The Most Shocking Deaths, Ranked

Summary

• Deaths in One Piece can be shocking and impactful, even though author Eiichiro Oda rarely kills off characters.
• Unexpected character deaths can have a significant impact on the story or be more personal, adding emotional depth.
• The deaths of characters like Monet, Kingbaum, Izo, Pedro, and more highlight the darker and emotional side of One Piece.

It’s become somewhat of a meme among the One Piece community that author Eiichiro Oda is hesitant to ever kill a character off, even if it seems guaranteed they should be out for the count. However, this also means that when a sudden death does occur, it is even more shocking and impactful, reminding fans that despite the fun and vibrant aesthetic of One Piece, it can still get pretty dark and emotional now and again.

Sometimes, a character’s death can have a pretty sizable impact on the wider story, while on other occasions, it can be more of a personal loss for those who were closest to the individual. Either way, it’s time to take a look back at the most shocking deaths that have ever occurred in One Piece, ranked by how unexpected and impactful they were.

8

Monet

A Simple Slip-Up By Caesar Clown Results In Monet Biting The Dust

• First Appearance: Episode 581

Caesar Clown may be the primary antagonist of the Punk Hazard arc, but before the Straw Hats can reach him, they first need to go through Monet. After it looks like Zoro splits Monet in two during their battle, it would have been easy to assume that she would have lost her life right there and then, but miraculously, she manages to survive, at least, for a little while longer.

Later in the arc, when Law begins switching around everyone’s bodies and hearts, Caesar mistakenly stabs Monet’s heart, after believing that it is Smoker’s, resulting in her death. It’s rare that Oda will kill off a random side character in such a grizzly way, so it was a surprising death that also highlighted the clumsiness and violent nature of Caesar.

7

Kingbaum

The Living Tree Who Dreamed Of Spending The Rest Of His Days With His Fiance Is Intercepted By Prometheus

• First Appearance: Episode 797

Despite being one of Big Mom’s Homies, Kingbaum decides to give Luffy and Nami a helping hand throughout much of the Whole Cake Island arc. Near the end, it seems as though he may be able to live out the rest of his days with his tree fiancee, but that plan goes haywire once Big Mom begins chasing him down, after he tries carrying the Straw Hats to safety.

It would actually be Prometheus who would be the one to finally catch up to Kingbaum though, telling the tree that his traitorous actions mean he can no longer be a resident of the island. As a result, Kingbaum is burnt to a crisp, making for an incredibly sad scene that never fails to get the tears flowing.

6

Izo

Izo Takes One Last Stand To Protect The Straw Hats From CP-0

• First Appearance: Episode 461

Though many fans will remember Izo for their actions during the Raid on Onigashima, this fearsome samurai first debuted in the series back in Marineford, where they fought alongside Whitebeard’s crew to save Ace. Despite being a useful ally in the Wano arc to Luffy and the crew, Izo would eventually meet their end at the hands of CP-0, after refusing to let them get their hands on the Straw Hats.

While Izo isn’t the only Red Scabbard who loses their life in Wano, his history in the story and the general intrigue of his character still makes it a shocking death. In the anime, Izo at least gets to have one final flashy confrontation before biting the bullet, showing just how deadly they are with their dual pistols.

5

Pedro

Pedro Sacrifices Himself To Let Carrot And The Others Escape Whole Cake Island

• First Appearance: Episode 754

It doesn’t take long for Luffy and the Straw Hats to realize that rescuing Sanji from the clutches of Big Mom isn’t going to be a walk in the park, considering she has an entire army of loyal children who will keep her protected. At one point in the Whole Cake Island arc, Luffy and the gang come up against Perospero; the oldest of Big Mom’s kids who proves to be a real thorn in the side of the Straw Hats.

In order to slow Perospero and his cronies down so that Luffy, Carrot, and the others can escape and continue their journey, Pedro straps himself with dynamite before setting the explosives sky-high. Despite the heroic gesture, Perospero managed to survive, but Pedro still deserves a tremendous amount of respect for laying down his own life for the sake of Carrot and her new friends.

4

Yasuie

One Of The Most Heartbreaking Deaths In The Series Which Showcases Orochi’s Cruelty

• First Appearance: Episode 916

When Zoro first runs into Yasuei near the beginning of the Wano arc, he seems to be little more than a happy-go-lucky resident who appears a bit too joyful for his own good. As the arc goes on though, it’s revealed that Yasuie is one of the many victims of the SMILE fruits, which prevents him from expressing any negative or serious emotions.

After helping the Straw Hats in their plan to take down Kaido, he is eventually revealed, crucified, tortured, and shot multiple times, while the onlookers can do nothing but laugh at his misery because of the fruits. Yasuie’s death really did come out of nowhere, and showcased just how sadistic the evil Orochi is that he can treat his people in such a vicious way.

3

Whitebeard

Whitebeard Loses His Life Not Long After He’s Introduced To The Story

• First Appearance: Episode 485

Whitebeard’s debut scene makes it pretty clear that this is a guy who is way past his prime. Though his health may be deteriorating, he is still among one of the strongest and most formidable characters in the entire series, so when he shows up in Marineford, it seems likely he would be able to see it through with no problem, considering all he’s been through.

This almost became a reality, as Whitebeard managed to make it until the end of the war, even after having received an absurd amount of wounds, with half his face missing and a giant hole visible in his chest. After the death of Ace though, paired with the staggering amount of damage he had taken, Whitebeard finally lost his life but continued to stand as a symbol for the rest of his crew.

2

King Cobra

Cobra Knew A Little Too Much, And As A Result, Paid The Ultimate Price

• First Appearance: Episode 91

The Reverie should have been an ordinary meeting between the leaders of the world, but it quickly turns much more sinister once Imu is revealed. This mysterious being is more than willing to deal with anyone who learns a bit too much about the World Government and the Void Century, which was Cobra’s biggest mistake.

As a result of his forbidden knowledge, Cobra was brutally murdered by Cobra and left for dead, which was an incident that rocked the world to its core. However, he also sacrificed his own life to allow Sabo to escape, so at least he didn’t die for nothing.

1

Portgas D. Ace

Nobody Could Have Guessed The Rescue Mission Would End In Ace’s Untimely Death

• First Appearance: Episode 91

While a potential all-out war between the Marines and pirates had been bubbling for a while, it was the capture of Ace that kicked off the Marineford conflict. When Luffy and Whitebeard’s crew arrive in Marineford to save their brother, every fan assumed the plan would go off without a hitch. After all, Ace seemed like he was going to play a pretty big role going forward, and still had plenty of journeys to embark on with his own crew.

This is why Ace’s sudden death at the hands of Akainu came as such a shock, with many fans, even to this day, still grieving over the tragic loss of this beloved character. Ace’s death did push Luffy to grow and mature as a character, and he has been mentioned numerous times since then, including in Wano by Tama, but it’s still one of the most heartbreaking moments in the entire series, without a doubt.