Marine Supernova Arc is a filler arc set between the Zou Arc and Whole Cake Island Arc
Short Summary
The arc sees Luffy, Nami, Chopper and Brook, along with Pedro, Carrot and Pekoms heading to Whole Cake Island to retrieve Sanji. Thanks to Luffy, the food supply is used up quickly. However they come across a Marine base and decide to sneak in and steal some of their food. But their arrival coincides with the arrival of very strong Marine Rookie captains, lead by a Vice-Admiral who is also a friend of Garp's. What's more, all of them were once under the command of Aokiji, meaning the task will be anything but easy.Main Summary
The Marine Supernova arc provides examples of:
- All for Nothing: The crew manage to refill their rations… but it's quickly depleted due to the crew being so hungry just hours after they leave the island.
- Bait-and-Switch: When Luffy and Carrot are found out in the kitchen, Carrot at first seems to treat the situation seriously, but when Luffy suggests that they eat more rather than worrying about the Marines surrounding them, she quickly forgets about the Marines and joins Luffy.
- Callback: It's essentially the G8 arc again, only shorter (three episodes), with half the crew and the Straw Hats willingly entering into a Marine Base rather then accidentally falling into it. What's more, the curry that's served is the same one Sanji cooked for G8.
- Curb-Stomp Battle: The Straw Hats pretty much wade through everyone that comes against them. Grount, Bronham and Zappa do put up a better fight, especially Grount against Luffy in their third and final match. But ultimately they're beaten with little effort.
- Dressing as the Enemy: Luffy, Carrot, Nami, Chopper, and Brook scare some Marines and steal their clothes to blend in (Luffy begrudgingly wears on a Marine coat, Carrot wears a Marine cap and shirt, Chopper wears a Marine hat, hood, shirt, and pants, Nami wears a Marine cap, coat, and a red dress, and Brook wears a Marine cap and coat).
- Establishing Character Moment: Grount introduces himself by taking out a whole Marine boat of reserve officers just to test their strength.
- Failed a Spot Check: Luffy so busy eating the curry that he doesn't even notice that his identity has been found out and the Marines are surrounding Carrot and him. It isn't until he's finished that he finally notices (not that he cares).
- Flashback: One that depicts Grount's. It turns out his left arm is that of a beast (due to an unknown Zoan Devil Fruit) and he destroyed an island with it by accident until Aokiji stopped him. He's been indebted to him ever since and works hard to live up to his standards.
- Foregone Conclusion: Anyone who has read the manga will know that the rations will be depleted when the Whole Cake Island arc begins.
- Furry Reminder: After Luffy defeats some Marines in a hallway with Gum-Gum Jet Gatling, Carrot follows behind while hopping on fours like a regular rabbit.
- Hypocritical Humor: Chopper agrees with Nami that this is no time to be eating around and says that to Luffy and Carrot, while he's doing the exact same thing as them, which Nami calls him out on.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero:
- The arc comes about because Luffy, who only really knows how to cook meat, ended up wasting Sunny's entire food supply trying to make food for everyone.
- Carrot calling out to Nami ends up exposing her since Zappa's a pervert who has Nami's wanted poster on him at all times.
- Luffy doesn't do anything to conceal himself outside of wearing the marine coat and hat, even using his powers in plain sight. Not surprisingly, he gets found out pretty quickly.
- Paper-Thin Disguise: All four of the infiltrators to various degrees. Chopper and Carrot have some leeway in being unable to hide their inhuman features, but Luffy makes no effort to hide himself beyond begrudgingly donning the Navy's "justice" Coat Cape. While Nami's disguise is more thorough, she doesn't do anything to hide her face, allowing Zappa to recognize her after one glance at her wanted poster (though Carrot and Luffy calling out her name certainly didn't help either).
