How old is Ace as a kid?
As an avid One Piece gamer and content creator, I get this question a lot from fans eager to learn more about Ace‘s early years. So let‘s dive into the details!
According to the One Piece wiki andChapter 552, Ace was 17 years old when he first set sail as a pirate captain to start his own adventure. Prior to that, throughout his childhood and early adolescent years spent on Dawn Island, Ace would have been less than 17 years old.
So when we talk about kid Ace or Child Ace, we‘re referring to him before he turned 17 and embarked on his pirate journey.
Ace‘s Tragic Backstory as A Kid
Ace‘s childhood was filled with hardship and trauma. As the son of the Pirate King Gol D. Roger, his very existence was considered a sin by the World Government. His mother Portgas D. Rouge heroically carried him in her womb for 20 months after Roger‘s execution to protect the unborn Ace from being hunted down.
After giving birth, Rouge tragically passed away leaving Ace an orphan. He was taken in by Roger‘s old rival Vice Admiral Garp who left him in the care of the mountain bandits led by Curly Dadan. Though taken care of physically, Ace faced much emotional trauma over his father‘s cursed legacy and the guilt of being alive.
As a player who mains Sabo, experiencing Ace‘s painful backstory first-hand during Tales of Dawn Island DLC made me truly empathize with his inner turmoil and seething anger issues as just a small helpless kid. The expert storywriting by Oda-sensei easily made this one of the most emotional and impactful origin quests ever!
According to Chapter 558, a chance meeting with Luffy helped give a purpose to Ace‘s childhood. Despite initially hating the weak crybaby, Ace grew fond of Luffy after seeing his crazy tenacity. Together with the runaway noble Sabo, they became sworn brothers – giving Ace his first true sense of belonging.
The Formative Years of the ASL Trio
As half of the legendary ASL brother trio, Ace‘s formative years were filled with youthful innocence and poignant moments of bonding. We see scenes of them laughing over silly jokes, hunting alligators in the forest, speaking about dreams of freedom, and exchanging sake cups to become official brothers.
This gives crucial insight into Ace‘s core motivations. As he endured the stigma of being a demon child, Luffy and Sabo gave him warmth and acceptance he craved. Its hinted Ace developed his aggressive, self-reliant personality to prevent losing any more loved ones after Sabo‘s apparent death. He also aspired to become a mighty pirate to make the brothers who accepted him proud.
| Age | Key Life Events |
|---|---|
| 0-2 years | Born to Portgas D. Rouge and Gol D. Roger; Carried in mother‘s womb for 20 months after Roger‘s execution |
| 2-10 years | Taken in by Garp and left under Curly Dadan‘s care; Meets Luffy and eventually Sabo; Has adventures and bonds over dreams of freedom |
| 10-17 years | Trains to become a powerful fighter; Deals with trauma of losing Sabo; Develops aggressive personality |
As shown in this growth timeline, Ace spent his entire childhood of under 17 years being shaped by loss, guilt, freedom, brotherhood and an iron will to prove himself. This makes re-experiencing his youthful backstory incredibly poignant!
The Road to Becoming Fire Fist Ace
At 17 years old, Ace finally sets sail on his own to become a notorious pirate as promised to Sabo and Luffy. This marks the end of his childhood. For the next 3 years he makes a name for himself in the pirating world before joining the Whitebeard Pirates.
The Spade Pirates
Ace formed the fierce Spade Pirates and quickly dominated the seas amassing a bounty of 550 million berries in under 2 years! As per Chapter 159, Ace had the letters "ASCE" tattooed on his arm representing each of the sworn brothers and the Whitebeard emblem. This hints at Ace‘s inner yearning for kinship despite his outward going lone wolf personality.
I‘ll never forget the sheer epicness of encountering Ace‘s iconic flame abilities for the first time in Battle Royale mode! Seeing Ace pull off fiery attacks like Hiken and Dai Enkai in cinematic graphics made him my most played character ever!
Within another year, Ace joins the Whitebeard Pirates despite initial hostility – finding acceptance as a member of Whitebeard‘s family.
This allowed the once emotionally vulnerable kid to find a place he truly belonged. As 2nd division commander, Ace rose to legendary status renowned as Fire Fist Ace with an upgraded bounty of 550 million berries!
Growth From A Vulnerable Kid to an Infamous Pirate
Analyzing Ace‘s journey shows a incredible growth trajectory from a helpless orphaned child to one of the most powerful pirates in the world. His childhood trauma fueled Ace‘s determination to prove himself and survive alone.
The Spade Pirates era shows Ace embracing freedom and slowly unlearning toxic behaviors rooted in grief. Under Whitebeard‘s wing, the once volatile teenager finds positive connections again. Tragically, Ace‘s rekindled tenderness for his found family leads him to sacrifice himself to protect Luffy – demonstrating how deep bonds shaped his character.
As the bounty chart shows, Ace‘s reputation and power scale exponentially within a few years thanks to both his Conquerors Haki and Devil Fruit mastery.
What If Fire Fist Ace Had Lived?
While it still hurts to replay Ace‘s death scene, I often wonder how powerful Ace could have become had he lived on?
As someone who struggled so much as a kid, Ace possessed tremendous tenacity and potential. Given his meteoric growth by age 20, its likely Ace could have continued rising faster than Luffy himself! Perhaps one day taking on Shanks or even acquiring the One Piece isn‘t impossible either.
We also missed out on more backstory, like how Ace awakened his Devil Fruit or using Conquerors Haki! Not to mention all the incredible battles a veteran Ace could have fought in the New World alongside Luffy. I‘d easily argue Ace might well give the Admirals themselves a run for their money eventually!
Ultimately Ace‘s story will forever remain unfinished leaving us to just speculate and admire his undying willpower inherited from childhood. Replaying his youthful days is still a cherished memory for this gamer at least. So rest easy fire boy, you burned bright despite the odds and found some peace thanks to us fans keeping your legacy alive!
