Marco the Phoenix And Fire Fist Ace

Marco the Phoenix[6][11] is the former 1st division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates.[2] Once starting out as an apprentice on the crew,[4] he eventually came to be Whitebeard's closest confidant and right-hand man.[12] After his captain's death during the Summit War of Marineford, Marco assumed leadership of the Whitebeard Pirates until the crew's disbandment following the Payback War.[13]

In the year since the disbandment, Marco worked as a doctor in Whitebeard's home village on Sphinx;[3] following the Raid on Onigashima during which Marco acted as a major ally to the Ninja-Pirate-Mink-Samurai Alliance, Marco permanently retired from piracy, returning to his duties as a doctor on Sphinx.[14]Initially in the anime, Marco was given a generic crew member look of a black-haired man with pale skin and different clothes.[1] When he later became more formally recognized in the story, his appearance was changed to what is depicted in the manga, along with his light purple jacket, his black pants and his dark red tattoo.[16] Later, starting with Opening 13 "One Day", he was given another color scheme. Once again, his jacket was recolored in a much brighter purple, his pants were made dark blue, his tattoo blue and his skin a little brighter.

Marco was a member of the Whitebeard Pirates twenty-two years ago as well. Even at the age of 23, his appearance, for the most part, resembles his present self.[17]

As a kid, Marco's signature tuft of hair was curlier. He sported a vertically striped shirt, with black pants, and no shoes. As a teenager, his appearance was not much different.[4]

After the timeskip, while working as a doctor on Whitebeard's home island, Marco wears a light button-up shirt as well as a pair of eyeglasses. He also has more facial hair.[3] During the raid on Onigashima, Marco wears his initial attire and retains his eyeglasses.[Marco ate the Tori Tori no Mi, Model: Phoenix,[5] a Mythical Zoan-type Devil Fruit that allows him to transform into a phoenix and a human-phoenix hybrid at will. He has a very well-developed mastery over his transformation, allowing him to alter select parts of his body as he needs to. This power is the source of his nickname "Marco the Phoenix".[28]

As a Zoan, Marco enjoys a great boost to his physical abilities, gaining strength enough to restrain two extremely powerful Ancient Zoan users at once.[33] Furthermore, as a bird-type Zoan, Marco gains wings that allow him to fly in both his hybrid form and full phoenix form,[28] as well as taloned bird legs that he can use to perform powerful kicks or slash enemies with.[29][30][18][35]

Marco can freely create his "Blue Flames of Resurrection" from any part of his body, even without actually transforming, and they always cover him while transformed.[43] These phoenix flames are stronger than normal fire[38] and possess tremendous healing properties; while shrouded in the flames, Marco can rapidly self-regenerate from nearly any physical damage he receives, like a phoenix being reborn. It is noted, or at least implied, that no matter what injury he is dealt, he can recover by flame (even injures that he suffered while his powers are nullified).[5][28][40][41] Such immense power of recovery allows Marco to ward off extremely potent attacks with little issue, like Kizaru's volley of light bullets[28] or even Akainu's magma punch.[31]

Marco can also share his healing flames with others, allowing him to mend them as well, even multiple individuals at once. However, his flames are less effective on anyone other than himself.[22][44]Portgas D. Ace,[10] born as Gol D. Ace[5] and nicknamed "Fire Fist" Ace,[4] was the biological son of the late Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, and Portgas D. Rouge,[11] as well as the sworn older brother of Luffy[6] and Sabo.[12] Ace was adopted by Monkey D. Garp, as had been requested by Roger before his execution.[13] Ace was captain of the Spade Pirates[3] before being recruited into the Whitebeard Pirates and becoming its 2nd division commander.[2] He ate the Mera Mera no Mi, giving him the power to transform into and manipulate flames.

After Blackbeard, a member of his division, committed the unforgivable crime of murdering a crewmate and fleeing, Ace went on a quest to hunt him down. When Ace finally found Blackbeard, though, a heated duel resulted in Ace's defeat, allowing Blackbeard to turn him in to the World Government. Worried about his lineage and wanting to make an example, the Marines sentenced Ace to death, which resulted in the Summit War of Marineford, an all-out clash of powers between Whitebeard's forces and the combined might of the Marines and the Seven Warlords. Ace was freed,[14] but before he could escape Marineford, he sacrificed his life to protect Luffy from Admiral Akainu.[15]

Ace's death ultimately proved to be the catalyst leading to Luffy training for two years to become strong enough to protect his friends, paving the way for the second half of the series. His reincarnated Devil Fruit would eventually be consumed by his sworn brother, Sabo, ensuring that his will would live on.

Ace was first shown during the Drum Island Arc, but only got formally introduced in the Arabasta Arc, where he acts as a brief ally of the Straw Hat Pirates. He is a central figure during the whole Summit War Saga. He is also the protagonist of Ace's Great Blackbeard Search Cover Page Serial.Ace was a tall muscular young man with curly black hair. Although they were not blood related, Ace looked remarkably like his foster brother, Luffy. However, Ace was more serious looking than Luffy's lighthearted design, and was also taller and more muscular. He also sported rather childish freckles (inherited from his mother) and tended to make a skeptical facial expression by raising his left eyebrow. Interestingly, his facial features were almost akin to his biological father Gol D. Roger in his youth without his mustache.Ace ate the Mera Mera no Mi, a Logia-type Devil Fruit that allowed him to create, control, and transform his body into fire. Ace primarily used his flames for a wide variety of offenses. He could shoot fire bullets and spears, release powerful fire cannons, unleash massive waves of fire, and create fire balls, both a single large one for large-scale destruction and multiple small ones that could explode. His signature attack was transforming his fist into fire and sending it forward as it greatly increased in size, earning him the name "Fire Fist Ace".[52]

His flames could also be used defensively, he could create a massive wall of flames to block his opponents, and the heat of his flames could deter his opponents from attacking him for fear of getting burned. He was also able to stop powerful ice attacks from Aokiji, a Marine Admiral.

Ace also had practical uses for his Devil Fruit powers; he would heat up any fish he would find in the seas for his crew when they had no food to eat and he was able to traverse the seas in a one-man boat that was specifically designed for him and propelled with flames from his feet.