Summary:
The world is shocked by the revelation of Ace’s father’s identity. Garp remembers when Roger asked him to take care of his son because his child had no sins in this world. Ace’s mother, Portgas D. Rouge, protected Ace from the Marines by delaying his birth for twenty months, and died after his birth. At the Gates of Justice near Marineford, Luffy and the Impel Down prisoners witness the gate mysteriously opening. Back at Marineford, Whitebeard and his allies begin their underwater invasion.
The people of the Sabaody Archipelago are reeling from the revelation of Ace’s father’s identity. Hancock is surprised that Ace is not Luffy’s blood brother, Koby and Helmeppo are also confused as they thought Ace was also Dragon’s son.
Garp remembers the moment before Roger’s execution when he last visited him. Roger tells Garp that he is expecting a child, although he will be dead by the time the child is born. Garp doesn’t understand the point of Roger telling him that. Garp says that the woman he has a child with will be killed for associating with him. But that’s why Roger tells Garp specifically because he knows Garp will protect the child. He explains that the unborn child should not be blamed for his sins. Garp tells him to stop being selfish. But Roger knows and entrusts Garp to take care of the child.
On Baterille, marines invade a peaceful island. One marine tells the person in charge that the information they’ve gathered tells them that Roger is left on this island “acting like a pirate. Like he’s a father”. The leader tells the soldiers to find all the babies due within ten months of Roger’s imprisonment and to examine them and any pregnant women, as well as kill any suspicious women. Rouge walks through the city, noting the chaos caused by the Marines to their oblivion. Time passes while she sits in a rocking chair, cutting back and forth to the Marine announcing when the babies are due that month. They also focus on the relationships of pregnant women, whether their marriages are real or not. Rouge tells the baby in the stomach, “Not yet… not yet. You can’t go out yet. Sorry, not yet. Not yet…”.
Ten months had passed since the marines had come to the island and they had decided that perhaps there had never been a child, that this was indeed the end of Roger’s age. Soon after, Garp goes to Rouge’s house. Rouge gives birth and while holding the baby, Rouge mentions that Roger said that if it was a girl it should have been called “Anne” and if it was a boy it should have been called “Ace”. That’s what Gol D. Ace names him. Shortly after Rouge died, exhausted and happy, with a smile on her face.
Garp leaves the island, taking Ace with him, and then takes him somewhere, telling a person named Dadan that they will take care of the child. Years later, Garp takes a young Luffy to the same place where he left Ace. Explaining that Luffy will be living with Dadan, that he has to get along with them. Elder Ace looks at them with mild hostility.
The episode cuts to Garp visiting Ace while he was still locked up in Impel Down. It is reiterated that these unfortunate circumstances happened because both he and Luffy have the blood of a notorious criminal running through their veins. And he took the name “Portgas” in honor of his mother, who owes so much, but wants nothing to do with his father’s half. Ace claims that his only father is Whitebeard.
Back in the present, Tsuru seems to sympathize with Garp, who looks angry. Sengoku explains to everyone watching that Ace took his mother’s last name and became the pirate captain of the Spade Pirates, rapidly growing in power and reputation. And that’s when they realized that Roger’s line was still alive. But at the same time, Whitebeard noticed and took his old rival’s son on his ship to raise him to be the next Pirate King! Ace denies this, the reason he joined Whitebeard’s crew was to make Whitebeard a pirate king. Sengoku interrupts – the only one who thinks he’s Ace. It was difficult for the World Government to catch him as he was now under Whitebeard’s protection. And that’s why this execution is so important. It symbolizes the true end of the age of Gol D. Roger, even if it means an all-out war with Whitebeard.
Suddenly the Gates of Justice begin to open. Luffy and the Impel Down refugees watch the door open in shock and amazement. However, Buggy takes credit for this, further cementing him as a great pirate and a supposed “messenger of God” for the refugees. The sky darkens as an entire pirate fleet of forty-three ships emerges from the fog. The Marines are confused as to where they came from since they appeared so suddenly. Among the pirates are some of the most formidable and powerful of the New World, including: Doma, McGuy, the Decalvan Brothers, and Squard – all allies of Whitebeard, though there is no sign of Whitebeard himself… The Marines panic. and Tsuru snaps in annoyance to “not look so shameful”. Ace is shocked that everyone came too. The Marines are to be careful because Whitebeard can’t be too far and Doflamingo is feeling excited.
Then a bubble bursts in the middle of the crescent-shaped HQ dock. Tsuru and Garp wonder if they may have miscalculated where the invasion will come from. The waves continue to bubble from the center and Sengoku realizes that they must have covered their ship. Suddenly, Moby Dick, Whitebeard’s ship, emerges from the water.