Netflix’s One Piece Introduces Shocking Cameo With New Cast Member (And It’s Not a Straw Hat)

The day has finally arrived Straw Hat fans, as Netflix has released the entirety of the live-action One Piece’s second season to the masses. While the adaptation still has franchise creator Eiichiro Oda steering the ship, the live-action Grand Line still made some serious changes when it came to some aspects of the series. One of the biggest is a cameo in the first episode, bringing in a character who was set to appear far later in the series in quite a shocking moment. Not only does this arrival have big implications for Monkey D. Luffy, but the world of One Piece as a whole.

Warning. If you have yet to see One Piece Season 2, Episode 1, be forewarned that we’ll be exploring massive spoiler territory. One Piece’s premiere episode for its latest season finally brings Luffy and the gang to Loguetown. While one major change in the premiere gives the legendary character Bartolomeo a much larger role, the green-haired, future pirate captain is only the tip of the iceberg. During one brief scene toward the premiere’s finale, we see Monkey D. Dragon standing alone, following his confrontation with Smoker. Dragon, a major player in the resistance, isn’t alone for long, as he is joined by Sabo, one of One Piece’s biggest future characters who arrived much earlier than expected. You can check out Sabo in the flesh below.

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Who is Sabo?

Netflix has yet to officially confirm just who is wearing the legendary top hat, and whether this new actor will permanently play the part of Sabo moving forward. While we got a brief glimpse of Sabo here, it doesn’t necessarily mean that we’ll see him return anytime soon, as he didn’t make any appearances in the remainder of season two. To get a better understanding of when we might see Luffy’s brother make a comeback, we need to do a deep dive on his character and what he’s meant for the Straw Hats so far.

Sabo first appears in the source material as a child, close to episode five-hundred of the One Piece anime. He then returns as an adult, much later during the Dressrosa Arc, in episode 663, to battle against the nefarious Donquixote Doflamingo, one of the anime’s most memorable villains. While Sabo isn’t Luffy’s biological brother, he and Ace D. Portgas all committed themselves to one another, becoming siblings in spirit. Luffy might be made of rubber thanks to his Devil Fruit, but Sabo takes after Ace in the power department.

Sabo, on top of being the second in command of the Revolutionary Army, has Devil Fruit powers all his own. Chomping down on the Mera Mera no Mi, Luffy’s older brother has the power to transform his body into fire, while also managing to manipulate it at the same time. It’s a useful trick considering he has long been aiding his father in fighting against the World Government.

As for when we might see Sabo return in the live-action One Piece, that is anyone’s guess at this point. While the Netflix series has been staying true to the source material, it’s clear that Oda and the showrunners are more than willing to flip the script when need be. With season three already confirming that actor Xolo Maridueña (Blue Beetle, Cobra Kai) will be playing Ace, perhaps we’ll witness a family reunion in Alabasta for season three. As of the writing of this article, the series has yet to reveal a release date for the third season, but production is already underway.

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