The eccentric troublemakers of the Franky Family and their love for upgrading, fighting and family permanently change the Straw Hats’ journey.
Eiichiro Oda’s expansive One Piece has no shortage of absurd-looking goofballs and gag characters. This endless well of weirdos and jokers builds up the expectation that most over-the-top characters are colorful additions to the story but not as deep as those who receive the painful flashbacks Oda has become famous for. However, these characters should still be considered despite their appearances and demeanor, as they often impact other characters in poignant, life-changing ways, helping to alter the course of the entire story.
For example, the Franky Family is a collection of absurd, misfit and outcast characters who would have trouble assimilating into society because of their eccentricities. However, instead of fading into the dregs of society, this group of oddballs found one another and a heroic figure in Franky, leading them to a happy and prosperous existence. While their impact is questionable and smaller in scale, the confidence, encouragement and weirdness they pour into Franky lead to a much more significant effect that manifests in a few different ways.
Family Encouraged Franky’s Brilliant Madness
After separating from his first found family, Franky fell into the darker realms of society. Iceberg and Tom helped ground the over-the-top nature of Franky, helping him better utilize and refine his talents. When Franky connects with the misfits of Water 7, he gives them leadership and direction, while they give him familial support and reinforcement in return.
Where most people would judgmentally look down upon Franky’s wild cyberization and obsession with cola, Zambai, Kiwi, Mozu and the others did not. Much like Luffy, Chopper and Usopp from Franky’s future found family, the Franky Family finds his antics and mad scientist approach to things genuinely cool. Their embrace of Franky as he is, never seeing him as a failure but as a brilliant dreamer, helps push him onto a path that leads him to join the Straw Hat Pirates.
Franky’s Fighting Skills Grew With His Family’s Questionable Activities
Finding the motley underbelly of Water 7 enabled Franky’s less-than-savory activities. The methods the Franky Family used to get by and their average patrons lead to semi-consistent conflicts; the Underworld proves to house dangerous patrons, while the folks who lose their boats when the Family scraps and sells them also provide a particular sort of trouble.
Through these run-ins and living on the fringes of society, Franky refined solid skills that eventually let him hang side by side with the Straw Hat Pirates when fighting the fierce Cypher Pol. The tough love of the Franky Family and their penchant for finding trouble prepared Franky for the challenges of the Grand Line. If he had remained with Iceberg and Tom, he would have been a bit softer and less battle-ready.
The Going Sunny Is More Versatile Because of the Franky Family
Upgrades and enhancements are commonplace for the Franky Family. Their penchant for scrapping and salvaging gives the group ample materials for upgrading themselves and their supplies. In addition, many members have minor tweaks and touches to make them more versatile and battle-ready. Their diverse minds and chaotic approach to life lead the family to encourage one another’s eccentricities. Franky can fully embrace his visions, leaning into the wilder side of things, to shape the Going Sunny into a mixed batch of equipment and weaponry. Even though the Galley-La crew would have built a fantastic boat for the Straw Hat Pirates, it needed more adaptability, uniqueness and charm that Franky’s refined touch brought to it.
Franky shines as a force to be reckoned with, both on the sea and the battlefield. He wouldn’t be half the man he is today were it not for his brothers and sisters in arms. Franky’s eccentricities often manifest genius. Encouraging and enabling those aspects set him up to become a participant in the more significant global conflicts. The troublemakers foster both individuality and pride, which proved necessary when creating the future Pirate King’s ship and joining his crew.
Src: cbr.com
