STORYTELLING INSIGHTS

I will put here some informations and analysis regarding storytelling I deem important to analyse and theorize correctly on One Piece:

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"The Luffy/Yamato Conversation.."

or..

"Why #OnePiece985 was actually a good thing for the #Carrot4Nakama theory and not the other way around"

(Long)

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I saw a LOT of people and reactors taking the conversation panel and jumping on conclusions:

"This is it".. "This is a foreshadowing" .. "Rip Carrot fans" "Yamato next straw-hat" etc.

To see if that's true, let's look at this dialogue:

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1) "I've followed the proper logic"

Here Yamato implies that he wants to go on the Sunny because of he followed his logic (because Luffy is Ace's brother). Implying that the reason is not Luffy but his reasonning.

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2) "As Ace's brother, you should be giving me a ride on your ship"

Here Yamato is implying that Luffy has a duty as Ace's brother to give him a ride on his ship.

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First let's analyse those sentences in a character context:

1) This is obviously false logic, one does not go on a ship because of link only, the place has to be (most of the time) earned.

2) Yamato is forcing the hand of Luffy here..

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In short, Yamato is ignoring Luffy's choice and there is nothing Luffy hates more than having his freedom of choice taken away from him without a good reason.

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For example: Robin forced Luffy's hand.. yes.. but for a good reason: Luffy saved her, he was therefore responsible for her being alive and without nowhere to go.

And so, Luffy accepted her. Same for Carrot.

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The result of this was immediat: Luffy, irritated, defies instantly Yamato

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Now.. Let's look at this from a storytelling standpoint:

What do we have?

A promise close to every OP fan's heart - a new member on the ship - is delivered rapidly without preparation BUT this promise is corrupted by point 1 & 2 mentionned previously.

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This transforms the promisse into a false one.

In short, what Oda is preparing for Yamato is at the opposite of what he is saying in this panel.

This therefore an attempt of "SUBVERSION DIALOGUE" by Oda, or in other words : a diversion.

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What I call "subversions dialogues" are storytelling tools that helps the author lead the reader's mindset where they wants them to be while preparing and helping the diligent readers with little hints, to predict what is really to come in the future.

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A subversion dialogue can lead the expectations go:

From Positive > to > Negative.

It's basically the moments in stories when you say to yourself, "wait, I've a bad feeling about this"

Here are some examples:

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In the first example: Oda is preparing us to expect Vivi to join, the hint being that Vivi is far and speaking with an escargophone.

In the second Oda is leading us to expect Sanji to NEVER speak to Luffy like that. The hint : Sanji is not happy.

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A subversion dialogue can also go:

From Negative > to > Positive

Those are often used to set up revelations and "yeah" moments when we expect a near death experience for the characters:

Exemples:

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First example: Oda is leading us to believe the Mink will kill the samourai. But Oda left a hint: The Mink never told to the mugi that they hated the Samourais.

Second: Oda is leading us to believe death: The hint being that Jinbe is a good Helmsman.

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Sometimes the author can even be smart enough to "seal" the impact of a subversion dialogue by letting the characters say blatently what will happen:

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In the same way. Yamato's "you should be giving me a ride on your ship" is a false promise (for the fan) from a Positive > to > a Negative and a Negative > to > a positive (for the character of Yamato).

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The hint is the corruption of the promise. Yamato wants to go on the ship for the wrong reasons (not for Luffy but by simple "logic")

By understanding what he really wants, he will change his goal and might realise that there is no need for him to go.

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A good reader of One Piece will know that all the mugiwara will follow Luffy because of HIM FIRST. That why here, The story hints us that Yamato is kinda lying to himself.

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SO...

This "subversion dialogue" shows us two things:

1) What Yamato said to Luffy won't happen, even if he becomes Nakama, that won't be for THOSE reasons! So and even if it's still possible, the integration of Yamato to the crew is still unlikely.

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2) Oda is still playing with the "nakama" Card and what better way to plan the surprise of the integration of a new crew member, that to make us believe another member will join. And if you don't believe me..

Remember that Oda already did that.

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Concerning Carrot:

She has been prepared with Nakama traits from her apparition in chapter 804.

- Her role as a look-out
- Her interactions with the crew
- Her subtle development all over whole cake
- Her shining moments

And so many more things..

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The probabilities of Oda not noknowing about the Carrot for Nakama trend are close to NONE!!

YET.. Carrot has NEVER been subject to a subversion dialogue (from Positive > to > Negative) concerning her potential as a crewmate!

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What would a negative subversion dialogue look like for the "Carrot will become for Nakama" train you ask ? Well:

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- "I need to go on sea because I'm not needed on Zou"

This would lead us to believe that she will join because she is not needed when in fact her wish is to help her Island while being there (like Vivi)

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- "I need to go on the Sunny because I can't be captain of my own ship."

This would lead us to believe that she will join because she has no STRONG leading capacities when in fact she does have them.

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Did you noticed the problem? Yeah.. , those are TRUE, therefore they CAN'T be Positive > to > Negative subversion dialogues for this theory on her joining.

Why? Because, contrary to Vivi for Alabasta, there are close to NO room for that subversion.

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The promise of Carrot joining CAN'T be corrupted (in the present story) by her secretly wanting to stay on Zo, because everything we knows of her leads us to believe the opposite:

She seeks adventures, NOTHING tells us otherwise there are NO hints.

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But.. let's put that on reverse mode just to check. And let's place ourselves as Oda trying to make the readers believes that Carrot WON'T join the crew when she actually WILL!

For that we will need Negative > To > Positive subversions:

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1 - "Pedro would want me to stay on the island and help my people so I'll stay on Zou"
2 - "The crew don't needs me, Zo needs me so I'll stay on Zo"
3 - "The crew don't needs me, so I'll make my own"
4 - "It's more fun on Zo, so I'll stay here"

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1 is leading us to believe that Pedro wants her to go back on Zou, when it's the opposite.
2 & 3 is leading us to believe that Carrot thing she is useless on the crew, when she's not.
In 4 Carrot ignore the amazing adventure she had on sea

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Are you sensing the difference in term of impact?

I guess you do. And the reason is simple: Those ar promises that are corrupted by what we know from her story.

By saying all those thing to someone or to herself, Carrot would be LYING TO HERSELF!

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A casual reader wouldn't notice that on the first read, but someone who really knows her story will know that there are hints, that everything here are lies.

Lies on which the crew and Luffy would have only one anwser:

"SHUT UP, LET'S GO"

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CONCLUSION:

The subversion dialogue is the reason why #OnePiece985 is a good thing for the #Carrot4Nakama theory.

Yamato had a treatment that Carrot didn't.. yes... but not in a Nakama way.

That doesn't mean it won't happens, just that Carrot is