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In the world ofOne Piece, biological fathers tend to get a bad reputation. With the show focusing more on the merits of found family, often, adopted parents and families tend to be far more loving than biological ones. Plus, with awful fathers like Vinsmoke Judge, Yassop, Kaido, and Captain Axe Morgan,One Pieceproves that blood relations aren’t everything.
However, oneOne Piecefather that is consistently added to the “bad father” category is Luffy’s dad, Monkey D. Dragon. Many fans of the series accuse the head of the Revolutionary Army of being one ofthe worst dadsOne Piecehas to offer, due to the fact that he abandoned his son Luffy. Despite this, Luffy’s relationship with his father is far more complicated. In fact, Dragon, despite his shortcomings, may be the perfect father for someone like Luffy.
Monkey D. Dragon Is The Most Wanted Criminal In One Piece
Before the events ofOne Piecestarted, a young Luffy was born to the head of the Revolutionary Army, andthe most wanted criminalin the world, Monkey D. Dragon, and an unknown woman. However, instead of raising him, Dragon instead left him with his Grandfather, Monkey D. Garp, who in turn left Luffy with Dadan and her group of Mountain Bandits.
A child is a weak spot for any parent. - Monkey D. Dragon
From here, Luffy’s childhood, despite being perfect for raising a young and rebellious pirate,was anything but easy. Luffy was consistently forced to fend for himself, especially against the hardships of nature, all while his Grandfather,the Navy Hero Garp, pressured him to become a Marine. Additionally, Luffy was forced to face the events of Gray Terminal and the perceived loss of Sabo, an issue that could have been easily solved if Dragon was still in the picture. Dragon was present in the Goa Kingdom then and still didn’t make contact with Luffy.
Dragon May Have Been a Great Father For Luffy
Giving Luffy Freedom
It seems that around every turn, Dragon could have easily solved many of the hardshipsOne Piece’sStraw Hat Captainhas faced. If Luffy were a normal child, he would have had one of the worst childhoods in the series. However, Luffy is no ordinary child. Although, on the surface, Dragon may seem like a bad father, he may actually be the perfect father for his son, Luffy.
Firstly, above all else, Luffy strives for freedom. Being one of the major themes inthe story ofOne Piece, especially in a world controlled by the World Government, freedom is valued above anything else. If Dragon were to raise Luffy directly, he would be under constant threat of capture by the Navy, constantly forced to stay on the run from their enemies. This lifestyle for Luffy is far too restrictive and would have almost certainly led to Luffy having different goals throughout the series.
Second, many fans accuseOne Piece’sMonkey D. Dragonof not being there for his son, though this couldn’t be further from the case. Multiple times throughout the story, Dragon or his Revolutionaries are keeping tabs on Luffy, monitoring his progress on his journey to become the Pirate King. Dragon, at one time, even stepped in, while watching Luffy from the shadows, saving Luffy from Smoker.
Dragon Supports Luffy’s Dreams
Proud of his World-Changing Son
Lastly, while many characters intheOne Pieceuniverseare resistant to Luffy’s goal of becoming the Pirate King, Dragon actually seems to be proud of his son and his strong convictions. More often than not, Dragon is shown to be in full support of Luffy shaking up the World Government’s order. As long as Luffy is strong in his convictions, Dragon seems like he will always be on Luffy’s side.
Children are born innocent, even in a country like this." - Monkey D. Dragon
While many could say that abandoning a child at all makes Dragon a bad father,the world ofOne Piecefunctions a little differently than reality. In the end, it’s hard to judge Dragon’s actions due to the fantastical nature of the situation he’s in. Whether Dragon is a good father or a bad father, Luffy turns out well, making the perfect protagonistOne Piececould ask for.
