Summary:
Luffy finally appears along with his alliance formed from the escaped prisoners of Impel Down. As they looked at the scaffolding where Ace was, Crocodile went to attack Whitebeard as soon as he had the chance, but Luffy caught up with his plan and captured Crocodile with Gear Second and his body soaked. Crocodile then realizes that Luffy already knew his weakness, so he had no choice but to give up.
For the first time, Luffy comes face to face with the strongest man in the world. Whitebeard showed interest in the boy and then asked Luffy if he knew what he was up against. Luffy stood up and refused to be told what to do, acting rude and rivaling Whitebeard, even though he told the old man that he would be the next Pirate King. Everyone was shocked by Luffy’s action towards Whitebeard, but later the two agreed not to get in each other’s way and do as they please.
Luffy along the Impel Down refugees fall from the sky and a flashback starts. It shows how they were pushed by Whitebeard’s sea, which then turned into a tsunami, quickly scaring Buggy and the other pirates. Crocodile quickly sets them straight by claiming that they can use the tsunami to their advantage and ride the wave. Aokiji then freezes it and they see that the battle has begun. Luffy suggests they unstick the ship so they can slide through the frozen wave, but just before they can do anything, Den Den Mushi on the ship tells them (as a message to the marines) that they should be set up so he can execute Ace ahead of time, which shocks everyone.
They break the ice, but to their surprise, they do it the wrong way and fall. To their great luck, they land on the exact spot where Jozu raised his iceberg. However, this proves bad news for the Devil Fruit users that Jinbe has to save. Luffy then wakes up on a destroyed ship only to watch the battlefield still raging and tries to find Ace but can’t find him anywhere. He looks everywhere and easily cuts through any marines that attack him. Eventually, Luffy finds Ace and shouts his name, to which Ace shouts back, making Luffy happy. Luffy and the company he brings shocks everyone, and Sengoku soon accuses Garp, who is equally shocked.
Reactions are mixed as Dracule Mihawk comments on how Luffy always brings him trouble, while Gecko Moria is outraged by Luffy’s arrival. Boa Hancock is happy that Luffy is alive. Donquijote Doflamingo is happy that the former and current Shichibukai are present.” while also amused that Luffy is there. Admiral Aokiji comments on the group that Luffy is bringing and Admiral Kizaru says that he never thought to see Luffy. Smoker wonders why Luffy and Crocodile are together. Marco recognizes the “brother” Ace told him about. Akainu finally sees the “son of the revolutionary dragon” and the “grandson of Garp” decides that Luffy must be removed. A shocked Sengoku asks Jinbe if it is his will to fight the marines, to which he replies that he is and that “the Shichibukai are withdrawing.” Garp soon notes that the refugees have no “common goal”.
This is soon proven correct as the Crocodile quickly attacks Whitebeard upon seeing him. The crocodile is then fought off by Luffy in Gear Second. Crocodile, wary of seeing Luffy soaked in water to counter his powers, tells him that their deal is done and asks “why is he protecting Whitebeard” to which Luffy replies “he’ll make Ace happy Crocodile is instantly detained. some Whitebeard Pirates. Whitebeard soon recognizes the straw hat as the one Shanks once wore and remembers the previous talk about him losing his left arm. Whitebeard asks if it was Shanks’ straw hat, to which Luffy says yes. Whitebeard then asks Luffy if he would come save Ace, which Luffy confirms. Whitebeard angrily shouts that he will die if he tries, shocking everyone. Luffy quickly and fearlessly replies that “it’s not up to him to decide,” and that he “will become the next Pirate King.”
Such a response leaves everyone very stunned as the battle briefly stops. Whitebeard soon compliments how “cheeky he is” and that he won’t forgive him when he “gets in his way.” Luffy replies that he will “do what he pleases and save Ace.” Kizaru soon asks Sengoku if he can execute them all, to which Sengoku agrees.
Donquijote Doflamingo mentions at some point in this episode that all the Shichibukai, current and former, are in Marineford. This is wrong because Blackbeard was still on Impel Down at this point.