The episode opens with Luffy, still enraged and grieving over the execution of Ace, charging towards Akainu with a fierce determination. The Straw Hat Pirates, along with their allies, are pinned down by the Marine forces, struggling to withstand the relentless barrage of attacks.
This event takes place in of the manga. While he had used Haki to knock out Duval's bull much earlier in the Sabaody Archipelago arc, Marineford is where the world at large realizes he has Conqueror's Haki. luffy uses haki in marineford episode
In a brief flashback, Rayleigh appears, watching Luffy from afar with a warm smile. "He's got it," Rayleigh says to himself, nodding in approval. "The Will of D. is strong in him... The future is full of possibilities." The episode opens with Luffy, still enraged and
However, the most potent function of Luffy’s Haki at Marineford is its tragic irony. He awakens this ultimate power—the ability to overpower the wills of others—at the exact moment he is most powerless to save Ace. After incapacitating the executioners, Luffy stands directly before his brother, key and shackles in sight. For a single, breathtaking panel, victory seems possible. But this moment of triumph is immediately shattered. Admiral Kizaru’s laser destroys the key, and Admiral Aokiji freezes the bay. The Haki did not fail; it did its job perfectly. But the world’s top-tier power system proved that raw, unconscious will is insufficient against the organized, cynical machinery of the Navy. The tragedy is that Luffy unlocks the power of a king, yet remains a child screaming for his brother. When Ace finally dies protecting Luffy, the Haki feels less like a milestone and more like a cruel promise—a demonstration of what Luffy could be, paid for by the loss of what he loves . It transforms his future mastery of Haki from a shonen power-up into a solemn burden. He will never use it carelessly again; every future blast of Conqueror’s Haki carries the echo of his failure at Marineford. While he had used Haki to knock out
Here are the specific details of that moment:
As the war reaches its climax, Portgas D. Ace is on the verge of execution. Just as the executioners prepare to strike, Luffy—driven by desperation and a raw will to save his brother—screams for them to stop. This emotional outburst triggers a subconscious wave of that sweeps across the entire battlefield.