Until proven otherwise, I'll continue to believe that the 'killing off a nakama' line is a lie just to get us riled up. :P Unless it's referring to the Merry, because at this point I think we are saying goodbye to the Merry. And I'm half convinced that's Oda-sensei's goal, to get us so worked up about Usopp that the Merry doesn't hurt nearly as much...(it's working! it's working! just don't let him go!!! ;___;)

I still have faith in Odachi's brilliance, and in the nakama-ship. All relationships have arguments sooner or later...they'll end up closer than ever. They have to!! Usopp can't go...he's not a great warrior yet. He just needs to find what his true role in the crew is, because he isn't a carpenter...maybe if they get a new ship, it'll have more cannons? Weapons master Usopp!! and they still need his inventions and things...so maybe this arc is really all about Usopp finding his place.

I wanna know how that's going to happen...it must! But now, it's so painful...they've never fought like this before, it's tearing all of them up, and it's so traumatic to see...