One Piece Episode 498

Storyline

Ten years ago in East Blue: It’s winter and Ace, Sabo and Luffy are out hunting. They chase a danpa, which Luffy kills, but shortly after a massive tiger appears behind him. Luffy is scared, but doesn’t want to give up his prey. The tiger doesn’t care, he merely knocks Luffy away from the danpa so he can sniff it in peace and take it. Luffy is about to take on the tiger, but Sabo and Ace are able to quickly carry their brother away before he does anything else stupid.

Old Suspension Bridge: Luffy is still bummed that he couldn’t take his first loot. Ace and Sabo try to cheer him up, but Luffy is still angry at the tiger and jumps in the air in anger. Noticing that the bridge is rocking as a result, Luffy jumps a few more times until he accidentally crashes through it. Sabo and Ace grab him in time and pull him up.

Hiding place of the boys: The trio wants to go to sleep. Before Luffy can properly fall asleep, he recalls the day’s events in his head. Luffy is glad to have such big brothers now. Luffy then wants Ace and Sabo to have to join his crew when they become pirates, saying that they need Luffy’s help anyway. However, the two think that it’s probably the other way around and that Luffy always needs their help. They then argue over who will become captain on their own ship and have the other two as crew members. Luffy then makes the suggestion that whoever defeats the big tiger will become captain. Ace and Sabo agree.

Forest: The next day, the three have fish tied to their backs as bait for the tiger to find. But instead of the tiger, a big bear with a scar appears. Luffy already wants to scare him away, whereupon Ace explains that this is not necessary, since the bear is probably just as strong as the tiger. So if they can’t defeat him, they don’t even have to try the tiger. Ace attacks him first, but other than a big bump, Ace fails to do anything to the bear. Now that the bear is even angrier and wants revenge on the kids, a chase ensues. Just as they arrive at a cliff, the bear is suddenly incapacitated with a hammer. An old man jumps in front of the three. Sabo recognizes the man, it’s Naguri from Gray Terminal. The bear gets back up and is now about to attack Naguri, however the latter only needs to stare at the bear to stop it and make it run away. Luffy is impressed, especially since this reminded him of Shanks and the Sea King. That evening, Naguri tells the boys that he used to be a pirate captain. This statement makes even more of an impression on Luffy. Sabo would never have guessed that Naguri was a pirate, since he mostly hampers garbage together in Gray Terminal and lets everyone walk all over him without fighting back. Luffy then explains Sabo wouldn’t know about pirates because Shanks doesn’t get into unnecessary fights either. Ace then asks Naguri what a pirate captain is doing here. Naguri tells him that he once fought Gold Roger and lost. After that, his crew splintered and everything just went downhill. Naguri ended up here as what they see before them. Ace can’t stand the talk about Gold Roger and leaves. Luffy wants to know a little more about the fight, but Naguri just says that he and his team lost quickly because not only Gold Roger, but his entire team was pretty strong. Still, it was an honor for him to fight them. Luffy then understands that he still has a long way to go and tells Naguri that he wants to be a pirate captain too. Luffy also asks the old man if he could give him some tips to make Luffy stronger. Naguri agrees without argument. Luffy notices Ace has left and wonders why. Sabo tells him that Gold Roger is Ace’s father and he doesn’t speak well of him. Sabo therefore asks Luffy and Naguri not to mention Roger in Ace’s presence and not to tell anyone else. They both promise, though Naguri finds it hard to believe that Ace is really Roger’s son.

Boys’ Hideout: Before going to the hideout, Sabo reminds Luffy of his promise. But no sooner does he arrive at the hideout than Luffy calls out to Ace, to Sabo’s shock, that he didn’t know Gold Roger was his father. When Ace asks Luffy who told him and Luffy immediately replies with Sabo, Ace gives them both a big bump on the head. As Luffy keeps talking, a few more bumps follow. That night, Ace wonders if maybe they should quit their brotherhood again.

Bluejam Gang Ship: Sabo’s father gives Bluejam a picture of Sabo and tells him to find and deliver his son for him.

Dadan’s house: The next morning, Dadan reads the newspaper and learns that the country of Goa is receiving an important visit in the spring. When asked where Goa was, Dogra tells her that they would be in Goa. Magra inquires what is so special about this visit. Dadan explains that he had made it to the headline and it was a world aristocrat.