Unveiling the Mystery: Is there a Secret Mother Figure in Luffy's Journey?

Within the expansive cast of One Piece characters, there exists a multitude of potential candidates for the role of Luffy's mother. This enigma surrounding the Straw Hat pirate is one of the most prominent mysteries, considering his emphasis on various bonds. Notably, Luffy shares deep connections with his grandfather, brother, and to some extent, his elusive father.

It is no secret that Luffy's father is none other than the infamous and widely despised revolutionary known as Monkey D. Dragon, a notorious criminal within the world of One Piece. Equally well-established is his grandfather, Monkey D. Garp, a revered and valiant vice-admiral of the Marine forces.

Ginny and 6 other One Piece characters who could be Luffy’s mother

However, the enigma surrounding his mother remains unsolved, as author Eiichiro Oda has shown no inclination to delve into this aspect of the One Piece characters. It is uncertain whether this mystery will ever be unveiled.

Big Mom

Big Mom is probably the biggest mother in One Piece. (Image via Toei Animation)

Charlotte Linlin, also known as 'Big Mom', is a formidable antagonist and notorious pirate leader among the Four Emperors. Though she presents herself as a champion of equality for the citizens of Totto Land, striving to create a utopian society that embraces all, it is unlikely that her true beliefs and aspirations align with being Luffy's mother. This is evident from her primary focus on maintaining her power and status within the treacherous New World, rather than involving herself with someone like Dragon, who is deeply entrenched in revolutionary movements.

One of the Revolutionary Army

Having not grown up in the East Blue, she stands out as an unlikely contender among the diverse array of One Piece characters. However, it is not completely impossible to consider including her on this list.

Could this enigmatic figure be the long-awaited mother of Luffy? (Image via Eiichiro Oda)

During one of his insightful question corners, Oda received an inquiry regarding the identity of Luffy's parents. In response, he intriguingly reveals that their likenesses have already been sketched and are poised to make their highly anticipated debut in the upcoming volume.

Although it may seem like Oda is simply playing around, as he often does, Dragon does make an appearance in the following volume, accompanied by numerous unidentified characters from One Piece.

One of these revolutionaries is a woman wearing a hat. She does not have any dialogue and lacks distinct characteristics, but she meets the qualifications of potentially being Luffy's mother - she appears in the volume as Oda mentioned, is in close proximity to Dragon, and is female. Therefore, it is possible that she is indeed Luffy's mother.

The Woman who Inspired Shanks

Yet another nameless woman, another potential mother for Luffy. (Image via Eiichiro Oda)

There are fans who believe that a woman in Shanks' past could potentially be Luffy's mother. The story goes that she cradles a black-haired baby and sings a lullaby to him, which in turn inspires Shanks to sing for his own daughter, Uta, ultimately leading her to become an idol.

Interestingly, this woman remains unnamed, and Shanks appears to have only encountered Luffy when he was six years old. However, it is challenging to truly "meet" a baby.

So maybe this woman and her child are actually Luffy and his mother. Maybe Oda will one day officially add her to the cast of One Piece characters.

Ginny

Ginny, a fresh face in the One Piece universe, has a unique background as she shares a history with familiar figures like Ivankov. (Image via Eiichiro Oda)

Introduced in Chapter 1095 through a flashback, Ginny joins the ranks of One Piece characters. In her past, she too endured the hardships of slavery under the World Nobles, just like Emporio Ivankov.

This certainly places her in a situation where the option of becoming Dragon's partner is possible, indicating that she probably had some knowledge of him.

Interestingly, Ginny is also the mother of Jewelry Bonney, who is a fellow member of the 'Worst Generation' alongside Luffy. Consequently, Bonney and Luffy are unintentionally siblings.

Crocodile

Ginny appears to be a potential candidate among the One Piece characters for a shocking revelation, which has become somewhat expected at this stage of the series.

Speculation exists suggesting that Crocodile is, in fact, Luffy's mother. The possibility of this theory holds some credibility. (Image via Toei Animation)

There may be skepticism surrounding this notion, as Crocodile is a male character. However, the explanation lies in the transformative abilities granted by Ivankov’s Hormone-Hormone fruit.

One of the revolutionary's initial demonstrations of his extraordinary abilities is the ability to change a man into a woman. He emphasizes repeatedly that he can employ this power as he pleases, frequently using it on himself and others.

Readers are aware of the past between Ivankov and Crocodile, which explains why Crocodile aids in the escape from Impel Down and supports Luffy's cause.

It is conceivable that Crocodile was initially female, engaged in a romantic relationship with Dragon, gave birth to Luffy, and subsequently underwent a transformation into a male utilizing Ivankov’s abilities to manipulate hormones. While improbable, this scenario is not entirely impossible.

Curly Dadan

Despite her brutish nature, Curly Dadan is the closest thing Luffy has to a mother figure. (Image via Toei Animation)

Curly Dadan serves as the stepmother to both Luffy and Ace, leading the Dadan family of Mountain bandits. Garp entrusted her with the responsibility of raising his grandson and the son of Gol D. Roger. While her methods of upbringing may be questionable, they are not much different from those employed by Garp himself.

Is she possibly Luffy's mother? It's unlikely. Out of all the characters in One Piece, she is definitely not his mother. However, she did take on the role of a mother for him. Therefore, she might be the clear answer to the question - she is, indeed, a mother figure to Luffy.

Koala

Another one of Dragon's revolutionaries, Koala. She has a name. (Image via Toei Animation)

Koala, a character in One Piece, is a member of Dragon's revolutionaries. She collaborated with the Tiger King to liberate slaves in Marijoa and later joined forces with Dragon. It is evident that she continues to work alongside him to this day. However, apart from her connection to Dragon and their shared timeline, there is insufficient evidence to suggest that Koala is Luffy's parent.

However, as demonstrated by this list, there are very few One Piece characters that truly fit the criteria anyway. Koala, for instance, has just as much probability of being Luffy's mother as any other character mentioned in this list. In fact, she is even closer to being a potential candidate than Big Mom. As long as Oda continues to withhold information about Luffy's mother, it will give us ample grounds to speculate and develop theories.

Editor's P/S

As a Gen Z fan, I am intrigued by the mystery surrounding Luffy's mother in One Piece. Eiichiro Oda, the creator of the series, has left fans speculating about her identity for years, and there are several theories floating around. Some believe that Big Mom, one of the Four Emperors, could be Luffy's mother, while others suggest that it could be a revolutionary woman who appears alongside Dragon. Another popular theory is that the woman who inspired Shanks to sing could be Luffy's mother. While these theories are interesting, I believe that the most likely candidate is Ginny, a character introduced in the recent Egghead Island arc.

Ginny shares a history with Ivankov, a character who has been a part of the series since the Impel Down arc. This connection to a known character gives Ginny some credibility as a potential mother figure for Luffy. Additionally, her devil fruit power, which allows her to manipulate memories, could explain why Luffy's memories of his mother are so vague. Overall, I think Ginny is a strong contender for the role of Luffy's mother, and I am excited to see if Oda reveals more about her character in future chapters.