Chapter 596: "Spectrum" Discussion

[Sea]

Cover page:

The perspective of Ace’s left leg is messed up. His stance give the impression he is going to fall. Trip over the tree’s root, perhaps. He gets his hat but doesn’t carry his knife.

I like how bare-chested Sabo wears a neckerchief (is that the word), reminds me of shirtless Leorio with a cravat. You don’t know how crazy it is to wear shorts with a tailcoat. Noticed that he is holding Sun Wukong’s Golden-banded staff Ruyi Jingu Bang, not a pipe. And he isn’t missing a tooth.

Does anyone know what kind of food store that Gorilla runs?
I will give a treasure credit.

Not meander myself, Sabo with hidden face and Ace’s tattoo is the proof that Sabo is alive. A shame that Ace would never know that.

The chapter went with the obvious structure: Flashback—>resolve. The Straw hat are singing in chorus with their pattern of thinking. Well, some might say it is repetitive but that is what bind them together after all.

I like the thoughts and the flashback. Oda usually uses images to depict thoughts. Oda almost never showed what they think about each other in this method before, except for Usopp. That’s sweet. Bang anyone bad mouth about it.

Look like Nami is going to be back with the most awesome weapon of all. Plunging the entire world into chaos? Sound promising.

Born Bone to be Wild. Rocks.

! xm5DPlNCmtk
Robin’s cheek became red while thinking about Luffy. And this kind of thought “Luffy, will I become stronger?…I have never thought of becoming strong for someone else before.”. Damn, Luffy is her special one. That made me automatically think about RobinXLuffy. What the hell Oda? Luffy seems popular with elder women, Shakky, Hancock, Avilda…

!
Joke.
Franky is awesome and all. This tiger face is hilarious as hell. I chuckled when they mentioned some Gorilla and then the captain appear with a Gorilla face.
The thump up made more sense now.

Seems like Usopp will look tougher and beefier the next time we see him. Pop greens sound great.

Well-done chapter. Fairly good humour. Nice characterization. Absolute necessary.

[Retsudo]

@Lordzeb:

where was this proof?

Durr, Dragon's boat. Person being healed.

Then again, I suppose I could expect no less from the poster who justified a grade schooler's comic book villain's activities by bringing up stuff from real life.

@Lordzeb:

I'm also on the "No Time Skip" side, just because. It's also likely but not guaranteed. I always like Oda's takes on what otherwise would be a cliche plot or point of story/character development.

Sure. And Luffy becoming the Pirate King isn't guaranteed either. Or Blackbeard being Luffy's opposition at Raftel.

Get my drift.

[FireFistLuffy]

@juju14:

so sabo is confirmed not dead now right?

@BHK3:

Really? 16 characters of confusion.

@Lordzeb:

where was this proof?

I realize that the possibility of Sabo being alive is very high but i'm going to be one of those people and just say he's dead because i hope he is dead. Nothing he can do as a character in life will ever has a great of an impact as his "death" did on Luffy and Ace. If he's alive what was the point of that whole Flashback, nothing was lost, there was no real story. He might as well just show up later with Luffy saying "i thought you died" because that would have the same effect as that entire flashback and serve the same purpose. But thats just my crazy opinion…

Also i get it was training intros but it was kinda of annoying. We all know what they went through and they all basically said the same thing "I'm going to get stronger for Luffy" They had their own reason and their own little spin but more or less you could predict each of their speeches so it just felt like going through the motions. I'm also on the "No Time Skip" side, just because. It's also likely but not guaranteed. I always like Oda's takes on what otherwise would be a cliche plot or point of story/character development.

also didn't get the brook joke =/

@56ghk:

2 weeks finally :) Yay Sabo is alive xD

Sabo is alive, but dead.

@Mingo22:

I want Aohige's translations to be pasted on the Mangastream releases… Mangastream keeps failing with their translations over and over again...

We should make a petition!

Best post I read so far.

Burn that OP hating molokidan!

[Aohige_AP]

@Sea:

Cover page:
The perspective of Ace’s left leg is messed up. His stance give the impression he is going to fall. Trip over the tree’s root, perhaps.

….. into a conveniently placed small magma boulder which penetrates through his torso.

[Mingo22]

@Aohige_AP:

….. into a conveniently placed small magma boulder which penetrates through his torso.

lol xD

16chars… @FireFistLuffy:

Best post I read so far.

Burn that OP hating molokidan!

well…

1 we need Aohige's seal of approval.

and

2 We'd have to find out how to go about making the peition. Though i'm not so sure Mangastream gives a damn. Doesn't hurt to try though.

[IceBorg]

This post is deleted!

[Lordzeb]

@BHK3:

What brooke joke? The BONE to be wild thing?

no the 40-45 degrees thing.

@Mikan:

I feel the complete opposite - if he died, what the hell was the point in introducing his character? He's not like Bellemere or Kuina or Tom. With those characters, I felt by knowing about them, I finally understood the person having the flashback.

Sabo added nothing to understanding Ace or Luffy. Heck, if it weren't for the Sabo reference as he was dying, there would have been no point for a flashback. We'd already learned enough about Ace - him hating his father, meeting Luffy, swearing brothership, promising to live free. In the flashback itself, besides the "brothership" montage (which could have just been Ace and Luffy,) there were just two moments that really explained Ace and Luffy: Luffy preferring to suffer than to be alone, and Ace refusing to run away. Neither moment included Sabo. Heck, even him dying really do much for anyone, since Ace had more than enough angst as it was, and he was only mentioned once.

Sabo was completely unnecessary for that flashback or our understanding of Ace and Luffy. He was a character in his own right, with a story and a dream unconnected to his brothers. Frankly, introducing him and just having him die would have just been a waste of space; why even bother with him? Even without the Dragon scene, I would have had faith that Oda had plans for him; that scene just confirmed it for me.

He was introduced in flashback rather than just showing up because it 1.) provided foreshadowing, so a random character wouldn't just show up and mention being his older brother - after losing Ace, how many readers would feel gypped? and 2.) provided a transition in Luffy's grief.

I see your point and tbh im not a fan of the entire flashback at all and i'm even less a fan of Sabo. We've met lots of characters who suddenly show up and when we do we learn their story then if its relevant. Had Sabo just shown up out of the blue and then we got the Flash Back how could it make any difference to you? He basically just showed up out of no where in the Flash Back and people feel in love with him anyway. Luffy never mentioned him before, garp never mentioned him, he was never alluded to in any luffy flashbacks. IMO you saying it would've been weird with him popping up with no explanation is exactly how we were introduced to him.

Like i said i felt the entire Flash Back was unnecessary for most of the reasons you stated above. I don't feel like we learned any more about Luffy or Ace that we already didn't know. Really seeing Dadan and Kuma was the highlight for me. I guess if he is alive that would give him purpose but it wouldn't change the almost retconned way he was introduced and for that he'll always have my ire. He'll be that guy at the party who everyone is just pretending to know so it's not awkward for everyone else. I don't really want to have to pretend like that if he shows up again.

His one saving grace imo is that i felt he had an impact on Luffy and Ace. We already knew they had dreams but there is something inspiring and frightening about watching someone who has the same dream as you go out and fail knowing that you might meet the same fate. I think that's powerful enough and gives his character enough purpose. It only works if he's dead though, otherwise no experience gained, no lesson learned.

[Mikan]

Robin’s cheek became red while thinking about Luffy. And this kind of thought “Luffy, will I become stronger?…I have never thought of becoming strong for someone else before.”. Damn, Luffy is her special one. That made me automatically think about RobinXLuffy. What the hell Oda? Luffy seems popular with elder women, Shakky, Hancock, Avilda…

My impression, given the way the revolutionaries are talking about the cold and the wind, is that it is more like this sort of blush: http://read.mangashare.com/One-Piece/chapter-319/page016.html Her face is turning pink from standing outside. And if her thought is romantic, so is Brook's "how bright you shined to me."

[zerocustom1989]

Im glad Zoro is last. I feel that among the entire crew, zoro feels the least closeness to Luffy. (robin too tbh).

Zoro is the firstmate that typically informs Luffy and the crew of pirate culture. (Usopp needing to fight the captain, etc).

[FireFistLuffy]

@Mingo22:

lol xD

16chars…

well…

1 we need Aohige's seal of approval.

and

2 We'd have to find out how to go about making the peition. Though i'm not so sure Mangastream gives a damn. Doesn't hurt to try though.

Yeah the impression Mangastream gives me for OP don't think will get much from them. If they still allowing Molokidan's translations and this weeks cover page. "Oda-sensei ," thing.

Something comes to mind…..

Haters!

[Sea]

@Mikan:

My impression, given the way the revolutionaries are talking about the cold and the wind, is that it is more like this sort of blush: http://read.mangashare.com/One-Piece/chapter-319/page016.html Her face is turning pink from standing outside. And if her thought is romantic, so is Brook's "how bright you shined to me."

I was joking, but, oh well, nice to see someone remember a panel from chapter 319.

[Outerspec]

@Lordzeb:

no the 40-45 degrees thing.

I see your point and tbh im not a fan of the entire flashback at all and i'm even less a fan of Sabo. We've met lots of characters who suddenly show up and when we do we learn their story then if its relevant. Had Sabo just shown up out of the blue and then we got the Flash Back how could it make any difference to you? He basically just showed up out of no where in the Flash Back and people feel in love with him anyway. Luffy never mentioned him before, garp never mentioned him, he was never alluded to in any luffy flashbacks. IMO you saying it would've been weird with him popping up with no explanation is exactly how we were introduced to him.

Like i said i felt the entire Flash Back was unnecessary for most of the reasons you stated above. I don't feel like we learned any more about Luffy or Ace that we already didn't know. Really seeing Dadan and Kuma was the highlight for me. I guess if he is alive that would give him purpose but it wouldn't change the almost retconned way he was introduced and for that he'll always have my ire. He'll be that guy at the party who everyone is just pretending to know so it's not awkward for everyone else. I don't really want to have to pretend like that if he shows up again.

His one saving grace imo is that i felt he had an impact on Luffy and Ace. We already knew they had dreams but there is something inspiring and frightening about watching someone who has the same dream as you go out and fail knowing that you might meet the same fate. I think that's powerful enough and gives his character enough purpose. It only works if he's dead though, otherwise no experience gained, no lesson learned.

I'm telling ya, even if Sabo is alive it won't change the impact he had on Luffy in the past. It's not like he's going to time travel and say to kid Ace and Luffy, "Don't worry guys I won't really die so let this death mean nothing to you."

[Mikan]

I was joking, but, oh well, nice to see someone remember a panel from chapter 319.

Sorry, I need to learn how to read sarcasm. (Either that or stop lurking around the couples thread.)

I see your point and tbh im not a fan of the entire flashback at all and i'm even less a fan of Sabo. We've met lots of characters who suddenly show up and when we do we learn their story then if its relevant. Had Sabo just shown up out of the blue and then we got the Flash Back how could it make any difference to you? He basically just showed up out of no where in the Flash Back and people feel in love with him anyway. Luffy never mentioned him before, garp never mentioned him, he was never alluded to in any luffy flashbacks. IMO you saying it would've been weird with him popping up with no explanation is exactly how we were introduced to him.

I don't see the importance of him never having been mentioned has - Luffy never told his crew about Ace or Garp either. There was no reason for Ace or Garp to bring up someone they thought was dead when world-changing events were happening.

Him showing up in the plotline and saying "I'm your brother" after Ace died would have felt contrived and I would have hated him on sight, and it definitely would have felt it came out of nowhere. By introducing another brother outside of the main plot, it at least lays the groundwork. Seeing the "brotherly montage" before he meets Luffy again certainly makes me more inclined to like him. Right after Ace's death is the perfect time to introduce him; otherwise I would have wondered why Sabo (another brother he presumed to be dead) was never mentioned during his grieving.

[FireFistLuffy]

@Mikan:

Sorry, I need to learn how to read sarcasm. (Either that or stop lurking around the couples thread.)

Nothing wrong with that. :whistling:

[Mingo22]

@lordzeb It'd be too akward to it then. It was fitting to do it right when luffy had a mental break down and was in his coma. It also lays the schema ground work so their would be that understanding of the emotional impact it'd have if/when they meet.

[Retsudo]

Ace wasn't any less sudden than Sabo supposedly is.

[Mikan]

Im glad Zoro is last. I feel that among the entire crew, zoro feels the least closeness to Luffy. (robin too tbh).

Seriously? Zoro was the person who begged Kuma to kill him instead of Luffy at Thriller Bark. He doesn't play around like Usopp or Chopper, but I think he probably understands Luffy best in the crew (for example, when he understood and obeyed Luffy's orders to not fight back against Bellamy, while Nami was angry and shocked.)

[Lordzeb]

@Mikan:

Sorry, I need to learn how to read sarcasm. (Either that or stop lurking around the couples thread.)

I don't see the importance of him never having been mentioned has - Luffy never told his crew about Ace or Garp either. There was no reason for Ace or Garp to bring up someone they thought was dead when world-changing events were happening.

Him showing up in the plotline and saying "I'm your brother" after Ace died would have felt contrived and I would have hated him on sight, and it definitely would have felt it came out of nowhere. By introducing another brother outside of the main plot, it at least lays the groundwork. Seeing the "brotherly montage" before he meets Luffy again certainly makes me more inclined to like him. Right after Ace's death is the perfect time to introduce him; otherwise I would have wondered why Sabo (another brother he presumed to be dead) was never mentioned during his grieving.

but thats how he showed up…and thats how it felt...

[Outerspec]

I'm still wondering about the Thousand Sunny. If Oda is going to update us on all the crew members he should be updating us on the ship too, so we can see what's happening at Sabaody Archipelago with Shakky and Kuma.

[Sagippio]

Kuma will bring Sunny-gou to Vegapunk, who will upgrade Sunny-gou. :ninja:

[BarrelCrate]

@Sagippio:

Kuma will bring Sunny-gou to Vegapunk, who will upgrade Sunny-gou. :ninja:

Didn't Franky just say he would do the Sunny upgrade this chapter?

[Mingo22]

@Retsudo:

Ace wasn't any less sudden than Sabo supposedly is.

there also wasn't many ace fans until the flash back arcs.

@Lordzeb:

but thats how he showed up…and thats how it felt...

his char was first introduced in Drum Island as some one looking for luffy. Made it seem like a bounty hunter. Then we saw in alabaster that it was his brother. The way ace was introduced was in no way different then how garp was introduced. Or any other character of OP for that matter.

[ponx]

@Outerspec:

I'm still wondering about the Thousand Sunny. If Oda is going to update us on all the crew members he should be updating us on the ship too, so we can see what's happening at Sabaody Archipelago with Shakky and Kuma.

We still got another chapter next week. My predictions : Zoro; how things went with Sunny, Shakky, Duval and Kuma; Kizaru and Sentoumaru; and Luffy. Aaaaaand. Timeskip

[GetsugaZoro]

@Outerspec:

I'm still wondering about the Thousand Sunny. If Oda is going to update us on all the crew members he should be updating us on the ship too, so we can see what's happening at Sabaody Archipelago with Shakky and Kuma.

The ship just got updated, from Merry to Sunny…

Anyway Franky said he will learn new ways to updgrade it in the chapter like others said, or you just see the pretty pictures?

[Mikan]

but thats how he showed up…and thats how it felt...

Sabo didn't show up in the main plot. We were able to see his connection with Luffy and his backstory before meeting him in the actual story.

I don't get how Sabo was any more jarring than Ace or Garp's introduction. With each, we got precisely one hint (Ace at Drum Island, Aokiji's mention of Luffy's grandpa, Ace recalling the Sabo incident) before they were introduced. Sabo had no reason to be mentioned before, in the middle of a bloody conflict.

there also wasn't many ace fans until the flash back arcs.

Really? He was number 8 in the 2nd poll, when he only had one or two chapters to his name.

[Sagippio]

@BarrelCrate:

Didn't Franky just say he would do the Sunny upgrade this chapter?

not if Vegapunk could lay his hands on Sunny first… he will do the worst thing anyone could do to a ship: he'll make it "eat" a DF!

[FireFistLuffy]

@Mikan:

Really? He was number 8 in the 2nd poll, when he only had one or two chapters to his name.

Yea I was just about to say that, glad he died because all of his fans died with him.

[Monkey D. Alan]

@FireFistLuffy:

Yea I was just about to say that, glad he died because all of his fans died with him.

I dont know about that, Jiraiyas always been my favorite character in Naruto, alive or dead, not that Ace is my favorite character but I'm still a big fan, if anything the death makes you feel more attached to the character.

Anyway, great chapter, loved the cover page

[FireFistLuffy]

@Monkey:

I dont know about that, Jiraiyas always been my favorite character in Naruto, alive or dead, not that Ace is my favorite character but I'm still a big fan, if anything the death makes you feel more attached to the character.

Anyway, great chapter, loved the cover page

Was more of joke but failed I guess on my part.

Those fans that stop reading and or stop watching one piece when they found out he died/dies. Those are the ones I'm glad that died with him.

Because hell Ace before the war was shown so many times throughout the story and obviously his death means there is no more story.

[No Maam]

Overall it was a prety good chapter . I stand mostly corected .

[Lordzeb]

@Mingo22:

his char was first introduced in Drum Island as some one looking for luffy. Made it seem like a bounty hunter. Then we saw in alabaster that it was his brother. The way ace was introduced was in no way different then how garp was introduced. Or any other character of OP for that matter.

I was talking about sabo in that quote.

@Mikan:

Sabo didn't show up in the main plot. We were able to see his connection with Luffy and his backstory before meeting him in the actual story.

I don't get how Sabo was any more jarring than Ace or Garp's introduction. With each, we got precisely one hint (Ace at Drum Island, Aokiji's mention of Luffy's grandpa, Ace recalling the Sabo incident) before they were introduced. Sabo had no reason to be mentioned before, in the middle of a bloody conflict.

Really? He was number 8 in the 2nd poll, when he only had one or two chapters to his name.

The plot line thing is a weird comment and veers too close to semantics for me to discuss it in depth but for the sake of conversation i consider that flashback part of the main plot and therefore Sabo's introduction as a part of the main plot line.

We didn't know luffy had a brother but ace popped up here and there and then we found out. Thats not jarring because at that point we didn't know much about Luffy's family. There was a lot of room left for exploration on that topic. It's not as if we know all about luffy's childhood and a brother was never mentioned.

By the time garp shows up we've seen more of Luffy's background. Obviously since he exist he must have parent and therefore grandparents. Who these people are if we'll ever see them is up for grabs but we know they must exist. Therefore Garps introduction isn't jarring or retconish because prior to his appearance that was unexplored territory.

At the point after Aces death though we've seen a lot of flash backs and heard a lot of stories about luffy growing up. So much so that even you agree, the Luffy+Ace flashback revealed nothing that we didn't already know about them. So basically their past is established. Luffy has talked about his past with Ace, with Dadan, and with Garp by now. Then we get hit with the Sabo character who was never alluded to or mentioned before his appearance. It was as if every character and story about luffy's past just conveniently left out this Huge Important Other Brother for no reason. That's why his appearance feels retcon. We suddenly are told there was Sabo and Sabo knew Ace and Ace treated him and loved him like a brother (didn't think of him in his flashbacks though). He knew Garp and trained with Luffy+Ace when fighting Garp (didn't see that in his flashbacks though). He knew Luffy and trained with him and played with him and was as much a brother to Luffy as Ace was (but he was NEVER mentioned or alluded to AT ALL)

That doesn't feel right to me and it's not the same as with Ace and Garp or Dragon. It would be as if Luffy's mother was suddenly revealed to be Big Momma and she was inserted into all those flashbacks with luffy and ace growing up, and she was friends with dadan, and garp visited her when he visited luffy, and she watched sabo+luffy+ace train together. That would feel cheap, just like Sabo

[iPenguin]

@Lordzeb:

(but he was NEVER mentioned or alluded to AT ALL)

The S in Ace's ASCE tattoo.

[BarrelCrate]

Looking forward to seeing Usopp using Pop Greens as ammunition.

[Lordzeb]

@Joel:

The S in Ace's ASCE tattoo.

…is that a joke?

[felton]

ehh, why "Spectrum" as chapter title? I mean is there any hidden/implied meaning related to the chapter content?

[silicon]

@felton:

ehh, why "Spectrum" as chapter title? I mean is there any hidden/implied meaning related to the chapter content?

spectrum -
a broad range of varied but related ideas or objects, the individual features of which tend to overlap so as to form a continuous series or sequence: the spectrum of political beliefs.

@Lordzeb:

…is that a joke?

why would that be a joke?

[iPenguin]

@Lordzeb:

…is that a joke?

No. Look at the cover for this chapter where the S is missing; the S represents Sabo.

Sure, we didn't think "oh it's Luffy's other brother!" but it is still a hint.

[Lordzeb]

@Joel:

No. Look at the cover for this chapter where the S is missing; the S represents Sabo.

Sure, we didn't think "oh it's Luffy's other brother!" but it is still a hint.

First, thats a coverpage. Coverpages like that never make sense. It's not even depicting a moment of the story that is even physically possible for any of the characters. So it's not a flashback or a flashsideways or anything. It's just Oda drawing for fun.

Secondly that would just be more retconing because he's showing us it now via a coverpage whereas it was never implied that in the past or in any actual chapter. How do you know that's not just an artist mistake like WBs missing scar.

Third, how your theory that S represents Sabo in the ASCE based off a non-sequitur coverpage holds more ground that the S is merely a miss spelling of ACE i will never understand. But i don't understand the reasoning for a lot of the theories that pop on this place…

[Miadestroystokyo]

am I the only one who's very suspicious of how Robin seems to have mentioned Crocodile on page 9 and even more curious the reactions of the revolutionaries.

[smurfx]

pretty boring chapter. hopefully next chapter makes up for it and we finally know what the message was and we hopefully see how luffy will improve his strength.

[Keyblazing]

@Lordzeb

I can sort of see where you're coming from but I think you're a little off here. I guess the biggest thing is that we never really did know anything about Ace's or Luffy's past. All mentions of family were in the present - Dragon, Garp, Portgas. It was only after Ace got captured that we sort of got clues here and there, which of course is the kicker. All of the initial flashbacks were centered on Ace and him questioning his existence. Sabo never really had much to do with that or at least not in the aspect that Luffy had. Ace wanted acknowledgment, didn't he? - the right to be alive. Sabo wanted freedom to live the way he wanted. Two different struggles - two different brothers - two different aspects of his past. The "freedom" aspect wasn't even alluded to until Luffy's flashback because that wasn't the Ace's primary problem. His acknowledgment was his problem and the only other one who seemed to know about it was Garp. Sabo was a different part of his past, and important one but not as defining as the other, and it definitively had the bigger influence on Luffy considering that's part of Luffy's motivation.

[rubia_ryu]

@Miadestroystokyo:

am I the only one who's very suspicious of how Robin seems to have mentioned Crocodile on page 9 and even more curious the reactions of the revolutionaries.

According to the text, she doesn't mention him directly. The revolutionaries just take her meaning as referring to her time with Crocodile.

On another note, someone should make a flash movie about Brook and his new single. I'm sure many people would want to hear it.

[ElectricField]

Usopp's speech really moved me. Man I love that guy. ;_;

[Gokuyuske]

Can't wait for Zoro. The duty of the first mate shall be revealed.

[herr_sebbe]

@Lordzeb:

First, thats a coverpage. Coverpages like that never make sense. It's not even depicting a moment of the story that is even phsycially possible for any of the characters. So it's not a flashback or a flashsideways or anything. It's just Oda drawing for fun.

Secondly that would just be more retconing because he's showing us it now via a coverpage whereas it was never implied that in the past or in any actual chapter. How do you know that's not just an artist mistake like WBs missing scar.

Third, how your theory that S represents Sabo in the ASCE based off a non-sequitur coverpage holds more ground that the S is merely a miss spelling of ACE i will never understand. But i don't understand the reasoning for a lot of the theories that pop on this place…

While the situation itself isn't canon, the cover confirms that Oda has a design ready for adult Sabo. Also, the tilted head seems to suggest that he doesn't want the face revealed just yet.

The design itself is pretty much just a bigger version of the Sabo we know, but the use of weaponry and slight change in hair-do makes me feel that Oda already had the design ready.

[Sea]

@smurfx:

pretty boring chapter.

True. We believe you. Your sig support Bonney to join. That alone sure gives your words a lot of credibility.

[mr.jack]

thanks for the chapter!!

[smurfx]

@Sea:

True. We believe you. Your sig support Bonney to join. That alone sure gives your words a lot of credibility.

ah you are one of those people that can't stand people not loving every single chapter of one piece. don't worry me not liking this chapter isn't going to make it a lesser manga.

[Sea]

@smurfx:

ah you are one of those people that can't stand people not loving every single chapter of one piece.

I'm not.

don't worry me not liking this chapter isn't going to make it a lesser manga.

I don't.
What are you talking about?

[Lordzeb]

@Keyblazing:

@Lordzeb

I can sort of see where you're coming from but I think you're a little off here. I guess the biggest thing is that we never really did know anything about Ace's or Luffy's past. All mentions of family were in the present - Dragon, Garp, Portgas. It was only after Ace got captured that we sort of got clues here and there, which of course is the kicker. All of the initial flashbacks were centered on Ace and him questioning his existence. Sabo never really had much to do with that or at least not in the aspect that Luffy had. Ace wanted acknowledgment, didn't he? - the right to be alive. Sabo wanted freedom to live the way he wanted. Two different struggles - two different brothers - two different aspects of his past. The "freedom" aspect wasn't even alluded to until Luffy's flashback because that wasn't the Ace's primary problem. His acknowledgment was his problem and the only other one who seemed to know about it was Garp. Sabo was a different part of his past, and important one but not as defining as the other, and it definitively had the bigger influence on Luffy considering that's part of Luffy's motivation.

I'd agree with this if we learned anything new about Luffy or Ace from that flashback if we ignore the Sabo stuff. Looking at all the flashbacks and all the times luffy has mentioned his past you'd think Sabo would've come up. Dadan has come up, Garp has come up, and Ace has come up. Ace being stronger than luffy has come up. Luffy wanting to follow his brother out to sea to fulfill his dreams has come up. You'd think during the flashback about drinking making people brothers Sabo would've come up but nope. Even if Ace's Flashbacks were centered around his existence (and i don't think all of them were completely about that) if Sabo was really a brother to Ace he'd have appeared in them as much as Luffy did and Luffy appears in them alot.

You could remove Sabo from the story and we'd know just as much about Luffy's past and his dreams as we do now. There's nothing in the story aside from the flashback where he is introduced that gives Sabo away, removing him would make no inconsistencies in all of the knowledge that we have of luffy's past. That doesn't make sense IMO. I trust in Oda and i believe he has this story planned out well in advance but that only makes this glaring flaw even more glaring because he's never shoved a character into the story the way he did with Sabo.