#ch552

[opbackgrounds]

When we first see this scene in chapter 525 it's from Ace's point of view. Whitebeard is massive and looming. He feels more like a god extending a benevolent hand than a person

The retelling in chapter 552 is focused more on Whitebeard and is framed like a father reaching down to pick up his toddler after they've fallen down.

It's an excellent example of how the whole vibe of a scene can shift based on a few small changes in shading and perspective.

[opbackgrounds]

Ace went out against Whitebeard's wishes because he loves his father, and Whitebeard came back against Ace's wishes because he loves his son

[opbackgrounds]

One of the many tragedies of Ace is that he's not much like Roger except in the ways where he is exactly like his father.

And I know I've mentioned this before, but the sea in One Piece represents freedom for the outcast. People who don't belong anywhere else go to sea in hopes of finding like-minded friends and fulfilling their dreams. It's the place for people who don't fit into society's rules, and because of that it liberates pirates from society's constraints and prejudices.

[opbackgrounds]

The SBS for volumes 109 and 111 reveal that Ace was offered the Warlord position to fill the spot of the guy he himself beat up. Can you imagine the World Government offering Luffy Crocodile or Moriah's spot after Alabasta or Thriller Bark?

[opbackgrounds]

I keep coming back to the idea of Ace specifically wearing Whitebeard's mark on his back, but it's because Oda keeps returning to that imagery. I mean, Ace didn't stop wearing a shirt until he got the tattoo. He's very deliberately showing off his allegiance.

Oda will frequently cut away to a pirate crew/organization's flag as visual shorthand when discussing the values and ideologies of said group. He's even done it earlier in this flashback when Marco was talking to Ace about why they call Whitebeard father.

He's doing something similar now, with the added weight of Ace taking that burden of responsibility himself. It's not enough that he's part of Whitebeard's crew, Ace feels an obligation to enforce Whitebeard's values, even if it means going against Whitebeard's wishes at that moment.

[opbackgrounds]

Several different tattoo alerts for the Whitebeard Pirates, and I do think it's interesting that Ace is the one that put WB's mark on his back.

From a logistics standpoint, it's easier for Oda to show off all these tattoos without having half of Whitebeard's crew running around without their shirts on, but in-universe what you chose to wear on your back--and who you show your back to--has a heavy association with a person's honor.

Whitebeard and Zoro are both noted to not have wounds on their back, with back wounds specifically mentioned on being shameful. Ace and Roger both are known for refusing to back down or run away when insulted. Later in Wano, the Red Scabbards also mark their backs with the Kozuki family crest as a sign of their loyalty.

When Ace eventually dies, it's with his back to Akainu, the mark of his loyalty to Whitebeard completely obliterated in service of his sacrifice to Luffy.

[opbackgrounds]

We don't know the exact timeline of Ace's journey, but the fact he went from nobody to division commander for Whitebeard in less than three years indicates that, if anything, he was blitzing the Grand Line even faster than Luffy did.

I find it interesting that we're not given a reason why Ace wanted to fight Whitebeard. We know that he wanted to make a name for himself separate from his father's, so maybe he wanted to face off against one of Roger's most notorious rivals. Or maybe he was just making a beeline for the strongest guy he could think of.

I think part of it is that Ace kind of likes picking fights, but it's fun to think about the deeper reasons that might motivate that kind of behavior.

[opbackgrounds]

This would be a massive dick move by Luffy if he had a single guileful bone in his body, but unfortunately for Iva, Luffy is simply incapable of talking about his past until it's absolutely relevant to the plot