actually if you look at it the rufus fight was pof induced to, rufus was destroying him easily until he started sprewing nakama this akama that and two shotted rufus.
Be carefull dude otherwise you could end up annoying some people here.I did it yesterday and that ended up in some heated debate.
Had juvia died here for good it would had been one of the most emotional moment of the series
Actually you aren't looking at it at all, because after Rufus was overwhelming him, Gray never spewed any nakama crap. Show me a panel of Gray spouting nakama this and nakama that. You're confusing him with the untolerable Natsu.
Re-read chapter 306.
The dialogues:
After Gray's initial strip, he talked about how he wouldn' would lose to the same person twice, then he said, I remember stronger flames, and finished Rufus off with a good tactic/strategy and finisher. Although Mavis was being a dumbass by saying he won by the power of feelings, but looking at the fight itself, Gray won through tactics, perseverance and will.
Juvia dying would be the second most emotional moment if Gajeel died, because Gajeel's death would be better than Juvia's death due to the better build up, and especially when Gajevy kids were flashbacked.. Juvia would be just random in comparison..
Actually Juvia was practically used as a plot device/power of love objectively, not just as power of love (can be power of rage/darkness) but also a shipping moment. Pretty much the same as Lucy defeating Jackal with the power of love when Aquarius was used as a plot device. Or in the very arc how Erza/Levy were used as plot devices for Jellal and Gajeel to defeat their respective opponents for hurting their waifus.
Some of us however get annoyed when hypocrisy and double standard is used on characters, like how Erza is being dissed for her asspulls, while Natsu doesn't get the same treatment even though he's done much worse things, or when a user downplays a certain character throwing out false information from misguided bias, etc.
its more of a shipping boost. even worse.
Juvia was there as a plot device so that he can get a boost to fight Invel and pummel him.
oh and going retard later on against Natsu.
Ayee
Just goes to show how bad this arc is, since Mashima didn't even have the decency to portray his characters at their best characterizations. You would think Mashima would do that especially at the last arc of his manga