Episode 53: A Tale of Two Daddies
"Daddy, give me a chance!" - Usopp
Usopp
Usopp has a difficult question to answer. What, if anything, can he buy in Loguetown, that will prepare him to face the Grand Line? He goes with quantity, filling up his bag with anything that might have been used by the pirate king.
He doesn’t have an insanely powerful sword technique that requires two additional swords, nor is his dream as objective as Sanji’s. Sanji will know when he finds the All Blue, but how can Usopp determine that he has become a brave warrior of the sea?
That determination gets even murkier when you consider Usopp’s upbringing. His father abandoned him and his mother to live life freely as a pirate. While he does not resent his father, his feelings are clearly conflicted. He admires the powerful pirate his father became, but that never stopped him from wishing his father would come back after his Mother died.
Now, he is setting out on his own adventure, still doubting whether he will ever live up to the bravery of his father, despite holding disappointment for that same man. Outside of Arlong Park, he was forced to face the reality of putting his life on the line. Though he faltered for a moment, he found the cunning and strength to win because he saw how his crew mates lived, and he followed their example.
It’s clear that the brave warrior he aspires to be is still taking shape in his mind. After failing to intimidate a small child, he finds himself face to face with one of the most dangerous Bounty Hunters in the East Blue. Daddy “the Parent” Masterson. Do you think he added “the parent” because people were a little too eager to call him Daddy?
He’s a sharpshooter whose aim is as good as his inability to understand how ammunition works. It’s going to blow his mind when he finds out that he can just carry the bullets, sans the actual gun.
Still, he is effective with his thirty pistols, and it truly feels like he embodies the cliche of a “brave warrior.” That is, until we see him speak to his daughter. That gruff voice explores new octaves, and he can barely keep his eyes open because he’s smiling so much.
Usopp is able to lie his way out of an outright fight, but he gets a little too caught up in the fantasy he created. It’s fun to be viewed as a powerful person worth leaving alone, but then he tries to get the goggles from Daddy through intimidation. While Daddy might have been willing to let a pirate walk away, it’s another matter when that pirate tries to extort him out of the gift his daughter had bought for him.
Back to back with this deadly marksman, Usopp makes it through eight counts before trying to run, but it’s no use. His fear gets the better of him. He starts to grovel and even cowers behind Nami when she runs to defend him. That is, until Daddy Masterson asks him if he is the kind of man who would hide behind others. Usopp finds his courage and comes to his senses. He is ready to fight his own battles and not involve people he cares about. Then Daddy Masterson realizes that Usopp is the son of Yasopp, a pirate he dueled years ago.
He goes on to tell Usopp the story of how he lost to Yasopp. He was staring death in the face when Yasopp decided to spare him after seeing that Masterson had a young daughter.
Imagine hearing this story from Usopp’s perspective. Is it better that his father at least recognizes the importance of the bond between a father and child, or does it make it worse that he knows this, and still chose to continue his adventure?
Usopp leaves those questions for later, and instead focuses on the Daddy standing in front of him. Daddy is not less of a brave warrior because he chose to stay behind and care for his daughter. That kindness is seen when he shares the story of his defeat, and in doing so, he demonstrates a different way to be a brave warrior. It does not require callousness and questionable morals. On the contrary, Daddy’s empathy sets him apart as a man far greater than " “warriors” who lose themselves in their pursuit of power.
In recognizing this, Usopp finds the strength to finally own up to his actions. He puts his life on the line, a pistol in his face as he aims his slingshot at a target impossibly far away. Usopp is not on a journey for a goal that is as objective as his crew mates. Instead, his journey is largely within himself, as he fights against his own doubts to become a brave warrior. This encounter with Daddy, just before heading to the Grand Line, reminds Usopp that he does not need to follow in his father’s footsteps to become that brave warrior. Perhaps being a brave warrior is more than being feared and respected.
