Sabaody Archipelago

The Sabaody Archipelago is the final island in Paradise, close to the Red Line. Though it is called an archipelago, it is actually a massive mangrove forest growing out from the middle of the ocean with each tree of the forest serving as an “island” on which people live. Since it is just a group of trees and not an island like those found in the Grand Line, it has no magnetic pull for which to affect a Log Pose. This place is notable for being the last island in Paradise visited by the Straw Hat Pirates as a whole before they got separated by Bartholomew Kuma. Two years after the Celestial Dragon Hit-and-Run Incident, the Straw Hats regrouped here once more before departing for the New World. It is the main setting of the Sabaody Archipelago Arc and Return to Sabaody Arc. The Sabaody Archipelago is the final island in Paradise, close to the Red Line. Though it is called an archipelago, it is actually a massive mangrove forest growing out from the middle of the ocean with each tree of the forest serving as an “island” on which people live. Since it is just a group of trees and not an island like those found in the Grand Line, it has no magnetic pull for which to affect a Log Pose. This place is notable for being the last island in Paradise visited by the Straw Hat Pirates as a whole before they got separated by Bartholomew Kuma. Two years after the Celestial Dragon Hit-and-Run Incident, the Straw Hats regrouped here once more before departing for the New World. It is the main setting of the Sabaody Archipelago Arc and Return to Sabaody Arc.

The Sabaody Archipelago is, in actuality, a massive mangrove forest in the middle of the ocean made up of 79 separate trees known as Yarukiman Mangrove. The Yarukiman Mangrove trees are the largest mangroves in the world and are strong enough to grow from the bottom of the ocean to the top. Each tree is called a grove and serves as an island for which people live on. People can get from one grove to another via the various bridges built connecting around the many tree roots. The seventy-nine trees are divided into several different areas, with each one dependent on the number of the area. The location of the mangrove forest is crucial in the travels through the Grand Line due to its approximation to the only two crossing points on this side of the world. Although there are several paths that traverse the equatorial ocean, the only two points that cross to the other side (Mary Geoise and Fish-Man Island) are on exactly the same place, with one at the top of the Red Line and the other in a massive tunnel under the Red Line in the depths of the ocean. Because this is the only point where one can cross into the New World, the location of the Sabaody Archipelago makes it ideal for anyone who needs to prepare to cross this section of the ocean by either means. Thus, everyone from the high-ranked nobles to the traversing pirates use the Sabaody Archipelago as a rest and preparation point as they look back on their previous journeys and prepare to enter the New World.

Notable Locations

Marine Base

The Sabaody Marine base is a Marine base located on GR 66 of the Sabaody Archipelago and is responsible for its security. When the Straw Hat Pirates first arrived here, the Marine Base’s influence started at GR 30 and ended up at GR 79, letting GR 1 to 29 be a lawless area where pirates and bounty hunters ruled. After the Marine Headquarters’ base was moved to the New World, the Marine Base’s influence weakened and the Archipelago became less safe and more difficult to protect.

Crisis At The Sabaody Archipelago

During the preparation for the Summit War of Marineford, the Sabaody Archipelago Marine Base had to protect the Archipelago completely on its own. When it learned that Silvers Rayleigh was going to be sold as a slave, it surrounded the Human Auctioning House with all its troops. After Monkey D. Luffy punched Saint Charlos and the Straw Hat Pirates attacked the Auction House, the Marine Base was ordered to prevent them, the Heart Pirates and the Kid Pirates to escape until Admiral Kizaru came with some Pacifistas. The Marine Base failed as it was completely defeated by the three pirate crews who managed to escape. After the Summit War of Marineford, a large tsunami was sent towards Sabaody Archipelago by Blackbeard’s newfound earthquake powers. A tsunami warning was made and caused huge panic on the island.

Two Years Later

When the Sabaody Marine Base learned that the Fake Straw Hat Crew were recruiting new members, it sent marines to GR 46 to confirm that they had come back to the Archipelago. After the investigating team “recognized” the Fake Pirates, the Marine Base decided to evacuate the neighbor groves and to send its troops to prepare for battle. The captain of the Science Unit, Sentomaru, told a Marine officer that he was going to GR 46 on ahead, with PX-5 and PX-7, explaining that the Marine Base was underestimating the Straw Hat Pirates. The Marines sent six platoons to capture the Straw Hats. However, due to various interruptions, they were stalled and were unable to catch them. The reasons were: A marine ship also attempted to stop the Straw Hats from leaving but were stopped by Hancock, who makes up an excuse for herself by saying that the marine ship was in her pathway. In the anime, the giant bird that Chopper came in on also tore down the sails of the ship.

Due to the proximity of the archipelago to the holy land of Mary Geoise, World Nobles are sometimes seen going around the place. While they provide the mangrove wealth and prosperity, their views on commoners make life horrible for both the inhabitants and visitors alike. Since they see commoners as completely below them, World Nobles generally expect absolute obedience shown. Anyone that crosses their path is expected to bow and give way for them. World Nobles also do what they like around town without question, whether it be taking civilians against their will or shooting them on sight.

Anyone who does not coincide with what they do is punished severely. Because of how World Nobles view commoners as nothing more than objects that they can freely do whatever they want with, this supports and legalizes a booming slave trading industry that caters to their desires, a practice that is normally banned in the rest of the world. As a result, the mangrove is home to many kidnapping gangs and bounty hunters who do business with the trade. These various slave traders would thus capture anyone who presents a fine prize and sells them for the highest bidder to do whatever they desire. Once sold off to a World Noble, or anybody just as rich enough to afford a slave, these slaves, from ordinary people to even the fiercest of pirates, are treated like trash after capture.

While people from all sorts of trade suffer from Sabaody’s slave industry, the ones that suffer the most are Fish-Men and Merfolk. This stems from the fact that Sabaody still holds onto the old notion that these races are classified as just another type of fish. This notion was abolished two hundred years before the current storyline when the World Government allied with Fish-Man Island. Sabaody however still practices this horrid fact along with slavery. As a result, since Fish-Men and Merfolk are seen as nothing more as fish, they are captured regardless if they are criminals or not. Most of them are thus forced to stay away from the mangrove. This is such a horrible thing especially as the childhood dream of most of them can only be found in the mangrove, this being to ride the large bubble ferris wheel in Sabaody Park. Those that dare to venture into the mangrove to do business, fulfill their childhood dream, or otherwise, must wear disguises and pretend to be human to avoid being captured.

Pirate Activity In Sabaody

Being the last stop before going to the New World, pirates land on Sabaody to prepare for the dangers that lay ahead. Pirates must stop here if they wish to have their ship coated so that they may proceed to Fish-Man Island. However, they cannot do things as freely as they did before reaching the mangrove, due to the mangrove being practically next door to both Mary Geoise and Marineford. Pirates are in the most dangerous possible place to be in when in Sabaody because of this. Aside from the multitude of strong bounty hunters and kidnapping gangs native to the mangrove, they have to be aware that they may be attacked at any moment by either Marines or by the World Government itself. In fact, because of the proximity to the World Government and its forces, notorious pirates do not even get to roam freely on Sabaody as they are captured by the Marine forces that are normally stationed in the mangrove unless these forces are attending something else. With the various dangers before them in Sabaody, pirates must, therefore, restrain themselves else they attract unwanted attention onto themselves. They cannot pillage or even have fights amongst themselves. Above else, they shouldn’t attack any of the World Nobles that frequent the mangrove. Should they attack a World Noble for whatever reason, a large number of Marines led by a Marine admiral is dispatched to eliminate any and every pirate within the mangrove. This fact did not, however, keep Luffy from punching one in the face after Hachi was shot by him. After the base of Marine Headquarters has been relocated to G-1 in the New World due to the decision of Fleet Admiral Sakazuki, Sabaody Archipelago has become more lawless with pirates being able to act more freely than before.