I am SO pulling for an EPIC admiral Coby. I don't care when. I could be in the godamn epilogue for all I care. I just want to see him and Luffy duke it out as Pirate King and Admiral. Man. *daydreams*
Erp. Anyways, back on track. This is a far fling, and I mean probably much further in the manga prediction. However, I can't help but think.
Up until Shabondy, most of the arcs were self contained, with their own central plot and main villain. It's been one of the reasons One Piece hasn't REALLY had an overarching main antagonist (until recently. There's still debates about Blackbeard though). It's also managed to elude an overarching storyline, besides Luffy's desire to become Pirate King.
It wasn't until Robin's flashback that we got a look at the history of the world One Piece is in, and now recently the new revelations about the nature of what One Piece is, and the person who will "meet Roger" to inherit his will.
So I can't help but think that the recent war, Shabondy, Impel Down, all of this is the "real" kickoff to something that's going to bring the entire One Piece world into turmoil. I can't really say I have a firm theory about what it is. But I get the feeling that, rather one by in separate story arcs like what's been happening so far, the Revolutionaries, the Straw Hats, and the World Government, the Blank Century, Blackbeard, the Yonkous, and everything else. I just get the feeling somewhere there's going to be some giant revelation and event that just drags EVERYONE into some sort of chaotic explosion.
And. it. will. be. awesome.
EDIT: Ugh, this is proof I've been deprived of One Piece for too long. My brain is starting to think of more and more ridiculously convoluted subjects. >_<