Sabo's Ascendancy: Unveiling the Flame Emperor in One Piece Episode 1081

Sabo, a crucial figure in One Piece, holds a significant role as the sworn brother of Monkey D. Luffy and Portgas D. Ace. Despite being born into high society, Sabo tried to break free from his family at a young age and embarked on a boat. However, his journey was abruptly halted when a Celestial Dragon attacked his vessel with a bazooka.

Fortunately, Sabo was rescued by Monkey D. Dragon, although he suffered from amnesia. As time passed, Sabo rose to become the second-in-command of the Revolutionary Army, standing as a trusted aide to Dragon. Upon regaining his memory, he embraced Ace's legacy by obtaining the legendary Flame-Flame Fruit, previously possessed by the late "Fire Fist".

In episode 1080 of the One Piece anime, titled "The World Will Burn! The Onslaught of a Navy Admiral!", Sabo's reputation reached new heights as he gained the moniker of the "Flame Emperor." This revelation, adapted from chapter 1054 of the manga, explains why Sabo has become so incredibly famous. Please note that this article contains significant spoilers from the latest chapters of the One Piece manga.

Did One Piece's Sabo gain his "Flame Emperor" name on the battlefield, or there's more to it? Explained (manga spoilers ahead)

An epithet that generated very high expectations

Toei Animation, One Piece

The Reverie, a gathering of the monarchs from World Government-affiliated countries, takes place every four years in Mary Geoise, the residence of the Celestial Dragons. During the most recent Reverie, Mary Geoise was attacked by four prominent individuals from the Revolutionary Army: Sabo, Morley, Karasu, and Lindbergh.

Sabo and his comrades successfully fled from Mary Geoise following their successful mission of rescuing their old ally Bartholomew Kuma, who had been enslaved by the Celestial Dragons. They also achieved their objective of freeing other slaves owned by the nobles and destroying their food supplies.

However, Sabo found himself accused of the murder of Nefertari Cobra, the King of Arabasta and father of Vivi. The newspapers published a photo depicting Sabo near Cobra's lifeless body. Furthermore, reports emerged of the Revolutionaries engaging in a clash with Marine Admirals Fujitora and Ryokugyu.

The image, provided by Toei Animation for One Piece, captures the moment when Kuma is enslaved by the Celestial Dragons.

As word of this event spread, Sabo quickly rose to fame across the globe, earning the title of the "Flame Emperor." This impressive nickname initially led fans to believe that Sabo had demonstrated extraordinary skills during the raid on Mary Geoise, particularly against the two Admirals.

The assumption was not without grounds, as the "flame" corresponded to his Logia-class Devil Fruit abilities and the title of "emperor" alluded to his supposed remarkable achievements against the Admirals. The theory gained even more support due to the strongest technique of the Flame-Flame Fruit being named Flame Emperor. However, it is important to note that this speculation arose from incomplete and restricted information provided in chapter 1054 of the One Piece manga, which did not offer any further clarification and thus left room for individual interpretation.

Exactly thirty chapters later, the story took a deep dive into the subject, unraveling the truth that the interpretation of Sabo's "Flame Emperor" epithet was far from accurate, as it starkly differed from the actual events.

The truth behind "Flame Emperor" Sabo

The image above shows Nefertari Cobra and her daughter, Vivi, as depicted in Toei Animation's One Piece.

The theory that Sabo earned the nickname "Flame Emperor" by battling against Fujitora and Ryokugyu gained traction following the release of One Piece chapter 1054. However, subsequent chapters of the manga have thoroughly disproven this theory.

Sabo's epithet, contrary to popular belief, does not reflect his strength but rather alludes to the political implications surrounding the alleged murder of Nefertari Cobra. Unlike his comrades, Sabo did not engage in a direct confrontation with the Admirals during the Reverie. Instead, he strategically infiltrated Mary Geoise's Pangaea Castle, while his allies kept Fujitora and Ryogyoku occupied and restricted in their use of power to avoid collateral damage.

Imu and the Elders overpower Sabo and Cobra (Image via Shueisha/Colored by Amanomoon)

During his mission, Sabo encountered only ordinary soldiers as his adversaries, whom he effortlessly defeated. Eventually, he managed to infiltrate the Phantom Room, where he witnessed Nefertari Cobra's secret rendezvous with the Five Elders.

As the situation took a turn for the worse, Sabo emerged from hiding and unleashed the fiery abilities of his Flame-Flame Fruit in an attempt to attack the World Government leaders. Unfortunately, his efforts proved to be completely futile.

Imu-sama, shocking everyone, underwent a transformation into a gargantuan creature with horrifying characteristics, effortlessly devouring Sabo's flames. Meanwhile, the Five Elders remained unfazed by his Fire Fist attack, enduring it without sustaining any harm. Adding to the chaos, the Elders themselves underwent a sinister transformation into demonic beings. In a desperate bid for escape, Sabo seized Cobra and made a swift exit from the Phantom Room.

two shadow arrows suddenly struck him and Cobra, inflicting severe injuries upon both individuals. The circumstances became dire, and in a desperate attempt to allow Sabo to escape, Cobra valiantly sacrificed himself.

Afterward, a severely wounded and bloodied Sabo was discovered hiding aboard the ship of Lulusia Kingdom. The painful memory of Cobra's final words weighed heavily on his mind. A photograph captured the moment when Sabo stood beside Cobra's lifeless, blood-soaked body. Exploiting this image, the World Government falsely accused Sabo of regicide.

Thus, Sabo's notoriety was not based on his combat prowess, but rather the perception that he was responsible for the death of the benevolent and kind-hearted Nefertari Cobra. Unfortunately, the public was unaware of Cobra's true nature and only knew him as the ruler of Arabasta, a nation aligned with the World Government.

Sabo's situation needs to be analyzed calmly

Saboreigned as the "Flame Emperor," achieving the status of an idol among those who opposed the World Government-affiliated nation due to his alleged killing of their representative. He symbolically ignited the revolution, becoming a catalyst for change.

Shown in the One Piece anime (Image via Toei Animation, One Piece), Sabo was rumored to have engaged in battle with the Admirals and demonstrated immense strength. However, the manga dispelled this notion, revealing it to be a mere urban legend.

The Revolutionary Army's second-in-command, Sabo, only participated in one combat scene during the Reverie. In this scene, he faced off against Imu-sama and the Five Elders but proved to be powerless against them. Despite his esteemed position as Monkey D. Dragon's right-hand man, Sabo was disappointingly underwhelming. Despite launching his most formidable attacks, he failed to cause any harm and had no choice but to flee. His escape was only possible thanks to the sacrifice of Cobra, who gave his life to protect Sabo.

If Sabo had successfully blocked an attack or inflicted an injury on any of the Five Elders, the outcome would have been radically altered. However, regrettably, he found himself unable to take any action other than utilizing Cobra's sacrifice as a means of escape. Avoiding confrontation does not constitute an accomplishment.

In a series like One Piece, strength is not measured by fleeing but by fighting back, regardless of the power gap. This means that anyone can escape from anyone as long as the plot requires it. Even Wapol, for plot-induced reasons, was able to run away from Imu-sama and the Elders, demonstrating that strength is not solely determined by escape.

There were high expectations surrounding Sabo's anticipated battle against the Admirals, with many believing it would solidify his title as the "Flame Emperor." However, the manga reveals a different truth, causing the hype around Sabo's strength to inevitably diminish.

Still, it's unfair to hold Sabo responsible for his helplessness in that predicament. After all, he found himself confronted by six adversaries, each of whom could very well be the ultimate antagonists in the One Piece saga – a testament to their formidable strength.

Sabo, although not on the same level of strength as the Admirals, as some fans mistakenly believed, still possesses formidable power. His position as the second-in-command of the Revolutionary Army and his role as Dragon's skilled right-hand man attest to this fact.

Sabo demonstrates proficiency in Armament Haki, effectively combining this skill with his utilization of the Dragon Claw Fruit, a martial art technique taught to him directly by Monkey D. Dragon.

Using the powers of the Flame-Flame Fruit, an extraordinary Logia-class artifact that grants him control over fire, he is able to merge his abilities and unleash formidable attacks by transforming his own body.

Sabo displayed his immense strength by effortlessly defeating Bastille, a highly experienced Vice Admiral, and Jesus Burgess, a prominent member of the notorious Blackbeard Pirates. While he did engage in a battle with Admiral Fujitora, the latter was able to repel him with relative ease.

Sabo, infiltrating Mary Geoise, was depicted as having engaged in a battle with Fujitora. It was strongly suggested that Fujitora intentionally prolonged the confrontation, not exerting his full strength, in order to have a valid reason for not intervening in the clash between Luffy and Donquixote Doflamingo, as he claimed to be occupied with other matters.

Sabo still has a long journey ahead in order to match the strength of the most formidable figures in the One Piece universe. However, he is already quite formidable and has even more potential for growth.

Given the recent developments in the narrative, the ideal opportunity for Sabo to demonstrate his progress would be an eagerly anticipated clash between the Revolutionary Army and the Holy Knights of the World Government.

Keep up with One Piece manga, anime, and live-action as 2023 progresses.