<ul>
<li>The "A" stands for "Ace"</li>
<li>The "S (with a cross over it)" stands for "Sabo"</li>
<li>The "C" stands for "Crybaby" A.K.A Luffy</li>
<li>The "E" stands for "Edward Newgate" A.K.A. "Whitebeard"</li>
</ul>

<p>Dressrosa Arc spoiler:</p>

<blockquote class="spoiler">
  <p>The reason for the cross over the "S" is because "Sabo" was thought to be dead by everyone.   </p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-01-18T02:27:14.960Z
Any canon sources to back this up?
Ero Sɘnnin
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-01-24T05:56:56.243Z
I haven't heard of this being an acronym before. AFAIK it's just his name with Sabo's jolly roger added.
giraffesyo
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-01-24T11:52:52.650Z
"C stands for crybaby?" I'm curious, where did you read that?
solalito
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-07-13T17:41:05.533Z
This cannot possibly be true because Ace had the tattoo before he met boarded Whitebeard's ship, as seen in the anime, episode 461
Cooper Wolfe
CC BY-SA 4.0
2016-01-18T02:25:16.287Z
2020-05-12T07:11:27.573Z
2020-05-12T07:11:27.573Z
Harshil Shah
<p>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.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2014-04-15T22:23:02.357Z
2022-01-28T20:30:14.960Z
2022-01-28T20:30:14.960Z
Qiri
<p>I'm answering this because, while the other answers are compelling, I don't see any sources being used here <em>definitively</em> connecting the tattoo with the answer. My answer is basically the same as the others: The crossed out S is a reference to Sabo.</p>
<p>Ace has a conversation with Thatch that confirms the S is a reference to Sabo. From the second volume of the light novel <em>Ace's Story</em>, chapter 5, page 155:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>&quot;By the way, Ace... what's with that joke of a tattoo you've got?&quot;</p>
<p>[...]</p>
<p>&quot;The X through the S is the symbol of my late brother. That's all.&quot;</p>
</blockquote>
<p>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 (<a href="https://anime.stackexchange.com/a/30130/19307">Rowan</a> and <a href="https://anime.stackexchange.com/a/8471/19307">Kenneth's</a> 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 <a href="https://anime.stackexchange.com/a/8685/19307">Qiri</a> mentions in their answer, and as is mentioned on the wiki). See below:</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/FIoT5.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/FIoT5.png" alt="Ace without S" /></a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-01-28T20:19:01.770Z
2022-01-28T20:30:06.053Z
2022-01-28T20:30:06.053Z
Shaymin Gratitude
<p>Ace has the S crossed out because it is a tribute to Sabo.</p>
<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/M0Hgbl.jpg" alt="" /></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2016-02-29T18:36:21.230Z
2022-01-28T20:30:13.247Z
2022-01-28T20:30:13.247Z
rowan
<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/S36G7.jpg" alt="Sabo&#39;s Jolly Roger"></p>

<p>It's Sabo's Jolly Roger.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>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. </p>
</blockquote>

<p>(Source: <a href="http://onepiece.wikia.com/wiki/Portgas_D._Ace" rel="noreferrer"><em>Portgas D. Ace</em> on One Piece Wiki</a>)</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-01-21T23:32:19.907Z
It could also be a reference to the letter Ace and Luffy got from Sabo when he sailed out. Sabo himself signed it with "Sabo" and then a cross over a capital S, saying he is out of the "ASL"-crew. While we can all agree that it is tribute to Sabo, I don't see why Ace would specifically refer to Sabo's jolly roger as he never actually saw that flag. So he wouldn't have been able to know what Sabo's flagged had looked like. https://i.sstatic.net/Dhl6e.jpg
Peter Raeves
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-04-04T10:50:53.107Z
2014-04-07T05:38:48.730Z
2014-04-07T05:38:48.730Z
Kenneth
<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/c84Nfl.png" alt="Ace" /></p>
<p>Why does Ace's right arm have &quot;ASCE&quot; written with the &quot;S&quot; crossed over?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-01-21T23:35:24.430Z
It's obviously a reference to Sabo that had died. We have seen a crossed S twice in the series. Once on [the letter Sabo wrote to his brothers at departure](https://i.sstatic.net/Dhl6e.jpg) and once on Sabo's jolly roger. The bones could be seen as the cross over the S, although tbh I find that last one unlikely as Ace never saw Sabo's jolly roger. He never knew what it looked like.
Peter Raeves
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-01-21T23:36:40.817Z
http://anime.answers.wikia.com/wiki/Why_is_Ace's_tattoo_spelt_ASCE
Peter Raeves
<one-piece>
Why does Ace's tattoo on his right arm say "ASCE"?
# Why does Ace's tattoo on his right arm say "ASCE"?
Posted by: username_0 on 2014-04-04
![Ace](https://i.sstatic.net/c84Nfl.png)

Why does Ace's right arm have "ASCE" written with the "S" crossed over?
**Tags:** one-piece
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: It's obviously a reference to Sabo that had died. We have seen a crossed S twice in the series. Once on [the letter Sabo wrote to his brothers at departure](https://i.sstatic.net/Dhl6e.jpg) and once on Sabo's jolly roger. The bones could be seen as the cross over the S, although tbh I find that last one unlikely as Ace never saw Sabo's jolly roger. He never knew what it looked like.  
> **username_1**: http://anime.answers.wikia.com/wiki/Why_is_Ace's_tattoo_spelt_ASCE  
---
## 5 answers
### Answer by username_10 on 2014-04-04. Score: 21 | Accepted answer
![Sabo's Jolly Roger](https://i.sstatic.net/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))
> **Comments:**
> **username_1** (2015-01-21): It could also be a reference to the letter Ace and Luffy got from Sabo when he sailed out. Sabo himself signed it with "Sabo" and then a cross over a capital S, saying he is out of the "ASL"-crew. While we can all agree that it is tribute to Sabo, I don't see why Ace would specifically refer to Sabo's jolly roger as he never actually saw that flag. So he wouldn't have been able to know what Sabo's flagged had looked like. https://i.sstatic.net/Dhl6e.jpg  
---
### Answer by username_2 on 2016-01-18. Score: 3
* 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.
> **Comments:**
> **username_3** (2016-01-18): Any canon sources to back this up?  
> **username_4** (2016-01-24): I haven't heard of this being an acronym before. AFAIK it's just his name with Sabo's jolly roger added.  
> **username_5** (2016-01-24): "C stands for crybaby?" I'm curious, where did you read that?  
> **username_6** (2018-07-13): This cannot possibly be true because Ace had the tattoo before he met boarded Whitebeard's ship, as seen in the anime, episode 461  
---
### Answer by username_7 on 2014-04-15. Score: 3
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.
---
### Answer by username_8 on 2022-01-28. Score: 3
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.sstatic.net/FIoT5.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/FIoT5.png)
---
### Answer by username_9 on 2016-02-29. Score: 2
Ace has the S crossed out because it is a tribute to Sabo.

![](https://i.sstatic.net/M0Hgbl.jpg)
---
