Episode 52: Buggy's Revenge! The Man Who Smiles at the Execution Platform!
Air Date: 2000-12-13
Opening: Believe (2nd Opening)
Ending: Run! Run! Run! (2nd Ending)
Manga Chapters: Chapter 98 (1-19/19), Chapter 99 (1-19/19)
Short Summary
As Luffy stands atop the execution platform of Loguetown, he meets Alvida in her new appearance. Buggy has Luffy bound and stages a public execution of him. As Buggy is about to chop off Luffy's head, he is struck by lightning from the quickly mounting storm and Luffy survives without a scratch. As the Marine soldiers attack, chaos ensues as the Straw Hats rush for their ship before it's too late.
In-Depth Summary
The episode opens with Luffy standing on top of the execution platform, gazing at what Gold Roger saw as a police officer yells at him to come down. Luffy refuses, and as the officer is about to take action, he is knocked out by the mace of Alvida. Alvida stands in front of Luffy, telling him she missed him, and that he was the first person to strike her. The crowd fawns over Alvida's beauty, and they turn on Luffy for hitting her. Luffy still doesn't get who Alvida is, but before she can continue several police officers arrive to arrest Alvida for assaulting an officer. A Buggy Bomb Special is fired from above, knocking out the police, and Alvida asks if it was dangerous. Buggy, with his crew all in cloaks, tells her that she's perfectly safe with her Sube Sube powers, and calls her Alvida. Luffy finally clues in, but doesn't believe it's the same Alvida. Alvida explains that she ate the Sube Sube Fruit, but all it changed to her appearance was her freckles. Luffy, of course, doesn't agree. Buggy then casts off his cloak, revealing himself to Luffy, explaining that he is finally back after a long and dangerous journey with this crew following his defeat at the hands of Luffy.
As Luffy takes this all in, a wooden bond is slapped down over his neck and wrists by Cabaji, holding Luffy in place. Buggy declares that there will be a flashy public execution of Luffy. Meanwhile, Nami stops as the air pressure continues to drop rapidly, with her, Usopp and Sanji meeting up with Zoro. Zoro says he has the feeling something big will happen, and suddenly the townspeople start crying out about pirates in the town, and that Buggy the Clown has come. A Marine soldier reports the same news to Smoker, telling him that Buggy, Alvida, and Luffy are all in the town square, so Smoker orders the first unit to go to the harbor while the rest stand at a distance. He orders the pirate ships at the harbor to be burnt so the pirates can't leave the island. At this time, Sanji and Zoro decide to run to the town square, leaving Usopp with the elephant tuna. In their position up high, the Marines spot Luffy ready to be executed by Buggy. Smoker wonders about Luffy, how he thought that he was one to look out for, but he turned out to be an ordinary kid. He tells the soldiers that once Luffy's head is chopped off, they should attack in full force. As Buggy makes the final preparations for Luffy's execution (who just clues in that he's about to be executed), Usopp and Nami run for the Going Merry, as with the storm approaching, their ship may be in danger, and if not, the Marines may seize the ship. At the harbor are Ritchie and Mohji, and Mohji goes over how he must burn the Going Merry so that if Luffy should escape his execution, he will not be able to escape the island.
Just before Buggy is about to chop off Luffy's head, Luffy declares to the crowd that he will become Pirate King. Zoro and Sanji then arrive to stop the execution, and the crowd clears to the sides as the Buggy Pirates clash with Zoro and Sanji. Zoro and Sanji fight hard, but there are too many pirates and they can't reach the platform. Buggy then raises the sword above his head, and Luffy smiles, telling Zoro and Sanji that he's dead. Buggy then swings down his sword, but as he does, lightning comes down from the clouds and strikes him, causing the whole platform to burst into flames. It topples over, and everyone gapes as Luffy stands without a scratch as Buggy lies on the ground motionless. Smoker, shocked, orders the Marine soldiers to attack, so Zoro, Sanji, and Luffy book it out of the town square. One soldier reports to Smoker that the men's gunpowder got wet during the storm, so they had to find some new powder. Smoker thinks how the heavens themselves seem to be trying to keep Luffy alive, as the wind is blowing to the west, toward the Grand Line. He asks the soldier who he has seen smiling at his execution, and the soldier replies no one. Smoker says that Luffy did, as he accepted death, just as Gold Roger had done at his execution. Smoker pledges that he will not let Luffy leave the island. At that moment, a cloaked figure moves through the storm, telling the winds to blow in the storm of destiny as the episode draws to a close.
Mumbo230’s Notes
This episode introduces Alvida with her new Sube Sube Fruit power. Luffy's smile at this execution really shows the connection between him and Gold Roger to run quite deep.
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