#luffy when ace died

[mooneln0ne]

Ace 😓

[majubengel]

red hawk

[ajuunisu]

Ace was surprised since he thought he was the only "freaky" sibling

[pippin-pippout]

I just watched MelonTeee's video on Ace and Worth and man the internal debate I have with myself on whether I agree with the choice or not...

Her video explains the fandom's love for the character so well, as well as why the tragedy hit so hard. For me personally I have not been that affected by a character death in a LONG time.

And I understand it from a certain narrative perspective – mainly how Ace's past continues to feature in the story a decade later, and Whitebeard's line that someone would carry Ace's flame, because that clearly describing Luffy. He goes after the mera mera no mi and finishes what Ace started in Wano.

But there are two major narrative reasons given for Ace's death that I disagree with. And are largely why I think it shouldn't have happened, and also why the death has hit me so hard.

This is going to get long, but I would really love to hear everyone's thoughts on it if you choose to read!

To give Luffy the push he needed to be stronger: I am pretty confident this is Oda's stated reason (in addition to Oda wanting to prove he could kill characters which I guess he said at one point and which is bleh given the level of injury a character sustains seems to have nothing to do with whether they die or not lol it's just what the author wants to happen). Anyway. That push already happened on Sabaody when Luffy lost everyone to Duma. He was HELPLESS. More helpless than he was through most of marineford. And when Rayleigh convinces Luffy to do the 2 years training, Rayleigh only brings up their epic defeat on Sabaody. He does not bring up marineford or Ace's death as a reason Luffy needs to get stronger. Because Luffy did not need that reason. The only argument I can think of is that maybe once he landed on Amazon Lily, and he realized the strawhats were likely alive, the terror he felt on Sabaody abated slightly. And therefore maybe he needed a reminder of what "loss" truly is to re-motivate him. However, I don't think that is really fitting with his character or the story.

Ace's dream was fulfilled: Oda has talked about the reason he doesn't kill villains is because not having your dream fulfilled is a worse fate than death. I think part of the tragedy of Ace's death was that his dream wasn't fulfilled. Even for those who accept his last words - that he had only one regret which was not seeing Luffy accomplish his dream - the amount of time he got to live with that dream was literally the last moments of his life. But I don't think just because you die with no regrets, does not mean your dream is fulfilled. Especially when Ace never truly internalized what his dream was. His final choice to turn around showed HOW MUCH he still was that lonely, scared little kid he was at 10 despite his warm smile and his growing family. The most heartbreaking part of the flashback was not Sabo's death. It was watching Ace asking the question "do I deserve to exist?" and giving all his devotion to those who said yes. It was him making the exact same decision he would make 10 years later, to refuse to run, because he felt like if he ran he would lose everything and Luffy was standing behind him. Ace's final words do more than state he has no regrets. He also gives the answer to the question he'd asked Garp, and that Garp had said only his actions could decide. Ace died thanking Luffy and his family for loving him despite the "worthless" or "good for nothing" person he was. Ace was moved to tears to hear his family emphatically saying "YES. You do deserve to live! We want you to live!" But Ace never actually believed it. His last words were a reflection of gratitude for the love he was given that he didn't feel he deserved. And thus his final answer to the question "Do I deserve to exist?" was no.

That he was too "good" This is kind of the most upsetting one I've heard (thankfully not a lot) and also the one easiest to dismiss. Ace, being the actual son of the pirate king, being super powerful, growing in strength and reputation faster than Luffy (debatable), put him narratively in competition with Luffy. What I mean by that is it positions him as too much the golden character, the mary sue, the typical protagonist, when One Piece is about Luffy's story, not Ace's. I disagree with the premise of seeing Ace's character that way. But also even he was "that" character, it's pretty clear Ace's dream would have taken him to becoming Whitebeard's heir - whose dream it was to build a family - while Luffy is Gol D Roger's heir. So Ace's journey would have supported the main story of One Piece and also be narratively satisfying.

---

What Was Ace's Dream?

The dreams Ace stated out loud were more reflections of his actual, deeper dream. "I want to be the king of the pirates" - because he wanted to prove his existence and his worth to the world. Which switched to "I want to make whitebeard the king of the pirates" - because Whitebeard loved him despite his blood, and so even if that wasn't what Whitebeard wanted, it was how Ace understood he could repay Whitebeard.

Both of those stated dreams get back to this question he'd been asking his whole life - that of worth. Worth and Love, which, for Ace's character, are inseparable.

For Ace's dream to truly be fulfilled, it's not enough for him to accept he was loved – which he did on the scaffolds, crying from happiness – he had to believe he was worth that love. He had to love himself.

Ace died with that dream tragically unfulfilled.

---

The Purpose of One Piece

Of course the decision to kill Ace makes the story more realistic and of course it is heartbreaking, tragic, moving, and obviously inspires deeper discussion.

However, what rankled me from when I first learned about his death, which was way before I was even introduced to the character in Alabasta, was that he is the only character of the younger generation (outside of flashbacks) to die.

Honestly when I first heard Ace was one of the only characters to die, I was just worried it would make him seem weaker or stupider than every other character, which is a personal pet peeve of mine. Luckily for most fans, it didn't do that.

Instead, what wound up upsetting me was how it seemed to contradict the purpose of the story that is One Piece (at least what I think the purpose is). In doing so, it opposes the meaning that many fans find in this absurd, ridiculous, inspiring, heartfelt, heroic tale about a boy made of rubber.

One Piece is an escapist story about a boy named Luffy who inspires every good guy he meets to pursue and achieve their dream. It's also about Luffy beating up every bad guy who punishments are that they cannot fulfill their morally reprehensible dreams.

Because of Ace's premature death, he is the only good guy character in the main timeline who does not get to pursue his dream. And what's extra tragic is that he is also one of the most deserving of seeing his dream fulfilled.

[tuliplee2]

I think a good in universe explanation for a lot of small plot holes in Luffys backstory is that he was kinda sickly when he was born and everyone was just glad he was alive.

Why was Luffy raised in foosha village and not with the mountain bandits like Ace? He needed more care than was possible at that mountain base.

Why is Luffy so much smaller than his dad and grandpa? Because he was born sickly and nearly died every time he went out without supervision till he was at least 8

Why did Luffy not know haki? At 7 Ace was fighting grown men and winning with mild scratches at 7 Luffy with a devil fruit that makes him immune to blunt damage nearly died do to some random bandit the moment he did not have direct supervision. They needed to work on basic not dying in a fight.

Why was Garp in the east blue at the start of the series with a conveniently open position that would train a teenager in haki and marine skills? He was planning on filling that position with Luffy and teaching him ship and haki stuff than.

Why was Luffy so much weaker than Ace when he set out to be a pirate? His training and actually fighting didn't start until later in Luffys life than Ace so he didn't reach Ace at 17 levels till he was like 19

Why wasn't Luffy taught so many things about this world? People were just glad that he wasn't dead because he nearly died like 4 times by 8.

Was this planned by Oda probably not but it fits

[thychesters]

oh yeah ace AND whitebeard?? the man died?? what the hell

[samstronomy]

WAAHHHHHHHHH ☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️

original art under cut

[mistninja]

My mom cried watching luffys "I still have my friends" scene 👍 I cried too ofc 👍

[allthatmay]

shanksace mythological au GO!

This could go in so many ways??? I'm actually frothing at the mouth??? You might be thinking of some kind of mythological magical creature fic because of the LawLu Naga AU I shared, but here's what I'm thinking...

Shanks is a favoured by one of the gods. Said god granted him power (Haki). There's only a few others who are so gifted—the Four Yonkos, as they are known, who rule over the divided land. Like Shanks, each was favoured by a different god.

Meanwhile, Ace is a demi-god with powers of fire manipulation—not that he knows that. Thinking he's cursed, Ace goes in search of answers for his condition, but there's not much to discover: no-one knows of his godly heritage, not even Whitebeard, who knew his father. That's because he gets his powers from his mother, Rouge (who is the goddess of purity/passion/flora or something).

(Yes, Rouge is the one who gave Shanks his powers.)

Whitebeard tells Ace there is one person who might be able to help him... Which is how Ace winds up at Shanks' door. And Shanks, being Shanks, can't seem to give him a straight answer. Instead, Shanks tells Ace he'll take him on a journey across the celestial waters to the domain of the gods, where he can find answers for himself. (Only those touched by gods can cross the celestial waters.)

And, of course, romance and shenanigans ensue on the journey! Lots and lots of romance and shenanigans...

Well, fuck. Here you are, tempting me to write more things, when I'm nothing but a mere mortal who sometimes forgets to feed herself. I simply cannot write this on top of TCoH and the Sugar Baby Ace fic, and yet I want to write it so bad. (To say nothing of the ideas stacking up in my Google Docs!)

What am I going to do?? Spontaneously grow a third and fourth arm?

Seriously, I'm in too deep! The ship is sinking and I'm going down with it!

[sualne]

fun fact but its because i was rereading ace's death that the crocodad au exist, the way croco saved luffy (& jinbei) afterwards, the whole 'thanks for loving me' i was filled with emotions, got my head thinking about it all, luffy's family and the croc theory. and. man. ○|￣|_

[whirlybirdwhat]

i REALLY should be studying but i need to make more destiny aus of stuff i like. how fucked would it be if ace came back as a guardian bur obv. as we have seen w/ crow. he ain't ace anymore. wouldn't that be so fun like look luffy! here's your brother! atually sike its your brothers body w/ a new soul made of a giant orbs light. have fun! amnesia brother take two except LMAO. HE AINT THAT GUY ANYMORE. SORRY

[mugiwara-lucy]

FRIENDLY REMINDER that Jinbei saved Luffy’s life FOUR times 🤗 ☺️😊

[foundgirlpigeon]

Watching one piece live action is just like -

*literally watches the scene*

*remembers something insignificant from the anime*

*remembers that leads to some very story line/ background*

*cries because it's all trauma*

(anime spoilers in tags)

[hauntingblue]

FRUIT LORE! FRUIT LORE! FRUIT LORE! FRUIT LORE! FRUIT LORE! FRUIT LORE! FRUIT LORE!

[naotoacedetectiveshirogane]

I finished Marineford Arc.

There's a lot to unload here but I don't wanna mark as spoilers so won't say too much:

This Arc broke me and I cried like a baby, watching Ace protect Luffy right when they were so close...

Watching Ace die in Luffy's arms while Luffy begged him to live...

Watching Ace fall to the floor and Luffy break down...while all of Ace's family cried over him. Even Whitebeard started crying...

It's just too much.

Then Marco saying Ace will live on through Luffy, I broke down crying even harder.

WATCHING WHITEBEARD BUNCH THAT BASTARD WAS AWESOME THOUGH.

Then him....okay I should stop here before I do post too many spoilers.

All and all, this arc was definitely the hardest to watch, so many emotions...

This will be the last time (probably) that I post about my One Piece watching lol. I just wanted to post about this arc cause ik it would be the hardest for me to watch. Cause Ace is my favorite character after all and I love him. Luffy being a close second.

[dokjaism]

i am NOT prepared to watch dadan tell garp "you were there and you did nothing"