After more than two decades, One Piece has cemented its position as the best anime and manga series of all time. Fans love the action and characters, but they also appreciate the deep and emotional storytelling. Every popular Shonen has its share of memorable moments, and One Piece has a lot of them because of its incredible length. Some of these moments stand out because they are funny or cool, but others are memorable because they shocked the audience.
Like most stories, it is always shocking when a characters dies, especially when it is unexpected. Like other series, One Piece has had several plot twists and reveals that fans did not see coming – whether it be someone's lineage, or someone coming back after they were presumed dead.
10 The Five Elders Bowing To Imu
According to One Piece's lore, the World Government is composed of 170 nations, and it has existed for over 800 years. It began when 20 of the world's strongest kingdoms came together at Mary Geoise, and the royal families of those kingdoms became the Celestial Dragons.
The Empty Throne is at the heart of Mary Geoise, and it is supposed to be empty to maintain peace and equality. The Five Elders are Celestial Dragons who were introduced early on, and they were considered to be the highest-ranking members of the World Government. During the Levely, the Elders all bow to Imu – the true supreme being who sits on the throne.
9 CP9's Betrayal
One of the biggest twists came during the Water 7 Arc, and it showed that the World Government commands more than just the Marines. When the Straw Hats arrived in Water 7, they met a bartender and several Galley-La employees who all seemed like decent and helpful people.
Some of these characters were in Water 7 for years, and they developed seemingly genuine relationships with Franky, Iceburg and Paulie. It turned out that they were actually CP9 agents – who serve the World Government as assassins.
8 Kanjuro's Betrayal
Kanjuro served the Kozuki family for years, and he was very close to Kin'emon and the other Nine Red Scabbards. He was fiercely loyal to Oden, to the point that he was willing to be boiled alive, and he helped to keep Momonosuke safe when they were sent into the future. During the Wano Arc however, it was revealed that he was actually a spy and traitor.
He was part of the Kurozumi clan, just like Orochi, who used Kanjuro's hatred to turn him into a spy. Fans were shocked when Kanjuro admitted that he had been feeding Orochi information for years, and that he actively tried to sabotage the Onigashima Raid.
7 Teach Steals The Tremor-Tremor Fruit
As the Summit War was coming to an end, Marshall D. Teach snuck into Marineford with his crew and resigned from the Seven Warlords. He quickly set his sights on Whitebeard, and when he was overwhelmed, Teach ordered his crew to take the legendary pirate down.
Whitebeard died as a result, and before anyone could process it, the Blackbeard Pirates covered his body with a black cloth. Teach joined him underneath the cloth, and when he emerged, he possessed Whitebeard's Tremor-Tremor Fruit. Up until that point, no one knew that Devil Fruit powers could be stolen, or that someone could hold two Devil Fruit powers at the same time.
6 Oden's Death
Kozuki Oden was a confident and carefree individual who was meant to lead Wano, and he is one of One Piece's strongest swordsmen. When he returned to Wano, he was forced to publicly humiliate himself for years in order to save Wano's citizens from Kaido.
Oden did what he was told, but he was executed anyway. He was supposed to be boiled alive, and the Nine Red Scabbards were meant to die with him, but he was able to survive the heat for over an hour. He ended up saving the Scabbards, and the citizens who were present cried and begged for him to be spared, but he died with a smile on his face after being shot by Kaido.
5 The World Government Revealed Who Ace's Father
The war between the Marines and Whitebeard Pirates occurred because the Marines planned to execute Portgas D. Ace. They also chose to broadcast the execution for the world to see. Ace was the commander of Whitebeard's 2nd division, and the legendary pirate saw him as a son.
After Ace was brought to the execution platform, Fleet Admiral Sengoku asked him to tell the world who his father was. When Ace gave Whitebeard's name, Sengoku revealed Ace's true lineage. In doing so, fans learned that Ace was actually the son of Gol D. Roger – the former Pirate King.
4 Doflamingo And His Family Were Crucified
Many One Piece fans still consider Doflamingo to be the series' best villain, which is understandable given his backstory and actions. His family were World Nobles, but they became commoners when his father decided that they should leave Mary Geoise. Regular people hate the World Nobles because most of them are vile individuals who think they are gods.
When the commoners learned that they were World Nobles, they attacked their home and forced Doflamingo and his family into hiding. They were eventually found again, and they were severely beaten and crucified on a burning building. Doflamingo may be a terrible person, but it was still shocking to see a child being treated this way.
3 Sabo Is Alive
One Piece fans learned early on that Luffy and Ace were adopted brothers, but it is later revealed that they had another brother named Sabo. He was actually the first of the three to set out on an adventure, but his ship was destroyed by a World Noble and everyone who knew him believed he was dead.
While the Straw Hats were in Dressrosa to secure Ace's Devil Fruit, fans learned that Sabo was alive when he approached Luffy in the coliseum. This was a fun and unexpected surprise, and Luffy's reaction was incredibly touching.
2 Ace's Death
When Luffy heard that Ace had been arrested, he broke into Impel Down to save him. When he learned that Ace had already been taken to Marineford, he headed straight for the Marine base. Luffy needed to get passed hundreds of Marines, his grandfather, and the Admirals, but he was able to set Ace free.
As they were escaping, Admiral Akainu pursued them, and he and Ace clashed. While Luffy was distracted, Akainu attempted to kill him, but Ace took the hit to save Luffy. Akainu punched a hole through Ace's chest, and he died in Luffy's arms. After everything Luffy did to save Ace, no one expected him to die.
1 Shanks Meets With The Five Elders
As a Yonko, Shanks is one of the strongest characters in One Piece, and he is the man who inspired Luffy to become a pirate. He literally walked into Marineford and ended the Summit War by threatening to get involved if people still wanted to fight.
Shanks is a respected and feared pirate, so no one expected him to have any sort of connection to the World Government. During the Levely though, Shanks entered Mary Geoise to have a meeting with the Five Elders about a certain pirate. Instead of having him arrested or executed, the Elders treated him like an equal.