One Piece has consistently implied that its protagonist, Monkey D. Luffy, is following in the footsteps of Gol D. Roger, the former King of the Pirates, aiming to become the second person to claim that title. Numerous events have aligned to portray Luffy as Roger’s successor. Key figures like Silvers Rayleigh, Roger’s first mate, and Shanks, among others who were closely associated with Roger, often see glimpses of him in Luffy. Following the time skip, Luffy even began to demonstrate abilities similar to Roger’s, with one of the most notable being the “Voice of All Things.”
With these moments reinforcing the connection, many fans became certain that Luffy was a true reflection of Roger. However, the latest installment in the manga, Chapter 1156, introduces a key detail that marks a major distinction between the two. This trait has long defined Luffy’s personality, and fans had assumed Roger shared it as well. Yet in Chapter 1156, Roger is shown behaving differently, raising doubts about Luffy being his true successor. Considering this change of trait, it suggests that Luffy is not retracing Roger’s path but forging his own. In fact, One Piece has already presented several subtle differences between the two characters, indicating that Luffy was never meant to be Roger’s successor in the first place.
One Piece Chapter 1156 Reveals a Key Distinction Between Luffy and Roger
One Piece Chapter 1156, titled “Idols,” continues the flashback arc, depicting a time before the Great Pirate Era. The chapter features several prominent pirate crews, including the Kuja Pirates. Known for their beauty, the Kuja had also long captivated both pirates and Navy officers alike before the Great Pirate Era as well. The most notable among them was Shakuyaku, also known as Shakky. The chapter shows the Roger Pirates launching an attack on the Kuja Pirates under Roger’s orders to bring Shakky aboard. Initially, this scene draws a parallel between Roger and Luffy, specifically in how Roger, like Luffy with Boa Hancock, seemingly doesn’t return the romantic interest of the Kuja captain, Glorosia. However, this expectation is quickly subverted when Roger is shown falling for Shakky’s beauty, a stark contrast to Luffy’s consistent indifference toward romance.
This moment subtly underlines a key distinction between Roger and Luffy; they are similar yet fundamentally different. Other differences are seen in their combat styles. Roger, who lacks a Devil Fruit, relies entirely on his swordsmanship and Haki, whereas Luffy’s fighting style is deeply rooted in his Devil Fruit abilities in combination with Haki. Ever since Luffy was revealed to be a parallel to Joy Boy, an identity tied to the entity known as Nika, with whom Roger shares no clear connection, it’s become more apparent that Luffy was never meant to mirror Roger, aside from sharing a similar goal.
When considering who might truly be Roger’s successor, one character begins to stand out more than Luffy: the fan favorite, Shanks. A strong piece of evidence comes from Oda himself in a Q&A, where he responded to a fan’s question about how Shanks learned the Divine Departure technique, the same devastating move Roger once used. Oda explained that only Shanks was able to imitate it, while no other crew members could. This suggests that Shanks was uniquely gifted and destined for greatness. Given his direct mentorship under Roger, Shanks fits the mold of Roger’s true successor in One Piece far more closely than Luffy, who is carving his own path entirely.
