Episode 5 of One Piece season 2 starts with Vivi realizing that Zoro and Nami, who are both captured in Mr 3's wax house, are under some sort of spell. This is courtesy of Miss Goldenweek's colours of course! Thankfully, Vivi manages to kick Goldenweek's colour off Nami and snap her out of her entranced state. Zoro though is not quite so lucky.
While this is happening, Mr 3 creates a wax cake, ready for his masterwork to take place. He concedes to Goldenweek, allowing her to use Luffy as her plaything until the time comes for him to use the Straw Hats leader.
Luffy is actually down on the beach, depressed and obviously under Goldenweek's control, sporting a blue spiral on his face. Usopp overhears and heads over to see Luffy. He struggles to snap Luffy out of his depressed state but when Goldenweek approaches, he promises to come back for him and heads back into the forest.
Meanwhile, Sanji tracks down Mr 3's wax house but he does so a little too late. Turns out the others have been captured by Mr 3 and are taken out to the cake he's conjured in the forest. Miss Valentine and Mr 5 are here too, flanking him, as Mr 5 ignites the candles atop the cake. As the top layer begins spiralling around, it rains down wax, which will eventually turn them into wax sculptures.
Obviously this means there's a delayed time for all of this to take place, but it also means that Zoro, with his swords, could help get them out. Using her skills, Nami convinces Mr 3 to lean into the "depressive" nature of his work and remove the spiral from Zoro's leg so he can revel in the anguish.
It works a treat as Mr 3 wipes the colour off and Zoro snaps back to attention. However, he can't break himself out of this. The wax is way too strong for his steel swords to cut through, and Mr 3 relishes the despair the Straw Hats are feeling.
Back with Sanji, he looks through Mr 3's desk and finds a number of files on the Straw Hats. Before he leaves, the phone rings. It's Mr Zero.
Sanji plays the part well and taunts the voice, as Mr Zero explains that they need to be careful given the government are onto them. Sanji tells Zero that both the Straw Hats and the Princess are dead. However, they're not alone.
Both Miss Friday and Mr 13 swoop down from the sky and attack Sanji. With mounted machine guns, it's certainly touch and go for a while as he seeks refuge inside the house and takes them both out. After, he picks up the phone again and the jig is up. He calls himself Prince, and everything is left on a bit of a cliffhanger here.
As for Usopp, he hears Brogy scream and heads over to help him. Usopp explains he was poisoned and they need to work together to take out Baroque Works once and for all. It newly invigorates him to step up and help fight back.
The Baroque Works goons are busy monologuing to Vivi and the others, explaining how loyal soldiers are turning to the revolutionaries on Alabasta. This manufactured war has been orchestrated by Mr Zero and the others. For what end? Well, we're not able to spoil that here!
For now, Usopp saves Luffy and stops Goldenweek's rampage, eventually heading out to find the rest of the crew by the wax cake. The sculpture is nearly complete too, and Luffy shows up just as the wax consumes his Straw Hats.
Mr 3 hurries into the forest, prompting Luffy to give chase, while Usopp winds up face to face with Miss Valentine and Mr 5. Usopp antagonizes Valentine as they run around the wax cake and duke it out. Usopp is intentionally taunting her, getting hit constantly with stiff punches to the face, which works to completely destroy the wax sculpture and free the others.
Zoro takes out Mr 5 with his flaming swords, while Nami and Sanji make short work of Miss Valentine. Finally, Luffy manages to take out Mr 3.
The group reconvene after and get their hands on an Eternal Pose after all. With Usopp looking the worse for wear, the pair say their goodbyes to the two giants as the Straw Hats set sail.
With the giants done fighting for now (at least for a few minutes), they decide to put their skills to good use, taking out the sea creature and giving them safe passage through to the other side. It also renews their fighting too, given they realize they initially argued and fought over who captured the larger sea creature.
Elsewhere on the island, Mr 3 decides to use his wax to silence Miss Valentine.
Back on the Merry, Nami winds up falling sick, and that night, she collapses on the ship.
The Episode Review
So the Baroque Works saga reaches its crescendo in this episode as the group find themselves squaring off against these goons with decent Devil Fruit powers. The show does a good job of adapting the manga and there's definitely a lot to whet the appetite with this.
Dorry and Brogy's fight is done well and captures the main themes they have and why they fight, along with how it inspires Usopp, comes across well in this show. It's far from perfect but it definitely adapts the source material rather effectively.
The show does struggle a bit with spoilers though, especially given how early we've learned details about the Rumbar Pirates, Monkey D. Dragon and more. Still, there's enough action in this to make for an enjoyable ride all the same.
With Nami sick, it seems like we're about to meet a fan favourite on the next island!
Episode Rating 3.5
Expect A Full Season Write-Up When This Season Concludes!
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