Episode 145: Buggy / Fire Fist Ace Question

[Techno_Jutsu]

When I first went through the anime episodes, episode 145 (not sure which manga it is but I'll provide context) always confused me, but I continued on hoping my questions would be answered. But they weren't.

Episode 145 is right after they try to salvage the ship that falls from the sky, right before they enter Mock Town on Jaya. But something I've always seen as random happens. The episode switches to Buggy and Alvida's crew searching for gold on some island somewhere. Afterwards, they're throwing a party on the ship, and Ace shows up. The crew is about to attack Ace, but Buggy warns them that he's powerful and part of Whitebeard's crew.

My question is, what's the relevance? The purpose of these episodes was to set up the Skypiea arc. They broke from that set-up, showed us an interaction between Buggy and Ace, then go back to Luffy. When I first saw it, I expected the Strawhats to meet Buggy again somewhere, assuming they were trying to point out that Buggy was in the Grand Line, since he runs into Ace and this is right after Arabasta. But we haven't seen either character since (basically)...

Anyone? :huh

[Ishin Shishi]

You're right, that does seem random. I personally thought it was some sort a-peek-into-the-lives-of-minor-characters thing. Kind of like how they show Koby and Helmeppo, Jango and Fullbody randomly.

Maybe it becomes relevant as a flashback in the future. So far Oda-sensei hasn't disappointed in tying together these apparent loose ends. I've been amazed at how he does that. For example, I thought the apparition Usopp saw in Vearth was random. It was explained like a hundred episodes later! Or maybe it was just to reinforce how well-known and feared Ace is, or maybe Ace was gathering information on BB.

[Marsala]

It foreshadows the importance of Whitebeard, the only man to fight Gold Roger to a standstill. Also, Buggy says that he met Whitebeard, "Head on," when he first entered the Grand Line, which is a very oblique hint for something else. Finally, it furthers the subplot of Ace's hunt for Blackbeard, which will become very important, uh, eventually.

[Haruko]

Buggy seems to be doing quite well in the Grand Line. At the time I didn't think about it.

[Captain Pimp]

They did it to show that Buggy and Ace will show up again in the future since they are significant to the plot later on.

Mostly, it's going to be about the rivalry between Whitebeard and Blackbeard...

[Techno_Jutsu]

They did it to show that Buggy and Ace will show up again in the future since they are significant to the plot later on.That's kind of what I thought. But that was episode 145. We're on episode 290, and they haven't been shown yet.
They just got around to showing Ace in the last manga
It seems like they wanted to remind us of them, and then forgot they put that in there and never went back to it.

I can understand wanting to drop Whitebeard's name in there, but it seems like they went way out their way to do that. There were a couple of pirate groups fighting in Mock Town, you'd think they could find a way to mention his name there, especially with Blackbeard making his first appearance and all.

[Captain Pimp]

Well, with the anime being very close to the manga..Ace, Buggy, and the other pirate crews aren't reappearing for a while. Don't worry..they'll be back for sure :nod

Hmm, the only thing bugging me is..why didn't Ace go to High Summit (think that's the name written on the paper Ace gave to Luffy). I was really anticipating his return after that :cry

[Techno_Jutsu]

Well, with the anime being very close to the manga..Ace, Buggy, and the other pirate crews aren't reappearing for a while. Don't worry..they'll be back for sure :nod

Hmm, the only thing bugging me is..why didn't Ace go to High Summit (think that's the name written on the paper Ace gave to Luffy). I was really anticipating his return after that :cryAce's return after....what? :huh

[Haruko]

I thought that there was nothing on the paper (?) so how did you deduce that.

[stingy]

Hmm, the only thing bugging me is..why didn't Ace go to High Summit (think that's the name written on the paper Ace gave to Luffy).

The paper that Ace gave to Luffy is blank, and only Ace and Luffy see any relevance in it. There is also no High Summit; it's called the Pirates Summit, which is not where pirates go to hang out and have wrestling contests or whatever. Ace was just making an indirect reference to their quest to rise to the highest echelons of piracy. It's kinda like saying, "See you at the top".

[Haruko]

Yep Stingy is right.

[Captain Pimp]

Ace's return after....what? :huh

After Arabasta arc, I meant :( Since we don't see him much after that arc..I was hoping he would arrive in Skypiea..

I thought that there was nothing on the paper (?) so how did you deduce that.

Ah, my bad...I meant the paper would remind Luffy of Pirates' Summit. Sorry for the confusion :sweat

The paper that Ace gave to Luffy is blank, and only Ace and Luffy see any relevance in it. There is also no High Summit; it's called the Pirates Summit, which is not where pirates go to hang out and have wrestling contests or whatever. Ace was just making an indirect reference to their quest to rise to the highest echelons of piracy. It's kinda like saying, "See you at the top".

Ahh, that would make sense :nod Well, I was thinking more of Skypiea since many great pirates should have reached there and they would be considered very strong in the Grand line.

[FFLN]

I figured that they showed that because it tied into Blackbeard and tells viewers just WHY Whitebeard is so intent upon Blackbeard being taken out.

[Techno_Jutsu]

I figured that they showed that because it tied into Blackbeard and tells viewers just WHY Whitebeard is so intent upon Blackbeard being taken out.Ya, I suppose that might be it. Blackbeard makes his first appearance slightly later, and his crew try to get him into the shichibukai. I wish they had devoted a few more episodes to trying to explain the background. When it's just a single episode, it seems like they could place it anywhere. :notrust

[FFLN]

It made sense to me.:) I just considered it as another tidbit of information and went on from there. I just figured that all of the episodes dealing with well-known and famous pirates were just to show us bits of a bigger picture, or event, that Luffy and crew had yet to enter, but were moving towards.