Gol D. Roger, known to most as Gold Roger, was the Pirate King, captain of the Roger Pirates, and owner of the legendary treasure known as "One Piece". He was also the lover of Portgas D. Rouge and biological father of Portgas D. Ace.
Gol D. Roger, known to most as Gold Roger, was the Pirate King, captain of the Roger Pirates, and owner of the legendary treasure known as "One Piece". He was also the lover of Portgas D. Rouge and biological father of Portgas D. Ace.
Roger was a tall man who walked proudly before his execution. His most prominent physical features were his curved black mustache, a fierce grin he almost always wore, and his intense eyes. He also had thick black hair and a short thick neck.
Like many other high ranked pirates, he wore a long red captain's coat. Beneath his coat, he wore a blue shirt and had a green sash around his waist. He had a white cravat around his neck, wore dark blue pants, and (unlike most other pirates seen in the One Piece World) he wore what appeared to be black sea boots. Before he turned himself in, he also wore a pirate hat with his jolly roger on it over a yellow spotted bandana. During the Battle in Edd War, however, he donned a dark-blue vest and a yellow sash. He was one of the few people to mirror the stereotypical pirate.
Later on, during a flashback to Roger's first meeting with Rayleigh, it was revealed that Roger looked a lot like Luffy to the point of also wearing the straw hat that Luffy is currently wearing.
He was said to be fearless and those who witnessed his execution even claim that he smiled just before his death. Gol D. Roger's personality is often commented by people who knew him to have been similar to Luffy. This is best shown when he meets Rayleigh and ask him to join him despite having no idea how strong he was or even what role he would have on his ship. Ace revealed his lineage to Whitebeard, who noted that Ace's personality was not much like his father's. However, they both shared the "did not run" from battle: Garp stated that Roger would not run away from an enemy in order to protect his crew from danger.
Roger was also a man who loved big, flashy things and reveled in his title of Pirate King despite his oncoming death. While not portrayed during any of his appearances, he can be a merciless enemy when he got angry. This was further evidenced when he killed all of Squard's crewmembers personally for unknown reasons.
Roger was very quick to anger and he would retaliate for something as simple as an insult to his crew regardless of how small it might be. Garp stated that an angry Roger can be a violent, selfish, and short-tempered man, but his actions had been pure and straight, just like a child's, and that he was lucky to survive and become the Pirate King despite his extremely reckless nature. Luffy has a similar personality in terms of recklessness, and Ace had a similar personality in terms of getting easily angered by insults.
Relationships
Crew
He apparently had a strong bond with his crew. Rayleigh, his partner, described him as a "magnificent man". Shanks and Buggy also seemed saddened when speaking of the day of their captain's execution (they both cried a lot at his execution).
It is unknown if any of his crew knew that Roger had a son, Portgas D. Ace, prior to Sengoku making it public. According to Garp, even though the whole world hated him, his crewmates trusted Roger completely. He had also destroyed the military force of one country for insulting his crew.[3]
Friends
Most characters who speak of their personal encounter with Roger only pass good comments about him as he seemed to have made many friends in his journey.
Gan Fall
He befriended Gan Fall, the God of Skypiea and left him with wonderful memories.
Tom & Kokoro
He also befriended Tom and Kokoro, gaining enough admiration for Tom to consider building him a ship, the Oro Jackson. The Fishman would later proudly boast that he was proud he had built the Oro Jackson for the late Pirate King, even though it had led to his death by making such a declaration.
Enemies
Monkey D. Garp
As a final favor, Roger asked Garp to take care of his son, Portgas D. Ace, saving him from a being branded a criminal just by being born as the son of the Pirate King. He even told Garp that he trusted him as much as he would trust a member of his own crew.
Edward Newgate
Even though they were rival pirates, Roger and Whitebeard appeared to be on fairly good terms. Before his death, Roger even offered to tell Whitebeard the location of Raftel and explained the significance of the initial D at their last meeting.
Shiki
In Chapter 0, there is a flashback in which Shiki the Golden Lion gets in a fight with Roger. Later, upon hearing news of Roger's upcoming execution, Shiki attempts to kill Roger himself because of his respect for his rival—Shiki believed that dying by the hands of the weak Marines would not be honorable even for Roger.
Other
In Ace's flashback, there were thugs who hated Roger and spoke ill of him. Ace himself had to endure a life of listening to bad remarks about his father and in his own death, confirmed that Roger was not popular on a world wide scale. This implies that those who did not encounter him in their lifetime at the very least tend to view him in a bad light.
Family
Portgas D. Rouge
Rouge was Gol D. Roger's lover. It is unknown if they were ever married, nor how their relationship worked out, but she died after Ace's birth due to a prolonged pregnancy which lasted an unnatural twenty months, to protect Ace from being hunted by the World Government. She also named their child "Gol D. Ace", proving that she wanted him to live up to his father's name.
Portgas D. Ace
Ace was the son of Roger. As Roger did not want Ace to be born as a criminal due to family ties, he requested Garp to take care of Ace in secrecy. When Roger spoke to Garp, he said that his (then) unborn child held no sins. However, Ace did not see this as love and detested his father.
Despite his hatred for his father, Ace seemed to have respect for him as he severely beat anyone who badmouthed Roger. However, this may have also been due to the fact that said offenders often would begin slandering "the son of Gol D. Roger", thereby unknowingly referring to Ace himself, as well.[4] Dadan noticed that Ace had inherited much of Roger's personality after asking him why he did not run from Bluejam. Also, Shanks remarks at the place of Ace's burial that he was same as his captain, who would not run away in critical situations. The most prominent of the traits that Ace inherited from Roger was being ruthless to anyone who threatened or insulted his loved ones.[5]
Abilities and Powers
“
Wealth, fame, power. The man who had acquired everything in this world, the Pirate King, Gold Roger!
Prior to his death, Roger was called the "Pirate King" because his fighting power was nearly unstoppable. Only two people have ever matched Roger in battle: Vice Admiral Monkey D. Garp, who possesses immense strength even in old age and cornered him multiple times before his surrender, and his rival Edward "Whitebeard" Newgate who held the power of the Gura Gura no Mi and was called the "Strongest Man in the World" after Roger's death.
Other examples of his strength include fighting on equal ground with Shiki, who commanded the largest pirate fleet of the time and single-handedly defeating the armies of several countries. He was possibly the strongest man in the world (together with his rival Whitebeard). Another testament to his strength is the fact that his first mate, Silvers Rayleigh, was able to battle on par with Admiral Kizaru, even in his old age.
Roger was also able to understand the meaning of the characters written on the Poneglyphs as well as write in the same language. However, he was not like the Ohara scholars who used their intellect to study the Poneglyphs. So he could not exactly "read" them. According to Rayleigh, Roger could interpret the Poneglyphs because he had the ability to "hear the voice of all things".[6] He was also one of two known humans in the series who possesed the ability to hear Sea Kings speaking, the other being Luffy.[7]
Weapons
While fighting Shiki and his massive fleet, it has been shown that Gol D. Roger wielded a sword in one hand and a gun in the other.
Born in Loguetown, Roger was famed as the man who did what no one thought possible - he conquered the Grand Line. It would seem that he had been around for some time, considering that Brook refers to him as a rookie, more than 50 years before the original storyline.[8] Before he formed his crew, he met Silvers Rayleigh, a young man who was living on a ship he had stolen after his house had burnt. Roger said that it was a fated meeting and asked Rayleigh to join him.
Unavoidable Fate
Twenty-six years before the start of the story (four years before his death), Roger came down with an incurable disease. He decided to pitch one last journey with his crew into the Grand Line. Upon reaching the lighthouse at Reverse Mountain, at the entrance of the Grand Line, he recruited Crocus as his doctor that would be responsible for keeping him alive until the completion of his journey.
Their journey took them to Skypiea and later Water 7 where the shipwright Tom built them a ship called the Oro Jackson.[9] Roger and his crew about to battle Shiki.
Two of the most powerful opponents Roger faced on his journey were MarineVice AdmiralMonkey D. Garp and the pirate Edward 'Whitebeard' Newgate. The former is said to have cornered him many times on the journey, and the latter was the closest rival to his title. It is said that Whitebeard was the only one capable of matching Roger in combat.[10]
Before reaching Raftel on his final journey, Roger was approached by the "Flying Pirate" Shiki, who had learned that Roger had located an Ancient Weapon. Seeing the opportunity, he asked Roger if they could join forces. With his large pirate fleet and Roger's weapon, Shiki believed that together they could take over the whole world, even telling Roger that what happened between them in the past was now forgotten. Despite the urge of one of his apprentices, Roger refused Shiki's offer, saying that he wanted to be free to do what he wanted. Shiki then announced that his answer meant the death of him, while Roger said it meant that he would beat him and a great sea battle soon ensued between their crews.
“
I am not interested in "domination" Shiki! There is no need to be a pirate if you can't do what you want, right? No matter the pressure, I will never accept "Golden Lion"!!!
Roger was spared due to a storm that happened during their fight, half of Shiki's fleet sunk. Despite this and getting a piece of a steering wheel lodged into his head that almost killed him, Shiki came to have great respect for Roger.
Near his death, Roger had a final meeting with Whitebeard, as he told him about the nickname the government gave him, Gold Roger, and the secret of the Will of the D.
Final Days of the King
“
In the last moment of his life, he turned his fading "flame of life" into a huge fire that enveloped the world. I've never laughed more than on that day...!! I've never cried more than on that day... I've never drank more either..!! He was our captain... and he was a magnificent man...!!!
In the final days of Roger's reign, he had attained more wealth, power, and fame than anyone could imagine.[11] Though now known as the Pirate King, Roger was well-aware of his own mortality. As if seeing the end, he disbanded his crew in secret. Before his death, he told Rayleigh he would not die. He also informed Whitebeard that he was going to die before his execution. Whether he was referring to his illness or him giving up to the Marines, is unknown. Here, he also informs Whitebeard of the meaning of the people carrying the Will of the D. Also, someday he met Portgas D. Rouge, a woman living in Baterilla, that would later become the mother of his son, Ace. Roger then turned himself into the Marines and was scheduled to be executed. While in prison, he asked of Garp to take care of his son when he was gone, saying that an infant child should not be labeled a criminal for his family ties. Although Garp said he had no obligation to do so, Roger knew he would do it anyway.[12] Roger's execution in Loguetown.
Thinking they would make an example of him to prevent others from becoming pirates, they immediately set up his execution in Loguetown. But as he was about to die, Roger yelled out his famous last words.[10] The swords of the executioners fell and the greatest pirate of them all died. This was thought to of been a warning to all and extinguish the hopes of all pirates, but it failed. The last words of Gold Roger ignited the excitement of the world, and thus began "The Great Age of Pirates", dubbed by a few characters as the "Age of Dreams". The echoes of his influence resonate further into the current era, and shape most of the world after his death.
As far as directly influencing major contenders, those known to be present at his execution include his apprentices Shanks and Buggy; the ShichibukaiCrocodile, Donquixote Doflamingo, Hawk Eyes Mihawk, and Gekko Moriah; the revolutionary Monkey D. Dragon; and it can be assumed from their conversation with Shiki that Monkey D. Garp and former Fleet Admiral Sengoku attended as well. Twenty two years after his execution, as Whitebeard was about to die, he revealed to the world that Roger's treasure, One Piece, is real and inferred the consequences of what would happen once it was discovered. This triggered the New Age of Pirates to be created out of Roger's legendary treasure.
Legacy
The legend of the "King of Pirates" and his treasure "One Piece" given start to the "Great Age of Pirates", where a lot of pirates sailed in search of its location or to follow in Roger's footsteps.
All the men and women who had contact with Roger were executed. The only one to survive was Rouge. Roger's blood survived to his death through his son Ace.
Roger's will has been inherited and retransmitted by Whitebeard's last words, which will start the "New Age of Pirates".
“
My fortune is yours for the taking... but you'll have to find it first I left everything I own in One Piece!
Exactly how Gol D. Roger died is a subject of debate, however. In the anime, two men jabbed spears into his heart, impaling him (though utterly failing to make him stop smiling); in the 4Kids dub he was "hung" at the "Roguetown" gallows;[13] and the English-language manga says the Marines "lopped off his head" (decapitated him). The original Japanese manga never reveals precisely how he was executed (though it depicts the scene), but it remains to be seen whether this will become an important plot point in the future, or if it was simply a way of lessening the visceral impact of the character's death. The only other character to be seen under going the same method execution was Montblanc Noland.
In the 4Kids dub, Roger's last words before he died were: "My fortune is yours for the taking, but you'll have to find it first. I left everything I owned in One Piece". In volume one of the English manga, Roger's last words were: "My treasure? Why, it's right where I left it. It's yours if you can find it. But you'll have to search the whole world!". So with his legendary treasure One Piece now up for grabs, people took to the seas in search of it. The words "In One Piece" are an American interpretation.
In the original Japanese opening, Gol D. Roger states "My wealth and treasures? If you want it, I'll let you have it...search for it! I left all of it at that place".[14] "That place" is a way of describing somewhere that is known to the listeners (although it is not revealed to readers until later) - others who have talked about the location of the treasure have been clear that it is at Raftel, the last island on the Grand Line.
In the FUNimation opening, Roger's last words were: "You want my treasure? You can have it! I left everything I gathered together in one place. Now you'll just have to find
Trivia
Roger is the first character to be shown with the D in his name; however, he is the second to be named. Dr. Kureha revealed that his true name was Gol D. Roger well after his initial introduction. This is also the first indication that there is an underlying mystery and something special in those who carry the initial D, and Roger himself admits to Whitebeard that the D has a greater meaning than a simple initial.
During Shanks' flashback back to Roger's death and the day he last saw Buggy, rain can be seen falling down on the town at that moment.[15] This is echoed by Luffy's departure from Loguetown, as it also rained during his escape.
It was stated that Ace's mother held him for 20 months (5 months before and 15 months after Roger's execution). Since Ace's birthday is January 1, Roger must have been executed sometime between late September and early October.
Roger was the first named character shown in the One Piece series and the first person in general in the manga.
In the 4th Japanese popularity poll, Roger (along with Chopperman and Van Augur) ranked 83rd.[16]
It seems that Roger did not like the nickname "Gold Roger" because it wasn't his true name.[17]
In Episode 85 of the anime, when Hiluluk was describing what a pirate is to Chopper, a man who was identical in appearance to Roger was seen.
Upon his death, the real life pirate Olivier Levasseur had tossed a cryptogram from the scaffolding into the crowd and told them if they could figure out the message, his treasure (now valued at £160,000,000 in today's money) would be theirs, a treasure that to this day has never been found. This seems to have been part of the inspiration for Roger's legendary death speech, as Roger himself had delivered the message to find his treasure, and notably the poneglyphs are also part of a grand cryptogram leading to the end of the Grand Line.
Roger is the first known owner of the straw hat that Luffy (and previously Shanks) wears.
In One Piece Green it was revealed that Roger's mustache was actually nose hair (although this is probably a joke).
He is the first character shown in the Anime due to being in the opening.
A Straw Hatrefer to any brimmed hat that is woven out of straw. This hat is designed to protect the head from the sun, as well as protect against heatstroke. There are several styles of straw hats, but all of them are made of woven straw. Many of these hats are formed in a similar way to felt hats; they are softened by steam or by submersion in hot water, and then formed by hand or over a block. Finer and more expensive straw hats have a tighter and more consistent weave. Since it takes much more time to weave a larger hat than a smaller one, larger hat
History
Straw hats have been worn consistently in Europe in the summer since antiquity, and arguably are the least-changed form of headgear, since many medieval examples would draw no special attention if worn today. Many are to be seen in the famous calendar miniatures of the Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry, worn by all classes, mostly by men. The Middle Ages also produced, among the more fashionably dressed, possibly the most spectacular straw hats ever seen on men in the West, notably those worn in the Arnolfini Portrait of 1434 by Jan van Eyck (tall, stained black) and by Saint George in a painting by Pisanello of around the same date. s
In the manga and anime One Piece, Monkey D. Luffy's straw hat is the main symbol of the entire series and is the origin of his nickname "Straw Hat Luffy." His straw hat was given to him by his idol, Red Hair Shanks when he was a kid, and he promised to give the hat back to him once he becomes a great pirate (or in other words, the Pirate King). Much later, during the Straw Hat Pirates' departure for Fishman Island, it was revealed by Silvers Rayleigh that this straw hat originally belonged to Gol D. Roger.
Although Luffy's straw hat is his treasure, he is seen without it on occasion. This is usually because he does not want anything bad to happen to it, in which case he usually gives it to another member of his crew for safekeeping. It has been damaged twice in the manga canon. The first time it was damaged by Buggy when he was fighting Luffy, and further spat on it when he learned it was Shanks'. After the fight, Nami repaired it for him. However, Luffy was overjoyed that Nami had repaired it, he poked it several times and accidentally made another hole in the repair work, causing Nami to hit him with the sharp end of the needle since it had been only a temporary repair; nevertheless, she repaired it again.
During the Alabasta Arc, when Ace leaves the Straw Hats and Vivi, he gives Luffy a "blank piece of white paper" (Vivre Card). Saving it from getting eaten by Eyelashes, Nami sews it into the inside of red band around the circumference of his hat. Shanks is briefly reunited with his hat.
Luffy's hat fell off when Jinbe, who was carrying him, was struck by AdmiralAkainu. As Luffy was mentally shattered from his brother's death, he did not notice, nor did Jinbe, who was occupied with dealing with the Admiral. After Shanks appeared, the straw hat was reunited with its old owner after over ten years. Shanks convinces Buggy to return the straw hat to Luffy shortly after, and ended up in Trafalgar Law's temporary care. It was then handed over to Silvers Rayleigh, who in turn returned the straw hat to Luffy after he recovered. Prior to his training with Rayleigh at Rusukaina island, Luffy set aside the hat on the island's only safe location. He eventually picked it back up after the training is over.
Luffy's straw hat has somehow managed to survive through all his battles even when it logically could not possibly have done so, such as when he was poisoned by Magellan and was literally dissolving.
Oars Jr.
The kasa (conical straw hat) made by Ace was given to Oars Jr. as he believed it would help the giant since he was so close to the sun. Oars Jr. was so moved by this gift, he fought with all of his strength to save Ace during the WhitebeardWar.
Demalo Black
Demalo Black, in a poor attempt to impersonate Luffy, also wears a straw hat. However, his was different by being frayed and unkempt, with a flat top rather than a domed one and having a striped band around its circumference. It fell off when Sentomaru smashed him on the head.
Fishman Island Children
After Luffy and his crew defeated the New Fishman Pirates and saved Fishman Island, children wanted to get straw hats so they could play hero. Despite the adults saying that straw hats can only be bought on the surface, Jinbe states that he will pick some up for them. are more expensive.
Monkey D. Luffy, also known as "Straw Hat Luffy", is a pirate and the main protagonist of the anime and manga, One Piece. He is the son of the Revolutionary Army's commander, Monkey D. Dragon, the grandson of the famed Marine, Monkey D. Garp, the foster son of a mountain bandit, Curly Dadan, and the adopted brother of the late "Fire Fist" Portgas D. Ace and Sabo. His life long goal is to become the Pirate King by finding the legendary treasure left behind by the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger. He believes being Pirate King means one has the most freedom in the world. He has eaten the Gomu Gomu no Mi. As the founder and captain of the Straw Hat Pirates, he is the first member who makes up the crew, as well as one of its top three fighters.
Luffy has a worldwide reputation for causing trouble, challenging the Shichibukai, the Marines, and even a Yonko, committing felonies against, as well as actions which were deemed threatening by, the World Government. He has gained a reputation for being "reckless" and, in some cases, "insane", after causing an incident in Enies Lobby, entering and escaping from Impel Down, and joining the Battle of Marineford.
He is, therefore, famous for being the only pirate to not only break into the three most important government facilities, but also escape from all of them alive. Including the fact that he punched a Tenryubito with full knowledge of the consequences, as well as his heritage, has caused Luffy to be labeled as a "Dangerous Future Element", earning the wrath of Fleet AdmiralSakazuki, making the Marines among his greatest enemies.
These acts, amongst other things, have given him his current bounty of 400,000,000, one of the highest past or present bounties in the series. Having had a bounty of 300,000,000 prior to his arrival at the Sabaody Archipelago, Luffy was one of eleven rookie pirates who had been referred to as "The Eleven Supernovas", the eleven pirates with bounties over 100,000,000 to have reached the Red Line.
Luffy is renowned for his trademark straw hat (from which he gets his nickname "Straw Hat Luffy"), which was lent to him when he was young by the legendary pirate captain, "Red-Haired" Shanks, who in turn received it from Gol D. Roger. He wears short trousers along with sandals and a sleeveless red vest. Luffy also has a scar with two stitches underneath his left eye (which he earned by stabbing a knife under his eye to show Shanks that he was tough) and short black hair. He was severely wounded by Akainu in the Whitebeard War, leaving a large X-shaped scar on his chest. Appearing to be scrawny underneath his shirt, he has a surprisingly well-built physique. In the pre-timeskip, he was short since he appeared quite dwarfed by most individuals in the series.
Before the Timeskip
Similar to most of his male crewmates, Luffy has the same outfit throughout most of the series, as opposed to the rest of the crew (especially Nami and Nico Robin), who change frequently. Luffy may wear a different outfit to suit the climate of an island (like a hooded parka on Drum Island or desert robes in Alabasta), but will switch back to his trademark red vest and blue shorts after the adventures on that island are over. Despite this, he will wear his usual outfit in different colors and has been known to sport other miscellaneous items on his person from time to time.
During the Drum Island Arc, he wore two parkas, the first being a dark red parka with fur on the cuffs, hood, and hem, and then a checkered, hooded parka with the colors white, orange and bright yellow, which Nami wore in the beginning.
During the Alabasta Arc, he wore desert robes consisting of a dark red robe with three white rings decorated along both of the sleeves and a light blue wrap over his head.
During the Skypiea Arc, he wore a black wristband around his left wrist with a white bangle over it.
During the Long Ring Long Land Arc, Luffy wore an afro on his head, dark red shorts, and red bandages on his feet, as well as getting an image of a blue flaming skull and crossbones painted on his chest when he was fighting Foxy.
During the Enies Lobby Arc, he wore black shorts because they had pockets in which he could carry meat.
During the Post-Enies Lobby Arc, Luffy wore a white T-shirt with the Galley-La Company emblem on it in red, along with red liners around the top the shoulders and collar, and navy blue shorts.
During the Thriller Bark Arc, he wore an orange vest and red shorts. After the battle against Moria in Thriller Bark, Luffy wore a dark decorated, jeweled armband around his left bicep. This armband was later revealed to be a map that leads to Captain John's lost treasure, which Buggy sought for some time - leading to Luffy handing the armband in for Buggy in exchange for his services at helping him navigate through Impel Down.
During the Amazon Lily Arc, Luffy wore a light blue vest with red shorts.
During the Impel Down Arc, Luffy wore his outfit from his stay on Amazon Lily until after his fight with Magellan, moment in which he replaced his light blue vest with a bright yellow vest given to him by Inazuma.
No matter where he is, Luffy wears his Straw Hat through absolutely everything, though at the start, the hat was prone to getting knocked off his head easily, forcing Luffy to either put it aside or have someone hold onto it during fights. From the Alabasta Arc onwards, he has gotten a string strap for it, which was sewed on by Nami, allowing the hat to hang from his neck during fights.
During his return to Marineford to give a silent prayer, Luffy was briefly shown with four characters written on his right arm spelling 3D2Y, with the 3D crossed out to symbolize that the Straw Hat Pirates should meet up in 2 years (2Y) rather than the 3 days (3D) as planned after fleeing from Bartholomew Kuma.
After the Timeskip
After those two years, a few things have changed. Luffy wears an open, long-sleeved red cardigan with four buttons (which shows the X-shaped scar covering most of his chest he received by Admiral Akainu), with a yellow sash tied around his waist, somewhat reminiscent of Gol D. Roger's outfit. He has grown slightly taller, and is shown to be significantly more muscular due to his training. This can be seen in instances where his neck is slightly thicker, more pronounced deltoids, and his chest also having more definition.
During the Punk Hazard Arc, he wore a long winter coat with red and white horizontal strips, along with yellow ear muffs, which he stole from one of Brownbeard'sCentaur Patrol Unit
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