The Straw Hats have finally entered the Grand Line! However, it is anything but a smooth entrance. To get there, they must navigate Reverse Mountain, traversing terrifying, uphill river rapids through a graveyard of shipwrecks belonging to those who failed before them.
They make it through, only to be instantly swallowed by a giant whale at the entry point of the Grand Line. Everyone is gulped down except for Luffy, who manages to zip away just in time.
During the chaos, we get a quick name-drop of Dadan (the woman who looked after Luffy as a child, though she hasn’t appeared in the flesh yet!). Luffy eventually encounters an old man named Crocus. Manga fans will recognize him as the doctor of the Roger Pirates. He is initially quite cynical, insisting that Luffy’s friends are likely dead and showing reluctance to help—that is, until Luffy kicks in his door and convinces him to at least try to save the crew.
Elsewhere, we see that Garp, Koby, and Helmeppo have arrived in the aftermath of Loguetown. They confront Smoker, who is adamant about chasing Luffy into the Grand Line. Instead, Garp gives him a new mission: enter the Grand Line to capture a member of Baroque Works, which is officially name-dropped as a dangerous criminal syndicate. It’s great to see the trio again, though since they were the major B-plot of the first season, it seems likely that Smoker and Tashigi will take the lead for the Marine side of the story moving forward.
Back with the Straw Hats, the crew is busy patching up the Going Merry inside the whale’s stomach. They are suddenly attacked by Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday. Sanji makes quick work of Mr. 9, proving just how outclassed the frontier agents are, while Nami has a bit more trouble in her one-on-one with Miss Wednesday before Sanji and Usopp intervene.
The two agents become prisoners of the Straw Hats. Zoro even gets a moment to brag about killing their predecessor, Mr. 7. The duo eventually reveals they were trying to seize the Going Merry to make their escape.
Meanwhile, Crocus shares the emotional history of the whale, Laboon. This flashback feels much more fleshed out than it was in the original manga or anime at this stage. While we didn’t learn the full details of the Rumbar Pirates until the Thriller Bark arc originally, the live action puts them front and center here.
We actually get to see the legendary Brook in live action! Seeing a living Brook playing “Binks’ Sake” (or Binks’ Brew in this version) was an incredible moment for long-time fans and a great teaser for what’s to come in future seasons should we get that far. The crew reluctantly left Laboon behind due to the dangers of the Grand Line, and for years, the poor whale has been smashing his head against the Red Line in a desperate attempt to reunite with them.
Luffy tackles the situation with his signature heart, calming Laboon by singing “Binks’ Sake” and speaking to him man-to-whale. Laboon eventually releases the Straw Hats—with Miss Wednesday even helping save Usopp from a nasty fate involving whale bile—and the crew is reunited.
Pleased with their help in saving Laboon’s spirit, Crocus gifts the crew a Log Pose. This is a unique tool required to navigate the Grand Line because standard compasses don’t work there. The Log Pose records the magnetic charge of the island you are on and points toward the next one; without it, you’re essentially sailing blind.
Verdict
This was another fun, character-driven episode! It felt more contained than the premiere since most of it took place inside the whale and the lighthouse. While I missed the classic anime gag where Crocus keeps interrupting Sanji’s introduction with an intense staring contest, the emotional weight of the Laboon story made up for it.
And seeing Brook? An absolute win. Onward to Whiskey Peak!
⭐⭐⭐⭐
