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![Ace](https://i.stack.imgur.com/c84Nfl.png)

Why does Ace's right arm have "ASCE" written with the "S" crossed over?


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2014-04-04T10:22:40.760
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one-piece
Why does Ace's tattoo on his right arm say "ASCE"?


![Sabo's Jolly Roger](https://i.stack.imgur.com/S36G7.jpg)

It's Sabo's Jolly Roger.

> Ace had another tattoo on his upper left bicep that spells "ASCE"
> vertically. The "S" crossed out is a tribute to Sabo as that's his jolly
> roger.

(Source: [_Portgas D. Ace_ on One Piece
Wiki](http://onepiece.wikia.com/wiki/Portgas_D._Ace))


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2014-04-04T10:50:53.107
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2014-04-07T05:38:48.730
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The S is a tribute to Sabo. For a cover, once Oda drew Ace, Sabo, and Luffy in
their late teens, if the ship incident had never happened, and Ace's tattoo
read ACE.


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2014-04-15T22:23:02.357
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  * The "A" stands for "Ace"
  * The "S (with a cross over it)" stands for "Sabo"
  * The "C" stands for "Crybaby" A.K.A Luffy
  * The "E" stands for "Edward Newgate" A.K.A. "Whitebeard"

Dressrosa Arc spoiler:

> The reason for the cross over the "S" is because "Sabo" was thought to be
> dead by everyone.


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2016-01-18T02:25:16.287
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Ace has the S crossed out because it is a tribute to Sabo.

![](https://i.stack.imgur.com/M0Hgbl.jpg)


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2016-02-29T18:36:21.230
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I'm answering this because, while the other answers are compelling, I don't
see any sources being used here _definitively_ connecting the tattoo with the
answer. My answer is basically the same as the others: The crossed out S is a
reference to Sabo.

Ace has a conversation with Thatch that confirms the S is a reference to Sabo.
From the second volume of the light novel _Ace's Story_ , chapter 5, page 155:

> "By the way, Ace... what's with that joke of a tattoo you've got?"
>
> [...]
>
> "The X through the S is the symbol of my late brother. That's all."

This seems to indicate that there is an X through the S because it is Sabo's
symbol, rather than because Sabo died. Though the reason Ace has the symbol is
because Sabo died, as a little homage
([Rowan](https://anime.stackexchange.com/a/30130/19307) and
[Kenneth's](https://anime.stackexchange.com/a/8471/19307) answers showcase
where the symbol is used in a couple of places, and their answers are correct,
so check them out). This seems to be confirmed on the what-if cover image of
Chapter 596, where Sabo is still alive and Ace does not have the S (as
[Qiri](https://anime.stackexchange.com/a/8685/19307) mentions in their answer,
and as is mentioned on the wiki). See below:

[![Ace without
S](https://i.stack.imgur.com/FIoT5.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/FIoT5.png)


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