RIP Oden Kozuki

One Piece Chapter 972 Review/Recap

I rarely ever come across situations where I have no words to start off a blog post. However, after reading this chapter of One Piece, I have no words. Oden’s story comes to an incredible ending.

Recap

As Oden’s execution drags on, Shinobu’s revelations slowly begin to disperse throughout the crowd of onlookers. As a result, people begin to spread the word to all of Wano via arrow, while the crowd begins to ask for Orochi to halt the execution. In response, he just starts killing onlookers. Realizing that he will not make it out alive, Oden chooses to tell everyone the truth about Wano. That the Kozuki’s closed off their land to protect it from a great power. Twenty years from now, a great war will begin, and a person who’s traveled through time will need Wano’s help. Thus, he commands the Scabbards to open Wano’s borders no matter what.

Despite the overwhelming pain of the boiling oil, Oden survives for an hour. However, Orochi reneges on his promise and decides to just kill Oden firing squad. With the last of his strength, he throws the Scabbards to safety and tells them to make for Kuri, where Toki plans to send them into the future, along with his swords. As a sign of respect to the only man who injured him, Kaido ends Oden’s life with a single bullet to the head.

Review

Wow, just wow. I knew that this execution would end in Oden’s death and the escape of the Scabbards. Even so, I couldn’t help but be shocked at how things turned out, or the foresight that Oden seemed to have. He knew that if he couldn’t save Wano, then the ones who save would come in twenty years. Knowing how Oda operates, Oden somehow knew that the Straw Hats would be the ones to take down Kaido.

So, long story short, the execution ended how I predicted, but that doesn’t make it any less hard to watch. Oden was a fun character, and I’m going to miss him. Now, though, it’s time for the manga to return to the present day. Orochi may think he’s one, but I know that the Straw Hats will find a way to win.

The next chapter will likely be the last of this long flashback, so we should get back to the present day by March. Hopefully, the next chapter will show us Toki’s powers in action, as well what happened to Denjiro, because we don’t know where he is. The Straw Hat’s greatest battle yet is about to begin, and I am so pumped for it! #RIPODEN

I Give ” I am Oden, And I Was Born to Boil” A 3.8/5

By the way, that old lady who had the Clone-Clone Fruit? Kaido killed her.

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