Discussion Post-Timeskip "rhymes" with Pre-Skip

[McNuss]

We all know the similarities between the Alabasta and Dressrosa arc, but Oda didn't stop there, so far it's been like Star Wars, the story rhymes with itself.

Part I Quick Summary:

Luffy meets his Crew, they want to enter Grand Line but before that they have to defeat evil Fishmen.
Then on the Grand Line they save a country from the fangs of an evil pirate and his criminal organization.
Afterwards they travel to a place high up in the sky, where strange people live and save it from disaster.
But then one of the crew has to leave and the others have to save her from the Government.
Then they beat another Shishibukai but things around them escalate quickly into war that ends with the death of Luffy's brother.

Part II Quick Summary and predictions:

Luffy meets his Crew, they want to enter the New World but before that they have to defeat evil Fishmen.
Then in the New World they save a country from the fangs of an evil pirate and his criminal organization.
Afterwards they travel to a place high up in the sky, where strange people live and save it from disaster.
But then one of the crew has to leave and the others have to save him from a pirate emperor.
Then they beat another Shishibukai* but things around them escalate quickly into war that ends with the destruction of Fishman Island.

(*Im thinking of Weevil)

These summaries drastically reduce the plot, but I think it becomes more and more clear that by using the structure of Pre-Skip One Piece, the upcoming story can be predicted to a certain degree. This is not a bad thing because the similarities in plot Structure are sort of...superficial and also the Storyline has to go beyond this as their is no Pre-Timeskip equivalent for Luffy becoming the Pirate King. So we get a "Part III", though not necesarily another timeskip.

So currently we are in Water 7/Enies Lobby if we use the pre-skip formula.

 

[Ipoopshootingstars]

I disagree. By your logic the whole crew is wrapping up skypiea, while Sanji says f-it I'm going straight to Enid lobby????

 

[McNuss]

I disagree. By your logic the whole crew is wrapping up skypiea, while Sanji says f-it I'm going straight to Enid lobby????

I simplified it a bit. Zou is both Skypia and then Water 7.

It's hidden in the clouds (mist in this case), has an ancient civilisation, strange inhabitants who say strange words (garchu, comparable to the Skypieans Heso), two rivaling tribes, has leaders that likely met either Roger or Shanks (Gan Fall met Roger) and was almost destroyed by an environmental disaster that only the Straw Hats could stop. In Skypiea it was Luffy's rubber body, this time they had Caesar's gas powers. Enel and Jack also share that they are totally unreasonable.

It is also Water 7, all the key elements are there: Strong inhabitants, a Crewmate left, there's a flood and also the betrayal, as Capone betrayed Pekoms.

It is not just a rehash though. In detail almost anything is different, but the surface is the same. It is a pattern many popular stories follow, Star Wars is a good example, watch episode IV, I and VII in succesion and you see what I mean. Lord of the Rings is also kind of like this: "A hobbit travels to a mountain and back." - is the formula for both The Hobbit and LotR.

And yes the pace is different. "Skypiea 2.0" got wrapped up quickly and only through flashbacks. Dressrosa was also much longer then Alabasta.