Summary:
Luffy reminisces about his childhood with Ace, meeting him again in Arabasta and receiving his Vivre Card and meeting Marshall D. Teach in Jaya without knowing who he was, hearing the news of Ace’s execution and confronting Blackbeard in Impel Down. Ace, awaiting his execution at Marineford, recalls his encounter with Blackbeard.
Luffy watches Ace’s Vivre card still burning and starts a conversation with Jinbe. He remembers how the two were always together, how they always ate together, slept together and even tried their skills together.
Then there is a flashback to when Luffy and Ace met in Arabasta. It shows Ace expressing how he was part of the Whitebeard Pirates and how the insignia on his back was his pride. Ace tells Luffy that Whitebeard was the strongest pirate he had ever met and wants to make him the Pirate King, not Luffy. He bluntly states with Luffy that he will simply have to fight Whitebeard. The scene switches to when Ace was on Luffy’s ship, Luffy asks him if he wants to join his crew and Ace explains how he hunted Blackbeard. The scene changes again when Ace and Luffy part ways in Arabasta where Ace gives Luffy his Vivre card. Another flashback occurs to when Luffy first met Blackbeard in Mock Town and argued about whether or not the cake tasted good. Which continues the fight with Bellamy, the customers laugh at their belief in Sky Island, and Blackbeard claims that the pirate’s dream is eternal. Luffy is then at the Kuja Palace and shows his disbelief at the war that was about to start and how Ace is sentenced to be executed. Continuing with the flashbacks, Luffy is in Impel Down and encounters Blackbeard who tries to punch him, only to be stopped by Jinbe. It is there that Blackbeard explains how capturing Ace would allow him to become a Shichibukai and how Luffy should thank his brother for interfering or else he would capture Luffy instead.
Back in the present, Jinbe talks about how Ace’s hunt for Blackbeard began. On the other side, the marines gather in the bay where Ace is locked up. Ace remembers the fight he had with Blackbeard and his defeat. The episode ends with Ace locked up and grinding his teeth three hours before his execution.
One Piece Episode 457 is a well-crafted recap episode specially designed to prepare visitors for the emotional rollercoaster of the Marineford Arc. While it doesn’t provide extensive plot advancement, it correctly rekindles the bond between Luffy and Ace and units the degree for the excessive-stakes warfare to come back. This episode is most suited for viewers who have already watched a full-size portion of the One Piece anime and may need a refresher earlier than diving into the Marineford Arc.