After Big Mom’s defeat in Wano, what is next for the remaining pirates in her crew – and will they return in One Piece’s final saga?

The end of One Piece‘s “Wano” arc saw Charlotte Linlin, Captain of the Big Mom Pirates, defeated by Eustass Kid and Trafalgar Law. Her fall — along with Kaido’s defeat — opened a vacuum of power that was quickly filled by Monkey D. Luffy and Buggy the Clown, respectively. However, the defeat of a previous generation Yonko has a bigger rippling effect than the title of Emperor. The entire structure, reputation and survival of the Big Mom Pirates is now up in the air, putting achievable targets on their back that would have originally been unfathomable with Big Mom still at the reins.

The cover stories showed events occurring within Big Mom’s territory through “Germa 66’s Ahh… An Emotionless Excursion,” which concluded with Kuzan freezing Cacao Island, Charlotte Cracker, and Charlotte Pudding’s abduction. As soon as their power waned, the devious Blackbeard took advantage. However, now that the Big Mom Pirates have suffered a tremendous defeat at the hands of the Worst Generation in Wano — and have been embarrassed for a second time on their home turf — what can they possibly do to survive in an increasingly violent era without their overpowered mother to keep them safe?

The Whitebeard Crew’s Effect on the Big Mom Pirates

With their recent loss of status in One Piece, the Big Mom Crew has fallen into the same position as the Whitebeard Crew — and their respective makeups are interestingly similar. Whilst the Charlotte family are a crew of blood-related pirates, the Whitebeard Crew was just as close even without the blood bond, debatably closer in some regard. So, the idea of them not separating into their own crews, adventures or quiet lives is certainly possible. After being beaten down once again by Kuzan and the Blackbeard Pirates, their pathway is eerily similar.

Crews and characters have been beaten down numerous times throughout One Piece before returning stronger or grander than before — examples include Crocodile and Buggy the Clown and his crew — implying their time on the stage may not be done just yet. Even without Big Mom, the crew is filled with powerful pirates, which is sometimes forgotten due to the lack of individual showcasing fights during the “Whole Cake Island” arc. Charlotte Katakuri, Cracker, Smoothie and Oven are certainly heavy hitters in One Piece‘s world. But for them to continue, there needs to be a unifying factor.

Katakuri’s Potential Next Role in One Piece

As Charlotte Perospero was also defeated in Wano and may be chained up, dead or on the run, the Big Mom Pirates’ self-appointed second-in-command is out of action. That leaves the fan-favorite Katakuri left to fill the void of captain. Unlike his mother and older brother, Katakuri regards Luffy with a certain degree of respect, something he would certainly maintain should he claim the crew’s primary role. It is unlikely he will sail to the rescue alongside the Straw Hat Grand Fleet, but he would not have any interest in relentlessly pursuing Luffy like Big Mom intended.

Realistically, Katakuri would not become the captain of the Big Mom crew because it is not his. The crew system in One Piece does not follow a military hierarchy, where a new member is promoted after a superior is taken out. It would be left to the rest of the Charlotte family to make a decision based on their own wishes and desires, and if Katakuri were to assume a captain’s position, it would be in the format of his own crew and adventure.

The most likely outcome of the Big Mom crew is disbanding, much like the Whitebeard crew. They may all be blood-related, but without the iron fist of the tyrannical Charlotte Linlin commanding their entire lives, it’s an opportunity for many of them to seek out their own dreams. However, there is little doubt that Katakuri will return to One Piece in a meaningful manner. It could be by leading a Neo-Version of the Big Mom crew or perhaps even the Stitch-Face Pirates, now that he has accepted who he really is.

Src: cbr.com