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Chapter 357: Cutty Flam

Arc: Water Seven · Saga: Water Seven · Released: 2005-04-25

Summary

A flashback to 14 years ago opens the chapter “Tom’s Trial.” On a town square in Water Seven, the legendary shipwright Tom — a hulking fish-man — appears to go on a violent rampage as government agents and a crowd look on; in truth he is seizing the moment to deliver a furious defense of himself. He demands the crowd “understand his pain,” is hit with tranquilizer bullets, and openly takes full responsibility for his great crime: building the pirate ship of the Pirate King, Roger. He bargains that if the creation of the Sea Train can pardon one crime, then he is proud to have built Roger’s ship, and pleads that his two apprentices — young Iceberg and young Cutty Flam (Franky) — be released. The elder Spandam, leading the World Government / CP5 agents, refuses: only Tom will be taken to Enies Lobby, and the charge is changed to “building Pirate King Roger’s pirate ship.” Cutty Flam, enraged, smashes Spandam’s face, then commandeers a cannon-armed boat and chases the departing Sea Train down the tracks across the sea, screaming “Give back Mr. Tom!!” In the final flashback beats Cutty Flam recalls Tom’s words and his own broken vow to never build ships again — resolving instead to one day build a “dream ship” that can sail to the ends of the world with pride.

New reveals

• Tom’s “crime” is building Pirate King Gold Roger’s pirate ship — he declares himself “proud” to have built it (pp. 10–12).
• The Sea Train (the Puffing Tom) was Tom’s bargained masterwork: he built it to earn a pardon for that crime, and it is completed and set sail on the very day of his trial (pp. 9–13).
• Young Franky is shown as “Cutty Flam” — Tom’s apprentice, alongside young Iceberg and young Kokoro (chapter title “Cutty Flam”).
• Spandam (elder) appears and is named — leads the World Government / CP5 agents arresting Tom; Cutty Flam smashes his face (pp. 16, 18, 20).
• CP5 (Cipher Pol No. 5) is named — the government intelligence unit present at the trial (p. 9, “Be quiet, CP5!!”).
• Tom’s two apprentices (Iceberg + Cutty Flam) are the only ones he asks to be spared; he asks that “today’s crime” be erased — the request denied (pp. 9–13).
• Cutty Flam’s broken vow (“I don’t want to build ships anymore!!”) and his eventual resolve to build a “dream ship that can sail to the ends of the world with pride” (pp. 21–22).

Foreshadowing seeds planted

Payoffs (seeds from earlier chapters that resolve here)

Mentions / appearances

• Characters shown (flashback): Tom, Franky (as “Cutty Flam”), Iceberg (young), Kokoro (young), Yokozuna (the frog), Spandam (elder), CP5 agents (unnamed individually).
• Cover splash (present-day, decorative): Luffy, Nami, Usopp, Zoro, Sanji, Nico Robin, Tony Tony Chopper.
• Referenced: Roger (“the man called Roger” / Pirate King), Roger Pirates (the Pirate King’s ship), Tom’s Workers, Sea Train, Aqua Laguna (the storm-swell waves under the bridge), Enies Lobby, Water Seven.

Notable panels

• Page 1 (cover): Volume-page group splash “VENTURE TO WATER 7 / MUGIWARA PIRATES” — Chopper as a waiter (shirt “RISKY SEA-78”), Zoro/Sanji/Robin on a couch, with a giraffe behind. (B&W; decorative.)
• Page 6, panel 2: Cutty Flam’s first clear flashback face — “How much it must hurt you, Franky?” / he punches the wall in grief over Tom’s framing.
• Page 10–11: Tom’s defiant declaration — “…that I aided the man called Roger!!! I AM PROUD WITH A BOOM!”
• Page 13: The Sea Train (Puffing Tom) sets sail as Tom is taken — “Mr. Tom!!! …set sail.”
• Page 16, panel 1: Cutty Flam smashes elder Spandam’s face — “Mr. Spandam’s face was smashed in!!”
• Page 17–20: Cutty Flam chases the departing Sea Train down the sea tracks aboard a cannon-boat — “STOP, SEA TRAIN!!! Give back Mr. Tom!!!”
• Page 22: Bridge swept by waves (“WHOOOM!!”); Cutty Flam’s “dream ship” closing monologue.

Open questions raised

• Where exactly is Tom taken, and what becomes of him after Enies Lobby? (His present-day status is still spoken of in the past tense.)
• The elder Spandam’s relationship to the present-day CP9 director Spandam — is this the same man, or a forebear? (Not resolved on-page here.)
• What is the blueprint the government “came after” (p. 12) — connecting Tom’s lineage to the Pluton custody?