red, the Fraternity of sharing the same blood, no matter who or what you are or where you're from."
• The Phoenix Pirates, a crew last seen as being blackmailed to work for the Accino Family and thus liberated by the Straw Hats, help out during the Revolution in order to pay back their debt to the Straw Hats in full when the Marines show up to break up the riot Cross started.
• During the Riot, many of the Supernovas and their crewmates start singing along to Do You Hear the People Sing as they liberate the slaves and lead them to Grove 77.
• Luffy and the other Supernovas dip the slave chains in tar and symbolically burn them, with Prince Fukaboshi swearing to make sure the flame never goes out.
• Cross expected Luffy to be furious to learn that he and the other officers knew that Kuma will come and scatter them to train for two years. Instead, Luffy hands him his straw hat (a sign of trust and companionship), telling him to keep it safe and give it back after they meet again. After the emotional turmoil of the last few chapters, this act of reassurance and relief pushes Cross to tears. Afterwards, when he asks why, since the hat would've been alright during the two-year time skip, Luffy says it's because he trusts him, and that by the time Cross returns it, he'll have overcome his own self-doubts about the crew trusting him.
  • Now with artwork.
• The Straw Hats, knowing they will be separated for two years, throw one last party and when Kuma arrives, they each give a heartfelt 'until we meet again' to their captain.
• After landing at Amazon Lily, Luffy admits to himself that he's scared of the possibility of failing, but knows that through it all, his crewmates are with him in spirit, so he's going to push himself all the way for their sake, especially for Cross, saying that by saving Ace, he'll be saving Cross in turn.

Amazon Treachery

• Despite the danger and looming threat of another assassination attempt, Sandersonia and Marigold insist on going to Marineford with Hancock, easily shooting down the latter's arguments against it.
• With all three of the Boa sisters leaving for the war, they decide to leave Marguerite in charge. Despite her protests, the heartfelt assurance from them that she’s a good leader causes her to break down into tears.
• The Boa sisters showcasing just how far they've come from their canon selves by admitting the truth of the "Marks of the Gorgon" to the Kuja, who in turn simply accept their leaders and feel nothing but empathy for the pain they suffered.

Decks of the World

• Jinbe offers to share some stories with Ace about what Luffy and his crew have been up to.

Impel Downfall

• Even with all the tense atmosphere, there's still a quiet moment for Izo to confront Whitebeard about the fact he's not expecting to walk away from the war, regardless of the outcome. The narrative goes on with this:
  Thus the final strategy meeting of the Emperor and his division commanders commenced, and over the next few days leading up to the war, a singular fact cemented itself in every last one of Whitebeard's strongest sons: for this one act, Jeremiah Cross was as good as a brother to them.
  Because whether Ace survived or not, whether they survived or not, he gave them the ultimate blessing in making their father's looming death known to them in the fleeting peace before the war: the blessing to ensure that nothing was left unsaid.
• Turns out before he parted ways with them, Luffy got a bunch of tools to help him try to break Ace out from his crewmates. Robin has to write down a list for him to keep track:
  • Merry gave him a Bag of Holding for everyone else's gifts, woven out of her raincoat to give it the storage capacity of her ship form.
  • Chopper gave him a first-aid kit with everything he would need from an appendectomy on up twice over, including 20 different antivenoms as a countermeasure against Magellan's poison.
  • Vivi gave him the old desert garb he wore back in Alabasta as a disguise and for the hotter parts in Impel Down.
  • Cross gave him a letter with all of his foreknowledge of the saga, as well as a letter for Buggy that would guarantee the greedy little clown would help him out.
  • Conis gave him the Reject Dial as a means to conserve his strength without compromising on how hard he could hit, his rubber body downgrading the recoil from 'vaporize your body' to merely 'hurts like a shark bite'.
  • Carue gave him his personal jug filled with water from Yuba. He uses some to keep hydrated and some for Byojack World when he finds the old man separated from his crew in Level 3.
  • Lassoo gave him a dozen baseball bombs including special Cani-Screen bombs modified by Chopper, now renamed Cani-Haze. He uses one Cani-Haze to help the blind Sebastian finally defeat his opponent and more in his battle against Magellan, and the remainder help compensate for his fading stamina at Marineford.
  • Boss gave him Jabra's Six Powers cheat sheet scroll. It helps Luffy use a rudimentary form of Moonwalk and borrowed by Galdino to show to the okamas in Level 5.5 to help in the jailbreak.
  • Franky gave him a gun that acts as both a Laser Sight and a Flash Dial. It's used to momentarily stun Magellan blind for Luffy to land a good blow on him.
  • Zoro gave him one of his prized barbells to use both as an exercise tool or a weapon that would hit harder than his pipe. A Gear Second Luffy uses it in a new move named Gum-Gum Atlas Comet to strike a powerful blow on Magellan, sending him into the pit of boiling blood.
  • Usopp gave him a rubber band and different kinds of ammunition to use with his Gum-Gum Blowgun. The rubber band becomes critical to distract Magellan long enough for Luffy to punch him and make him waste his Ultimate Attack.
  • Robin gave him a crate full of explosives and a detonator. She says they're Luffy's version of lockpicks. They are used to blow open Luffy's jail cell in Level 5.
  • Sanji gave him a special lunchbox rich enough to restore him from the brink of death... or put him at death's door in any other circumstances.
  • Nami's contribution? Gold. Specifically, golden boots and gloves that Magellan's venom powers can't dissolve.
  • The TDWS give Luffy five bottles of fermented Alabastan Dugong seaweed juice, saying he can use it as a disinfectant, a Molotov Cocktail, "liquid courage"... or to just relax. He gives one to Whitebeard, uses one to try to bribe Mihawk, uses one as a weapon against Doflamingo combined with Billy's gift, another one in the same way against the Vice Admirals, and the last one he gives to Ace to amplify his powers as they prepare to retreat.
  • Funkfreed gave Luffy a pair of Taolf wood sandals, which are buoyant enough that he can run on water, allowing him to counteract the weakness of his Devil Fruit.
  • Billy gave Luffy a few of his feathers, supercharged with as much electricity as he could infuse into them, knowing that he could use them as weapons safely. They help compensate for his fading stamina at Marineford.
  • Brook's contribution was the Tone Dial that had recorded their celebration after Thriller Bark. Technically, it's meant to be a source of comfort for Luffy, but he puts it to good use countering Irian's Chord-Chord power.
  • Soundbite's gift. His voice. He's spent the entire year honing his powers so much that a single connection is all he'll need to channel his powers at Luffy's spot.
    Soundbite: THE SBS is our gateway. He was alone in one lifetime. HE WON'T BE THIS TIME. MY POWERS WILL MAKE SURE OF IT.
  • And even Luffy decides to add something to the bag: a spare pipe for Ace when they rescue him.
• Byojack's speech about how he's well aware of his brother's many failings, but he still wants to rescue him anyway.
  • On top of that, how Luffy understands, implicitly, Byojack's reasons for doing so: they're brothers – family – and that's all there is to it.
• Jinbe implying that he let himself get captured just so Luffy would have powerful backup when he broke into Impel Down.
• The members of the Zodiac of the Divine (sans Smoker and Tashigi) along with several subordinates giving a toast to Cross for reminding them of what it means to be a decent Marine.

Decks of the World

• After a week of avoiding her family because she feels torn between them and the Straw Hats, Vivi finally talks with her father and reveals the whole situation to him. Nefertari Cobra tells her to go back to her friends when the two years are up and have faith that her people will be able to endure without her for however long the adventure lasts, whether it be a few years or more than a decade, and she is more than justified in wanting to adventure with her friends.
• Su is planning to leave Conis – temporarily – to search for the Children of Inari and her path to getting stronger. Then she hears Conis having a nightmare. It barely takes one agonizing moment of indecision before she returns to Conis's side.

Marineford Misery

• The Whitebeard Pirates, moments after making their dramatic entry aboard the Moby Dick, make it clear that they heard Sengoku's revelation of Ace's parentage on the SBS and they couldn't give less of a damn about it; all that matters to them is bringing their brother home.
• The Whitebeards unanimously considering Cross as one of their own because he let them know about their Pops and his plan to die at Marineford to save Ace, with one going as far as to give Cross the nickname Snail Boy.
• Cross apologizes to Whitebeard for not being able to stop the war from happening, saying that he wanted to save Ace and more importantly Whitebeard himself, all within earshot of Whitebeard's Commanders who had already considered Cross one of their own.
• Izo easily No-Sells Hancock's Love-Love Beam due to his respect and admiration for his former master Kozuki Oden. Naturally, she's impressed. And also peeved that she's meeting so many people who are immune to her powers.
• Here, Luffy and Whitebeard's first meeting is more of the heartwarming variety, where Luffy thanks Whitebeard for taking care of his brother, while Whitebeard thanks him for allowing Whitebeard to meet Ace. Then, he gives Luffy an affectionate pat on the back before the boy leaves for the battlefield, and some words of encouragement.
• Squard stabbing Whitebeard is averted thanks to a lot of minor changes adding up to make a difference at the very end, and despite his understandable hatred of Roger remaining, Squard breaking down sobbing into his adoptive father's side is a tear-jerking kind of sweet.
  Squard: I've… I've been such an idiot…
  Whitebeard: Yes. You have been. (Hugs him) But if I couldn't look past that, I wouldn't have any sons left.
• Tsuru and Jonathan's remarkably calm chat in the middle of the battle, both showing honest respect and liking towards Cross.
• Gol D. Roger once again calling in from the other side and pleading with Luffy to save his son.
  • Ace, for all that he hates his biological father, feels something other than a negative emotion for the first time regarding his father when Roger calls into the SBS from beyond the grave:
  And at the peak of this madness, overlooking it all, Ace's mind came to a screeching halt. Outrage, the same anger he had carried all his life at the truth that he knew, he knew that man was about to say, clashed with a heady sense of euphoria, at the thought of hearing those same words, words that showed that on some level the man actually cared.
  "Please save my son."
• Isuka — Ace's former friend in the Marines who seemingly Took a Level in Jerkass to become his executioner — is revealed to have been a deep cover agent for the Masons from the beginning, and when Sengoku orders her to kill Ace, immediately blows up the platform with concealed bombs before she grabs Ace and runs, risking her life and blowing her career completely to hell in an attempt to make sure her friend survives. As she bickers with Ace, she demands that he make her the first mate to his crew no matter what.
• As they're escaping from Marineford, Soundbite transmits the calls from all of the other Straw Hats to Luffy telling him to return to them.
  • To hammer the point home, Cross is in what is arguably the worst, most dangerous place on the planet — inarguably the worst outside of the New World — grievously injured, and surrounded by cannibalistic hostiles. Yet in the midst of this, when the war begins, he and Soundbite immediately make it their first priority, shutting out everything else to provide the Whitebeards with much-needed intel and ensure that, through Soundbite's powers, their Captain is not alone in Marineford.
• After Akainu deals a fatal blow to the Moby Dick, the ship's klabautermann manifests to speak with her captain for the first and last time, telling him not to apologize and that It Has Been an Honor to serve Whitebeard and his crew.
• While the moment is part-Crowning Moment of Funny, there's something wonderful after Luffy, Ace, and Sabo being finally reunited after years of teasing it throughout the story.
• Dragon shows up in Marineford in the nick of time to save Luffy and Ace, alongside Sabo, Koala, and Hack, and is mad, to say the least, that Akainu was trying to hurt his kids.
  • Just before leaving later, Dragon and Luffy finally get to speak to each other for the first time. Dragon is - for once - genuinely awkward, at getting to talk to his son, before wishing him the best and asking him to "try not to die". And Luffy, for his part, just laughs and says okay.
• Why do the Supernovas intervene at Marineford? Because Bartolomeo, of all people, gives a Rousing Speech to the others, noting that their entire generation is indebted to Roger for inspiring them, so they owe it to him to save Ace.
• Kaido and Big Mom mourn Whitebeard. They might have been at each other's throats for decades since they were crewmates, but once they hear he's died, both Emperors grieve their fallen crewmate.
• Two words: Ace lives. And the last we see of him in Chapter 82 is him joining Luffy and Sabo in a reenactment of their sake ceremony.
  • Hearing about Ace's survival is a boon to Cross, but not enough to fully snap him out of his Heroic BSoD, so B.R.O.B. itself intervenes to explain that Cross was supposed to die numerous times over, not to mention fail to save Merry and Ace. This is enough to get Cross back to normal, and he not only saves another prisoner's life, he proceeds to broadcast a Rousing Speech to the entire Hellhole Prison, promising to escape and inspiring hope in its inhabitants for the first time.
    • And that prisoner he saves? The same crazed cannibal who tried to eat him, who he saves just because he can't stand by and watch her be killed. He then bonds with her, and promises to help her regain her humanity and freedom.

Denouement

• Brook makes sure that Nami gets a cut of the money he will be making from his musical career.
• Cross already has a following of people with him when scouring Serpent, implied to be the people who heard his broadcast.
• Nami makes arrangements with Shirahoshi to allow her to stay in semi-regular contact with the Straw Hats over the next few years, turning the Mermaid Princess's sorrowful tears into happy ones.
• While on Karakuri Island, after averting causing "The Nightmare of Baldimore", Franky actually managed to complete Vegapunk's heating system. The island's government is left in touched speechlessness that the project Vegapunk had built for his country but was unable to finish was finally operational.
• Buggy returning to his crew, with the Impel Down recruits in tow, and telling them, all of them, that if they want out there will be no hard feelings whatsoever. He then proceeds to explain exactly what they’re in for if they stay, namely fights of such power and insanity that they will make the war of Marineford look sedate, restating that if anyone wants to avoid that and try to live (more) peacefully, as he did previously, then he won’t think any less of them. They all stay.
• The ASL brothers renewing their bond of brothers that they never could in canon.
  Ace: Time doesn't matter. Distance doesn't matter. And injuries don't matter. The three of us against the world.
  Sabo: Along with anyone else who's brave and stupid enough to fight with us.
  Luffy: No matter what happens, we're never alone. Brothers for life.
• Marguerite and the Kuja Pirates deciding to take a page out of the Sun Pirates' book, and cover the Snake Sisters' Soaring Hoof brands with brands of the Kuja Pirates' Jolly Roger. Many tears are shed, but none in pain.
• Ace making it clear to the rest of the crew that his new title will always be acting captain, because Whitebeard will always be their only true captain.
  • Also, Ace now carries the Jolly Rogers of both his fathers on his back (though Roger's is only a small neck tattoo).
• The Epilogue is scant of a few words and has a picture of a newspaper with an otherwise heartbreaking headline...or it would be if not for the fact that one of the people watching Cross' "funeral pyre" has an arm raised in solidarity with an "X" crossed on his forearm. For those who've read the manga, this scene calls back to when the Straw Hats left Alabasta while proudly showing the X crossed onto their arms to Vivi while proclaiming she was their friend. No two guesses who that hooded figure is.
  • What's more is that what looks like an execution at first glance is actually a funerary vigil led by the survivors of Serpent after Cross burned it to the ground. Cross may not have saved as many as he wanted, but he saved all that he could and they are truly grateful for a miracle they never dared hope for before he arrived.

Specials

The Christmas Special:

• It may be rude and Mood Whiplash-y, but Soundbite's exclamation does wonders for snapping the crew out of their funk of missing their own Christmases with their loved ones and into a Straw Hat party mood.
• A look at the world showing that Christmas brings out the best in everyone.
  • Woop Slap letting Dadan and the bandits into his Christmas party.
  • Koshiro visiting his daughter's grave.
  • Chouchou on present-delivering duty.
  • Kaya and the boys sending presents-in-a-bottle to Usopp.
  • A flush Johnny and Yosaku paying for everyone's meals during the Baratie's Christmas lunch rush.
  • Smoker having his own Christmas moment with a cigar, and although he doesn't say it out loud, he does wish Tashigi a Merry Christmas.
  • The Baroque Works truce with the Elbaf Giants.
  • Kohza and Cobra's Christmas truce.
  • Crocodile actually buying Robin an expensive Christmas gift.
  • Foxy taking it upon himself to do all the party preparation for his crew by himself, in thanks for everything they've done for him.
  • Vegapunk feeding his pet dragons.
  • For what it's worth, Doflamingo even acquiesces to give the Corrida gladiators fresh gruel instead of their usual fare. But it's the Dwarves that really come through, by showering them with new armor and weapons.
• Vivi giving Cross a mistletoe peck on the cheek.

1000th Review Special

• The fact that the Straw Hat crew threw Cross a birthday party!
  • And Luffy ordering Future Cross to celebrate it too.

Omatsuri Island

• Despite the events of Baron Omatsuri and the Secret Island, it's still incredible how many people all over the world either cheered Luffy on or wanted to rush to his aid. Besides expected members like the Barto Club, Ace, and the hometowns, there are others like Squardo, Whitey Bay, six of the nine other Supernovas, and the entirety of Amazon Lily.
  • Shanks and Dragon got in on it, and Whitebeard himself was contemplating sinking the island despite being deep in the New World. Heck, Sengoku congratulated Luffy on defeating Lily and was willing to grant him a Shichibukai seat despite all the trouble the Straw Hats been causing the World Government (though he correctly assumed Luffy wouldn't accept). He also ended up granting amnesty to the Tearoom Pirates and Brief, formerly of the Toothbrush Mustache Pirates, and is planning on wiping out every last trace of the island via the biggest Buster Call ever.
  • Blackbeard was cheering for Luffy.
  • Luffy asks Brief to bury Omatsuri with his crew, saying that, at least, he should be allowed to rest in peace with them.
  • But most of all is Garp telling Luffy how proud he is of him.

The Awe-Inspiring Kancolle Affair

• What's Merry's number one Berserk Button? Anyone badmouthing her crew. Her prior anger pales in comparison to how enraged she becomes when one of the girls suggests her crew are the ones who gave her such nasty scars.
• It's Played for Laughs, but Cross expressing his pride at Merry raising hell during her capture like a parent is very sweet.

Crossing the Rainbow Mists (crossover with Twelve Red Lines by Vikingr)

• Cross tries to keep the crew from entering the Rainbow Mists despite his danger addiction because even he realizes it just isn't worth it.
• Cross, Jones, and their respective shoulder-companions teaming up to deal with a barracuda Sea King, despite not even knowing each other's names and starting off on bad terms.
  • Jones recognizes Cross and Soundbite, cementing herself as a fan of This Bites! before her transfer into One Piece.
  • During their verbal dueling, they both express such faith in their individual Straw Hat crews.
• After they knock out Bellemere, Jones offers to help Cross by offering to help with the blame.
• Cross, upon hearing he's an SI character from Jones' perspective, dismisses the idea that he was part of a popular work. The fact he is one of the Top Ten causes him to be struck speechless.
• Lee Fung (CV12Hornet) apparently got sent into JoJo after Cross (Xomniac) entered One Piece. Through a twist of fate, he ended up adopting an alternate Nico Robin.
  • Despite (from his perspective) decades, Lee remembers his good friend Cross and is terrified that he only makes the connection after attacking him.
    • Lee and Cross hugging after they recognize their old writing buddy. And just reconnecting in general.
• Jones realizes she could warn Cross about the Ace situation and is only stopped by B.R.O.B. suggesting her not to.
  • Jones hints she considers Cross part of her inspiration as a planner.
• The Straw Hats of both worlds connecting with their loved ones:
  • The Namis getting to speak again with Bellemere.
  • The Vivis spending time with Queen Titi.
  • The Zoros sparring with Johnny, Yosaku, and Kuina.
  • The Usopps telling Banchina stories.
  • Boss reuniting with Sifu Dugong.
  • The Choppers speaking with Doctor Hiriluk.
  • Merry talking with Kaya and… Merry the Butler.
  • A young Reiju showing up for the Sanjis.
  • Franky speaking with a young Kokoro.
  • Conis meeting her mother Serra.
  • The Robins hugging Olvia.
  • The Luffys having fun with Makino.
  • Ghin chasing after Tippy.
• Jones sparring with TB!Vivi and talking about her respect for the noble.
• Bellemere getting enraged by Olvia when she suggests Bellemere would arrest her own kid's crews.
  • Them later bonding over alcohol and a mutual love for their children.
• Serra only gets mad when the two above insult her for leaving Conis when she was a baby to join the Roger Pirates.
  • Serra and Queen Titi's odd friendship.
• Ghin thanks TB!Sanji for saving him in the timelines where Jones didn't exist.
• The general tomfoolery during the dual crew feast.
• Jones stating that the person the Mists brought her to meet was Cross.
  • Cross DEMANDING Jones keep moving forward and reach the end of the Grand Line because he sees the same drive he has in her.
    • The ending group hug of Jones, Cross, Lee, and an ethereal presence that could only be The Patient One.

The Halloween Holiday Not-So-Horrorshow!

• BROB randomly drops the crew (and Masons) down a portal pit – turning them into their costumes in the process – into Halloweentown.
  • Jack Skellington, as the personification of Halloween itself, allowing this to happen – he clearly doesn't think too highly of BROB, however for the sake of having Cross & co. around, he's willing to make an exception.