Eiichiro Oda’sOne Pieceis undeniably a masterpiece, as evidenced by its ability to captivate audiences for over two decades. The series' enduring success lies in the intricate mysteries it has masterfully woven throughout its long run. Over time, it has seamlessly incorporated a wide range of elements to enhance its narrative. However, there remainsone trope that the story consistently struggles with.
WhileOne Piecefeatures numerous intense battleswith significant consequences for its characters,it surprisingly lacks the number of deaths one might expect. While frequent character deaths aren’t essential to create emotional depth or enrich the narrative, the series often uses the illusion of death to influence its characters, only to later reveal these deaths were faked. This recurring trait limits the story’s potential for deeper narrative impact and more profound character development.
Faking Death IsOne Piece’s Worst Trope
Eiichiro Oda Has Made Death a Skeptical Trope in the Series
One ofOne Piece’s earliest brutal attempts at killing a character dates back to the Syrup Village arc, where Kuro is shown brutally wounding Merry as part of his nefarious schemes. The severity of the wound strongly suggests that Merry’s survival would be impossible. However, it is later revealed that Merry is alive and has sustained only minor scratches. TheOne Piecelive-action adaptation made a notablechange byactually killing Merry, highlighting how this decision added greater impact compared to faking his death.
Given that Oda was involved in helping develop the live-action adaptation, this change in the narrative suggests his approval, highlighting his uncertainty about executing this aspect of the story. Soon after, in the Alabasta arc,One Piececontinues to fake the deaths of several characters. While some survivals can be justified,Pell’s survival remains particularly hard for fans to accept. During the arc’s climax, Pell carries a bomb with a 5 km blast radius into the sky, making a noble sacrifice to protect his city and its people.
However, Pell inexplicably survives and returns to the city, even discovering his own grave made by his loved ones, ascene that is exclusive to theOne Pieceanime. Considering how theOne Piecelive-action adaptation chose to actually kill Merry, it wouldn’t be surprising if this change would also be applied to Pell’s actions, adding even more depth to the narrative.
One Piece’s One Big Flaw Is What Makes It so Interesting To Read
One Piece has a knack for building up to the most shocking reveals and stopping just before unveiling them.
This trend continues with other characters, such as Bon Clay, following his noble sacrifice for Luffy in Impel Down, and Sabo, who was seemingly shot in the head by a Noble as a child. While fans might assume these fake-out deaths are a relic of the series' earlier arcs,One Piececontinues this pattern even in its latest storylines.
One Piece’s Latest Arcs Continue the Trend of Faked Deaths
The Sacrifices of Saul and Vegapunk Lose Their Impact Once It’s Revealed They Are Still Alive
Jaguar D. Saul, a character shown only inRobin’s flashback, was long believed to be dead due to his noble sacrifice, encouraging Robin to live on before being frozen on an island destined for destruction. However, during the Egghead Arc, it is revealed that Saul is alive and well in his homeland of Elbaph. He explains to Robin that he survived the attack because the flames on the island melted the ice encasing him. The fact that fans believed Saul was dead for nearly two decades suggests that Oda revived him primarily to create an emotional reunion with Robin on Elbaph and generate buzz.
Similarly, this arc confirms thatVegapunk, believed to have been killed by Kizaru during chaotic events, could also be brought back, once again faking the death of a major character. These resurrections undermine the serious impact of their supposed sacrifices, offering vague explanations that dilute their narrative weight. This recurring pattern of fake-out deaths holds the series back from exploring a different kind of emotional depth and has left fans with the impression thatOne Pieceavoids killing its characters. This is disappointing, as the series has shown immense potential in crafting profound moments through genuine character deaths.
Ace’s Death in One Piece Shows How Much the Series Could Benefit From This Trope
Ace’s death inOne Piecestands as one of the series' most shocking plot twists. This is largely because the story never hinted at his demise, partly due to the series' history of faked deaths and the unwavering efforts of the strongest pirates to save him. As a result, Ace’s actual death significantly raises the stakes for the survival of other characters. Moreover, the profound impact it had on the series as a whole remains unparalleled.
Ace’s death gave Luffy his first moment of deep emotional growth, driving him to become stronger alongside his crew. This highlights the narrative benefits of truly committing to character deaths rather than resorting to fake-outs.One Piecehad the opportunity to maintain this impactful storytelling by keeping Saul and Vegapunk dead, which could have led to different developments in the current arc, however, by faking their deaths, the series once again holds itself back from exploring alternative and potentially more profound narrative paths.
One Piece
Created by Eiichiro Oda, One Piece is a multimedia franchise that began as a manga series and follows the adventures of the Straw Hat Pirates as led by Monkey D. Luffy. Luffy, an enthusiastic pirate with a thirst for adventure, is afflicted by a mysterious curse that gives him various powers he uses to protect himself and his friends. The manga eventually gave way to the anime series, with the two being some of history’s longest-running anime and manga series. Along with over fifty video games made over the years, the series entered the live-action world with Netflix’s 2023 adaptation.
