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- "Dragon" redirects here. For other uses of the name, see Dragon (Disambiguation).
Monkey D. Dragon,[10] also known as the "Rebellious Dragon",[7] is the infamous supreme commander[6] of the Revolutionary Army and one of its founding members, as well as formerly the captain of the Freedom Fighters.[3] He used to be part of the Marines but became disillusioned with the organization's outlook on justice;[4] this, along with the fallout from the Ohara Incident, sparked Dragon's desire to attempt to overthrow the World Government, with his endeavors ultimately causing him to be labeled the "World's Worst Criminal".[5]
Dragon is the father of Monkey D. Luffy and the son of Monkey D. Garp, having been born in the Goa Kingdom just like them.[2] He was also responsible for saving Sabo's life after the latter had almost drowned from a World Noble attack, eventually turning the boy into his second-in-command.
Dragon was first introduced in the Loguetown Arc, where he helped Luffy escape from Marine captain Smoker's clutches. Since then, Dragon occasionally shows up throughout the series as an important background character.
Who is Monkey D. Dragon in the One Piece universe?
Monkey D. Dragon, often simply referred to as 'Dragon', is a pivotal character in the One Piece universe. He's the leader of the Revolutionary Army, a group that opposes the World Government. Dragon is also the son of Monkey D. Garp, a vice admiral of the Marines, and the father of Monkey D. Luffy, the main protagonist of the series and captain of the Straw Hat Pirates. His role in the series adds a layer of intrigue and complexity, as he's directly related to both a marine and a pirate, while leading a rebellion against the establishment.
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What led to Monkey D. Dragon's disillusionment with the Marines?
Monkey D. Dragon, also known as Luffy's dad, was once a member of the Marines. However, his disillusionment with the organization began when he realized that their ideals of Justice did not align with his own. He felt that the Marines were unable to live up to the standards they set for themselves. This, combined with events like the Ohara Buster Call and the execution of Gol D. Roger, pushed him towards opposition. His time in the Marines did provide him with valuable military training, which he later used to lead a competent resistance movement, known as the Freedom Fighters, against the World Government.
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What is the significance of the Ohara Incident in Monkey D. Dragon's story?
The Ohara Incident was a pivotal moment in Monkey D. Dragon's life. After witnessing the World Government's brutal actions against the scholars of Ohara, Dragon was deeply affected and decided to form an army to fight back against such injustices. This decision marked the beginning of his revolutionary path, and he became a significant figure in the world of One Piece, known for his relentless fight against the World Government. This incident also led to his connection with Nico Robin, the last surviving scholar of Ohara, who later became a member of his son, Luffy's pirate crew.
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What role does Monkey D. Dragon play in the Revolutionary Army?
Monkey D. Dragon, also known as Luffy's dad, is the Supreme Commander of the Revolutionary Army in the One Piece universe. He founded the organization after defecting from the Marines and has since been a force to reckon with, directly opposing the World Government. His role involves leading the army, strategizing, and making key decisions. He's known for his trustworthiness, often entrusting important intelligence gathering tasks to his close allies. The Revolutionary Army's flag even features a dragon, symbolizing their leader's influence and power.
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What powers does Monkey D. Dragon possess in One Piece?
Monkey D. Dragon is a character shrouded in mystery in One Piece. While his specific powers have not been revealed, he is the leader of the Revolutionary Army, indicating a high level of strength and strategic ability. Whether he has a Devil Fruit power or not is still unknown.
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Appearance
Dragon is a tall middle-aged man with spiky black hair with a widow's peak and a tattoo on the left side of his face, which is colored dark red in the anime and bright red in the manga. He has a bit of stubble on his chin. He is usually dressed in a long green cloak, underneath which he wears the orange garb of a revolutionary. He is most often seen sporting a grin. Only on rare occasions, such as at Roger's execution, has Dragon not been seen smiling.
At Gol D. Roger's execution, 24 years ago, Dragon did not have his tattoo or his stubble on his face.
After the timeskip, Dragon's hair has grown slightly longer, reaching down his back past his shoulders.
Gallery
A close up of Dragon's face.
Dragon's color scheme in the manga.
Dragon's color scheme in the manga with his hood up.
Dragon at age 31.
A close up of Dragon's face at age 33.
Dragon at age 33.
Dragon at age 41.
Dragon's concept art from the anime.
Dragon's concept art during the Egghead Arc from the anime.
Personality
“ | There can be no happiness in a world where those deemed unnecessary are weeded out and eliminated...!! One day, I will change this world... you mark my words. | ” |
As the leader of the Revolutionary Army, Dragon is dedicated to dismantling the World Government and its corrupt nobility system that allows its World Nobles to oppress lower-class citizens as they please. He considers the corrupt nobility in his homeland of the Goa Kingdom to be the same problem on a smaller scale and was enraged when their self-serving actions caused an innocent noble boy like Sabo to denounce them as well as being ashamed and despising his own birth.[12][13] When he rescued Sabo the next day from being attacked by a World Noble's ship, Dragon was shown with a powerful glare of anger on his face.[14]
Dragon is most often seen with a serious expression, his face in an almost permanent frown with a furrowed brow, and focused on business at hand, taking little time for pleasure or relaxing. He prizes information and knowing his enemies, taking care to stay informed as head of a seasoned spy ring about as many world affairs and events as possible, while educating his subordinates about relevant pieces as their missions allow. A realist at heart, Dragon knows his movement is small and almost insignificant compared to the power of the World Government and is quick to caution his subordinates against celebrating small victories given how much work is still to be done.[15] Even when his compatriots seem enthusiastic over any victory, Dragon is shown to remain stone faced and stoic. While his business-like view among his compatriots seems grim, he is an optimist, as he has been shown smiling when reflecting on the changing course of the world and shows particular amusement in his son Luffy's role in it as a pirate.[16] Dragon's personal life and history are written in near invisible ink even to his subordinates and confidantes, as he did not tell anyone in the Revolutionary Army that he was Garp's son or Luffy's father. Ivankov was once stopped stone cold when he attempted to ask if Dragon had any family out in the world.[17] When the news of his family ties came out following the Summit War of Marineford, Dragon noted that it would help his subordinates to see him as more human, rather than the intimidating figure he has always been.[18]
Dragon has shown himself to have a vast amount of empathy, with an island sized amount of compassion for those oppressed by the World Government's system. He checked to see if a young Sabo was all right after seeing him be thrown to the ground and did not hesitate to take his denouncement of the Goa Kingdom's nobles extremely seriously.[12] He is active in seeking out people oppressed by the World Government and isn't shy about inviting them to join his fight for freedom, though he will not force them to.[13] He also cares about the members and associates of his army even if they are not around for long, as shown when he asked Koala if Nico Robin was doing well.[15] When he was under the impression that Portgas D. Ace was Dragon's son, Emporio Ivankov expected that Dragon would go to Marineford to save Ace,[17] showing that Dragon holds love and care towards his family and possibly his son, Luffy, despite not being involved in his childhood. Like his father and son, Dragon is a genuinely righteous man as he was previously joined the Marines but left due to being disillusioned by their corruption and hypocrisy.
Dragon is protective of his allies and the innocent and is almost as unforgiving as Sakazuki to those he considers having done wrong to them, stating he would not forgive Sabo if he really had killed Nefertari Cobra during the Levely no matter the reason, as killing benevolent royals is not part of the Revolutionary Army's goals. While he is not shy about using violence to achieve his aims, Dragon does not appear to enjoy it or go to the extremes like a Buster Call which the World Government is willing to engage with.
Relationships
Family
Monkey D. Garp
Garp is the father of Dragon, although no direct interaction between the two has been shown yet. While in the past Dragon initially followed in his father's footsteps to become a marine, he eventually left due to finding no justice in it. Garp himself expressed anger about his son's path to leave and become a revolutionary.[19][4]
Despite this they appear to be on relatively good terms in the present day, having spoken sometime after Luffy and Dragon ran into each other at Loguetown.[2] As a Revolutionary, Dragon's ideology greatly differs from his father's, though they both share disdain towards the World Nobles.
Dragon and Garp express different viewpoints of the East Blue. While Garp perceives it as a rather peaceful place, Dragon expresses his disgust with Garp's view of "peace" as nothing more than a form of oppression authorized by the law in places, such as Tequila Wolf and the Goa Kingdom, where common people that are put into horrible living conditions. While Dragon absolutely despises the World Government to the point of becoming a revolutionary and seeking to overthrow them, Garp takes pride and contentment in being a Marine serving the World Government, their ideals being completely different.
Monkey D. Luffy
“ | A child is a weak spot for any parent. | ” |
Dragon was never a part of his son Luffy's life, giving custody of him to his (Luffy's) grandfather Monkey D. Garp. Accordingly, Luffy never knew or even really cared who his father was, only finding out it was Dragon two years ago when Garp told him at Water 7,[2] and seeing Dragon's face for the first time after reading the report on Baltigo's destruction. When reading about the Revolutionary Army's peril, Luffy did not pay nearly as much mind to his father as he did to his sworn brother, Sabo.[21]
That said, Dragon does in truth care for his son and would occasionally watch over him from a distance, an event that Bartholomew Kuma once took notice of. In the past, Ivankov also noted Dragon to be constantly looking toward the East Blue from their base and wondered if he had family there.[17] Still, Dragon did not enjoy speaking about Luffy, since, as the leader of a worldwide criminal group, he would be jeopardizing his child's safety by sharing this information with anyone, as well as the possible anguish it brought with the reminder of his necessary abandonment of his only child. By the time of the Summit War of Marineford, however, Dragon does not seem to consider Luffy a liability anymore, as his son had become a powerful, infamous criminal himself by that point.
Just like his father, Garp, Dragon is shown to have high expectations for Luffy, believing that he will be a great man. But unlike Garp, who is irritated and disapproves of Luffy's choice to become a pirate, Dragon approves and supports his son's choice, believing that Luffy was free to live however he wanted. He went to Loguetown just to see Luffy leave for the Grand Line and reflecting at Baltigo that he hoped for Luffy's pirating career to play a role in the world's shifting. To that end, he saved Luffy from being captured by Smoker in Loguetown and anticipates reuniting with his son in the future.[1][16]
Allies
Revolutionary Army
Dragon seems to maintain a serious and professional interaction with his subordinates most of the time as demonstrated by his warnings they should not be complacent about liberating one nation.[22] He is quick to caution his subordinates against celebrating small victories, reminding them of the war they are in and of the World Government's massive power and resources.[23]Dragon is extremely secretive about his personal life and background, as he did not tell anybody in the Revolutionary Army about his immediate relatives (with the seeming exception of Kuma, who knew), and once rebuffed an attempt by Ivankov to ask if he had family out in the world.[17] However, when news about his family was released in the aftermath of the Summit War of Marineford, Dragon does not seem to be aggravated as he states the information would help his subordinates to see him as a human for once.[24]
Sabo
Dragon checked on a 10-year-old Sabo 12 years ago after seeing him being thrown to the ground while in the Goa Kingdom. In their brief meeting, Sabo confessed his disgust over the hearts of the residents, and Dragon took his words extremely seriously, becoming angry that even a child was affected by their corruption.[12] Dragon would go on to save Sabo from being killed by a World Noble a day later, and over the next 12 years, Sabo became a trusted member of the Revolutionary Army, rising all the way to the position of Dragon's Chief of Staff and second-in-command.[14] Dragon and Sabo work well together, and Sabo told Dragon a lot about Luffy after reuniting with him in Dressrosa.[15] When Nefertari Cobra was assassinated, Dragon said that he would never forgive Sabo if the rumors were true that he indeed did kill Cobra, due to him believing that Cobra was a kind and just king,[25] although it was quickly revealed that he had no involvement in Cobra's murder.[26] While Dragon expresses relief of Sabo's innocence, he also notes his lack of concern over the accusation and his focus of keeping morale for the revolution burning, something he seemingly approves of.[27]
Emporio Ivankov
Ivankov is one of Dragon's closest comrades in the Revolutionary Army, and the two of them have been in each other's company often since at least ten years ago, frequently discussing the Revolutionary Army's course of action as well as more personal matters.[13] Despite Dragon tending to talk very little about himself, Ivankov is very perceptive about him and has inquired about Dragon's personal ties and motivations, particularly his connection to Goa Kingdom in the East Blue. Although he and Ivankov are close, Dragon still shares very little personal information with him, and does not like Iva trying to pry into his history. Ivankov has been shown to be extremely loyal to Dragon, to the point that he was compelled to ensure that Dragon's son Luffy escaped from Impel Down alive.[17] After the Summit War of Marineford, Ivankov was amused that Dragon's family ties had been revealed while Dragon was grateful that Iva protected his son during the war.
Bartholomew Kuma
Bartholomew Kuma is one of Dragon's subordinates and was the only known one to have known of Dragon's relationship with Luffy before it was revealed to the world by Sengoku, something even Ivankov was unaware of until being told by Luffy, despite being equal to Kuma in authority and strength, as well as having been with Dragon longer than Kuma. Dragon first met Kuma when he was introduced to him by Ivankov, who was previously saved by Kuma. Dragon was convinced by Ivankov about Kuma's personality and usefulness for the army and Dragon later decided to have Kuma and Ginny join the Army. Dragon grew very close to Kuma, as Kuma was the co-founder of the Revolutionary Army and Dragon deeply cared about his well-being. However, when Ginny was captured by a World Noble, despite Kuma's worries, Dragon could not do anything to save her, which led to Kuma trying to do it by himself. When Kuma later told Dragon that Ginny had a daughter, Jewelry Bonney who inherited a deadly disease from Ginny prior to her death. Kuma then asked to leave the Army to find a cure for Bonney, to which Dragon complied and in addition, he offered Kuma to ask every doctor they knew about finding a cure for Bonney, much to Kuma's relief, as he deeply cared for Kuma.
When Kuma was unable to find any doctors with cures for Bonney's disease, Dragon met Kuma again by chance when Kuma was sailing to another island to find a cure. Dragon and Kuma then exchanged what had happened during Kuma's absence, including Ivankov's and Inazuma's imprisonment, when Dragon told Kuma that he should pay Dr. Vegapunk a visit, which had Kuma once more overjoyed. As Kuma set out to meet Vegapunk, he thanked Dragon for his help, pleading he would return to the Army once Bonney was fully cured, to which Dragon replied the "Wind of Fate" should lead Kuma's way. Dragon learned that Kuma has turned into the World Government's weapon. After the Seven Warlords' abolishment and Kuma's liberation from the World Government, Dragon asked Kuma what happened at Mary Geoise as Kuma confirmed his command by calling Dragon as "master", which made Dragon bite his lips in anger and frustration at the "death" of one of his most trusted subordinates and friends.
Koala
Koala has been shown to work directly with Dragon despite only being an assistant Fish-Man Karate instructor. After Koala had returned to Baltigo following the mission to Dressrosa, Dragon thanked her for helping them find their lost comrades and her retrieval of the weapons on the island. He also appears to trust her well enough to carry out important tasks such as summoning the other Revolutionary leaders.[28]
Nico Robin
Dragon has been highly interested in Robin for over ten years due to her status as the sole survivor of the Poneglyph scholars on Ohara, and the Revolutionary Army has since started referring to her as the "Light of the Revolution". Dragon wished to meet with Robin, and so ordered his men to protect her from the World Government if they attacked her while she was with them.[18] Robin worked with Dragon and the Revolutionaries in the two years following, and Dragon was shown to be mindful of her after she had left to rejoin the Straw Hat Pirates, as he grew concerned upon reading a report that she had been captured on Sabaody Archipelago and asked Koala if she was all right after Koala had reunited with her on Dressrosa.[15] The two have a very trusting relationship, with Robin confirming that the Ancient Weapons existed to Dragon.[29]
Vegapunk
Dragon has a cordial relationship with Vegapunk. Though Vegapunk shares Dragon's contempt with the World Government's corruption, he did not join the Revolutionary Army when Dragon invited him, as he deemed the army to be poor. Regardless, the two shared their respect for Clover and worked to ensure the famous archaeologist's death will not be in vain.[3] Dragon is quite aware of Vegapunk's strong morals and integrity, as he defended him when Ivankov believed he was responsible for creating the Mother Flame, stating that Vegapunk was not the type of person who would create a weapon of mass murder.
Clou D. Clover
Dragon was an acquaintance to the late Clou D. Clover, and while he knew of the archaeologist's past reputation of stirring up trouble, he refused to believe the propaganda that Clover was plotting to destroy the world. He highly respected the old archaeologist, so much so that Dragon refused to allow the World Government to get away with the genocide of Ohara. Clover's death spurned Dragon to abandon his stance against war and form a movement that directly opposed the corrupt world.[3]
Enemies
Marines
“ | I spent some time in the Marines... sadly, I couldn't find any of the Justice they wear on their backs... | ” |
As the enforcement arm of the World Government, Dragon is in direct conflict with the Marines and other authorities under their control. They likewise treat him as a serious threat that needs to be removed in order to ensure a peaceful world. Despite his adversarial role to the Marines and the government, his bounty remains unknown. His first appearance to the Straw Hats was in direct opposition to the Marines via Smoker's plans to capture Luffy during a storm in Loguetown, which caused Smoker to react in shock.
While Dragon opposes the Marines due to their connection with the World Government, he has admitted that he was once involved with them, though it is unknown in what capacity. His former training in the Marines did give Dragon enough of an understanding of logistics, battle tactics, espionage, and navigation, to build and lead a competent resistance movement that has endured for at least 25 years. Current information states that Dragon's force did not take up arms against the government until after the Ohara Buster Call and the execution of Gol D. Roger, meaning Marine actions could have pushed their antagonism into violence. It is unknown what caused him to leave the Marines, but he expressed disillusionment with the ideals of Justice the Marines hold and them being unable to live up to the standard. Fleet Admiral Sakazuki seems to have a particular antipathy towards Dragon, speaking of Luffy at the Marineford War as "Dragon's Son," on multiple occasions. Sakazuki and Dragon are the same age but any prior relationship between them is not known.
World Government
Dragon wishes to bring down the World Government by overthrowing the World Nobles that run it due to intense hatred of their tyranny to take away people's freedoms and even their lives for nothing other than their own interests.[30][13] He sees and knows the World Government as an existential threat to his cause, due to their massive military power, propaganda, and resources, particularly with Cipher Pol.[15] Likewise, Dragon is seen by the World Government as one of, if not the greatest threat in the world currently, being labeled as the "World's Worst Criminal".[2] His threat was first brought up eight years ago during the Levely, when Thalassa Lucas warned the other rulers in attendance that he would be a danger to the world in five-to-six years.[31] This warning proved to be correct, as Dragon is now an infamous criminal almost as notorious as the Yonko. When the Revolutionary Army's headquarters was discovered by the Blackbeard Pirates, the World Government immediately sent the Marines and Cipher Pol to invade it.[21] After being informed by Sabo of the existence of Imu and the truth surrounding Lulusia Kingdom's destruction via a government weapon, Dragon was shocked and concerned on how the government got in possession of this weapon and why it was just now beginning to be utilized.
Nobles
“ | You have caused this boy to despise his own kind...Goa Kingdom!! | ” |
Like his son and father, Dragon scorns the Celestial Dragons, seeing them as the scum of the earth. Having learned of their attempt to kill all the people in the Gray Terminal from Sabo, who begged Dragon to not dismiss his plea, Dragon initiated a covert rescue operation to save the people living there and questioned if the victims would be willing to fight tyranny by getting aboard his ship.
But he does recognize some of the rulers being benevolent as he sees Nefertari Cobra was one of these people. Dragon was shocked to see Cobra being assassinated as he sees attacking anyone like Cobra was not a part of the Revolutionary’s goals.
Abilities and Powers
As Supreme Commander of the Revolutionary Army, Dragon has the greatest authority over a powerful, globally active paramilitary that has risen to become a prominent threat to the expansive, centuries-old World Government in only two decades. Dragon's actions have given him the distinction of being the "World's Worst Criminal", yet he has managed to lead a largely secure existence despite the world's greatest powers being after him.[5] After Luffy told Emporio Ivankov that Ace is his brother, Ivankov feared the possibility of the World Government warring against Dragon along with Whitebeard.[17] Dragon's infamy is so great that when Sengoku made his relationship with Luffy public it caused panic in almost everyone present, including high-ranking members of the Government, Warlord of the Sea Gecko Moria, several infamous pirates from Impel Down, and even some of Whitebeard's pirates, having been enough for Luffy to be instantly marked as a "dangerous future element" with some Marines prioritizing his elimination above that of Whitebeard's crew and the Emperor himself.
Although his individual combat abilities are largely unknown, Dragon is able to command extremely powerful army officials, like his chief-of-staff Sabo and the five commanders, who have all been seen battling and defeating notable pirates and marines in the Grand Line.[33][34][35] Dragon himself was able to grab Smoker's jitte when the Marine Captain was preparing to use it on Luffy, quickly stopping him in his tracks, and despite Dragon's great criminal status, Smoker was not seen making the effort to try and apprehend him.[1] Additionally, Ivankov noted that Luffy's inhuman will to live in Impel Down made sense for the son of Dragon, indicating that Dragon has a similar level of tenacity.[17]
While at the Goa Kingdom and Loguetown, strong blasts of wind have occurred in close proximity to Dragon, which have helped him accomplish his objectives in both places. It remains unconfirmed if Dragon was directly responsible for these wind blasts.[1][13] Additionally, Dragon was somehow able to reach Sabo's ship as it was sinking far off the coast of Dawn Island and grab him right before he sank, without drawing attention from any onlookers.[14]
History
Past
Freedom Fighters and the Revolutionary Army
Very little is known of Dragon's early life, other than he was born 55 years ago in the Goa Kingdom as the son of Monkey D. Garp.[6] At some point, Dragon followed in his father's footsteps and joined the Marines, but left sometime after due to his perceptions of Justice not fitting with the organization's own, especially concerning "Absolute Justice". He, however, spent enough time there to learn some important military training procedures.[4]
Twenty-five years ago, by the time Dragon was thirty, he was the captain of a group called the Freedom Fighters, a small, poorly-funded militia group that caused several protests within various countries. Despite the group's lack of funds, Dragon was already plenty infamous, enough to get covered in newspapers and become a wanted man in the process.[36]
Twenty-four years ago, Dragon was shown to have watched Gol D. Roger's execution.[37][38] He eventually met the scientist Vegapunk and asked him to join his group, but he refused because their lack of resources would not allow him to actually use his intellect for anything meaningful. Twenty-two years ago, several months after the Ohara Incident, Dragon visited the ruined island to pay respects to the victims of the massacre, specifically to an old colleague of his named Clou D. Clover. He talked with Vegapunk, who was there for the same reason, and vowed to create an army that can actually fight back against those who eradicated the island and stop disasters like Ohara from ever happening again.
That same year, Dragon and Emporio Ivankov went to overthrow the corrupt King Bekori of Sorbet Kingdom due to his inhuman policy of cutting the southern half of the island loose and allowing his soldiers to enslave the poor, while at the same time find and recruit Bartholomew Kuma to their side after hearing of his revolt against Bekori's men, but also on Ivankov's recommendation that someone like Kuma would be a great asset to their cause. After their success, they officially welcomed Kuma, as well as Ginny, and reconstructed the Freedom Fighters into the more militant-styled Revolutionary Army.[39][3] As time passed, his ideals slowly spread throughout the world and one by one, countries slowly began to support him, although sometimes through conflict, causing many countries to fall.[6] Eventually, Dragon would be regarded as the world's worst criminal.
At some point between the ages of 33 and 41, Dragon had the left side of his face tattooed.[39] At the age of 36, nineteen years ago, Dragon and an unknown woman bore a son, Monkey D. Luffy, who was left to be raised by Dragon's father in the East Blue. Like with his homeland, Dragon did not publicly disclose he had a son, even to his fellow revolutionary co-founder Ivankov.[40]
According to Kuma, during a trip of the Revolutionary Army to the Goa Kingdom, he once witnessed Dragon going to Foosha Village to watch over a child in secret. When Kuma questioned him about it, Dragon half-confirmed Kuma's suspicions due to knowing Kuma would understand due to being a parent himself, but refused to speak further.[41]
The Gray Terminal and Ginny Incidents
Fourteen years ago, Dragon was alerted that his appointed revolutionary captain of the Eastern Forces, Ginny, was captured by a World Noble.[42] After learning of the whole situation in a call from other revolutionary members, he and Kuma were distraught from this news and the former began acting more recklessly.
Twelve years ago, Dragon returned to his home in the Goa Kingdom and witnessed the burning of the Gray Terminal. After witnessing the sorrow of its own people by way of Sabo, with the boy begging for help and claiming shame of his heritage, Dragon enacted a plan in order to save the people and embarrass the government by creating a causeway to allow for those on Trash Mountain to escape and join him. Due to his actions, the nobles merely noticed that the charred remains from their burning of the mountain was far less than anticipated.[13]
When Sabo was leaving home to become a pirate, his ship was obliterated by a World Noble. Dragon saved him from the wreckage and brought him to the revolutionaries' ship.[14] Sometime later, the Revolutionary Army docked in Shimotsuki Village for food and supplies. There, Dragon was seen on his ship, being scolded by Ivankov for being late.[43] Dragon asked if they had enough food. When he heard that the local dojo had resupplied them, he nodded before announcing that they would be returning to Baltigo.[43]
At some point shortly after their mission on Goa, in the same year, a now free Ginny contacted Kuma, Ivankov, and Dragon, telling them that she had come down with an illness after her capture, and that the World Nobles had released her from Mary Geoise as a result. As she died, she gave one last message telling Dragon and Ivankov to take care of Kuma, but not before placing her newborn baby Jewelry Bonney back at her and Kuma's church in Sorbet.[44]
After Sabo had regained consciousness, he was noted to suffer from memory loss. Dragon explained that he was part of a noble family from Goa, but Sabo insisted on staying with the revolutionaries, not wanting to return to his family.[14] Dragon began directly training Sabo three years later, as Hack had nothing left to teach the boy.[45]
Sometime before Bonney turned five, Kuma told Dragon he was quitting the revolutionaries to take care of Bonney as she caught the same disease her mother had. Dragon allowed this, promising Kuma he and the other revolutionaries would look for doctors all over the world that could identify a cure for the disease.[44]
Four years later, Dragon and the revolutionaries would reunite with Kuma during his days as a pirate aboard the Wind Granma. There, he talked to Kuma about Ivankov and Inazuma's imprisonment, while Kuma gave permission for Belo Betty to become the new commander of the East Army (Ginny's former position). The two continued to talked about everything they both had been going through since Kuma left the Revolutionary Army. It was then that Dragon tipped Kuma off about Dr. Vegapunk, the genius scientist, and his current whereabouts after an incident at Punk Hazard, believing that the moment was favorable for Kuma to meet him due to a lack of security, and that he might be able to cure his daughter. As Kuma thanked Dragon for telling him this and giving him hope again, Dragon saw him off.[46]
Six months after their last conversation, Dragon had read the news that Kuma had become a member of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, leaving him without words.[47] Some time later, at the Revolutionary Army's HQ, Dragon and Sabo had learned from one of their comrades that Kuma saved them during a mission but left without a word. Dragon simply told the soldier to not chase after Kuma, as he trusted his old friend had reasons for acting on his own.[48]
East Blue Saga
Loguetown Arc
Following Luffy's first bounty poster Dragon told Sabo that he was going to go to Loguetown, Sabo asked him why leading to Dragon asking him about who oversaw the territory; learning from him that it was the Marine Captain Smoker.[49] Dragon walked the streets of Loguetown as a storm broke out and stated that Luffy being the Pirate King was fine with him. When the Marine Captain Smoker had his son Luffy pinned to the ground, Dragon intervened, and a massive gust occurred that blew away the Marines and freed Luffy. As the Straw Hat Pirates sailed off, Dragon watched and told Luffy to go on to make his dream happen before asking Smoker what reason he had to prevent a man from setting sail.[50]
Water 7 Saga
Post-Enies Lobby Arc
On Baltigo, Dragon was looking at Luffy's new bounty when one of his men was about to tell him that Luffy was Vice Admiral Garp's grandson. However, Dragon interrupted him by leaving the room and said he will stay in the wind for a while. He walked out into the castle's balcony where he remarked that the true nature of the world will be answered and that he will meet Luffy again.[16]
Summit War Saga
Post-War Arc
After Whitebeard's death and the liberation of the slaves at Tequila Wolf, Dragon expressed the desire to see one of the slaves: Nico Robin, the archaeologist of his son's crew and the sole survivor of the Ohara Incident.
Furthermore, following the Summit War of Marineford, some of the revolutionaries questioned Dragon if he is really the father of Monkey D. Luffy just as the recent newspapers said. Dragon casually confirmed that fact, much to the shock of his followers.[51]
In his headquarters, Dragon talked to Ivankov through the Den Den Mushi. Ivankov told Dragon about a newspaper article about Luffy and commented on how much he is like him. In turn, Dragon told the Okama that Luffy's no longer a child that one should keep an eye on but did not expect the boy to be under Ivankov's protection during the war and was somewhat grateful as a result. Dragon informed Ivankov that as Whitebeard had died, they would soon have to gather the Revolutionary leaders spread around the world as the world's balance was beginning to shift. Dragon then went on to tell Ivankov about Kuma.[18]
Whole Cake Island Saga
Zou Arc
After Doflamingo's defeat, Dragon received reports that rebel armies were succeeding all across the world. He then spoke to Koala, who informed him that the weapons they retrieved from Dressrosa contained a special mineral known as Liquor Iron Ore, which could provide a clue on where the weapons were made. After a small conversation concerning Luffy, Sabo, and Robin, Dragon requested Koala to gather all the revolutionary leaders.[15]
From the Decks of the World: The 500,000,000 Man Arc
As the news of the Straw Hats' accomplishment at Dressrosa spread throughout the world, Dragon, Sabo, and Koala read about the pirates' new bounties.[52]
Whole Cake Island Arc
Sometime later, a newspaper explained about Blackbeard's attack on Baltigo. The island was destroyed by the time the Marines and Cipher Pol arrived.[53][54]
Levely Arc
The Revolutionary Army escaped the destruction of Baltigo and they moved their base to Momoiro Island. While waiting for all the revolutionary commanders to arrive, Dragon spoke to Sabo and discussed their plan to declare war on the World Nobles during the Levely.[30]
Wano Country Saga
Wano Country Arc
After the Levely, the Revolutionaries read some distressing news concerning Sabo. Dragon then told his subordinates that they needed to confirm the news themselves.[55] The distressing news turned out to be him allegedly assassinating Nefertari Cobra during his mission.[56]
Final Saga
Egghead Arc
When the commanders returned with Kuma, Karasu told everybody that they had split up with Sabo and the alleged Cobra assassinating happened after the split up. Following this, Dragon and Koala had a conversation in which Dragon said he would not forgive Sabo if he truly had killed Cobra, no matter the reason for it. Dragon then proceeded to question Kuma who had been rescued from slavery during Sabo's mission and asked what Kuma had seen in Mary Geoise. Kuma, still under the influence of his Pacifista programming, complied with the request while referring to Dragon as "Master".[25] A while later, the revolutionaries were called by Sabo from Lulusia Kingdom, who affirmed that he was not the one who killed Cobra and that he saw someone sitting in the Empty Throne. The call was interrupted when Lulusia Kingdom was suddenly destroyed by Imu.[26]
Later, Dragon was in a call with Dr. Vegapunk, who told him that they were going to die soon and wanted Dragon to hear him out.[57] Sometime afterwards, when Kuma, who was still being repaired, suddenly stood up and started running, Dragon was shocked and asked him where he wanted to go.[58] He then watched as Kuma used his abilities to teleport himself to an unknown location.[59]
Dragon, along with Ivankov, would greet Sabo back on Momoiro Island relieved that he survived the destruction of Lulusia. The three then hold a private meeting for Sabo to discuss the truth of what happened at the Levely, worried that disclosing the events publicly would put the other captains in danger.[60] Dragon and Ivankov first discuss Sabo three main objectives and the overall success the Revolutionary Army has had in attacking the government cargo ships, cutting off their resources and food supply. Despite this success, Dragon notes that eventually the government will send out the God's Knights which will bring about a serious battle. Dragon then questions Sabo about the events surrounding Cobra's death, noting despite being royalty, he was a relatively fair ruler. Sabo maintains his innocence but expresses he doesn't mind being accused as long as it keeps the "flame of revolution burning", a statement Dragon notes and approves of.[27] After Sabo recounted the events of the Levely and the existence of Imu to Dragon and Invankov, Ivankov speculated that Imu's true identity could be one of the First Twenty kings who created the World Government, specifically Nerona Imu and that they potentially possessed Perennial Youth as well.
Ivankov then proposed that the Weapon used in Lulusia's destruction must have been built by Vegapunk but Dragon interjected, stating that Vegapunk would not build a tool for murder like that. Ivankov then speculated that it could have been one of the Ancient Weapons but Dragon questioned why the World Government would use one of them now.[29] Sometime later, Dragon and Ivankov speculated on where Kuma was heading, with each of them suggesting their own theories.[61] Later, the Revolutionary army watched Vegapunk's pre recorded broadcast signaled all over the World to relay a secret regarding the world in ten minutes. Dragon thought back on Shaka's words about his death being imminent as he watched the broadcast in silence along with the Revolutionaries.[62] While the Revolutionaries were shocked at the broadcast's revelation that the events of the Void Century caused the ancient world to sink into the ocean, leaving only mere pieces of that continent left, Dragon remained silent.[63] When the broadcast was nearing it's end, Dragon continued to listen in stunned silence as Vegapunk stated that the fate of the world would be decided by whoever was able to claim the One Piece.[64]
Following the message, Dragon stated to his Revolutionaries that among the people who heard Vegapunk’s message, some will begin to act out of self-interest, not peace, and therefore, they needed to win before people start fighting over land.[65]
Major Battles
- Revolutionary Army vs. Blackbeard Pirates (unseen)
Filler Battles
- Monkey D. Dragon vs. Sabo
Merchandise
Video Games
Support Appearances
- One Piece: Gear Spirit
- One Piece: Gigant Battle
- One Piece: Gigant Battle! 2 New World
- One Piece: Super Grand Battle! X
- One Piece: Burning Blood
Non-Playable Appearances
- Grand Battle! 2
- One Piece Bon! Bon! Journey!!
- One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4
Anime and Manga Differences
In the anime, Ivankov asked Dragon where he had been, to which he replied that he had been at the World Noble's reception ceremony on Dawn Island. When Ivankov indignantly asks why he was not invited, Dragon told him that he attracted too much attention.[66]
While the manga has yet to display Dragon's combat abilities, glimpses of Dragon's combat skills were shown in Episode 737 during a flashback when a young Sabo attempted to attack Dragon in a training session.
Translation and Dub Issues
In the 4Kids Entertainment dub, the dialogue between Dragon and Smoker during Episode 53 was significantly changed. Smoker instantly recognizes who Dragon is and identifies him out loud as one of the most wanted men in the world. When Smoker asks him why he is helping Luffy, Dragon claims, "I haven't helped him. At least, not yet!" before the gust of wind would save Luffy. Nami and Sanji also recognize who Dragon is when he is described by Luffy. These changes would have led Luffy to know the identity of his savior much sooner than in canon. Had the 4Kids dub continued, this would have led to several more inconsistencies in the Post-Enies Lobby Arc when Dragon's true nature was revealed to the Straw Hat Crew. He is also written as explicitly being there to help Luffy, rather than giving the more cryptic words he delivers in the original version.
Trivia
- Dragon's seeming connection to wind is referenced in his appearance as a support character in One Piece Gigant Battle and its sequel, where he can help his Leader or blow his opponents away with a gust of wind. Additionally, his ship is named the Wind Granma.
- There is a mistranslation in the VIZ version of Chapter 100 in which "Wind Blast" is exclaimed (presumably by Dragon) when the Marines in Loguetown are being blown away, giving the impression that the wind was a technique used by Dragon. In reality, what it said was closer to "A squall!!!!" (突風だァ! ! ! !, Toppū daa!!!!?), an exclamation which is likely to have been made by the Marines.
- All members of the Monkey family have shown to have a noticeable mark on the left side of their faces. Both Luffy and Garp have a scar while Dragon has a large tattoo.
- In the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th popularity polls, Dragon was ranked the 73rd, 81st, 85th and 62nd, respectively.
- Both Garp and Luffy possess Supreme King Haki while Dragon has not been confirmed, although it been hinted by both Doberman and Emporio Ivankov that he does.[67]
- Dragon's favorite food is bocaditos, which are Cuban slider-like sandwiches that are typically served on soft rolls.[6]
- Dragon was originally supposed to have more scenes in the live-action series, but they were cut from the final version, according to actor Dean Damonse who portrayed Dragon.[68] His only on-screen appearance is a shot from behind during the crowd scene at Roger's execution.[69]
- Unlike his son and father, he shows no signs of quirks associated to them like narcolepsy; huge appetite or the apparent lack of intelligence.
References
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