Jaguar D. Saul


 * The subject of this article is sometimes known by various other spellings of his name.

Vice Admiral Jaguar D. Saul (ハグワール･D･サウロ中将 Haguwāru D Sauro Chūjō) is a former Marine Vice Admiral introduced in Nico Robin's flashback during the Enies Lobby arc.

Appearance
As a giant, Saul is many times larger than a human. He has long, orange hair and a heavy beard that seems to connect around his entire face.

During his time as a Vice Admiral, Saul wore a Marine coat like all other higher-ranking Marines. However, after his defection, he discarded it. When he crash-landed on Ohara, his black shirt and gray jeans were a little tattered. Also, while as a Marine, he still wore the Marine cap, but upon his defection he exchanged it for a cowboy's hat.

Personality
Saul is a big friendly giant who is somewhat shy and timid. While he was loyal to the Marines, he questioned his orders at least twice. This shows that he followed 'Moral Justice' over their code of 'Absolute Justice'. In the end, it was this moral judgement that led him to betraying them. Saul could not see why the Marines would need to slaughter an entire ship of mere Archaeologists, who had no fighting chance against them. He also later justifies his choice of defending Robin after seeing a fellow Vice-admiral destroy an entire ship of innocent citizens, who held no related crimes to the incident at hand.

Saul is also characterized as having a unique, but awkward laugh ("Dereshishishishi") that he finds somewhat embarrassing. He enjoys seeing others laughing and having fun. He encouraged Robin to laugh. Like other D's before him, he was seen laughing before apparent death. He might be alive, because there was plenty of time for Aokiji to free him.

Nico Robin
He was one of the three people who influenced Nico Robin. He encouraged Robin to laugh, even if it hurts. This explains why she smiles at times of trouble. Saul's relationship with Robin explains how Robin knows about the Will of D. She even asked Luffy that why those who have the Will of D fight. Luffy had no idea what she was talking about.

Kuzan
Saul and Vice Admiral Kuzan (later known as Admiral Aokiji) also had a good friendship. They also shared the same sight on Moral Justice. The reason Kuzan allowed Robin to live was mostly a final favor to Saul.

Abilities and Powers
As a former Marine Vice Admiral, Saul had command over lower-ranking subordinates, as well as lead a Buster Call ship. His defection has cost him this power.

Because he was a Giant, he had almost unbeatable strength. In fact, his physical strength is even greater than that of most Giants. He could even lift a Buster Call ship up out of the water to slam it back down and destroy it (A Buster Call ship's size is several times the size of a Giant at the time. In a way, a Buster Ship is seen as a giant to normal ships).

He has experienced the Grand Line and had seen Devil Fruit users. He even states he was somewhat jealous of their incredible abilities.

Past
Saul is a giant, but not a Elbaf giant, being born elsewhere other then Elbaf. At some point in his life, he became a Marine and eventually made it to Vice Admiral. Before the storyline, Saul had experienced travel in the Grand Line, though nothing was said of his adventures other than the fact that he met many Devil Fruit users.

Ohara Incident
While on duty, Saul's vessel encountered a wanted ship run by the Archaeologists of Ohara, who left West Blue to locate and decipher the mysterious Poneglyphs that bear an ancient, forgotten history that was forbidden to be studied. Despite ordering his men to take the archaeologists alive, Saul's crew slaughtered all but one; Nico Olvia, the mother of future Straw Hat crewmember Nico Robin.

After her capture, Saul was informed by Sengoku that he would be one of the five chosen Vice Admirals to lead a Buster Call against the Ohara for its crimes of deciphering the Poneglyphs. Rejecting the study of history as a justification for the order, Saul, would begin to doubt the Naval doctrine of "Absolute Justice". After interrogating Olvia, Saul grew disgusted with the military's brutal intentions and defected against the World Government by releasing her.

Shortly thereafter, he was shipwrecked in a storm, then sent adrift in the ocean until fatefully landing on Ohara itself. There, he met and, at first unknowingly, befriended Nico Robin and was reunited with Nico Olvia. After promising Olvia to ensure Robin's safety, Saul was confronted by Vice Admiral Kuzan (Aokiji) as Saul was destroying the Buster Call ships. As he was being frozen, Saul smiled and laughed, cryptically echoing the way Gol D. Roger was executed two years prior.

Listen up Robin. Even though you're alone now, someday, surely you're gonna meet your nakama. The ocean is vast. Someday, surely, your nakama will appear to protect you - Saul's words to Robin

Major Battles

 * Jaguar D. Saul vs Buster Call Ships
 * Jaguar D. Saul vs Vice Admiral Kuzan (Aokiji)

Trivia

 * Saul is the fifth character in the series to possess a "D" as his middle initial, and was the first to explain that the "D" is in fact a family or clan-name.
 * Saul, like many characters, has a unique laugh ("Dereshishishishi!"). Saul is the first character to have their unique laugh pointed out by another character.
 * Saul is the second Giant to be a Marine, the first is John Giant, they are both Vice Admirals too. However, the Marines seemed to have plenty of unnamed Giants as high-ranking officers, even as Vice Admirals.
 * Saul is the first Marine to be revealed as a bearer of the initial D.. The second was Monkey D. Garp. Both of them are also Vice Admirals.
 * Saul is the only non-human bearer of the initial D known.
 * Saul is the second former Marine introduced in the series (Bellemere being the first)
 * Saul is the only known Vice Admiral to defect against the World Government out of morality.
 * He is the second known character with the initial D. to be seen dying, the first being Gol D. Roger.

Related Articles

 * Nico Robin
 * Giants
 * The Will of D
 * Marines