The author has already established that the mera mera no mi is emblematic of "Fire Fist" Ace. Recovering his fruit, and gaining Ace's ability, would be symbolic of carrying on Ace's legacy. Sabo fighting for the mera mera no mi, recovering Ace's fruit, only to pass it on to some random character he (Sabo) has never met would be derped beyond all recognition. Sabo asking Luffy to back down, and Luffy agreeing, would be pointless if Sabo simply gave the fruit to one of the Strawhats anyway. Giving it to someone like Rebecca would be even more ridiculous.
However, the author has not established that eating the devil fruit was the ONLY way to carry on a legacy. The devil fruit is Ace's legacy, yes, but there are other ways to realize his legacy as well. Luffy is on the verge of realizing Roger's legacy by becoming a pirate king who will likely overhaul the world as we know it. Sabo wouldn't just be passing it on to a random person, he'd be passing it on to a person who proves himself.
Last two sentences are redundant given that I don't want any of the Straw Hats or Rebecca to get it. Direct that to EddyBob, please.
By passing on the strawhat, Shanks was saying that Luffy would be the one to carry on Roger's legacy. Shanks essentially forsook any claim to Roger's legacy at that moment. He was, as he would say later, "betting on the next generation". If Sabo did the same, passing on the mera mera no mi, Sabo would be declaring the same, that he would not be the one to carry on Ace's legacy, but that whomever he gave the fruit would be custodian of that legacy.
Which is essentially what I'm saying Sabo and/or Luffy would do by giving someone Ace's fruit. Could be after this arc, could be five arcs later, could be in the last arc, in the last chapter ever. It's a possibility, just as Sabo eating it is a possibility. We're going on the assumption that he isn't already a user, and I don't think Sabo mentioned eating the fruit, just carrying on Ace's legacy.
He can carry on Ace's legacy without consuming the fruit, and pass on Ace's legacy to someone else.
Yes, it would. It would be a cliche in the truest sense of the word. If anyone other than Sabo ate the mera mera no mi it would just be a power up, devoid of any meaning other than making a character stronger. Things like that are cliche. Sabo eating the mera mera no mi would be more than a simple power up. It would be a symbolic gesture, Sabo carrying on the will of his dead friend. Simply saying "I am going to carry on Ace's will" is empty words. Devil fruit become a part of the user, altering them genetically. Sharing abilities with Ace has deep meaning, within the context of the story. But only if it is Luffy or Sabo that shares that ability.
There can be a meaning if Sabo gives it to someone else, or if Luffy gives it to someone else. It would be their way of passing on their will or legacy as well as Ace's. It'd be a symbolic gesture identical to when Shanks gave Luffy Roger's straw hat.
Which is why he WILL carry on Ace's will. Words mean nothing, actions do. What if he just eats the mera mera no mi and decides to live a quiet life instead? Is that carrying on Ace's will?
It is. It allows an additional layer of symbolism to be added to the story. It becomes a matter of show vs. tell. Words can be empty. Declaring "I will carry on Ace's legacy" is just words. Acquiring his ability is a symbolic gesture, investing an additional layer of meaning to those words.
Acquiring his ability is a symbolic gesture that can be ruined if Sabo decides to just quit. Basically the same as him not eating the fruit, but not carrying on Ace's legacy.
Want to make a wager? If I win, you ban hoeru and Schabrak. If you win, you ban Schabrak and hoeru. Deal?
