Warning: The following article contains spoilers for One Piece fans who have only watched the live-action.
Characters never truly die in One Piece. We witness them being defeated, obliterated, and departing the story, but they are never truly gone. At least, they weren’t… until we reached Marineford.
No one ever expected Eiichiro Oda to kill off any characters. For decades, the most we had seen was just side characters allegedly dying (essentially leaving the story), or Roger’s execution. Generally, death was never a part of the narrative, but we can pinpoint exactly when One Piece‘s entire atmosphere changed, evolving into a more serious story rather than its previous quirky shonen trope.
This transformation happens during Water 7 and Enies Lobby, as an inevitable war in Marineford is being set up. Once we reach this arc, all hell breaks loose, and from then on, death is no longer a taboo topic in the story. Ace dies, and fans collectively let out a weep, but who killed him?
Does Ace die in One Piece?
Yes, sadly, Ace dies in One Piece during the Marineford War at the hands of Akainu. After the Sabaody Arc, when the Straw Hats are trying to reunite, Luffy discovers that Ace is held in Impel Down, a maximum-security prison for the most dangerous criminals and pirates. In an effort to save his brother, Luffy heads to Impel Down, determined to rescue Ace at all costs.
Unfortunately, not everything goes according to plan, and Ace is still scheduled to be executed in a televised event. The war ensues, with the World Government and some of the Warlords fighting to ensure Ace’s execution, while Luffy, alongside the Whitebeard Pirates, fights to free Ace. Momentarily, they do succeed, but as they try to leave the premises, their efforts go in vain.
Akainu, one of the fleet admirals of the Marines, gets his hands on Luffy. In an attempt to kill him (almost succeeding), Ace places himself in front of his brother, receiving a fatal magma hit across his torso. He saves his brother, but he passes away, killed by Akainu – thus making the admiral the most hated man in the entire series, even more so than Blackbeard.
While we were aware that the execution could indeed happen, fans were struck with a glimpse of hope when Ace escaped the deadly shackles, only to have our hearts crushed twice in a row. Not only does this mark the first actual death in One Piece, but it also brings about a major shift in the narrative—for the better.