The ashes are still smoldering on the island of Marineford after the war has come to a halt. Nobody is moving as Shanks appears from nowhere to stop the battle, and makes an opening for Luffy to leave with the Heart pirates. Now he calls the war off completely as the Navy and pirates go to tend to their wounds. The Marineford War is over, with Whitebeard and Fire Fist Ace dead, taken by their crew for burial. The news is already resounding around the world, so what happens now? The beginning and climax of the Marineford arc are covered in these articles, but this one will primarily focus on the world and character changes that this arc brings about as a pivotal turn in One Piece. Everything is different now, and Luffy knows he isn’t strong enough to face the New World yet.
Shanks Keeps His Promise
The massive bloodlust of the Marineford War and the rage of fighters on both sides stops when Shanks gets there. He promises Buggy a treasure map to deliver the Straw Hat back to Luffy. While he wants to, he mentions he can’t see Luffy just yet. They haven’t fulfilled their promise yet, but Luffy is on his way to being a great pirate. Shanks also lies to Buggy about the treasure map. But, they’re old friends and Shanks could kick Buggy through the ground and out the other side. So, what’s the clown gonna do? Nothing.
Everyone scatters, the Navy and pirates move to treat the wounded, and everyone comes to terms with what happened. Luffy is on his way to Amazon Lily with the Heart Pirates where he can rest. Meanwhile, Trafalgar Law operates on Luffy to save his life from the massive trauma he’s taken. Things are dark, and clouds are forming over the Grand Line as the other Emperors clash over Whitebeard’s territory.
The Heart Pirates
Law’s crew do whatever they can to rescue Luffy and Jimbei. Thankfully they’re able to stay safe from the Navy while doing it. Their ship, The Polar Tang, is a submarine as well as a boat, so no Devil Fruit users will try to fight them. Law’s intensive surgery on Luffy causes great pain to the Straw Hat Captain, and he still has a long, rough recovery to go. The Heart Pirates will stay around Amazon Lily for a time in order to help monitor Luffy until he’s recovered enough, but it’s not too long until they leave.
Law and his crew will play a big part in the post-time skip story. He’s even a driving force of the Dressrosa and Punk Hazard arcs for his revenge plot against Doflamingo. Law is an extremely deep character, and has a tragic past that plays into Luffy’s destiny.
Amazon Lily
Luffy makes it back to Amazon Lily where he and Jimbei recover from their injuries. Once Luffy finally wakes up and remembers the events of Marineford, he runs off into the nearby jungle to take his anger out on the surrounding land. He’s screaming for Ace, apologizing to him for not being strong enough, and destroys several trees and mountains while he does. Meanwhile, Boa Hancock is upset that she’s not able to do anything for Luffy, upset and feeling useless.
Jimbei is the one that steps up to bring Luffy back down to earth. He walks out into the newly made clearing where Luffy has been rampaging, and sits him down for a talk. This is the point where Jimbei first floats joining the Straw Hat crew, and he’s instrumental in making Luffy snap back and realize what to do. His speech to Luffy about not grieving over those he couldn’t protect, and instead focusing on becoming stronger to protect those he has left is inspiring as hell.
Luffy’s Resolve
It hits Luffy too, and he snaps back to the real world thanks to his rousing speech. He tells Jimbei he should join his crew one day, and vows to finish healing in order to begin his training. He makes his intentions known to Boa Hancock, who fawns over his courage but is also heartbroken that he’s leaving. Luffy is still oblivious to her love for him too, because Luffy doesn’t know what those things are, and that just sends her further down the slide of love. So, Luffy plans to rest up on Amazon Lily, and Rayleigh makes his way over with Shakky, the bar owner from Sabaody who turns out to be a former Empress of Amazon Lily.
There’s a lot that goes into what Luffy decides to do. He wants to become stronger, but he also needs to keep his promise to meet up with his crew, if they’re out there. He also knows that he can’t stop his journey for the One Piece, both for Ace and his own sake. Now he just has to tell the rest of the Straw Hat Pirates what he needs to do.
3D2Y
Luffy has the perfect way to tell them too, without anyone else finding out. He sets out with Jimbei toward the island of Marineford, by now abandoned thanks to the collateral damage. Meanwhile, all the Straw Hats have seen the news by now that Ace was killed in front of Luffy, and his idea is to get their attention again. Jimbei sails them around the Marineford Site three times, a traditional pirate tribute to those lost in battle.
After they finish their last circle, the boat stops in front of the island as Big News Morgan and other media have already caught on. They take pictures, and print them into the next newspaper, exactly what Luffy hoped they would do. All the Straw Hats end up seeing the news of it, and all get the message as he stands with a fist raised high in salute to those fallen. In dark ink on his arm is 3D2Y, with the 3D crossed out completely with an X. The Straw Hat Pirates were originally supposed to regroup in three days when they split up, but that’s already well past. Each one gets the message that Luffy is requesting two years. Two years to train and become stronger so he can fight for them and against those that killed Ace.
Father and Son
Ace and Whitebeard are buried side by side near Whitebeard’s birthplace. Side by side, with Whitebeard’s coat and Ace’s hat draped over their gravestones. It’s a beautiful tribute to a father and son who died in their struggle to save each other. Their deaths brought an end to their quest for the One Piece, but it brings a renewed fire to Luffy. Even more, other pirates that heard Whitebeard’s proclamation are even more energized.
The Navy Changes
The Navy goes through massive changes immediately following the war, with the Gorosei shaken by Whitebeard’s resolve. Sengoku resigns as Head Admiral, leaving a power vacuum behind as he steps down to Vice-Admiral alongside Garp in semi-retirement. There’s a struggle for the Head Admiral position between Aokiji and Akainu, leading to a massive fight on Punk Hazard. Akainu wins, and Aokiji quits the Navy, running off into the Grand Line and taking a role with Blackbeard’s Pirates.
Smoker is promoted to Vice-Admiral while Tashigi becomes Captain. Koby becomes somewhat of a hero to others in the Navy. He’s even recognized around the world for his role in trying to stop the war. The entire Navy moves its main base from Marineford to G5 on the other side of the Red Line. The people’s faith all over the world is shaken though, and the Navy gets a much darker reputation from here on out.
A New Emperor
Blackbeard takes Whitebeard’s spot as an Emperor in the New World, putting himself up there beside Shanks, Big Mom, and Kaido. He eventually settles in and sets up camp on the island of Fullalead. He’s reckless and becomes known all across the Grand Line as a wildcard that could be anywhere at any time. Blackbeard starts hunting down other Devil Fruit users wherever he can. Meanwhile, his crew is bolstered into a fleet as the worst of the worst flock around him.
New Warlords
The Warlords of the Sea are in shambles after the battle at Marineford. Mihawk, Doflamingo, and Hancock all get out fine, while Kuma is beaten to hell and back. That’s not much of a problem since Kuma is now more machine than man. Gecko Moria is almost killed by Doflamingo at one point as well, but he survives in some way. Now, there’s a vacuum in the power of the Warlords, and the Navy is desperate to fill it and bring order to the Grand Line. Who do they choose to fill those positions?
Buggy, ridiculously enough, is chosen for his “hero” status from the Marineford War. He jumps at the chance of course, able to take on immunity from the Navy and start a mercenary company. The dumb clown goes on to make big money off his new independent contracting venture, called Buggy’s Delivery Service. The other new recruit to the Warlords is Trafalgar Law and his Heart Pirates. Surprisingly, his offer of 100 pirate hearts leads to being forgiven despite his part in rescuing Luffy at Marineford. Law’s status as Warlord comes into play when the Straw Hats reach Punk Hazard in the new world.
Rayleigh Trains Luffy
Now that the Straw Hats have orders from their captain, they all go about their business. They each intend to train along with their captain for the next two years. Meanwhile, Luffy is trained by “Dark King” Silvers Rayleigh in the art of Haki, which usually takes decades to master. Thankfully Rayleigh is a fantastic teacher, and will show Luffy all he can in the next two years while making him even stronger. As he explains the different types of Haki and tells Luffy about his use of Conqueror Haki at Marineford, they make their plan.
The two find a small island, uninhabited except for giant wild beasts and a massive jungle to survive in. Rayleigh starts out with his own ways of training Luffy, which usually involved withholding food until he mastered something. Their training and that of the Straw Hats are all here in this article that covers the two-year time skip, but they each find new strengths. For now, Luffy will leave his straw hat sitting on a post in the middle of the jungle, and make a vow to wear it again in two years when he’s stronger.
