Episode 737

"The Birth of the Legend - The Adventures of the Revolutionary Warrior Sabo!" is the 737th episode of the One Piece anime.

Short Summary
The Straw Hats, along with Law, Bellamy, Kin'emon and Kanjuro, retreat to Kyros's house to rest and recover. Sabo arrives soon after to see Luffy and reveals to those still awake that he is Luffy's brother. Sabo then reveals CP-0 is searching for the revolutionaries and they have to leave soon, advising the Straw Hats to also leave soon. He tells the crew of his past with Luffy and Ace and also what happened to him after he was presumed dead.

The Dressrosa palace has begun repair works and the Corrida Colosseum fighters rest there.

After Sabo tells the crew his story, Franky asks how he got back his memories, to which Sabo replies that Ace's death awakened his memory.

Long Summary
On a hill in Carta lies Kyros' house, where Kyros, the Straw Hats, Law, Kin'emon, Kanjuro, and Bellamy rest and recover from their injuries. Kyros explains why he lives here and offers the group anything they may need, and Kin'emon asks why Bellamy is with them, to which Law replies that Luffy knows him so he brought him along. Kyros, Usopp, and Law fall asleep from exhaustion, and the door of the house begins opening. Zoro tenses up at the intrusion, but the person entering turns out to be Sabo, who throws Zoro a drink. Robin happily greets him as Zoro asks how she knows him to which she introduces Sabo as Luffy's brother which surprises Franky and Zoro. Sabo approaches Luffy, and Robin goes to wake him up, but Sabo states that she does not need to do that. Franky asks if he is leaving soon, which Sabo affirms, revealing that CP-0 is heading for them. The Straw Hats prepare to leave soon as well, but wonder why Luffy never told them about having another brother. Sabo reveals that he was presumed deceased for a long time after getting into an accident.

Twelve years ago, in Goa Kingdom, a ten-year-old Sabo asked about the country's plan to set fire to Gray Terminal. However, he was shocked to receive callous remarks about a plan that would kill many people. Sabo ran to warn Ace and Luffy, but he ended up beaten and lying in an alleyway. He was approached by Monkey D. Dragon, and told the mysterious man about his contempt for the town and his status. Feeling trapped, Sabo decided to set out to sea, but encountered a ship much larger than his small vessel. The large ship contained the World Noble Jalmack, who shot Sabo's ship with a bazooka due to it crossing his path. Sabo desperately tried putting out the flames, but the second shot completely destroyed his ship, sending his tattered hat flying into the water.

Barely alive and with an injury around his left eye, Sabo sunk into the depths of the ocean, but was saved in the nick of time as Dragon grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the water. On a ship belonging to the Revolutionary Army, Emporio Ivankov and the revolutionaries grew anxious about when Dragon would return. Dragon then arrived with Sabo in his arms, and the ship's doctor was called. Sabo eventually woke up surrounded by revolutionaries. One of them asked if his name was Sabo due to it being written on his possessions, but Sabo had no memory of his name or anything at all. Another revolutionary decided that they should take him home and find his parents, but Sabo refused, having a bad feeling about his family despite not remembering them. Ivankov stated that they can't let him stay here, and Sabo replied that they could take him somewhere else. Dragon and Bartholomew Kuma then approached, and Ivankov asked Dragon what they should do.

In the present day, laborers work on rebuilding the palace as the Corrida Colosseum gladiators are taken to a room inside, with the worker promising them asylum from the Marines and a doctor. Boo wonders if there will be a banquet, but is told that it will be later. The gladiators prepare to go to sleep, especially Cavendish, but Bartolomeo knows what will happen if he goes to sleep. He tells people to bring him a chain, which he uses to wrap around Cavendish, telling the outraged gladiator that they will see a monster if they do not do this.

At Kyros' house, the Straw Hats ask Sabo if that was how he joined the Revolutionary Army, and Sabo replies that it was sort of like that. 12 years ago, Sabo trained on Baltigo with several children under Hack, but broke off from the exercise. Sabo told Hack that he was going to train himself before running off, and Hack told Ivankov that Sabo had a lot of fighting experience which his body still remembered. The days passed, with Sabo training and studying intensely. One day, Sabo fought Hack and succeeded in removing the fish-man's belt, causing his pants to fall down. He was then approached by Kuma, and was excited to fight him next, but was easily blown away. Meanwhile, Ace and Luffy sat on the coast Dawn Island, promising to get stronger and become pirates at age 17. Two years later, Sabo peeled potatoes with Koala, but was exasperated when they were given another box. He decided to break into the apples and eat them, but was reprimanded by Koala. Later, he fought Kuma once again, who sent him flying into a pile of boxes. However, Sabo discovered a pipe inside the wreckage, and he used it to vault off Kuma and attack Dragon. Dragon avoided Sabo's blow and knocked him out, but commended his fighting ability.

Seven years later, Ace set out to sea to become a pirate, and the Revolutionary Army is engaged in battle with a military fortress. Hack and Koala sat helpless in the trenches, wondering what the people sneaking in first were doing. Right then, Sabo called them, briefly stating that he would figure something out before hanging up. Sabo then appeared right in front of the entrance and ran toward it despite enemy fire. He hardened his arm with Busoshoku Haki and broke down the door, entering the fortress with ease. Sabo dispatched the enemy soldiers as the other revolutionaries freed the captured citizens and allies, and as he was surrounded, Sabo completely destroyed the fortress by using Ryusoken. At Baltigo, Sabo was commended for the victory, and a revolutionary talked about a rookie around Sabo's age who refused to join the Shichibukai. He began to say Ace's name, but Sabo completed it, stunning them. However, Sabo could not remember what he said. Three years later, Luffy headed out to sea and faced Lord of the Coast as a 20-year-old Sabo went to sea as well. In the present, the Straw Hats ask Sabo how he regained his memory, and Sabo grows tense as he reveals that Ace's death reawakened it.

Anime Notes

 * Although a large portion of the episode contains filler material, Eiichiro Oda worked with the anime studio on the episode's script.
 * The anime adds the following:
 * Kin'emon asking Law about Bellamy.
 * In the manga, Law first revealed that he took Bellamy with them when Bellamy asked him about it. In this episode, Law told Kin'emon when answering his question.
 * Sabo entering Kyros' house and Robin introducing him.
 * The anime revealed that when Dragon saved Sabo from sinking, Dragon was on the edge of the shore.
 * A flashback scene of Sabo, Koala, and Hack hiding from CP-0 while they were informing the Dressrosa citizens of the false news concerning Doflamingo.
 * More scenes of Sabo's past with the Revolutionary Army, such as his training and one of his missions.
 * Sometime before the Battle of Marineford, Ace's name was mentioned to Sabo when two revolutionaries were having a conversation with him and Sabo wondered about that name.
 * The anime shows that Bartolomeo is the one who put Cavendish in chains before he sleeps, but the manga never showed who chained Cavendish.
 * The anime reveals that during his combat training with Kuma, Sabo picked out his signature metal pipe from a pile of weapons.
 * A glimpse of Dragon's combat skills is first shown in this episode while the manga has yet to display Dragon's combat abilities.