'One Piece' Chapter 836 recap, Chapter 837 speculations: Luffy and Cracker face off

By Selene Sui / Aug 25, 2016 07:33 AM EDT
(Photo : Facebook/One Piece) Straw Hat Pirates Jolly Roger from "One Piece: Collection 16 (Eps 373-393)"

The almost 20-year-old manga "One Piece" is approaching Chapter 837, and Sanji's wedding to Pudding is likewise drawing closer. Part of the Straw Hat crew is still in the Seducing Woods, unable to get out to save their cook, and now Luffy is facing off with a formidable enemy.

"One Piece" Chapter 836 ended with Luffy about to go head-to-head against Cracker, one of Big Mom's sons and also one her top three commanders, as mentioned in an earlier report on Asia Stars News. The captain of the Straw Hats, being the guy that he is, is determined to go all out in the fight despite Nami's reminder that they have to save Sanji. 

Cracker has multiplied his arms and each one wields a sword. He is also nicknamed "Thousand Arms" so it's possible that he would sprout more and more during the fight. The question is how Luffy will fight against his foe, given that his powers as a rubber man cannot repel cuts from a blade. Zoro would undoubtedly enjoy facing off against Cracker but, unfortunately, he is in another mission with the rest of the crew.

A fan on Reddit also thinks that Luffy will use his elephant gun and hawk gattling gun, which will be repelled by Cracker with a shield, but the shield will break when Luffy uses his King Kong gun. Another fan mentioned that Luffy has some other moves that he has hardly ever used.  

Another complication in the Seducing Woods is Brulee, one of Big Mom's daughters. She previously captured Carrot and Chopper and imprisoned them in her mirror. The mirror shattered in Chapter 836, but Chopper told Luffy that they're fine. How Luffy and Nami will save the two is still a question.

Meanwhile, Brulee orders her minions to stop Nami, who is running away with Pound. Pound aka the Buried Guy is one of Big Mom's ex-husbands and the father of Chiffon and Lola. Incidentally, the Straw Hats met Lola in a previous adventure and she even gave Nami a piece of her mother's vivre card.

Apparently, the vivre card causes Nami's pursuers to fall back because they sense Big Mom's soul in it and are afraid to getting near her. That piece of paper could be the Straw Hats' ticket out of the woods and into the castle but, of course, Luffy won't leave until he's taught Cracker a lesson.

It could be that in Chapter 837, Nami will face Brulee given that her minions don't want to get near the navigator. Perhaps Nami, with the help of Pound, can defeat Big Mom's daughter and force her to give Chopper and Carrot back. They can then head to the castle, leaving Luffy to handle Cracker.

These are mere speculations, but it can be expected that Sanji is not going to get married yet and he's not going to be saved anytime soon either. The succeeding chapters might focus on the fight between Luffy and Cracker or they could show what's going on with Sanji, Brooke, Jinbe, or even Caesar.