Sabo is one of the most popular characters in One Piece.
Ever since he was first introduced in the Marineford arc as one of Luffy’s childhood siblings, he quickly became a fan favorite, thanks to his troubled past, and the further insight into the lore and politics of the One Piece world that he represents.
However, Sabo has had a rather difficult history as a popular character and has been assumed dead many times.
First, readers were led to believe that Sabo had died at the hands of the celestial dragons as just a small boy, only for it to be later revealed that he had survived his traumatic incident, and grown up to become a commanding force in the Revolutionary army.
However, the last time that One Piece fans received updates on the beloved Sabo was in chapter 956, just short of his attempted infiltration of the Reverie, held in sacred Marijois.
This chapter ended with quite shocking news that ‘something’ has happened to Sabo at the Reverie. But what exactly did happen? Is Sabo now dead? Will he ever return? When will he return?
These questions continue to cycle around fans’ heads, so why don’t we help you all to ease your minds? Read on below!
As of yet, there are no clear answers as to Sabo’s fate after his attempted infiltration of Marijois. It’s not clear whether his infiltration was a success, or whether it was a complete failure. Regardless, it left his fellow comrades in the revolutionary army totally shaken, worried that some harm may have befallen him.
In chapter 956 of the manga, it is revealed in the World Economy News Paper that the current ‘Seven warlords’ system is to be abolished, making characters such as Boa Hancock, Buggy the Clown, and Hawkeye, to name a few, as outlaws.
Included within this news was also the bombshell that something has happened to Sabo. As of yet, it still has not been cleared up exactly what this ‘something’ is.
This news was revealed to the wider world despite the world government’s attempts to cover it up, thanks to the journalistic integrity of “Big News” Morgan, who refuses to allow his great stories to be covered up.
Is Sabo Dead?
Considering Sabo’s penchant for cheating death, it is very unlikely that he is dead. The most likely outcome is that Sabo has been captured by the world government, or been framed by them.
There could perhaps be a wilder twist, such as Sabo changing sides to work with the world government, but this may prove unlikely, considering his strong distaste for the elite.
A good way to tell if a One Piece character is dead is to check whether it is actually confirmed. Despite its long length, only a few characters in One Piece have ever actually died for good.
These include characters like Whitebeard and Ace, whom we saw die first hand, as well as seeing their individual gravestones.
When characters are presumed dead, such as Pell, during the Alabasta arc, it soon becomes revealed that they have survived their predicament with only some injuries. This even happened with Sabo.
When Sabo was assumed to have died in his childhood readers were never shown his body, and nor was it outright confirmed as such, just assumed by the readership and the many characters of the One Piece world.
Thus it is best to assume that any time a One Piece character ‘dies’ offscreen, or off of the page, they haven’t actually died.
Sabo is also a very popular and crucial character to One Piece’s world, and thus it would be rather foolish for Eiichiro Oda to kill him off in such an unceremonious way.
When Will Sabo Return to One Piece?
As of yet, it is unclear when Sabo might make his second grand return, and what condition he may be in. Currently, fans of One Piece are knee-deep in the Wano arc of the series, which is assumed to be entering its final phase.
It may be likely that we hear some updates on Sabo’s condition once the Wano arc has concluded, as the periods between arcs tend to be used to explore the political situation of the wider One Piece world and what’s going on elsewhere.
If we don’t hear about Sabo directly at the end of the Wano arc, then we can say with confidence that we will see him before the series reaches its conclusion.
It is likely that Sabo is being held as a prisoner in Marijois, and will need to be broken out. It is also likely that in order to seek his goal of becoming the pirate king Luffy will need to conquer Marijois and dismantle the Celestial dragon system, freeing Sabo in the process.
This would place Sabo’s return as most likely occurring during the very final arc of the series. In what capacity, and in what condition he returns is still very much up in the air to this day.
What Are Some Theories Regarding Sabo’s Fate?
As with many of One Piece’s biggest burning questions, such as what the ‘One Piece’ actually is, fans are constantly speculating every day as to what happened to fan-favorite character Sabo.
Many people believe that, during his infiltration of the Reverie, Sabo learned of an attempt on Princess Vivi’s life, and thus sought to save her.
This could provide an explanation as to why so many believe he has died. If we are to believe that the newspapers were reporting on Sabo’s death, then many believe that such news was a coverup from the world government to shake up the revolutionary army, to make them vulnerable.
Thus, many believe that Sabo is being held prisoner in Marijois. This would provide a great reason for Luffy to head towards Marijois, with the aim of destroying the world government once and for all, which is one of the longest going goals of many characters in the series.
Some fans also believe that Sabo may have abandoned his mission of saving Bartholomew Kuma from Marijois or maybe even turned on the Revolutionary army outright.
This would be a very significant twist that would shake up the fate of the series and act as a true shock for many fans across the world.
However, this would also be a very risky twist, as it would appear out of character for Sabo, which may also lead readers to feel very disappointed or outright betrayed.
To Finish Up
Sabo’s fate is still very much unknown, but what is clear is that Sabo has suffered some kind of harm or damage to his image during his attempts to infiltrate Mairjois.
However, it is very unlikely that Sabo is dead, as the series does not tend to kill off characters offscreen, and without any fanfare.
Think back to Ace and Whitebeard’s deaths, which were massive and world-shaking events, and were portrayed as such. Sabos’ actual death would also be treated with such weight.
It is likely that Sabo is being held prisoner by the celestial dragons or the world government as a way to draw Luffy and all the many companions and friends he has made throughout the series so that the story can begin to head towards its natural conclusion.
However, with Oda’s penchant for surprises, who knows what he might do!
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Sabo And Vivi Dead?
It is very unlikely that Sabo is dead, as he is a major character, and an unceremonious offscreen death would appear very insulting to readers.
Vivi is equally a very beloved character amongst One Piece fans, and thus it would be very surprising if Oda were to kill off an honorary Strawhat offscreen.
Do The Strawhats Meet Vivi Again?
As of yet, in the series, we haven’t seen Vivi reunite with the Strawhats. It’s no surprise, really, as there is a significant distance between them, and Vivi would get into a lot of political trouble for bonding with known pirates.
However, it is likely that the honorary Strawhat will reconvene with her beloved friends, as she is believed to still be captured in Marijois, and it is very likely that the Strawhats are heading that way after Wano.
This would be a perfect time for a reunion, as dismantling the current political system of the One Piece world would allow Vivi to call herself a true Straw Hat without threat to her people.
Will One Piece End?
Eventually, yes. One Piece will end. In fact, it seems to be heading towards its final story arc as we speak.
