Known to be the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger was the strongest of his era, and he managed to complete the circumnavigation of the entire world and reach the final island, Laugh Tale, to claim the One Piece. His strength was such that all the Marines all over the world feared him, and even his rivals had nothing but respect for him. Roger was incredibly overpowered, but he had to die in order for the Great Pirate Era to finally begin.
Now, in the new era, Roger’s successor is finally here. One Piece’s Elbaf arc climax pits Monkey D. Luffy against Nerona Imu, the King of the entire world. In doing so, it sets up Luffy to be the perfect successor to Gol D. Roger. Just like Roger, Luffy has earned the respect of Gaban and is now incredibly close to finally reaching the next level of strength.
One Piece’s Elbaf Arc Sets Up Luffy To Become The Next Gol D. Roger
Monkey D. Luffy being the next Gol D. Roger might sound cliché to many, but his path to reaching this position has certainly not been an easy one. In the Elbaf arc, specifically in the climax, following the arrival of Nerona Imu in One Piece chapter 1179 on April 5, 2026, Luffy has endured quite a difficult time. Luffy Vs Imu began officially in One Piece chapter 1186 and has continued ever since. If there is one thing that this battle has made clear, it is that the Straw Hat captain is not yet strong enough to defeat Nerona Imu. Despite that, Luffy has fought with incredible perseverance, impressing even the left arm of the late Pirate King, Scopper Gaban, in the process. It is this very act of defiance against God that confirms Luffy as the true successor to Gol D. Roger.
“Hajrudin! Take Straw Hat out of here and get away. I will hold him off.” — Scopper Gaban decides to risk his life for Luffy, One Piece Chapter #1191
In terms of strength, Luffy still has a lot that he needs to acquire before he reaches Roger’s level. In terms of personality and the sheer defiance against God, Scopper Gaban was clearly made to see in One Piece chapter 1193, released officially on September 14, 2026, in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump Double Issue 42-43, that Luffy was indeed the second coming of Roger. From here on out, Scopper Gaban is going to dedicate his life to seeing Luffy survive Elbaf, even if it comes at the price of his own life. This is because he sees Roger in Luffy, just as Shanks saw Roger in him, as did Silvers Rayleigh, the right-hand man of the Pirate King.
“Rayleigh-san! I was also surprised! In the East Blue, there’s a kid saying the exact same things as Captain Roger! The very same exact words that the captain said!” — Shanks confirms Luffy as the next Roger, Sabaody Archipelago Arc
Scopper Gaban’s Sacrifice For Luffy Establishes Him As The Next King of Seas
When the Elbaf arc of One Piece began, it was made quite clear to us that Scopper Gaban wanted to test Luffy for himself. Gaban served the late Pirate King, who is arguably the greatest pirate to have ever lived after Joy Boy. As such, the standard that Gaban held Luffy to was always going to be quite high. When Luffy and Gaban fought in Chapter 1140 on February 23, 2025, he saw for himself that Nika had descended upon the world. He was more than satisfied with what he witnessed in battle, but Gaban lost respect for Luffy quickly when he was not able to hold Imu back and his weakness showed.
“On your feet, Straw Hat Luffy! I’m disappointed in you! Aren’t you ashamed of being saved by an injured old man like me? Your white form? Emperor of the Sea? Don’t get full of yourself!” — Scopper Gaban reprimands Luffy, One Piece Chapter #1190
Luffy flipped the script quite quickly when he got back up again and fought against Imu, even though he was on the back foot. This sheer defiance against God made Gaban finally realize that Luffy truly was the man that the world was waiting for and that he stood as the perfect successor to Gol D. Roger.
Now, Scopper Gaban will see to it that Luffy survives Elbaf at any cost, and we are incredibly excited to witness the developments in the Underworld of the country from here onwards. As things stand, Luffy’s Gear 5 has already run out, and this was clearly shown to us in One Piece chapter 1193 on September 14, 2026. Now is the time for Gaban, Hajrudin, and Usopp to step in and protect Luffy while Loki attempts to fight back against Imu.
Luffy’s Power Level Compared To Roger
There is no denying at this point in the story that Luffy’s personality is quite similar to that of Roger. They both hold a similar childish dream, which has not been revealed to us yet. Their understanding of what it means to be the king of the seas is also very similar, as confirmed in the Sabaody Archipelago arc. Above all, they are defiant in the face of individuals like Imu who oppress the entire world.
Luffy is the second coming of Roger in that sense, but at the end of the day, he is still his own character. This was put into words perfectly by Usopp in One Piece chapter 1192, when he stood up to Scopper Gaban and explained to him why Luffy was the way he was.
“He has plenty of reasons to fight! Two years ago, at Little Garden, our way forward was opened up for us by Dorry and Brogy! At Enies Lobby, our quest to save our friend was assisted by Oimo and Kashi! And Hajrudin and his men are my henchmen. And you expect us to turn back and run, and leave behind those to whom we owe so much? People compare him to Nika, Joy Boy, and even Roger. A legend? A great heroic warrior? If you want to put your hopes on Luffy, that’s your business! But if you do anything to take away his freedom, we won’t stand for it!” — Usopp backs Luffy against Imu, One Piece Chapter #1192
Luffy’s growth towards reaching the same status as Gol D. Roger continues, and he still has quite a few upgrades to acquire before he officially achieves that level. For now, Roger still ranks significantly above him in terms of power, even though Luffy has access to the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika, which he awakened in One Piece chapter 1044, on March 28, 2022. Only after Luffy surpasses Shanks will he reach the same level as the late Pirate King Roger. When he does go on to claim the One Piece and become the next Pirate King, his legacy can then start surpassing that of the late Pirate King. Until then, Luffy will remain inferior.
All the latest manga chapters of One Piece by Eiichiro Oda are available to read via Manga Plus and Viz Media.
