Brook's Hard Struggle - The Difficult Path of Becoming a True Comrade?

During a still night at the wheel, Brook reflects on his newfound peace, thinking back to Laboon and the crew he has joined. He recalls reading a journal that chronicles the Straw Hats' past battles and adventures, which convinces him he must work himself to the bone to prove worthy of them. The following morning he rouses everyone with a loud rendition of the Black Handkerchief of Happiness song, and at breakfast announces his determination to start pulling his weight aboard the ship.

Brook's helpfulness backfires at every turn. In the galley he drops a stack of dishes that Sanji barely rescues with his limbs and mouth, then insists on carrying Nami's tea only to drench her map and smear the ink. Eager to assist Franky and Usopp with their new cola-fueled cannon, he loads it with soy sauce instead of cola, triggering an explosion that ruins Chopper's drying medicinal plants. His attempt to meditate alongside Zoro in the crow's nest only wears the swordsman's patience thin. Discouraged, Brook finally confides in Robin.

Robin comforts Brook by sharing that she once felt like an outsider too, until the crew risked everything to save her at Enies Lobby and became her family. Soothed, Brook later naps on deck, savoring a comfort he never knew in the lonely Florian Triangle, then plays Binks' Sake on his violin as the sun sets. This closes the Spa Island Arc, though its plot stands apart and is grouped there only for convenience. It also stands as the anime's last single-episode filler outside alternate-continuity stories.