Chapter 551

Chapter 551 is called "Yonkou Whitebeard".

Coverstory Summary
Usopp ends his chapter by turning really fat after eating large amounts of food.

Sabody Archipelago
Everyone in the world is shocked at the new revelation of Ace being the former Pirate King's son. Reporters scramble to get in contact with their office, while one simply drops his notebook and is shocked at the prospect that Gol D. Roger's bloodline had continued.

Marineford
All Marines are dumbfounded at the new information. Smoker appears to be shocked, Mihawk worried and Hancock ponders the fact that Luffy and Ace weren't really brothers. Ace keeps his head down while the three Admirals have no expression. Moria claims that Ace was lucky as everyone associated with Roger had been prosecuted and that it was a miracle that he was able to leave behind a son, while Doflamingo just laughs. Coby and Helmeppo quitely whisper about Ace and Luffy and the two's fathers. Garp just looks out and enters a flashback.

Garp's Flashback
In a jail cell, Gol D. Roger tells a younger version of Garp that he was about to have a child and that he wouldn't be able to live long enough to see him. Garp demands to know why Roger was telling him, as he was a Marine and that any woman associated with the Pirate King would get capital punishment. Roger nods and states that was the reason why he was telling him. He also states that Ace's mother would be killed but asks Garp to protect the unborn child. He tells Garp to protect him, with a smile, resembling Luffy. Garp says that Roger doesn't tell him what to do and says that he would protect him.

On the island of Baterilla, Marines scour the island, looking for any pregnant women. One orders to kill any suspicious, stating that Roger's age was over and that his bloodline was to come to an end. Rouge is seen walking away from the Marines. Later, Garp is seen present in a room with Rouge on a bed, holding a baby. She states that if the baby was a girl, it would be named Anne, while if it turned out to be male, Ace. So the baby was named Gol D. Ace. Garp looks on worried as doctors try to revive Rouge.

Garp is seen taking a younger Luffy into a forest where he states that this was his new home. Waiting for him is a younger version of Ace.

More recently, in Impel Down, Garp remembers what Ace had said, saying that he had owed his mother a great debt while he didn't care of his other blood/heritage, that Whitebeard was his only father.

Marineford
Sengoku states that two years ago, Ace had taken up "Portgas D" as his surname and conquered the sea with amazing strength and speed as the captain of the Spade Pirates. Sengoku then reveals that that was when they noticed that Roger's bloodline had not ended. He goes on to say that Whitebeard had noticed the same fact as well and states that Whitebeard had taken Ace on to make the young commander the next Pirate King. Ace shouts, stating that his goal was to make Whitebeard the Pirate King, not himself. Sengoku claims that was just a delusion and that the Marines had been careless earlier on. Sengoku states that if they had just left Ace alone, Ace would be standing the summit of a new Pirate Age and that his execution held a greater meaning. A Marine runs up, reporting that the Gates of Justice had been opened and they could not get in contact with the power room.

Tarai Current, Gates of Justice
Jinbei and Luffy look up in amazement as the Gates of Justice open up by themselves. Buggy is then seen standing in front of the Gates with his hands streched, closing his eyes. The prisoners mistake this for the "next Messiah" and all begin to worship Buggy. Mr. 3 shouts at them for being crazy.

Marineford
Another Marine reports that the enemy had arrived, which shocks Sengoku as they had arrived so fast. The ships are then revealed to be a gigantic fleet of Pirate ships, all showing different symbols/flags. The Marines confirm some Pirate captains such as "Bohemian Knight" Doma, "Thunder Lord" Makugai, the Decalvan Brothers, the "Great Whirlpool Spider" Squardo: all pirates and their captains achieving infamy in the New World. The fleet comes to a total of 43, all allies of Whitebeard, here to save Ace. Ace looks on, surprised that they had all come. Doflamingo shouts, calling Whitebeard forth as he was getting extremely excited. Suddenly, the Admirals pick up something. Sengoku ponders a possible location, while Tsuru muses that they had chosen a bad formation and Garp states that Whitebeard had chosen quite a location. A shadow is seen in the water and it is soon revealed that Whitebeard had coated his ships and gone underwater. Soon the Moby Dick surfaces along with three other ships. Marines confirm that all commanders of Whitebeard's pirates were present, while Whitebeard himself walks on the whale masthead of his ship, happy that his son Ace was not harmed.

Chapter Notes

 * Portgas D. Rouge is seen as a full person.
 * Rouge gives Ace his name, and states that it was the name that 'he' picked for this child, presumably Roger.
 * It is revealed that because Ace was Roger's son, Whitebeard intentionally wanted to make him 'Pirate King' instead of himself, which is why he took Ace into his crew.
 * It is revealed that the Whitebeard Pirates have 14 commanders (There are actually 16, but Thatch is deceased and Ace is incapacitated).

Characters
1 : First introduction

3 : First apparition

Anime episode
Cover page: Episode 455

p2 : Episode 459