WARNING: The following contains spoilers for One Piece Episode 959, "The Rendezvous Port! The Land of Wano Act Three Begins!," now streaming on Crunchyroll and Funimation.
The day of the Fire Festival has arrived in One Piece Episode 959. With even Kaido and the villainous Orochi focused on celebration, it's finally time for the Straw Hat Crew's Wano allies, the Red Scabbards, to put their plan into action and punish those responsible for Oden's death. With resources and powerful allies on their side and an admirable belief in their cause, the Scabbards are ready to avenge Kozuki Oden. Unfortunately, as they arrive at the storm-tossed Tokage Port, they're met with an unexpected realization: their transport ships have been destroyed and their allies are nowhere to be found.
This is a culmination of all the worst possible things that could happen on the long-anticipated day of the Onigashima Raid. With no transportation, no allies and seemingly no way to fulfill their goal, the Red Scabbards are now faced with the very serious question of what to do next.
This Raid Was A Plan 20 Years In The Making
The consequences of what's happened aren't light. For 20 long years since the death of Oden, the plan to avenge him has been at the forefront of the minds of his retainers, as well as his supporters across the country of Wano. Now that the hour is upon them and nothing seems to be going right, the Scabbards may lose their chance at their one reasonable shot at taking down Kaido and Orochi and liberating Wano from their grasp.
Unfortunately, that now seems like an impossibility. Tokage Port has very clearly been attacked. The ships that Ashura Doji was collecting and that Franky recently repaired have been destroyed. The liberated prison camp of Udon is empty, void of any of the Scabbards' collected allies. As if to add insult to injury, no one is communicating on their transponder sail. Despite all the planning that went into this endeavor, it seems as if all that's left of this plan are the Red Scabbards and the ruined remains of Tokage Port.
Viewers May Have Already Predicted This Complication
What's less surprising is the state of Tokage Port. In Episode 956, Orochi makes a rather noteworthy comment after calling into Udon: he knows that Babanuki has been lying about the state of the prison camp, and has a letter of information detailing the Red Scabbard's plan. There is a mole working close to the Red Scabbards who is feeding information to Orochi. With this, it's not surprising to have found Tokage Port the way that it is. With a mole in their ranks, Orochi can stay one step ahead.
Now the Scabbards face a dire question: how do they advance? While it may seem reasonable to wait, regroup and live to fight another day, Kin'emon and the rest of the Scabbards seem to understand it has to be tonight. With the option of turning back not one they are willing to entertain, it seems that, even if it's down to their small group, they are still willing to try. With the odds stacked tremendously against them and nothing left to rely on but themselves, the Scabbards seem determined to press on, even if it means certain defeat. Meanwhile, fans are left only to wonder who is responsible for such a well-crafted plan going so terribly wrong.