Diksha Sundriyal
Netflix’s ‘One Piece’ returns with a second season as Monkey D. Luffy and his crew set upon new adventures in the search for the infamous treasure left behind by Gol D. Roger. Luffy looks up to him, and he is one of the main reasons why Luffy chose piracy as his line of career, upsetting his grandfather, who is revealed to be Monkey D. Garp in Season 1. Interestingly, the first season makes no note of Luffy’s father, and this information remains missing in the second season as well.
However, various hints are dropped in the course of eight episodes that may answer the question. The biggest clue is that Roger asks Garp to adopt his son before he is executed, and the Marine agrees to it. Later, several characters make comparisons between Luffy and Roger, outright stating that the young pirate could finally be the one who finds the infamous One Piece. This, however, doesn’t confirm a biological connection between the two. MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD.
Gol D. Roger’s Son is an Important Part of One Piece’s Storyline
Despite all the comparisons between Luffy and Roger, and all the hints thrown around in Season 2, the original ‘One Piece’ manga confirms that they are, in fact, not related by blood. One of the major hints about their connection is seemingly dropped at the end of the season, when Kureha talks about the Will of D, referring to the initial “D” that appears in both Luffy’s and Roger’s names. This, however, does not prove a biological connection, as the initial appears in the name of several other characters and carries a different meaning, one that talks about inheritance but not necessarily a connection of blood.
While Luffy may be considered a spiritual successor of Roger, he is not the dead pirate’s son. As revealed at the end of Season 1, he is Garp’s grandson by blood. However, that still leaves the question of Roger’s real son, whom he entrusts with Garp before his execution. As shown in a flashback in Season 2, Garp does accept Roger’s plea and takes his son under his wing. This son is revealed to be Portgas D. Ace, whom Garp raises with the hopes of turning him into a Marine. Ace and Luffy are brought up together as brothers and share a strong bond, despite not being related by blood.
Much like Luffy, Ace discards Garp’s idea of becoming a Marine and follows in his father’s footsteps to become a pirate. Because Roger died when Ace was still a child, the young pirate never really got to know his father. However, the tales of his villainy as a pirate made him detest his father, unlike Luffy, who sees him as a legend. This complicated dynamic is set to unravel in the third season of ‘One Piece’, which will introduce Ace to the storyline. ‘Cobra Kai’ actor Xolo Maridueña will play the role, which opens the doors for more revelations about Luffy and his family.
Luffy’s Father Has Already Appeared in One Piece Season 2
While Roger might not be Luffy’s father, the fact remains that, so far, we don’t know anything else about his family, apart from the fact that Garp is his grandfather. Seeing that the Marine took in and raised Roger’s son, does this mean that Luffy is also not related to him by blood and is actually adopted? Not exactly. Garp is, in fact, his grandfather by blood, and the second season of the show has already given us a glimpse of Luffy’s real father, along with the reason why he has been absent from his son’s life for so long. In the first episode of Season 2, Luffy visits Loguetown during the anniversary of Gol D. Roger’s execution.
Here, he crosses paths with Captain Smoke, who almost has him, until a mysterious figure shows up and takes Smoke away, giving enough time for Luffy to recuperate and escape. As his ship sails away, the figure is seen looking at him from a distance, pondering on the path that the boy has chosen for himself. Later in the season, this character is revealed to be Dragon, the leader of the revolution who wants to overthrow the World Government and is considered the state’s enemy number one. While not confirmed in Season 2, Dragon is, in fact, Garp’s son and Luffy’s father. Following Garp’s wishes, Dragon decided to become a Marine, but when he saw the people’s suffering, he became so disillusioned with the government that he decided to overthrow it.
This meant becoming a highly wanted criminal, and having a target on his back didn’t make it ideal for him to raise his son on his own. So, for Luffy’s safety, he left the boy under Garp’s guardianship. While Luffy never got to know his father, at least not in his childhood, Dragon did keep tabs on him. As shown in Season 2, he watches his son from a distance, intervening only when it seems that Luffy cannot help himself. As the plot further focuses on the destabilized condition of the World Government, Dragon is expected to show up for more than a few minutes and become a more present force in the show, particularly when it comes to Luffy’s arc. So far, the leader of the Straw Hats has no idea about the true identity of his father, but this secret will be revealed to him soon enough.
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