In a revelation that shocked the One Piece fandom, the creator Eichiro Oda confirmed that Portgas D. Ace has never had to live for as long as he made in history. Initially, the tragic death of Ace was expected to occur only a year after its debut. However, thanks to the overwhelming support and the love of the fans, Oda has extended its duration of ten years before delivering one of the most heartbreaking deaths in the history of souls in Marineford.
Oda rarely kills the characters in one piece
Unlike many other shonen series, a piece rarely presents the death of the main characters. Oda has often explained that it prefers to make celebrations, parties and moments of joy after battles, rather than pain. For this reason, when a character dies, the moment brings a significant weight: to model Luffy’s journey and push the narration forward into monumental ways.
Ace’s death, next to Whitebelld’s, acts as a better example. Ace’s sacrifice fueled Luffy’s determination to become stronger, while Whiteard’s last words have rekindled the flames of the era of the great pirate.
Ace should have died in 2001
According to Oda, the original death of ACE was scheduled for a piece of chapter 201, published in 2001 – only one year after its first appearance in chapter 154 (2000). This would have passed a long time before the War Paramount saga had ever taken place.
However, ACE quickly became one of the most loved characters in the series. Concerned by the fans’s backlash, Oda has decided to keep him alive for another decade, letting him fall during the arc of war at the top – a decision that left the devastated fans but gave history one of his most decisive moments.
Can Ace ever come back?
Despite the ongoing speculation, Oda clarified that it has no intention of rising ACE. While Ace can reappear in flashbacks, Luffy’s dreams or Sabo’s memories, his awakening is highly unlikely.
However, given the unpredictable narrative of Oda, some fans continue to hope that Ace could present themselves again – perhaps in the afterlife, together with White Balvabianco and Gol D. Roger.
Sources: gamek
