The opening scenes with Alvida explore “pretty privilege” in which attractive people simply have an easier go of life and face less negative consequences for their actions. Because of her perceived beauty, the people in the crowd just sort of listen to what says, follow her orders, and the officers that show up initially are very hesitant to arrest her, being seemingly willing to disobey direct orders because of their attraction to the pirate woman.
Smoker letting the different groups of pirates finish their apparent in-fighting is indicative of how real governments will allow, and even encourage, conflict between other organizations & political entities before entering the battle. We have seen governments pay 3rd parties to interfere in wars, international or civil, to destabilize economies or regimes before taking advantage of the situation for themselves. On a smaller scale, the government also creates tension between different subsections of society, often along racial, cultural, religious, gender, or sexuality divisions, to both reduce actions against the state as well as to manufacture opportunities to arrest or otherwise legally punish dissidents or threats to their governmental authority.
Luffy’s stoicism is put to the test in this episode as he is threatened with death aboard the execution platform. Faced with such, he instinctively smiles, as he does during most difficult situations, in much the same way as Gold Roger. This smile is a result of his repeated behaviors that become natural habits. When challenges seem insurmountable, the straw hat captain smiles and perseveres, no matter what, and so even when it seems like there truly is no way out, he still has that bright smile on his face. We can all learn a thing or two from this; positivity & optimism can be superpowers.
Last note, it occurs to me that the name Gold Roger is very much a meme on pirates themselves, with 2 of their classic stereotypes combining to give him that moniker. If that is his birth name, he was absolutely destined to become the king of the pirates, but if it was a pseudonym of some sort, it is almost lazy, borrowing from the most basic contemporary cultural elements associated with piracy.