Do you have any doubts about whether Sabo is the second strongest in the Revolutionary Army?

[Warmmedown]

Sabo is the second in command of the Rev Army. Most fans have taken this to mean that he is the strongest Revolutionary after Dragon. However, if you look at Ace, he was the 2nd Division Commander in WB's crew (Marco was the 1st's), but it's not clear that he was actually stronger than guys like Vista and Jozu. If that's the case, Sabo might also not be as strong as his rank initially indicates, especially as Sabo and Ace are brothers and Oda likes to draw parallels between the brothers (as well as drawing parallels between other characters who have similar roles in the world, but that's not as relevant). It could be that, like Ace, Sabo was given such a high position due to Dragon seeing him as someone with the potential to lead or due to seeing similarities between himself and Sabo, since they both are from the Goa Kingdom.

Could it be that Sabo is still weaker than some other members of the Army, such as Kuma (pre-skip), Ivankov, Morley, Karasu, Belo Betty etc?

 

[Captain Cadaver]

Ace was only in charge of the 2nd fleet because the position had been a vacant one for a long time and he was the regular crew member most qualified for it. I highly doubt Sabo would've been granted his position if not purely for being the 2nd strongest Revolutionary when there are many other heavy hitters who should have far more experience and possibly more skill when it comes to military management.

Also, Sabo has already shown himself to be roughly as strong as other Yonko second-in-commands such as Marco due to how he's on par with Fujitora. I highly doubt Dragon has someone above Admiral tier within his ranks aside from himself.

 

[SSJ2]

Wasn't sabotage stated to be "the #2 of the revolutionary army"? I think that is different than being a commander of the second unit of a crew.

 

[Warmmedown]

What if he's just like an apprentice though? So Dragon has him as a right-hand man to show him the ropes? Someone he can groom to be the next leader, which he couldn't do with the older members. Meanwhile, he sends off his present-day strongest members to the other parts of the Grand Line.

Nobody needs to be above Admiral tier. Sabo might not even be 100% on admiral tier. Marco and Jozu could independently hold off an Admiral for at least a short time, but aren't on Admiral level. Others in the Rev Army being stronger can just mean they are a bit stronger, similar to the gap between Marco and Aokiji (pre-skip) or Cracker and Katakuri.

 

[SSJ2]

I mean, it's certainly a possible what-if scenario, but I see it being less probable than the alternative. If that was the case I could see a statement being more along the lines of "Dragon took him under his wing seeing his eventual potential to surpass himself". Or at least a quote that would imply he's not truly the second strongest, YET.

Idk if that mde sense but I usually don't

 

[Warmmedown]

Yeh I would normally say he is just the second strongest, but Oda has that track record of tricking the audience like that. Plus, it leaves more opportunity for Sabo to develop his power until the end of One Piece. The most obvious reality is that Sabo is the second strongest, but just throwing it out there as another possibility.

 

[Captain Cadaver]

I'd see it as not only unnecessary over-complication to make Sabo the #2 yet not 2nd strongest when his main role thus far has been to fight, but if he were indeed a protege in training as you suggest, already making him close to Admiral tier defeats that purpose as it leaves little room to grow beyond reaching Dragon's level. If his rank were just for show compared to the Commanders or someone else then not only would it feel disingenuous for Dragon to offer so much authority to someone not yet qualified to lead those superior to him, but revealing Sabo isn't the 2nd strongest would come off as very contrived.

 

[sei'taer]

Given how strong Sabo was presented pre-fruit I doubt it. After he ate the fire-fire fruit he was clashing with the likes of a marine admiral.

I highly doubt there are many people in the RA on that level.