Ace was far sadder because he was the endgoal of an arc and the product of an MC used to too many victories. Luffy got him free and it was Ace's own decision that got himself killed.
Not only that but man, sometimes Oda can really fuck you up with paneling.
Guess which 2 panels are still, to this day, nearly 17 years later, resonates and sticks with me the most here?
If you guessed Whitebeard's angry stare next to Ace's dead smile, you'd guess right. That little panel reminds you why the carnage on the next 2 pages happens.
Idk lived and breathed this moment for weeks as a kid. Just unprecedented at the time for this series when it happened