Chapters · Summit War › Post-War

Chapter 589: Will of the Winds

Arc: Post-War · Saga: Summit War · Released: 2010-06-07 (est.)

Summary

The Post-War childhood flashback reaches its close. After Sabo’s death, a collapsed Luffy begs Ace not to die and screams that he wants to get strong enough to protect everything; Ace kicks him, vows “I’m not gonna die!! …Sabo told me to take care of you!!”, and frames the brothers’ creed — they don’t know who killed Sabo, but they’re still alive, they’ll live free, make enemies of even Gramps, and set sail as pirates when they turn 17. The chapter rewinds to the night after the Celestial Dragon’s ship reached Goa: Dragon’s ship leaves the East Blue, “returning to Baltigo.” With the World Government investigation over, the Goa nobles rebuild Gray Terminal’s trash mountain “exactly as it was before,” and Luffy trains by punching it. In a deeper flashback Sabo is alive, sparring with both brothers; back in the post-Sabo present the two play, hunt bear, and grow stronger. Seven years later Ace — “the son of the Pirate King, grown up hidden from the world” — sets sail from Mt. Corvo at 17, leaving Dadan a quiet “Thanks for everything.” Three years on, Luffy at 17 says goodbye to the Dadan bandits, takes a fishing boat from Foosha Village on Dawn Island, beats “the boss of these waters” with one punch, and roars he’ll be King of the Pirates. The flashback snaps back to the present: a bandaged Luffy on Amazon Lily, mourning Ace and crying that he is too weak.

New reveals

• Baltigo named as the Revolutionaries’ destination. Dragon’s seahorse-prowed ship departs Goa the night after the Celestial Dragon arrives: “Let’s sail then. We’re returning to Baltigo.” (p.7) — Dragon shown in silhouette; first on-page statement tying his Goa operation back to the Revolutionary base.
• ASL departure timeline completed. Ace sails from Mt. Corvo at 17 / Luffy 14 (p.13); three years later Luffy sails at 17 from Foosha Village (pp.16-17). Their sworn-brother rank is stated: “Sabo was first! Ace was second!” — Luffy “ended up being third” (p.17).
• Ace = son of the Pirate King, raised hidden is restated as narration over his departure (p.13).
• Gray Terminal restored. With the WG investigation over, the trash mountain is rebuilt “exactly as it was before” and “the people returned to their old ways” (p.8) — the social rot is uncorrected.
• Present-day bookend. Luffy on Amazon Lily / the Calm Belt, bandaged, mourns Ace and breaks down: “Me, become King of the Pirates?! …so weak!!” (pp.18-19).

Foreshadowing seeds planted

Payoffs (seeds from earlier chapters that resolve here)

Mentions / appearances

Luffy · Ace · Sabo (alive in a flashback-within-flashback, p.9; referenced as dead) · Dragon (shown in silhouette, p.7) · Dadan · Makino (visits Dadan’s with grog, p.11) · Garp (mentioned, pp.13-14) · Shanks (referenced — “that red-haired captain… for saving Luffy”, p.11) · Hancock (Amazon Lily present-day, p.18) · Spade Pirates (newspaper photo of “his pirate ship and crew”, p.15) · Revolutionary Army · Dadan Family · Celestial Dragons · “the boss of these waters” / Lord of the Coast Sea King (p.18) · Locations: Foosha Village (named “Windmill Village”), Dawn Island, Goa Kingdom, Gray Terminal, Mt. Corvo, East Blue, Baltigo (named), Amazon Lily, Calm Belt.

Notable panels

• p.1 — Standalone B&W chapter-title gag splash: a bearded, ape-faced man at a café table flanked by two blonde women, one holding a “MAGIC” placard. Decorative; not a running cover serial, no color spread.
• p.7 — Dragon in silhouette on his seahorse-figurehead ship: “We’re returning to Baltigo.” First on-page naming of Baltigo as the departure destination from Goa.
• p.9 — Flashback-within-flashback (*FLASH): all three brothers (Ace, Sabo, Luffy) alive and sparring; Ace: “you gave up your ability to swim, and all you got was immunity to blunt force attacks!”
• p.13 — Ace’s quiet departure pose from Mt. Corvo (“DO-OON!!”), narration: “Ace, the son of the Pirate King, has grown up hidden from the world.”
• pp.17-18 — Luffy’s departure / “I’m gonna be… KING OF THE PIRATES!!” splash, juxtaposed against the present-day Amazon Lily silhouette.
• p.18-19 — Present-day full-page: a bandaged Luffy on Amazon Lily mourning Ace, “…so weak!! I’m…” (strong thematic mirror to the childhood vow).
• p.20 — SBS Question Corner (Vol 60): (1) Porchemy’s spiked gloves puncture rubber where Alvida’s blunt club doesn’t (ch 584 vs ch 2); (2) Marco’s head = pineapple, Kid’s = chrysanthemum; (3) Whitebeard’s Moby Dick named after Melville’s white-whale novel.

Open questions raised

• Who/what actually killed Sabo? The brothers explicitly don’t know — left open. (See Sabo Survival.)
• What is Baltigo, and what is the proto-Revolutionary Army’s larger purpose after rescuing Goa’s discarded? (See Revolutionary Army, Baltigo.)
• Will Luffy, post-Marineford, find the strength he says he lacks? (Present-day despair frame — bridges toward the post-war resolution.)