Episode 28: I Won't Die! Conclusion: Luffy vs. Krieg
Air Date: 2000-06-07
Opening: We Are! (1st Opening)
Ending: Memories (1st Ending)
Short Summary
After the devastating MH5 poison gas explosion, Gin is caught without a mask and falls horribly ill. The battle between Luffy and Don Krieg finally begins as Krieg attacks with a seemingly endless supply of weapons. Luffy charges through all of them, however, but Krieg unleashes his greatest weapon, the Great Battle Spear. Zeff explains that Luffy has a spear inside of him as Luffy manages to break the tip of Krieg's spear and stay in the fight.
In-Depth Summary
After a lengthy recap, the episode begins with the detonation of Krieg's poisonous MH5 bomb. Through the gas, it turns out Luffy has managed to find a mask and pull it over his face just in time, safe from the gas. As the gas clears, everyone finds Gin standing over Sanji, coughing up blood, as he did not have a mask when the bomb exploded. Gin collapses to the ground, wheezing and bleeding profusely. Krieg laughs, saying Gin got what he deserved, and Luffy realizes that it was Gin who gave him his mask. Sanji orders Patti and Carne to get an antidote for Gin from the restaurant, who rush in right away. Luffy tells Gin not to die, and has a fiercer look on his face than ever before. Sanji warns Luffy not to charge headlong at Krieg, as he will fall into his trap, but Luffy doesn't listen. Luffy charges at Krieg, who thrusts out the cannon on his shoulder plate and begins to fire spears rapidly at Luffy.
As Luffy runs down the mast, he is repeatedly stabbed by spears, which stick into him, but he keeps on going. As he emerges from the smoke Krieg whips his Kenzan Cape around himself, a great spiky shell, but Luffy uses Gomu Gomu no Pistol and pounds the spiky cape right into Krieg's face. Krieg falls to the ground, and Luffy stands a bloody mess as the cooks and pirates gape at what Luffy just did. Luffy then reaches for the spears stuck into him, and one by one he agonizingly pulls them out, tossing them aside as he tells Krieg that he was not meant to die here. Zeff watches in admiration, saying that Luffy is a man who will end the fight, whether wins or loses, and he likes that.
Patti and Carne struggle to revive Gin as the cooks and pirates watch in amazement as Luffy stands over Krieg. Just as the battle seems as if it is over, Krieg lunges to his feet and aims his shoulder plate turret right at Luffy, but Luffy leaps over him and slams Krieg back to the floor by hooking his foot on Krieg's shoulder. The cooks celebrate again, but Krieg refuses to give in, and he slams his two shoulder plates together, extending a large handle out of one end and a blade out of the other. He declares that it is his greatest weapon, the Great Battle Spear, and he swings it at Luffy, who narrowly avoids him. As Krieg swings his spear, there is a great explosion. Krieg tosses away his cape as the pirates in the water marvel over how Krieg's Great Battle Spear causes a greater explosion when swung with greater force.
Luffy isn't finished yet as he and Krieg square off again, but Krieg repeatedly strikes Luffy with his spear, causing great explosions that send Luffy flying every time. Luffy, however, keeps getting up, much to Krieg's shock and horror. Zeff begins to talk to Sanji about how Luffy has a "spear" inside of him, one that is equal in strength to all of Krieg's weapons and all of Krieg's fleet. He also mentions that someone else he knows has a spear inside of him as well, but holds onto it foolishly. Krieg then knocks down Luffy one more time, but as Luffy gets up, the metal tip of the spear shatters. As Krieg gapes at this new development, Luffy replies that he punched Krieg's spear five times and took away its power, ending the episode.
Mumbo230's Notes
Yet another intense episode, and this one is very, very impactful. Luffy's pulling of the spears from his arms and legs is very, very brutal to watch, as well as him pounding the spikes with his fist. This is a very memorable episode, to say the least.