In the long line of traditions that have been followed throughout the One Piece lore for decades, the one that I have not been able to wrap my head around is the twist in the female characters. The female cast that is involved in the antagonistic side of the story has a habit of changing their opinions and turning towards the morally good side.
From Violet to Pudding, almost all the evil female characters in the story have somehow developed a connection with the Straw Hat Pirates or experience a moral ambiguity that forces them to abandon their original role. And while it works in favor of the One Piece storyline I feel that it has become a recurring process and thus takes away the mystery of the character development.
I get the same feeling from Gunko, the member of the God’s Knight who currently is at Elbaph and is working together with the other God’s Knight in order to kidnap the giant children. Some of her personality traits have hinted at her betrayal of God’s Knight and her probable turn toward the right side of One Piece.
The One Piece tradition that might not be good for female characters
From a new world experience in every arc to Luffy and the Straw Hats saving the day, the One Piece storyline follows a lot of recurring traditions and plot structures that are quite similar in almost every narrative. The female characters in the series also experience a similar plot structure, which, according to me, is subjected mostly to negative ones.
Characters like Connie, Vivi, Violet, Pudding, Perona, Boa Hancock, Baby 5, etc., have all been hostile towards the Straw Hat Pirates, which in a way portrays them from an antagonistic point of view. I have observed that once they experience the variety of the Straw Hat Pirates and understand their perspective, they tend to change sides.
It brings a redeeming element to the story and adds more substance to their character development. But to me, it feels like this sudden change may not always be a good thing for these female characters as it takes away the uniqueness and makes their plot recurring in One Piece.
Gunko might follow the same One Piece tradition
Although this One Piece tradition is not the main concern for the storyline, it does eventually affect it in the long run. Plus, following it in each and every arc makes the plot boring, and I feel like Gunko might go through the same tradition and not only overcome her fear of Sun God Nika but also side with Straw Hat Pirates in the final Elbaph battle.
Gunko’s character traits, like listening to music in the latest chapter or isolating herself from the actions of the God’s Knights, make her an anomaly and hint that she might have a character change sooner or later. I am convinced that once she meets Luffy and the rest of the Straw Hat Pirates, she will go through a drastic twist in One Piece.
While this may work in the favor of the Straw Hat Pirates, I will be disappointed in the fact that she was just another female antagonist who followed the tradition. Hopefully Eiichiro Oda has a plan for Gunko that would make her stand out within the One Piece narrative.
One Piece is available to watch on Crunchyroll.
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