Paradise S2 Ep 6 Breakdown and One Piece S2 Eps 1-3 Reaction

0:00 >> Will: Foreign. >> Sarah : This is Scene N nerd. I'm your host, Sarah Belmont, and with me as always, is our Mr. Producer, Will Paul. How are you doing tonight, Will? >> Will: Doing very well, Sarah. Looking forward to talking some paradise and kicking off one piece tonight. >> Sarah : Yeah. We're back on the ship. The Mary. >> Will: Yes, we are. Yes we are. We're back on the Mary. And speaking of Mary, we had some merry news and paradise, land today with season three getting officially confirmed. So. Great. I love Sterling's way he always like, you know, introd. Introduces the next. Next season. I guess he was taking a little, Little play from I think it was episode four or five of this season where link shows up.

0:50 It was like showing all the size of the bunker. >> Sarah : Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. but before we get to that, Oscars for last night or two nights ago. >> Will: Two nights ago. Yeah, yeah. You know, I, I really don't have much to say. I mean about the Oscars. it, You know, congratulations to the winners. Autumn. The winners. And Well, I mean I was just going to point out like Autumn, I mean as far as you know, the historic nature of her win being the first woman and also woman of color to win best cinematographer for. For Sinners. >> Sarah : But that moment with your son is going viral. Viral. It's going so viral. And I don't remember.

1:35 I remember I've only watched Sinners one time, but when we talked about it, I, ah, I made the obvious claim like without a doubt in my mind. I was like, Ludwig's gonna get another Oscar. >> Will: Yep. >> Sarah : It was a shoe in. And he might get another one next year because he's doing the Odyssey, so. >> Will: The Odyssey. He's also. Is he also score. Let's see. He doesn't score Dune, does he? I'm trying to remember. >> Sarah : No, no, no, no. >> Will: that's a Han Zimmer. >> Sarah : Yeah, that's. That's a Hans Zimmer score. But, but I, I kept trying to remember if I had a. I ah, know I liked. Really enjoyed the cinematography in Simmers.

2:16 >> Will: Yeah. >> Sarah : So I think I might have offhandedly said I could also see it getting an award for that. But I also may be doing revisionist history. So. So we'll see. But, but yeah, they had a. They had a decent night. it was, I think this year out of. Especially in the past few years, it felt more competitive. >> Will: Yeah. >> Sarah : Yeah, it felt like there was a lot more neck and neck races. Now granted, I have not seen this movie. I, But based on the few clips that I've seen that have gone viral since the awards, I'm pretty sure if I had watched all of these movies, I would have been rooting for Hamnet. I, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm leaning towards that one, just knowing my taste and everything. but Jesse Buckley did, get her award along with, like, somebody put it up.

3:19 She, she won like 40 different awards this season. >> Will: Yeah. >> Sarah : For, for that one role. So she was, she was the only one who was like. Her and Ludwig were like shoe ins. >> Will: Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, and also Shoe Ends was, I think Ryan Coogler for best, original screenplay percentage. >> Sarah : Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. The, the, the original screenplay and then the adapted with pta. He got, he got his flowers, certainly. which. Am I correct? it's the first time. >> Will: Yep. >> Sarah : A director has taken screenplay, director and, best pictures, so.

4:04 >> Will: Yeah, yeah, yeah. >> Sarah : It was also Shout out to him. >> Will: Yeah. Shout out to pta. I mean, it was his, I think he'd been nominated 13 times before for director, or something like that. So. yeah. So. Or, or maybe just 13 total nominations period. But. Yeah, you finally, you finally broke through. >> Sarah : Yeah. Yeah. And then the K Pop Demon Hunters took home two trophies. so best animated film and then golden. and they had a very, golden performance. >> Will: They did, but nothing. Yeah. But the juke joint was the winner of the night as far as performances. with S. And Misty M. Copeland coming back from retire out of retirement after hip surgery, no less. And, and did that performance.

4:49 >> Sarah : Yeah. There, there's so many, so much commentary on. Yeah. And everything. >> Will: I, I, Yeah, I, you know, there's plenty of commentary out there. I gave, I said my piece as far as 11 battle at centers last week, so I don't really, I don't really have much more to say about it. >> Sarah : Yeah. All right, well, that brings us to Paradise, Season 2, Episode 6, Jane, Xavier and Gary set the plan in motion. Back in paradise, Sinatra takes action. Okay, who's writing the IMDb summaries? Because that Xavier and Gary were like five minutes of this episode. >> Will: Yeah.

5:30 >> Sarah : I'm gonna be honest because I, I don't have too many thoughts about this episode. The, the thoughts that I do have, that I've been circling back on, are mainly. I know that I have been asking for a Jane episode since season one. >> Will: Yeah. >> Sarah : And we got it. And I am disappointed. This did not work for me. >> Will: Oh. At all. >> Sarah : so, so that is just to kind of set my mood. About this. I, I don't know. It just. I. The whole, like. We can start with Jane and the flashbacks.

6:15 Yeah, okay. They're losing me with the time stuff. So the fact that we start immediately with somebody sending a message about Jane and her being a killer. But if there's. If you get a message to her, then she will, She will. She can be stopped. >> Will: See, I wanna. Yeah, let's start. I'm glad you started there because I, I, you know, whenever you look at when, when the Circuit City God delivers the message, he was. I don't think he was trying to tell it to his m. To the mother. He was talking to. Talking to Jane, the baby. Yeah. And I, I think that she. But the she that he's talking about isn't Jane. I think that she is Sinatra.

7:02 I'm. I'm dying on that hill that you, know, as soon as I, I saw that, I was just like, I put in my notes, I'm going to die on this hill. That the villain of this. Of the story is Sinatra. I know you and I have different opinions on that, but when I get the opportunity to like, put it out there, I do. >> Sarah : That is, that is very fair and very true. I've never disagreed that Sinatra is not a villain. I've just. You tend to paint her as like the most horrible person to have ever been on screen. And I'm like. I'm like, I don't know. I don't know. There's been some pretty messed up people on the screen. I mean, there was another Oscar winner who took home a trophy and was a villain of that story. So I, I don't think she's the worst.

7:53 >> Will: No, I'm not saying the worst. I. I am keeping it. I am keeping it to this show. Not. Not. Not ever. Not ever. >> Sarah : Yeah. Yeah. So, Yeah, so that's how they start off the flashbacks. but. But to get back to my point, the, the explanation for Jane's motivation is what really bothered me because her mom hears that. And so that taints along with, I think, a bunch of other stuff, her whole viewpoint of motherhood and is an awful mother to Jane. Or so we see. Like, I also feel as though we just didn't get a full story. We got bits and pieces. Because they needed to move things along in present day. And they couldn't spend as much time in the flashbacks as I think we needed because it jumps from born to almost attempted murder and then child abuse, then flashback 10 years later, and then she's in the CIA and going through that and that just boring.

9:13 >> Will: it wasn't boring. I, yeah, we're gonna, yeah, this is, this is gonna be fun tonight. >> Sarah : Yeah. So, so it just, it. And, and then I'm a killer. Okay. You need to be pointed. I don't know, but Will wants to talk and say. Say what? You. About everything. No, I'm, I'm literally done. >> Will: Well, I mean, I, I, I, I do. I, I get where you're coming from as far as the, the, the time. I mean, I will say I think it is a fair, it is a fair critique that there were a lot of this episode was doing a lot this week because it, it was, we were, we, we did get the backstory as far as Jane, how she got to be. Of course, you know, we, we, Earlier in the season, we, you know, we saw Robinson finding her CIA file heavily redacted, and even the parts that were visible on screen were very hard to see. but I, I think it, you know, there are a couple things, you know, that for one, just, you know, gives Dick and Jane a whole nother. A whole nother meaning, as far as, you know, with what transpired in this episode.

10:31 But I really, the, the, the story with Stacy and sort of becoming that surrogate mother, I mean, I think, or a, surrogate parent figure. Because even though it, I agree with you that, you know, the framing we had of Jane at the beginning was, you know, you know, her mother, it seems that, you know, you know, whenever the you know, when the nurse is like, you know, you have someone coming, sweetie, sweetheart, or whatever. I mean, it seems that Jane's mother, it was a, seems to be an unplanned pregnancy maybe, or, or it is tied to some of the larger time shenanigans. you know, her mom did not, they did not have a bond at all. And, and you know, she did have the imaginary friend clingy, which, definitely, you know, was, I guess her. Jane's defense mechanism or whatever to help navigate her already messed up childhood and really gets into the question of like, nature. To me, it got into the question of nature of being nurture. Like, for example, if, if Jane's mother was more nurturing, could she have like, corrected the clear sociopathic tendencies that are, that are sort of innate to Jane as, as a person. So,

12:06 so, you know, so whenever she does get to the CIA training with, with Stacy Thomas and you know, and you know, teaching her how the whole methods as far as the yoga, you know, and how to be still, I really feel like. And also, you know, why Stacy chose her, which is to be special, you know, because she sees something special in Jane. It. All those framing elements really makes. Makes sense for like why she gravitates later in. On in the bunker, to Sinatra. Now do we get store. Did we get the backstory for like how she and Sinatra met and all that kind of stuff? No. And, and so, you know, unlike what we got earlier this season with Billy, where we did get how Sinatra and Billy got hooked up. What. I would have liked to have seen that. Yeah, I would have. But. But I maybe, you know, but at the same time there's still some, maybe some more gaps to fill a story to tell there. So I'm going to reserve judgment on that until, you know, the season ends or, or, or whenever we see more context for their meeting in the third season. So, you know, so I. So to me it was like really, really cool how they used all those elements just to like help shape the, the relationship between, that, that Jane builds between not only Stacy, but then later. Later.

13:31 Sinatra. >> Sarah : Yeah, she has mommy issues. >> Will: Yeah, totally. Yeah. >> Sarah : Yeah, yeah. I don't, I don't want to explore, like I don't need. Tell me how Sinatra and Jane meet because I feel like that's kind of implied based on how we know Billy and Sinatra meet. I just, I wanted more. I wanted a more dynamic. I don't know, I'm not using the right words today. I wanted a more 3D motivation, three dimensional motivation. I felt like this was very one note mommy issues and then the. I think they clouded then what you said about the nature versus nurture with the whole message from the future. Because it's just, it's ah. I don't know, it just gets a bit weird and kind of. I don't like it. and, and I also, I mean another reason why, like, if you're gonna start off bringing up Sinatra, then I will bring up my least favorite character of the show, Thorabi. because in present day, I also don't like the fact that we have a standoff between Jane and Tarabi. And I'm like, what? Why? How is Jane, who

15:03 we just spent so much time with and I'm a killer, I'm a killer, blah, blah, blah. And then it's okay if Robbie's going to come after. She knows exactly who Jane is supposedly and what Jane has done so she feels safe to go by herself and confront Jane. I don't buy that because I don't. I don't buy that. Because unless she knows, like, the only way Jane will actually do something is if Sinatra is in danger. So granted, Jane also shot Sinatra last season. I know she didn't kill her, obviously, but. But it was.

15:53 >> Will: Yeah, it was. >> Sarah : It was a bit shot. >> Will: Yeah. Yeah, I did. I. I know we had talked about it earlier this season too. Like, when. In the third episode when Sinatra was, like, having memory issues and, you know, they did. I did like, the bookend that they did this. Now it's like after you. You. Sinatra is like, after you. After you shot me, you told me I was no use to it dead. What do you mean? And. And. And, you know, it gets back, like, as we were saying about. To the mommy issues. And also, I guess another reason why I bring it up too is I just really, liked how in this, you know, know, whenever Sinatra and Jane, had their encounters there in the office, they had to call back to you. The. You should have let me.

16:37 You should have given me the Wii moment. And. And she gave her the. The console. But again, I. I get where you're coming from too, because it's like, you know, there is the connective. The threat. The connective tissue there between Sinatra and. >> Sarah : And. >> Will: And. And Agent Thomas, you know, with the Wii and the. You know, how we. You know, how the Wii obsession even came into being because, you know, Jane saw the. The game. The game controllers, at. At Thomas's house. So, I mean, so there's those all, you know, so to me, it's just like. It is a lot of, you know, filling into the. Filling in the blank.

17:18 >> Sarah : well, no, I think. I think the we thing is the type of writing that Fogelman's writers room I enjoy. But there's another side of the writer's room, not the writer's room, but there's another. Another part of their writing where they. They telegraph things and. And it. And it's less surprising. So I find with this episode, the more I think about it, a lot of it leans heavily on the telegraphing and the like. Okay, well, you could have been a little more creative with that angle, but here we are. And. And then the we thing is one of the few, if not the thing that, leans in the other direction. So it's just. There's. There's, like. When I was watching this is Us, I had the same opinion about. Not every episode is like, this is the best episode of all time, but there are little beats, but then there are These, These story lines where you're like, okay, I've seen this before. So I just. Nothing. Not a lot of stuff felt new. I mean, the one character who did probably surprise me the most was not Jane in this episode. It was Robinson. Robinson the more. And

18:53 maybe it's because we. We had so little, but I was just like, can we rewind, and take us back through when she goes into custody and all that? Because, man, she. I feel like she just got off of a be. I feel like she's coming out the other side a whole new person and I'm not mad at it. >> Will: Yeah, yeah, totally. >> Sarah : Everything she said is so justifiable. She had a lot of great one liners and I was reminded. I had forgotten. I was reminded in this episode that Cal and her were a thing. They were having an affair. And Jeremy knew.

19:35 >> Will: Jeremy knew. >> Sarah : Yeah. Yeah, Jeremy knew. So I. I thought that was the. One of the more surprising things to have happened in this episode, if not the most, was. Was getting to see Robinson and having her like, oh, she was fed up. She was. >> Will: Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I was like, whenever. Whenever she says, actually, Doc ain't got document I ain't got to do but stay black and die. I mean, I was like, all right, all right, tell me there's some African Americans in the writers room without telling me. >> Sarah : Yeah, yeah, yeah, definitely. Very diverse writers room.

20:19 >> Will: Yeah. But, but no, but to. But to your point, I mean, it truly was like seeing how fed up she was with. With all. All of the. That's just going on there in the bunker. And, and. And. And then when she calls out Jeremy and. And, on. On, and Andre. Andre, Andre, Anders, the, the bunker builder, for their Shawshank plan and how obvious it was. And yeah, I thought those were like. Yeah, it's like, what's up, Shawshank? That was like, those are both really good moments. But also, Yeah, I mean, I, I agree with you. I think though, you know, we haven't. We've been away from her debunker for a while, but when we did get those moments, like that, I think that was a very, very strong moment, for. For this episode. and, yeah, it felt like >> Sarah : there were so many different moving parts going on in the bunker that I wanted to stay more time there. So whenever we did get a Jane flashback, I was. I felt like it was a different story all of a sudden. I mean, I know, I'm not stupid. I know why the flashbacks came into play and everything throughout this episode. But it just didn't. It.

21:38 It slowed momentum because we were not checking in with just one storyline. We were not just going back to present. And like, this episode is named Jane, but I feel like it should have been named Jane Slash Bunker because we've been away from the bunker, as you put it, for a while. So we finally are back in it and like, we're fully engrossed in the bunker. But they choose this time to flesh out Jane's backstory and everything. And that's where I have the problem because again, as I preface my opinion this. This evening I came in with very high expectations because I've been wanting this episode. So when I say I'm disappointed, it means like, I. Because it's something I've wanted, it's never gonna be what I get.

22:36 >> Will: Yeah. >> Sarah : So it's really hard to meet those when it's like, my God. And. And that's kind of why I don't theory spiral so much anymore is because I've noticed that if I don't go in with expectations, then I'm usually surprised. But if I do, I'm like, oh, well, that's nice, but you could have done, this. >> Will: Yeah, yeah, that's true. I mean, you know that. But I think the getting back to what we were discussing about things going on in the bunker too, we also see, And maybe. Maybe it is Presley and Hadley. >> Sarah : Their. >> Will: Their relationship. Yeah. yeah. Their interactions. Because they've never, you know, they really haven't today, and had any interaction whatsoever. I mean, other than. And I like that the episode did not pretend like they like, had this like, off screen friendship that now we're seeing. I mean, it was, it was true. Where. Yeah.

23:39 >> Sarah : Hadley is just a girl who's been in a bubble within a bunker and that was made in a short period of time. They made that very clear to us. >> Will: Yeah. >> Sarah : That she has been in a different bunker within the bunker and she didn't even realize it. but. But yes. Seeing, that. Because now we. There's so many moving parts in this show. >> Will: Yeah. >> Sarah : That, That we often forget when we have long stretches without checking in with everybody. And then when we do, it's kind of like, oh, okay.

24:20 Because. But. But then again, I, I mean, sometimes less is more. So I'm glad it was brief interactions and we didn't spend too much time on it. but. But it's definitely. There's a lot of movement because it's an escalation leading to. We Only got two more episodes this season. Yeah, the other thing that happened in this episode in present day, outside of the bunker was the Xavier. >> Will: Oh, well, two things. I mean before we go to Xavier, we did. We did get Submit. You know, we did get a link appearance as well. and sort of setting up the dynamic there with the negotiations that they had. And again there were just. I mean, I guess that's where the Jane that. The Jane things did work for me because it, It, It. It basically ex. Showed other facets to her other than just being a blunt force like which we know, but that she's. She had you know, she's been very manipulative and stuff, which we did see that in her personnel file. But you know, but also you know, the training lessons that she received from Thomas definitely like, you know, went in, you know, in the. In the favor whenever Lincoln and Jane were, you know, outside negotiating as far as you know, them coming into. Into the bunker. So, So I did, you know, so you know, again moving all the various moving parts. It was sort of see link

25:51 and everything come back and you know, whatever again to the time travel theories and what Alex is. And. And also the other thing with the bunker too is Anders and Jeremy talking about the. The fail safe system too. which you know, gets into the point of like, you know, maybe Alex is the control system for the bunker. Not necessarily, you know, not necessarily a person, but you know. But what. Maybe what the bunkers was the code name for it to begin with. So, so there were those aspects of it as well, as far as, you know, what was going on in Colorado. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, but, yeah, but two. But going into your point about Xavier and, And Gary.

26:36 >> Sarah : What about it? >> Will: I mean, go. And I was gonna say. Yeah, go ahead. I was just. I just wanted to close up Colorado. >> Sarah : No, you, you can, you can lead us into it. >> Will: Yeah, yeah. I mean, we. We did see the You know, Gary's little. Gary's little fantasy, you know, playing out there and how he You know, his. His. His fan is. His little world with with Terry, Was. Was continued, you know, was. Was. Was there and you know, Xavier was like working on the. On the bomb. I was wondering when. When the double cross was going to happen. and then of course when he leaves, you know, whenever he's leaving, leaving the message, to. To Gary, and. And how he How he takes that and you know, and basically like, you know, hits the switch prematurely to Take out Xavier so he can, you know, get his competition out of the way. it, yeah, it, you know, it, it went that, that to your, you know, to your point about telegraph things, I mean, that one to me was, was telegraphed, especially, whenever they pulled out the photo and Saver put the pieces together.

27:46 >> Sarah : again, what, what, what pieces were there to put together? Because Gary told him in the previous episode that he fell in love with his wife. So that's my issue with this whole thing in. And that's why, to your point, it was telegraphed is because, like, why, why have the photo, why have the photo and him look at the photo and be like, oh, my God, you're in love? It's like, no, no, no, no, Gary, Gary told you and then you decided to leave him with the bomb. >> Will: Yeah. >> Sarah : You decided to trust him. >> Will: Yeah. >> Sarah : So I guess either you did not understand the death or did not. I mean, I mean, yeah, granted. Did he tell the full truth? No, because he did not admit that, like, yeah, Terry willingly is with the train people.

28:43 >> Will: Yeah, yeah, I think that's, but, but >> Sarah : that, to me, when, when Xavier sees the photo, that is not the piece he's putting together at all. No, he is, he is, it is implied visually that he is putting together the piece that Gary is in love with Terry. >> Will: Yeah. >> Sarah : Something that Gary has already told him, so. >> Will: Yeah, yeah. >> Sarah : On this whole beat. >> Will: Yeah. I mean, I, I, I think I, I, I'm there with you on that one because I, whenever I was watching it last night and whenever, when Xavier pulled out the, pulled out the photo and saw how, how Gary, was looking at Terry, I, I, I, it, it did. Well, it seems that Xavier, Xavier knew that. I think Xavier knew something was off still, even after they had that conversation. And, but I don't know.

29:50 It's just, it was just, I don't know if he's just like, just his judgment was, was compromised in that, in that moment or, or what, but it did seem to, Yeah, but, you know, but it did seem a bit contrived that they, they do the visual cue as well to help Saber pull it all together there. And, and maybe that was what they were doing so that then they could, like, you know, have the moment where they do have the reunification. And, I will say that, that I was surprised that the reunification did happen. this, this, this episode. I thought maybe it would be pushed off until either next week or the finale. >> Sarah : Yeah. all right. Any other thoughts about this episode?

30:35 >> Will: I don't think So, I mean, I think we, I think we've covered it pretty, pretty thoroughly. So, I'm sure there are some other ones. And if folks, have any, have any thoughts or anything we missed, let us know in the comments. >> Sarah : And that brings us to One Piece, Season two. We are going to talk about the first three episodes of the season. That is all either one of us have watched so far. So if you are going to comment stuff, do not comment spoilers. because we have not watched any of the other episodes thus far. and we are just going to talk about overall thoughts and some of the basic storylines that are going on in these three episodes. And I want to start off, because in the first episode, the beginning and the end, we get introduced to a new villain, from the Marines, with. With Captain Smith. What. What are your thoughts about Captain Smoker?

31:32 >> Will: Will I. Well, first off, Captain Smoker, I was like, where did I knew this guy from? Because he just seems very familiar. But but what I liked about Smoker was he, you know, he's. He's Mr. He's true Marine. I mean he, he, you know, he has a mission, that he has, that he wants to, to achieve. I really like the dynamic between Smoker and Garp. >> Will: because you know, I think it really highlights some of the, you know, the, you know, you know, Garp has this, you know, you know, you know, Luffy's his grandson and we get, you know, we get, we get some more backstory as far as Garp and why he ended up taking care of Luffy and that kind of stuff in the first episode. But I mean, you know, Smoker. But you know, Smoker is there to to bring the straw hats in. And I, I really like this character. Also the interactions that he had with the other. With Tushagi, the the young lady, who's. And. And also Kobe and. And I can't remember the other. The other. Kobe's other out.

32:43 Yeah. With the funky haircut. >> Sarah : Yeah. >> Will: But, yeah, you know, it was, it was, >> Sarah : you know, what did you think about his powers that are revealed at the end of the first episode? >> Will: So that's. Yeah. So I liked his powers. I mean, it was pretty, pretty, pretty cool as far as just like, you know, being able to manipulate the smoke and, and you know, you know, he was able to neutralize Luffy, which was pretty. Which was. Which is very interesting as well. >> Sarah : He. It definitely they did a good job with the surprise as A viewer who does not know anything about the mythology of one piece to produce those powers and then feel like a real threat to the point where if the dragon hadn't stepped in, Luffy would have been goner. So.

33:36 >> Will: Yeah. >> Sarah : And. And it also is good that we're not just getting more pirates who are after Luffy. But it, The first season, we spent so much time with Garp, that he was really the threat from the Marines. But now they've added, because they fleshed out this, relationship with. With Luffy, that they needed another adversary from the Marines to step in. And that's where you have Smoker. And. And I think they also. They do. Something that struck me specifically about Smoker, Tashigi and Garp is that in watching these three episodes, I was reminded of. They're the writers and this. This franchise in particular, their ability to do exposition. Well, because the. The whole conversation in the second episode between Garp and Smoker, it was just. It was done so well because, you know, from, From a character perspective, why Garp does not want Smoker after Luffy. But you also know you also get the. He's.

34:57 He's pointing Smoker in a different direction, which just so happens to be involving with the Baroque, What do they call it? House of Brokers. >> Will: The broke work. The baroque workers. >> Sarah : The broke. >> Will: Yeah. >> Sarah : We're gonna get it eventually. We're only on three episodes and. And then this missing princess. So it. It's just there. This is such a big world that they are able to have, not boring exposition where it's just thrown out there. But no, like it's.

35:39 It's muddled in between other conversations about what it takes, what it means to be a Marine, and what are our motivations and why we're really doing what we're doing. And. And they also to expand that to Shigi, which. Who we meet as not a Marine technically. we only later find out that she is in training. And But she is very much akin to Zorro. She. She's obsessed with swords, and she is. Who's. Who's the Marine that. I'm blanking on his name now. Not the one with bad haircut, but the other one.

36:22 >> Will: Oh, Kobe. >> Sarah : Kobe. Like I. It just seeing her and Zorro in the first episode reminded me a lot of what they did well with Luffy and Kobe and how you have these two people who have similar moral compasses but choose different paths to. To achieve it. and I think it's very smart to show that with Tashigi. Because I did notice that in the background in these three episodes, they are kind of building with Zorro or so I think an idea that I feel like he's questioning his crew. I feel like he's questioning like he, he used to hunt pirates. Now he's on a crew with them. He's part of the crew.

37:20 And he's like. And he's also dealing with his own. I need to prepare because one day I will defeat, >> Will: Mihai. Yeah. >> Sarah : So. >> Will: Yeah, yeah, see, you know, I didn't get that he was. I got. I. I got. They're coming more together as a crew because that was one of the bits that they had all throughout the first season. Like we're not a crew now. They. They are a cohesive unit. But I think maybe I took. I took maybe that he wasn't like questioning the, the, the, the the that aspect of things is more just how, you know, I think his preparation to me was like sort of that over overarching thing. And then of course in the first episode with. With Zorro, it was just really, you know, trying to replace the. The broken swords and you know, and of course when Tushagi's in the, in the shop and you know, and what he's trying to barter and all those kind of things.

38:22 >> Sarah : Well, I just. I just mean a lot of his conversations. I mean, think about the second episode with the whale. Him and Nami are going at it and he's like, I'm gonna get. I'm gonna build a big sword to get us out of here. >> Will: Yeah. >> Sarah : And. And she's also going on her own thing where. And maybe you're right. Maybe it's not so much. And maybe I. I phrased it wrong of what I was getting at. It's not that I'm. I think that they are questioning if they are a crew. It's more that I see doubts in their abilities. >> Will: Yes. And. >> Sarah : And also doubts if they are on the right path.

39:04 Like. >> Will: Yeah, that's what I see. >> Sarah : Luffy has one goal and he's made very, very clear. Okay. >> Will: Oh yeah. >> Sarah : Maybe he has two goals because he does love to eat. But. But for the others, their goals may not always all be aligned with Luffy and, and getting the one piece. Like they, they have other dreams too. So it's. How do you. How do you make both work? I think at the end of the day. but, but between Nami and Zorro, you do see a lot of questioning of abilities, especially in this pun intended but uncharted territory.

39:48 >> Will: Yeah. Yeah. You definitely. Yeah, because I will. I, I agree with you. I think the, the doubt is very strong with those two characters. Whereas, you know, I think you, saw this season is, is much more confident. and I think it's been like that though. Yeah, but he's, I don't know, maybe, maybe confident. Yeah, I feel like they're giving him more to, he seems they're giving him more to do. I feel like, at least in these early episodes, and it's Sanji's Sasanji, so. >> Sarah : See, I, I, I think Sanji and Yusuf have not had a whole lot to do. I, feel like, I feel like we've spent more with Nami and, and Zorro. M. And then way more with, all of the new characters like we were talking about before with Smoker and Tashi.

40:42 >> Will: Yeah. >> Sarah : and, and characters who we have not talking about. I mean, the entire second episode, well, not the entire, but a good portion is all about introducing us to the Buu and Leboo becoming a straw hat. The big whale will. >> Will: Yep. Yes, the big whale. >> Sarah : Big whale. And within the whale, we meet Ms. Wednesday. which brings me to now, I've already mentioned in the first episode, we got wind of a missing Princess. In the second episode, we meet Ms. Wednesday. In the third episode, at what point did you think, oh, Ms. Wednesday is the princess?

41:27 >> Will: it was, See, so they, I know after they escaped, and went to the island, it, I, I, you know, honestly, I, I think with the reveal, it was pretty much when it happened. I, you know, I, Yeah, me too. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, I was, yeah, because, you know, again, I have, I, I am, I am truly live action. I haven't read a single. I kept. I, I, as I promised to you, almost three years ago, when we watched season one, I would not go back. I would not go read the, the manga. I will not go watch any of the car, you know, animated versions either. So I am coming to this Cold. Yeah, so I, Yeah, so I, I, yeah, so whenever she ended up. But it makes sense, especially given back to our conversation, you know, as we were discussing earlier. And I know it took me a minute to get my thoughts around Smoker, but, you know, one of the things too is like, you know, when, when, you know, Garp tells him, look, you know, we got to, you know, we, there's the King of the Malabasters on the verge of a civil war, you know, and it, it all starts >> Sarah : to pull together so well, I I like the reveal.

42:39 Because of Luffy. Because you have. And. And they did. I vaguely remember them doing this with this character in the first season as well. Well. And. And I'm not. I'm not saying this to make it sound like Ren Swash. Repeat it. It feels familiar and true to these characters in this world that we met in the first season. >> Will: Yeah. >> Sarah : but the. Because at the Beginning of the third episode, Luffy questions Ms. Wednesday by himself, which also guys like, why? Why? Why is Luffy left alone? Huh? And then you're surprised when he lets them go. Okay. And. And he, He trusts his gut. And he says, no, I don't think you're here to hurt us.

43:29 I don't think you are. And he's right. >> Will: He's right. Yep. >> Sarah : And. And it. Because of the way they play it and the actor. It. It just. You take the side with the Nami or the Zorro or the Sanji or the Usopp, and you question. Hm, I don't know about this. I don't know about this. Only to then be, well, this is Princess. And if I think about it too long, guys, I will admit I do have some. There are some plot holes, but I'm just gonna put those aside and focus on the positive in this meantime. So, So I.

44:11 I like how we randomly get another crew. And the other thing I really liked about the Ms. Wednesday reveal was her partner who, yes, became very obnoxious. And yeah, I need a better explanation for him wearing a crown because I want to get into those. That childhood trauma. he. He became very annoying with his interactions with Sorrow. However, when he is questioned at The End by Ms. Valentine, and Mr. Five. >> Will: Yeah.

44:51 >> Sarah : Yeah. He doesn't give her up. And I thought that was so interesting. And it makes me mad that Miss Valentine still stomped him to death. because. Because it was not expected for him to be like, yeah, go ahead and kill me. I'm, I ain't gonna tell you. I was like. And. And maybe this is why in talking about it and rambling out loud a little bit, is all the characters we meet, whether good or bad, in terms of their dynamic with Luffy and the crew and the straw hats, they all still have a code.

45:34 >> Will: Yes. Yes. I was thinking that while you're mentioning about Mr. Nine. >> Sarah : Yeah. yeah. Yeah. It's really interesting and it makes. It makes you even respect some of the more villainous people. But you're like, but you still have a code, so there's some morality there. >> Will: Yeah. Except for maybe Buggy Well, >> Sarah : I think his morality has been long gone, has been broken to a million pieces per se. Yeah, but, but yeah, what are, what are some of your thoughts about the Baroque Works and Ms. Valentine and Mr. Five.

46:14 >> Will: Yeah. Yeah. So Ms. First off, for our long time listeners, I don't know if any of you recognize Mr. Five was was from Batgirl or Batwoman. he was Lucius's Fox's son. Who, you know, who was the guy in the chair. But so it's cool seeing him again. But no, but as far as the, the Baroque works group and you know we get several things. You know, we do get Mr. Phi and, and and this how they work together and I like the interaction there too. Like to your point earlier about not get, you know, Mr. Nine not given. Given the princess up. But but also how he just like twisted. It's like look, you know, if you know, you guys are sent after us because other people, you know, Mr.

47:04 Eight, not Mr. Eight. Mr. Mr. Eight was the undercover agent for the Alabaster. It was the other Mr. 7. I think whichever ones are, there's too >> Sarah : many numbers and too many years. Well, we know who you're talking about. The one that killed. >> Will: Yeah, yeah, but, yeah, but I liked how he, you know, how he was like, look, you know, Mr. Zero. I do not remember that one. well, you know, will not be happy. and you guys have, you know, you guys, you may kill me, but you're gonna, you know, if you don't do, if you don't succeed, you're gonna have a similar fate. So I really, I really like, really like that. And then also the other baroque. I know we were talking about Tushagi and you know, and she saw the glimpse of the person we met right when this, the whole season started.

47:51 >> Sarah : Sunday. >> Will: Yeah. and just the. Again her powers and taking down the marines and you know, having him grow extra limbs. And that was just so I was like, all right, James Gunn must be somewhere sitting and you know, and smiling because that, that was so Guardian. Guardians of the Galaxy esque of those big fight scenes. >> Sarah : That's not where my mind went at all. Between. Between that opening fight sequence. >> Will: Yeah. >> Sarah : The booger bombs. >> Will: Yes. >> Sarah : Valentine's ability. The. The what, what the princess did while on desert. I Cactus Island. We, It took me back to Gen zv.

48:36 >> Will: Oh yeah, that too. >> Sarah : I went. I went back to Gen V and a little Doom Patrol and I'm just like, I'm sorry guys. We're a bit scrapping the. The barrel here. but. But you're right. Like we were. We were talking before. I was really pleased that we just so happened to randomly choose to do these first three episodes because we literally start with Miss Sunday and we end with her. >> Will: Yep. >> Sarah : And that just because of how few scenes. Because we've only other seen her in talking to Tashi and which to go back to the code a little bit and tangential motivation.

49:27 >> Will: Yeah. >> Sarah : She is not only interesting just because of how she comes in and what she does with the flower petals and then the extra limbs to kill yourself. to put it bluntly. >> Will: Yeah. >> Sarah : The very Black Widow esque. She also. She's. She's there at the base because of what happened with Zorro. Right. >> Will: Yeah. Right. >> Sarah : And one of the broke rocks. >> Will: Yep. >> Sarah : And so she's intrigued. But then she sees. Hears about Luffy and then you see her look at the wanted sign and she's curious.

50:08 >> Will: Yep. >> Sarah : And. And so I feel like between that and later on in. In the third, episode when to go back to that scene with Ms. Valentine and Mr. Nine we. And Mr. 56789. we. We hear them talk about like it's more about the princess. And so then by. So by the end of the third episode when they were on the Mary and Ms. Sunday's there, I'm like okay, so are you there for Princess or are you there for Luffy? Are you there for both or both? Are you there for Zorro? Like they've done a very interesting thing where these are very.3 very packed heavy episodes while at the same time ironically being self conscious contained.

51:03 >> Will: Yeah. >> Sarah : And yet with her character it allows you to have a bit of intrigue, mystery and like. Okay, so while you're curious about the straw hats, I'm curious about you. >> Will: Yep, exactly. >> Sarah : Because I'm not. I'm not sure anymore if all of Broke Works are on the same page on what Mr. Zero wants. Or maybe. Maybe that's why Mr. Zero works. Maybe he gives them all different missions. We don't know. >> Will: That's true. That's true. He may. He made very well do so. and, and, and and so you know, it's the ultimate fail safe so that if one fails, I got other minions to take it on. And ah, and. And that's the other thing too. I do appreciate how. I mean in, in these first three episodes, you're right, they are very self contained. But they've built. They've built such a community. I mean I Think I, you know, we were talking before we recorded how I think there's like at least 30 new characters that we're going to get this season.

52:04 And but then also pulling back some of the old characters too, as we were talking about Bugsy. So Buggy. so, yeah, so I just, I, I, you know, these, these. What I appreciate about so much about One Piece and I know we did from, from season one and also season two is how they just do. How, how the world building that they do within these episodes. that just, that just keeps you on your toes and, and, and, and, and then, you know, and you get payoff with, with all these characters and, and you know, and thinking about, you know, even like with our, our key characters, like, you know, the fight sequences and stuff. I mean, I love the whole sequence that Zorro had in the third episode. You know, that one worked for me. It didn't go too long because, you know, because they kept it different. And yeah, you started counting.

52:57 So I, I got engaged because I was like counting along with Zorro instead of it just being like, oh, this is a big, you know, big set piece, big fight piece, whatever. You know, choreography obviously was great, but the way they like, had it was like I was, I was rooting for him to get to that hundred, that 100th kill, where. But I will. The other, the fight that did not work for me though was with Luffy and Aveda in the first episode. It did get a little bit cartoonish, but you know. >> Sarah : Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. The first, the first episode is arguably the weakest of these three because maybe it was just like, we're starting, we're getting back into it. But it did, it didn't gel as well as the second. And then the third episode, I really like the second episode.

53:43 >> Will: I did too. >> Sarah : I felt that that was the most cohesive. >> Will: Yeah. >> Sarah : and, and to just, to just go back a little bit to about Barack works, Baroque works. And something we touched on earlier about these. Whether you're a good guy or a bad guy in this world, you all seem to follow your own code. The. There's a lot of talk about path and with Tashigi especially, who joined the Marines due her to her obsession with swords. And then, she, she gets told like, well, well, sometimes you just have to choose your own path. Like, you can, you can follow, but you have to, you have to do what's right for you. And I think that's what we're seeing with a lot of the characters. And this season overall is. We're going to see more of the individuality that does sometimes, allow groups and bonds to form. so. So I am. Yeah, like, overall, and the more we talk about it, I, I think I enjoyed these episodes more than I originally thought I did. It's just a very.

55:03 It's. It really is watching a cartoon come to life. >> Will: It really is. It really is. >> Sarah : And it. And it. And it walks a thin line of getting, getting too cartoony only to be pull you back but. And it's bright and it's loud. >> Will: Yeah, yeah, yeah. I completely agree. I had that. I had. I had that in my notes. I meant to. I was going to lead off with that because that's. That's a. That's a great way to. To, sort of, you know, sum up. Sum up this series. and. And other one. And one last thing too. while I was on my mind, I still want to. Like while we were talking about the first three episodes, I did, you know, did like how they, you know, Todd Luffy on the. On the platform in Lugetown and the lightning and. And how it ties back to Gold Roger.

56:01 >> Sarah : Yeah. >> Will: And the laugh and. And how, you know, and. And. And Smoker putting that together and it's like. I know that laugh. Think of the Smoker. Yeah. >> Sarah : Yeah. Yeah. It definitely was Smoker. >> Will: Yeah. Yeah. >> Sarah : Because that's. That's when he. He wanted was like, no, Luffy is more of a threat than anybody realizes. >> Will: Yeah. Yeah. yeah, so. Yeah. So, But yeah, I'm. I'm. I'm so glad that we're back in this. In this world and And I. And. And like you, I think the second episode for me was also, my favorite of the bunch so far. with. You know, because the whole backstory with With a Boon and the crew and Crocus and. And trying to keep Luffy away. But it. It all. It all really, really worked really, really well. really enjoying this. This show and can't wait to watch the next three episodes.

56:57 >> Sarah : Yep. And on, that note, Will, why don't you tell our listeners where they can find you. >> Will: Yes, you can find me on all the socials at Will and Polk. W I L L M M P O L K. And you can find >> Sarah : me there too, at S.J. belmont, S.J.B. lmont. Please follow our crew on X, formerly known as Twitter at Scene and Nerd on Blue Sky. Friend us on Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and threads at Scene. Underscore n underscore nerd and Visit our website www.scenenerdpodcast.com. but most importantly, rate, follow and comment on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get podcasts. Good night. Geek out. You're welcome.