Recap / One Piece – Water Seven Arc - TV Tropes

Story Arcs > Sea of Survival: Super Rookies > Water 7 Saga: Davy Back Fight Arc | Gedatsu's Accidental Blue-Sea Life | Ocean's Dream Arc | Foxy's Return Arc | Water 7 Arc | Miss Golden Week's Big Plan "Meet Baroque Works" | Enies Lobby Arc | Where Are They Now? | Return to Water 7 Arc (a.k.a Post Enies Lobby Arc) | Eneru's Great Space Mission | Ice Hunter Arc

Manga Debut: 06/28/04 Anime Debut: 04/17/05

Short Summary

That's the burden of being a captain. Don't doubt yourself. If you start becoming unsure, who can we have faith in?— Roronoa Zoro, Chapter 333

After the rather terrifying encounter with Aokiji, the crew make their way to Water 7, a island known for its shipwrights, to get the Going Merry repaired. However reaching the island proves to be the only good thing about the journey as a series of bad news and incidents threaten to tear the crew apart.

Main Summary

Click to Read The arc begins with a close encounter with the Sea Train, a train with tracks just under the water that connects nearby islands, as well as a large frog named Yokozuna that always tests its strength by running in front of it. The flag stop is manned by the perpetually-drunk Kokoro and her grandaughter, Chimney, who tells about the nearby islands of the area, including Water 7, a beautiful Venice-like city of canals where the world's best shipwrights, Galley-La Company, operates. Upon landing, Nami, Usopp, and Luffy exchange their gold for 300 million Berries with the intent of getting the Going Merry repaired. Led by the brilliant Iceberg (and mayor of Water 7) and his Sexy Secretary Kalifa, the shipwrights are quirky characters, with Kaku, who can jump and soar through the air (and a nose similar to Usopp, but square-shaped), the burly Tilestone, Rob Lucci, a ventriloquist who speaks through a pigeon, cigar-chomping Paulie, who fights using ropes and knots, and Peepley Lulu (who looks a lot like Freddie Mercury). Unfortunately, Kaku finds that the keel of the ship is beyond repair by their abilities.

What's more, Usopp gets mugged by a gang of ship demolitionists and thieves, the Franky Family, causing them to lose two-thirds of the money. In retaliation, Sanji, Zoro, Luffy, and Chopper destroy their hideout and beat up the Franky Family, but their boss, Franky, has already taken the money and left. Usopp, distraught about being much weaker than the rest of the crew reaches his breaking point when Luffy announces that he will get a new ship. After Usopp challenges Luffy to a duel he knows deep down he won't win, Usopp is left on an abandoned Going Merry while Luffy, Zoro, Nami, Sanji, and Chopper vacate the premises.

Meanwhile, Robin disappears on the first day shortly after passing a man in a mask and cloak (who says "CP9") while out shopping with Chopper, and does not appear by nightfall. The next morning, there is news that Iceberg was shot by assassins in his own home. The shipwrights (and by extension the rest of the city) cannot figure out who would want to hurt Iceberg. When Paulie suggests that the government might be behind it (as some officials had been visiting Iceberg about something as recently as the day before and he had been turning them away each time), Kaku rebukes him and suggests it may be pirates instead.

Indeed, when Iceberg wakes up, he identifies Nico Robin as one of the attackers, and by extension, the Straw Hats. Luffy and Nami, unaware of Robin's involvement, try to meet Iceberg, but are stopped by Franky himself, a Speedo-wearing cyborg who can shoot fire, accompanied by his cheerleaders, the "Square Sisters" Mozu and Kiwi. The fight is interrupted by the shipwrights, who are fully convinced Luffy and the others are behind the attack. Franky, angry that the shipwrights are taking his prey, destroys the shipbuilding yard, with Luffy and Nami escaping in the confusion. Despite Luffy now a wanted man throughout Water 7, Luffy still tries to seek out Iceberg anyway. At Iceberg's request, Kalifa lets Luffy in and distracts the mob. Iceberg confirms himself to Luffy that Robin was one of the attackers and demands to see her personally. Meanwhile, Franky goes to Blueno's Bar where it is revealed (unbeknownst to the Straw Hats) that Kokoro and Franky are acquainted, where Kokoro shares her own theory on the assassination attempt—a shadowy government organization called Cipher Pol No. 9, which Franky doubts even exists (officially, it only goes up to CP 8)...though the next scene shows that CP9 does in fact exist and Robin is working with them, somehow.

As Luffy and Nami are on the run, Zoro, the only other Straw Hat with a bounty, evades the employees from Galley-La. Usopp gets suspicious as to why people are at the Going Merry, while Sanji and Chopper (who don't have bounties and aren't recognizable as Straw Hats) start wondering why there's a single departure headed to Enies Lobby late in the night, despite the fact that a legendary annual typhoon, Aqua Laguna, is coming and will flood Water 7.

Eventually, Sanji and Chopper find Robin, who apologizes that the Straw Hats are blamed for the attempted assassination but announces her departure from the Straw Hats. She confirms that she was there at Iceberg's house that night and walks away. Sanji instructs Chopper to go find the others and tell them what happened. As Chopper rendezvouses with Nami, Luffy, and Zoro, Usopp is out trying to buy lumber and tools himself in a futile attempt to fix the Going Merry single-handedly.

Zoro figures that Robin is probably planning to finish the job, but if the Straw Hats are anywhere near the scene, they'll be pinned for the crime. Because Robin was seen with a mysterious masked man, they're not sure if she's being forced to do so or if Aojiki was right about Robin and her Chronic Backstabbing Disorder. Luffy makes the decision that either way, the four of them must capture Robin themselves. As night begins to fall, the shipwrights call off the search and defend the Galley-La Company, with Paulie, Kaku, Lucci, Lulu, and Tilestone guarding the door to Iceberg's bedroom. The streets of Water 7 are abandoned thanks to the citizenry fleeing from the upcoming Aqua Laguna, but Franky is ready for round two of their fight, and decides to kidnap Usopp in an attempt to bring Luffy out of hiding.

Iceberg tells Paulie of a hidden safe in his office, but approaching the heavily-guarded Galley-La complex, an explosion breaks out, and Robin (with a cloak and just a Domino Mask) with the mysterious masked man (wearing a bear mask) go into action. With the explosion, Lulu and Tilestone run off towards the commotion, leaving Kaku and Lucci to guard the door.

A third masked assassin attacks the employees with a spiked whip; meanwhile, Chopper, Nami, and Zoro find that Luffy has run off without telling them. As Paulie finds the safe's contents, two more masked men (in a bull mask and a skull mask) announce them selves as Cipher Pol No. 9, an elite intelligence agency, and having defeated a string of employees, decides that Paulie knows too much.

Robin and the first masked man infiltrate Iceberg's bedroom and bypass the guarded main door through the man's Door-Door Fruit (basically allows him to go through walls), where the masked man reveals that they're looking for a blueprint to some sort of ship, which Paulie found.

It turns out that Luffy got stuck between some buildings, which is why he wasn't there when Chopper, Luffy, and Zoro went after him. With Bear Mask shown to use his power to defeat even the massive Tilestone (having already defeated Kaku and Lucci), Iceberg tells Robin that she is the only one that can read Poneglyphs, which is considered a high crime by the government and the real reason she has had a bounty since age 8. Iceberg reveals that what Pluton, the superweapon first alluded to back in the Alabasta arc, is the name of a battleship built on Water 7 many years ago, and that's what Iceberg had been hiding from the government. He also refers to his predecessor Tom, was concerned about a girl who escaped from the "Ohara Incident" twenty years ago.

In the other room, Paulie has been shot by Bull Mask and Skull Mask but reveals the plans are a fake, and that he doesn't know that yet. Bull Mask and Skull Mask restrain Luffy and Paulie with metal bars that are part of their Devil Fruit powers and make their escape. Gathered in Iceberg's room, CP9 reveal themselves. Bull Mask is Lucci, Skull Mask is Kaku (their beat-up selves in the hallway were defeated others that were dressed up as Kaku and Lucci), the masked person with the spiked whip is Kalifa, and Bear Mask is the bartender, Blueno.

Suspicious that Iceberg may never had control of the plans to begin with, Lucci has Kaku check his pulse to find if he was lying about having control of the plans, citing the fake's signatures of Tom, Iceberg, and Cutty Flam, of "Tom's Workers". Cutty Flam was Tom's other disciple, who supposedly died in an accident eight years prior. Lucci reveals (and confirms with Iceberg's quickening pulse) that Cutty Flam somehow survived and changed his name to Franky.

CP9 resolves to go find Franky and leave Iceberg alone, just before Luffy, Zoro, Nami, Paulie, and Chopper burst into the room, who are shocked to find the Awful Truth about what half of Iceberg's inner circle was up to (especially Paulie). Robin reveals that she has some sort of ulterior motive herself that was incompatible with being part of the Straw Hats.

CP9 are incredible fighters and are basically able to No-Sell both Luffy and Zoro. They reveal that the building is rigged to burn down, but not before Lucci reveals his ace in the hole to the Straw Hats, the Cat-Cat Fruit: Leopard Model. Lucci's Tempest Kick causes the building to partially collapse while CP9 makes their escape to look for Franky. Paulie and Iceberg are tied up and left to die in the flaming wreckage, Zoro and Luffy were defeated and thrown out the window, Chopper sacrifices himself to save Nami and gets trapped under the rubble. Nami is also thrown out of the window, but much closer to the building, leaving the foreman to suspect that she was involved in the fire.Meanwhile, at a hidden dock where Usopp and the Going Merry are kept (high and safe from Aqua Laguna), Franky (accompanied by Mozu and Kiwi, as always) bonds with Usopp, admiring his dedication to the ship and telling him a bit about Water 7 and the Sea Train, which was created by Tom about a decade prior. Franky asks what Usopp wants to do with the Going Merry (ultimately return to the East Blue) and tells him that the same thing Galley-La said...the Going Merry is beyond repair and can only be demolished (justifying himself by telling Usopp the Going Merry cannot reach even the next shore, much less the East Blue), and starts breaking apart the ship himself. When Usopp tries to fight back, Franky throws him underwater and Usopp sees the extensive keel damage for the first time himself.Usopp breaks down and tells Franky he knew deep down the Merry was unsalvagable, but confirming to himself that he really did see someone that night at Upper Yard repairing the ship...and reveals for the first time that the person talked to him, telling him not to worry and "I'll carry you guys for a little bit longer". Franky tells him that Usopp saw a Klabautermann, a legendary fairy that lives on well-loved and well-cared for ships. The doorbell rings, with Franky thinking its the Franky Family with Luffy. This is not the case, as CP9 was fleeing the scene, they happened to come across the Franky Family, trying to get the message out that Usopp has been captured, and interrogated them for where Franky is.It turns out that the dock is the office of Tom's Workers, where Franky/Cutty Flam and Iceberg grew up under the apprenticeship of Tom, a Fishman. Franky protests that the plans are not there and they shouldn't destroy the office looking for it. Kalifa restrains Franky with her spiked whip as a flashback explains the history of Tom, Iceberg, and Franky.Some 22 years ago, Iceberg, Tom, and Franky worked together building ships. Other employees included a younger Kokoro and Yokozuna. Tom speaks of the town's troubles, that problems resulting from the Great Pirate Era has ultimately led to a shortage of customers for Water 7 and eventually the town will sink into the sea. One night, Tom tells Franky that he's designing a ship that will "save Water 7". However, the next day, the Marines arrive and arrest Tom. The charge is that because he built the recently-executed Gold (Gol D.) Roger's ship, he is considered to have aided and abetted him, and will be taken to Enies Lobby to be executed. At the court, Tom reveals his plans for the Sea Train. Intrigued by the plan and with a request to connect it to Enies Lobby, Tom is paroled on the condition he build it.After ten years and Water 7 now in deep decline, the sea train Puffing Tom has its first successful run, and while the economy hasn't picked up due to trading issues, the population is no longer demoralized and Tom's acquittal by the World Government is a certainty. However, he is visited by an ambitious Cipher Pol No. 5 agent, Spandam, who is sure that Tom has the blueprints to a dangerous battleship that would be a problem if it fell into the wrong hands.

One night, he shows them to Franky and Iceberg and explains the situation. Franky, who likes building battleships (now up to "Battle Franky No. 35", able to kill a Sea King) of his own (much to Iceberg's annoyance, as he thinks that they're too dangerous and could attract attention), thinks that it should be built, but Iceberg explains the situation.

On the day of the trial, even the judge is impressed with the Sea Train and readys Tom's acquittal, but a fleet of Franky's ships attack the ship where the trial is to be held. Tom and Iceberg attempt to meet the fleet where the ships are returning to the scrap heap where Tom's Workers is located, but they are injured by Spandam's other fleet where the Battle Franky ships are destroyed. Iceberg figures out that this is a trap by Spandam to persecute Tom anyway and blames Franky for his incompetence and foolishness by building and leaving out the battleships.

Spandam arrives and arrests Tom, Iceberg, and Franky, intending to hold them for the trial of attacking the judicial ship. When Iceberg blames Spandam and denounces the "Battle Franky" fleet, Tom punches Franky hard enough that he flies into the wall. Tom declares that he still built those ships, whether they were used for good or evil, and should not ever denounce his own creations. Knowing that the government both set him up and is putting him on trial, Tom attacks Spandam in retaliation for Franky's guilt. Tom makes a deal with the judge—the Sea Train counts for the acquittal of Tom, Franky, and Iceberg, while accepting the death penalty for assisting the King of the Pirates.

As Kokoro tearfully explains to Franky, Iceberg, and Yokozuna, no one has ever returned from Enies Lobby. Unable to hear it, Franky attacks Spandam, causing even more injuries to his face and body. Franky makes a run for it. Later, he chases down the Sea Train with a large handheld cannon, and attempts to shoot the train from the front to no avail. He is then seemingly killed by the Sea Train.

Back in the present, Lucci explains that the charges for Franky/Cutty Flam were annulled due to his death, but since he is still blamed for the incident, he will be taken to Enies Lobby. Blueno uses a Transponder Snail to connect to their boss: Spandam.

CP9 takes Franky away but Usopp attempts to stop them (for one second); unfortunately, Kaku recognizes him, releases the Going Merry to her apparent doom, and apprehends Usopp, as even though he is no longer a Straw Hat and doesn't even carry a bounty, he's still a pirate.

Back at the fire, Chopper manages to escape from the rubble and rescues Paulie and Iceberg, but collapses from his injuries. Nami and Iceberg regain consciousness, and requests to talk to Nami alone.

Iceberg apologizes for suspecting the Straw Hats and explains what happened in the room with just him and Nico Robin. Nico Robin was forced to team up with CP9 to prevent a "Buster Call", a rare and inescapable call where top Marine admirals are called in to execute criminals on the Straw Hats. The "ulterior motive" as listed above was that the other six Straw Hats could safely leave the island, because they were the only group of people that she was allied with that cared about her and weren't going to betray her. Iceberg's main issue with her was that her desire to read the Poneglyphs and discover the "real history" could still inadvertently hurt people, much how Franky's ships led to the trouble all those years ago. Nami is re-invigorated and overjoyed that Robin is still on their side, and wakes Chopper up.

Meanwhile, Sanji, having run off on his own secret mission, figured out the unusual departure was for CP9, and that Robin was probably coerced into doing the government's bidding. He also spies CP9 (who he doesn't recognize) bringing in Franky and Usopp.

Paulie recovers, attests for the Straw Hats' innocence, and asks the workers to assist Chopper and Nami in finding Zoro, Luffy, and Sanji. (He leaves out the parts about Kaku and Lucci, lying and saying they weren't there and that he didn't know the masked men). They don't have much time, after the Sea Train leaves at 11pm, service won't be restored until after Aqua Laguna, and Enies Lobby is off-limits to the general public. However, the train leaves early due to the inclement weather.Paulie and Nami arrive just after the train has left the station, and Nami demands a ship to borrow to go after Robin. Paulie refuses, citing the Aqua Laguna storm surge, and narrowly saves Nami (plus two railway employees forbidden from watching the passengers board) from the flood. However, Paulie notices the departures board was ripped in half, which indicates Aqua Laguna this year is far, far stronger than usual.A letter left by Sanji reads that he boarded the train himself (and Franky and Usopp are also aboard), as well as a Transponder Snail, with a promise that he'll call when he finds the train's snail. As Nami, Chopper, and the rest of the foremen resume their search for Zoro and Luffy. Chimney and Kokoro are watching from above, with Chimney noticing "something stuck between two buildings"—Luffy, to which Nami rushes off. However, the tide has ebbed so much that Water 7 and the water around it have dried up, meaning an unbelievably powerful flow will go back in. Still, Nami goes off to rescue him, despite warnings from the foremen and Kokoro that the backstreets are too dangerous. Meanwhile, Chopper spies Zoro, who got himself stuck upside-down in a chimney, and goes off to save him too.Gaining a second wind by Nami telling him that Robin didn't betray them after all, Luffy breaks out by breaking the buildings between them, and Zoro slicing through the chimney. Even with Paulie's help, they barely make it back.

Paulie and Nami arrive just after the train has left the station, and Nami demands a ship to borrow to go after Robin. Paulie refuses, citing the Aqua Laguna storm surge, and narrowly saves Nami (plus two railway employees forbidden from watching the passengers board) from the flood. However, Paulie notices the departures board was ripped in half, which indicates Aqua Laguna this year is far, far stronger than usual.A letter left by Sanji reads that he boarded the train himself (and Franky and Usopp are also aboard), as well as a Transponder Snail, with a promise that he'll call when he finds the train's snail. In the train, the more powerful people are placed in cars closer to the engine, but Sanji handily beats the government agents in the last car, including the very tall Jerry.Meanwhile, Nami, Chopper, and the rest of the foremen resume their search for Zoro and Luffy. Chimney and Kokoro are watching from above, with Chimney noticing "something stuck between two buildings"—Luffy, to which Nami rushes off. However, the tide has ebbed so much that Water 7 and the water around it have dried up, meaning an unbelievably powerful flow will go back in. Still, Nami goes off to rescue him, despite warnings from the foremen and Kokoro that the backstreets are too dangerous. Meanwhile, Chopper spies Zoro, who got himself stuck upside-down in a chimney, and goes off to save him too.Gaining a second wind by Nami telling him that Robin didn't betray them after all, Luffy breaks out by breaking the buildings between them, and Zoro slicing through the chimney. Even with Paulie's help, they barely make it back.When Paulie insists that there's no way they can safely make it back to the island, Nami pleads with Paulie that the judicial court at Enies Lobby is a Kangaroo Court and one someone passes through the "Doors of Justice", they won't ever see the light of day again. Paulie argues that if you go after Enies Lobby, you are picking a fight with the World Government.Kokoro and Iceberg have the same plan: show the Straw Hats a long-mothballed prototype Sea Train, the Rocketman. Despite restoring it to workable condition, the Rocketman's speed can't be controlled. However, Luffy is not feeling well due to his being impaled by Lucci earlier, but luckily, Nami had thought ahead and sent the railway employees to find and gather as much meat as they can.Kokoro pilots the train, with Luffy, Nami, Zoro, and Chopper, followed by Mozu, Kiwi, and the Franky Family. A number of stowaways (Paulie, Chimney, Peepley Lulu, and Tilestone) also find their way on board. Iceberg, left alone, reflects more on the past. Kokoro, now taking up drinking in the dissolution of Tom's Workers, reports to Iceberg that Cutty Flam has died after being hit by the train. Iceberg continues to take up Tom's will, building a new company, the Galley-La Company. A younger Kalifa reports that a "Cutty Flam" is here to see him, but he turns him away, at least publicly. Franky explains that he rebuilt himself using iron scraps, though the only real visible part of that is his metal nose. Franky is angry that Iceberg builds ships for the Government, while Iceberg is still angry that it was Franky's ships that got Tom into the whole mess to begin with. Iceberg gives the blueprints to Franky, and tells him not to use the name Cutty Flam again since the Government believes Cutty Flam to be dead (unfortunately, he already gave that name to Kalifa, who was a government agent from the start).Rocketman continues to fly toward Aqua Laguna. Realizing they all have the same goal, the Straw Hats, the Franky Family, and the shipwrights make an alliance to get the train through Aqua Laguna at any cost. Unfortunately, their cannons are useless, requiring Zoro and Luffy to save the day.Back on the Puffing Tom, Sanji works his way up to the communications room (Car #6, after handily beating Car #7) and frees both Franky and Usopp, neither of whom he's on great terms with, finally making contact with Nami. Nami fills in Sanji about Robin, but Usopp is still not ready to rejoin the Straw Hats. Just as a Marine finds Sanji and Franky, a mysterious masked man named Sogeking appears who is definitely not Usopp wearing a mask and cape. Sanji guesses that this is a coping mechanism but plays along anyway. The cars further to the front are filled with more powerful agents, with CP9 in Car #2 and Robin in Car #1.Because they're vastly outnumbered, Franky, Sanji, and Sogeking engage in Guile Hero maneuvers, like sending as many Marines and agents (including Captain T-Bone, a swordsman) as possible over to Car #7 before cutting it Car #6 and #7 from the rest of the Puffing Tom. Franky shows off how he's impervious to bullets (but only from the front) in Car #5. In Car #4, the three meet Kanze, a CP7 agent and cook. He engages in battle with Sanji (and he is quite the formidable opponent). Franky engages with battle with Mr. Nero, the newest member of CP9 on the roof of Car #3 while Sogeking bypasses Car #2 entirely and makes contact with Nico Robin, informing her that Sanji and Franky are on the train, with Luffy and others on a different train following (of course, Robin isn't fooled by the disguise). Robin refuses, even after Sogeking tells her that Iceberg survived and told them everything.With the disconnected Car #6 and #7 in sight, Luffy flies over to check for Sanji and Franky (they aren't there), so Zoro slashes the cars in half, leaving the hapless Marines on what have turned into small boats floating on the ocean. Rocketman catches up Captain T-Bone, who left the disconnected cars to chase the Puffing Tom on foot, though Zoro defeats him, and he is eventually picked up by the floating cars.Going back to the Puffing Tom, Sanji beats Kanze and Franky beats Nero. Sanji walks into CP9 in Car #2 just in time for Nero and Franky to fall in. For his failure, Nero is killed by Lucci. Lucci briefly explains that Robin is dangerous and should be put to death, but also needs to be kept alive for years so the World Government can extract information from her. Sogeking and Robin emerge from Car #1, but Robin still refuses to join Sanji in getting out of there. A smoke bomb by Sogeking allows Usopp (er, Sogeking) to grab Robin and make a run for it with Sanji and Franky, disconnecting the train at Car #3. CP9 isn't willing to give up that easily, and Kalifa and Blueno (with her whips and his strength) pull the train back together. After a brief scuffle, Franky sacrifices himself and falls onto Car #2 while letting Car #3 with Robin, Sogeking, and Sanji float away. Unfortunately, by losing Robin CP9 will initiate the Buster Call...not that it's a problem since Blueno appears on Car #3 (his Door-Door power can also use air as a medium to get between places) and defeats Sanji and Sogeking. Robin leaves with Blueno, but before they leave, Blueno explains that the Buster Call can wipe out an entire island with Robin being the only survivor of it.With Robin and Franky now back in the custody of CP9, Franky assures Robin that her existence isn't a sin as CP9 and others have said before, and Robin tells Franky that CP9 did not succeed in killing Iceberg.Yokozuna also joins up with the Straw Hats after jumping in front of the train, causing most of the Franky Family (following behind) to separate, though they rejoin with Sanji and Sogeking. Kokoro can talk to Yokozuna, and the reason why Yokozuna jumps in front of the Puffing Tom (or the Rocketman, in this case) is to be strong like how Franky was.The Franky Family and the Rocketman manage to reunite, with Luffy being "introduced" to Sogeking (everyone else of course, recognizes him as Usopp...except for Chopper). Even with their newfound allies, the Straw Hats are up against one of the most powerful bases the World Government has to offer...