One Piece fans realize they "owe Sanji an apology" after latest spoilers confirm him as a key Egghead arc character

Modified Aug 31, 2024 18:01 GMT

One Piece fans realize they "owe Sanji an apology" after latest spoilers confirm him as a key Egghead arc character (Image via Toei Animation)

One Piece chapter 1123 is set to be released on August 19, 2024, but its spoilers have already been unveiled, and it showcased the Straw Hat Pirates on their way to Elbaf Island. While everyone celebrated the escape from Egghead Island, one Straw Hat stood on the side, staring at the corpse of Vegapunk.

That was Vinsmoke Sanji, the character who remained silent for the majority of the arc and was mocked by the fandom for his unimpressive performance. However, with the reveal of Sanji's heart-breaking sacrifice of Vegapunk in the latest chapter, the fandom couldn't help but apologize to him for wrongly judging his character.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from the One Piece manga series.

What made Sanji the MVP of Egghead Island after One Piece chapter 1123?

Sanji carrying a dead Vegapunk away from the enemies (Image via Shueisha)

One Piece chapter 1123 commenced with the Straw Hats enjoying their escape from Egghead Island as Sanji stood away from the rest of the crew, staring at the corpse of Vegapunk. After the reveal of the flashback where some Vegapunk satellites discovered the betrayal of Vegapunk York, the chapter shifted to the time when Sanji was carrying a dead Vegapunk in his hands.

While they were running, Sanji was shocked by Vegapunk's words and didn't want him to die. Vegapunk insisted that he was feeling something good would happen after his death. Sanji thought of Vegapunk's death as a calamity to Egghead Island, but after the scientist begged, Sanji had to let Vegapunk die.

This decision was one of the most brutal ones because Sanji had promised Bonney he would bring the scientist back alive. However, he had to sacrifice him so that the 'good thing' (the playing of his stream) that would help his crew progress towards Laugh Tale could happen. Seeing the crucial role of the cook in the arc, the fandom, which mocked him, started apologizing to him.

Reaction from the fandom

Sanji as seen in the anime (Image via Toei Animation)

The fandom that mocked Sanji's character took the spotlight on the internet after the release of the chapter with apologies. The majority admitted that they owed the One Piece character an apology, and some true fans declared Sanji the MVP of the arc as they were happy how the Straw Hat cook, yet again, beat the fraud allegations.

"Sanji....we owe you an apology" a fan said.

"The kindest soul on heart... VINSMOKE SANJI!! CLOSED THE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE MVP OF EGGHEAD," another fan said.

"Sanji beat the fraud allegations like he ain't ignore what Vegapunk told him," another one said.

Lastly, a fan brought to notice Sanji's smile, which hides his feelings of despair. Fans brought back the Zou arc when he was about to leave the Straw Hats by marrying Pudding so as not to stop his crew from progressing further into the Grand Line. They compared this smile to when Sanji promised Bonney he would bring Vegapunk back alive.

"We should know what Sanji looks like when he's hiding the pain of a lie behind a assuring smile," another one claimed.

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Final thoughts

Another key detail in the chapter that most fans would have missed was how Luffy was lying on Nami's lap, and Sanji didn't argue with Luffy about it. This is proof of how mentally affected Sanji was after the death of Dr Vegapunk. He is bearing the burdens of the entirety of the Straw Hats without them even knowing, and there is no telling what awaits the cook on Elbaf Island.

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Edited by Shreya Das