Garp is Here to Save Koby from Blackbeard

One Piece Chapter 1080 Review/Recap

Apologies for how late this is coming out, but I’ve spent the last week preparing for the series finale to Disney’s prematurely ended hit show, The Owl House. As a result, I wasn’t able to focus on the last piece of One Piece. Once I did get time to read it, though…holy cow, Garp is strong. Launching a daring raid on Blackbeard’s Pirate Island to rescue Koby, Garp reminds everyone why he could go toe to toe with Gol D. Roger. Not only that, but we also get some insight into SWORD, the unit that Koby and X Drake are part of. 

Recap

On Pirate Island, home of the Blackbeard Pirates, chaos reigns! After being captured by Blackbeard, Koby was brought to their base. His goal: use him as a hostage and get recognized as an official kingdom. However, Koby shuts that notion down by admitting he’s part of SWORD. Kuzan explains that SWORD’s a Unit of Marines who resigned their commissions. In exchange for the freedom to ignore chain of command and fight a Yonko if necessary, they’re disavowed by their comrades. Blackbeard won’t budge since Koby’s a hero of the Marines, though. As a result, this leads to Koby leading himself and many prisoners in a breakout (with Perona’s help,) while the Blackbeard Pirates watch on.

At this exact same time, the island comes under attack by the Marines. Koby’s comrades in SWORD, who proceed to lay waste to the common pirates in their path. Then, Garp comes flying in on his ship and uses a Conquerer’s Haki-infused attack to lay waste to everything in sight, proclaiming that Koby’s the future of the Marines!

Review

Holy cow, these are Koby’s comrades in SWORD!?!? They’re every bit as powerful and crazy as the Straw Hats are! It’s like SWORD is the Marine equivalent of the Straw Hat Pirates, with each of them a badass. I can’t help but wonder if that sniper, Hibari, has a crush on Koby, though. She acts like a tsundere when talking to him. 

As for Garp, this might be the first time I can remember seeing him go all-out like this! With that level of control over Haki, Garp is likely one of the strongest people on the planet! No wonder he’s the legendary hero of the Marines and Luffy’s grandpa. I’m not even sure Luffy’s reached that level of control over his Haki yet!

As for the Blackbeard Pirates, this chapter shows us that, as has been stated, they all wield Devil Fruits, and have great skill with them, too. The clash between them and the Straw Hats will likely be the greatest in the entire franchise. As for the SWORD front, this chapter explains a lot about them, like how X Drake can work as a Pirate. They’re an off-the-books black ops unit to do the things they can’t have the Marines publicly doing; clever. However, I still don’t think they’re a full match for the Blackbeard Pirates.

Overall, this chapter was interesting to read, but it also shows an unusual trend in this arc. Oda usually focuses on wherever the arc’s taking place. Now, though, he’s jumping all over the place. I get it’s to build up to the final conflict, but it’s starting to get distracting. However, I trust Oda knows what he’s doing, though.

I Give “The Legendary Hero” a 3/5

Click here to see more animanga stuff