Summary:
The Straw Hat Pirates, Franky, Kokoro, Chimney and Gonbe jump into the sea to find the Going Merry waiting for them. The Marines of the Buster Call take a moment to realize what is happening. As the rope ladder seemingly descends on its own, Sanji and Nami climb aboard. As Zoro carries Chimney and Gonbe with him, Franky brings in Usopp, and Kokoro throws Luffy, Robin, and Chopper aboard before climbing on, Sanji begins to wonder how Merry got here and who dropped the rope ladder. Many Strawmen are choking back their emotions when they are back aboard their ship. Even Franky wonders how she got here after CP9 kicked her out of his hideout. Luffy tries to thank Robin for getting him out of the tower, but Fleur covers his mouth. Instead, it’s Robin who thanks everyone for saving her, even though she felt she wasn’t worth saving. In an emotional exchange, Chopper regains his ability to move. The Straw Hats soon organize and plan an escape from Enies Lobby.
Spandam is enraged and orders all guns on Merry, even if it means killing Robin. Spandam justifies this (falsely) as an order from Aokija that Robin is to be killed if she cannot be captured. But when the cannons fire, the shot misses Merry and hits each other instead. The two ships then crash into each other. Eventually, the Marines discover the reason for their loss of control: The gates of justice are closing, which means the vortexes are returning. Usopp then realizes that this was the reason for Sanji’s earlier absence. He was in the third tower looking for the gate control lever. Thanks to his forward thinking, they now have a fighting chance.
As the Merry rushes in, Zoro, Sanji, Robin, and Franky deflect the cannonballs from the battleships. Finally, Luffy crawls mouth to stern and insists on joining the fight. Eventually, Zoro and Sanji decide to silence him by stretching his body like a net and using it to capture and return a large volley of cannonballs. Finally, Nami calculates a course along the eddy currents, allowing them to outrun the cannonballs. Spandam goes on a tirade about how the most powerful force in the world can’t defeat one pirate crew and capture one woman. The tirade finally stops when Nico Robin’s “arms” wrap around him and begin to bend him backwards. After all the physical and mental abuse he put her through, everyone knew what was coming. With a final, cathartic: “Clutch!” Spandam’s spine snaps with a branch and Robin takes his revenge. Nami then orders Franky to complete their escape. Apologizing to the crew and the ship, Franky fires his Coup de Vent, releasing Merry from the vortexes, Buster Call, and Enies Lobby altogether. Usopp’s final Smoke Star ensures that they cannot pursue.
Meanwhile, back at the Enies Lobby Front Gate, Zambai, Paulie and the rest of the invasion force board the Puffing Tom and head back to Water 7. Lulu and Tilestone reflect on what just happened while Mozu and Kiwi snuggle in appreciation. To Paulie despite his protests: the result was a massive nosebleed. Everyone is in good spirits because despite bumps, bruises and broken bones, they took on world rule and made it out alive.
Finally, Admiral Aokiji reaches Enies Lobby in person. Buster Call is adamant in his pursuit of the Straw Hats, but Aokiji firmly orders everyone to stand down. There’s no way to save the day now. Buster Call is supposed to include a power equivalent to that of an entire country, but their current situation is anything but proud and strong. Two ships are sunk, several others are seriously damaged. And Enies Lobby stands a smoldering ruin: one of the great strongholds of the entire world government destroyed. Something so catastrophic cannot be glossed over or glossed over. World Government has suffered a complete and utter defeat today.
At his insistence, Kokoro places Luffy in his usual position on top of Merry’s puppet. Luffy thanks Merry for coming to save them. He also thanks Franky for his help. Franky has to appreciate the sheer audacity of the Straw Hats and warns that the World Government will now come after them with vigor, but the Straw Hats don’t care. To them, saving their friend was more important than defying the world government, and in that most important respect, they won.