Going Merry

*For the manga version, go here*.

The *Going Merry* was a caravel belonging to the Straw Hat Pirates.

## Background

The *Going Merry* was commissioned by a family butler named Merry, after the Straw Hat Pirates protected the family from rival pirates.

### Baratie Arc

The *Going Merry* then travelled onwards and in an accident, blew up a pair of bounty hunters' ship. The pirates were spared a fight due to a connection between the crew and the bounty hunters, however one of the bounty hunters struck the ship in a rage, accidentally damaging her. This damage was repaired by the culprit later. Having learned the dangers of scurvy, the *Going Merry* was taken to the sea restaurant, the *Baratie*, in search of a dedicated ship's cook. During a raid by rival pirate, Don Krieg, the *Going Merry* was stolen by her navigator.

### Lougetown Arc

The *Going Merry* was retrieved later after her captain, Luffy, defeated another rival pirate and her then-full crew travelled together to the last pre-Grand Line town to resupply. Here she was ordered to be destroyed by rival pirate, Buggy the Clown, as well as by Marine Captain Smoker. She was spared arson and bombing by a sudden storm that prevented anything from being lit properly, including gunpowder.

The *Going Merry* was navigated safely up Reverse Mountain but was immediately confronted by a new issue, Laboon the Island Whale, a massive whale that could arguably compete with mountains. The figurehead was damaged and Luffy punched Laboon in the eye, causing him to swallow the *Going Merry* in retaliation. After the crew and the ship escaped Laboon, Luffy tore the mast off and re-engaged the fight with Laboon, declaring it a draw and requesting the match be completed at another time. The mast was then repaired.

### Whiskey Peak Arc

The *Going Merry* landed at Whiskey Peak by way of Log Pose and after escaping the organization known as Baroque Works, headed off with two additional temporary passengers to Little Garden. Once more, after a near fatal battle with Mr. 3, the crew left Little Garden and went on to Arabasta Kingdom. The crew chose to take a detour to Drum Island after the ship's navigator fell ill and required immediate medical assistance. Rival pirate and former King, Wapol, ate a portion of the ship, thus increasing the damage dealt to her. The crew would pick up a doctor while here and continued on to Arabasta.

### Arabasta Arc

Upon reaching the Arabasta Kingdom, the ship was moored off the south western shores where it remained for the duration of the Straw Hat pirates' stay in the kingdom. It was later discovered to have been moved by former enemy, Mr. 2, in order to safeguard it from visiting marines. Upon leaving the island she was pursued by the marines and sustained heavy combat damage. It was steered north to meet up with one of it's temporary crewmen in hopes of retrieving her but she turned down the offer and the ship left without her.

### Rulaka Island Arc

The *Going Merry* carried on to Rulaka Island and were pursued by marines on the way, escaping only due to an accident performed by the marine captain. Upon reaching the island, they clashed with former pirate, Wetton, who had become mayor, as well as his son and grandson. The ship was to be seized as part of a levy but was spared doing so through combat. In an effort to protect the *Going Merry* it was sailed into the legendary Rainbow Mists, a portal to Ape's Concert which behaved like a graveyard of ships that stood still in time. It remained here for the majority of the Straw Hat Pirates' time on the island.

### Sky Island Arc

The *Going Merry* carried on to Jaya where it's damage started to rear it's ugly head and the first talks of a new ship were opened. It was transformed into a flying ship briefly in order to reach Sky Island, a legendary island in the sky. Before it could reach it's destination it was damaged further by rival pirate, Bellamy. After an encounter with a masked man with a rocket launcher and a sky knight, as well as moving from the White Sea to the White-White Sea, the *Going Merry* was moored off Angel Island. After a series of events it was taken as punishment to the land of the gods, Upper Yard. It was attacked by one of the priests who lit the mast on fire in order to distract the ship's doctor, Chopper. Chopper tore the mast off and tossed it into the sea of clouds to extinguish the flames, however the *Going Merry* remained damaged for quite some time after this. It was repaired later by what was later assumed to be a Klabautermann. After the crew's battles had elapsed they steered themselves to Clouds End and utilized a balloon octopus to descend back to the blue sea.

### G-8 Arc

The *Going Merry* loses the ability to float as the balloon octopus loses power. The ship plummets a distance and lands in the waters within marine base G-8. The ship is instantly discovered and recognized, the marines jump into action and perform a search and seize of the ship. After the Straw Hat pirates conclude their business and make their way back to the ship with whatever treasure they were able to retrieve they are greeted by a marine division. Chopper takes the moment to perform the role of a brute in order to get aboard the ship which works only temporarily. As the pirates begin to leave G-8, they are greeted by one of the base's natural traps; low tide. Using a device they obtained in Sky Island, they launch themselves out of G-8 and continue on their way to Water-7.

### Water-7 Arc

This part of the story then picks up where the manga continues from, in which the crew carries on to Water-7 and attempt to have the *Going Merry* repaired. The shipwrights declare her irreparable due to the damage she has received to her keel. Luffy, as the captain, decided that since the ship had been declared irreparable (by the best shipwrights in the world) and the fact that the money they had set aside for her had been stolen, it was time to buy a new ship.

The *Going Merry* was then seized by the Franky Family where Usopp, the amateur shipwright, and Franky discussed the nature of the ship. Enraged by Usopp's stubbornness, Franky tore into the *Going Merry* until Usopp convinced him to stop. Franky's hideout was raided by Cipher Pol 9, of which some of the shipwrights had been a part of. They declared that the ship really was irreparable and that the assessment was not one made blatantly by a spy but as a professional shipwright. The *Going Merry* was then pushed off into the waters to be sunk by the Aqua Laguna, a large tidal wave style event that occurred annually.

The *Going Merry* was left behind for a time while the Straw Hat pirates left to retrieve a crewmate from the clutches of the World Government's top judiciary base. It mysteriously reappeared when the World Government's buster ships began their total antihalation of Enies Lobby. Shortly after returning to Water-7, the *Going Merry* was given a farewell and a viking funeral, thus marking it's end.

## Technical Information

### Armaments

It had at least four cannons, three on the aft section, two of which were below deck, and one on deck at the very backmost of the ship. It had one more peeking out from below the figurehead. During one point, a cannon is used on deck at the bow. It is unknown if this was one of the other cannons brought up or a spare.

### Propulsion System

The *Going Merry* relies exclusively on wind power, although in a few cases the crew was expected to pull out oars and row. On some occasions it was propelled by a different force.

### Navigation System

Ordinarily the *Going Merry* can be navigated by standard navigational tools, however upon entering the Grand Line, compasses become unusable and no complete maps exist of the Grand Line yet. That being said, an experienced navigator will need a Log Post that tracks the magnetic pull of the subsequent island, in order to navigate safely to the Sabaody Archipelago (although the *Going Merry* never made it there.)

### Communication System

The *Going Merry* relies pretty exclusively on face to face interactions and is the primary means of communicating. However, it is possible to receive newspapers from news coos which will give the crew some insight into the goings-on around the world.

### Targeting System

Targeting on the *Going Merry* is done exclusively by her crew, although it was decided that Usopp as the gunner, would handle such tasks. As a result, the *Going Merry* had formidable accuracy.

### Shield System

While the *Going Merry* failed to reach the Sabaody Archipelago, had it done so it would have received a special coating which would have acted like a forcefield, keeping all the water out while keeping the air mostly inside.