It's become somewhat of a meme among the One Piece community that author Eiichiro Oda is hesitant to ever kill a character off, even if it seems guaranteed they should be out for the count. However, this also means that when a sudden death does occur, it is even more shocking and impactful, reminding fans that despite the fun and vibrant aesthetic of One Piece, it can still get pretty dark and emotional now and again.