The Straw Hats’ first stop in the Grand Line is Cactus Island (for obvious reasons), but they have two extra mouths to feed: Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday. While Mr. 9 spends his time taunting the crew, Luffy is below deck asking Miss Wednesday a barrage of questions before releasing her simply because he “trusts his gut.” This gut instinct, however, allows the pair to escape.
Upon arriving at the town of Whiskey Peak, the crew is welcomed with open arms. The townsfolk explain that they prefer treating pirates to fighting them, leading to a massive celebration where the Straw Hats fall into their classic tropes: Luffy is eating, Nami is scamming (a nun, no less!), Usopp is bragging about his sharpshooting, and Sanji is serving the guests.
Interestingly, the episode focuses heavily on Zoro. He is haunted by visions of Mihawk taunting the gap in their skills, which affects him so much that he can’t enjoy the party like the others. This is an interesting character growth that adds depth to his dream of becoming the world’s greatest swordsman.
Of course, all is not what it seems. Once the crew is separated, it’s revealed the town is a front for a bounty hunter operation. Nami stumbles upon the bodies of the Tulip Pirates—a deep-cut Easter egg from Jango’s cover story in the manga. We also learn that the giant cactuses surrounding the island are actually mass graveyards for murdered pirates.
The Mayor of Whiskey Peak is revealed to be the Baroque Works agent Mr. 8, working alongside Miss Wednesday. But the real highlight is the longest fight sequence the show has provided yet: Roronoa Zoro vs 100 Baroque Works agents. Mackenyu absolutely kills it here, showcasing Zoro’s 1-sword, 2-sword, and 3-sword styles as he lays waste to the town. Absolute cinema!
The night takes a deadlier turn though when Miss Valentine and Mr. 5 arrive. They aren’t there for Luffy though, they are there to eliminate Mr. 8 and Miss Wednesday, who are revealed to be spies! Their true identities are Igaram (Captain of the Alabasta Royal Guard) and Princess Nefertari Vivi of Alabasta.
We see their deadly Devil Fruit powers in action too as their powers are revealed. Miss Valentine rocking the Kilo-Kilo Fruit where she can alter her weight from 1kg to 10,000kg at will, making her kicks devastating but also granting her the ability to float and Mr. 5 with the Bomb-Bomb Fruit where he can turn any part of his body—including his blood and, yes, his boogers—into a powerful explosive.
In a departure from the manga’s tendency to keep characters alive (even after devastating attacks), the Live Action isn’t afraid of permanent stakes. Igaram makes a glorious final stand with his hair-guns, but he seemingly meets his end via Mr. 5’s explosive blood, but giving Luffy and the others a chance to escape to sea with Princess Vivi.
One shocking turn was Mr. 9’s loyalty. Despite being the butt of the jokes, he refused to betray Vivi even under the threat of death, ultimately falling to Miss Valentine. It gave a ridiculous character a very grounded, honourable exit.
While Usopp and Sanji were somewhat sidelined—sent back to the ship early to ensure a quick getaway—the focus remained squarely on Zoro’s character growth as well as his fight scene. All teams deserve points for that incredible choreography throughout though. As the Straw Hats sail away with their new “crewmate” Vivi, they realize they have a stowaway: Miss All Sunday has stowed away on their ship too!
Verdict
This was a standout episode for Zoro fans. While the town set felt a bit small and “staged” at times, the big character reveals were handled well for newcomers and long-time fans alike. The Straw Hats are now officially embroiled in a country-sized war against a global criminal syndicate and now the number one enemy of the Baroque Work agents.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
