Gol D. Roger was the greatest pirate to have lived in the world of One Piece. From wealth to fame and power, he had achieved it all and in doing so, he earned himself the title of Pirate King. Before his inevitable death, Roger started the Great Pirate Era which ultimately led to Luffy setting out on his journey.
By the end of the story, Luffy is going to be the man who becomes the Pirate King and surpass Roger in some ways, however, there are still some things that the former Pirate King would be better at.
10 Surpass: Has The Most Dangerous Power
Luffy aims to become the Pirate King, however, he realizes that he cannot do everything by himself. Luffy has his crewmates to help him get to the top, but that's not all. He also has the power to turn his enemies into his allies.
This, according to Dracule Mihawk, is the most dangerous ability to exist in the entire world. With the support of everyone, Luffy will inevitably reach the absolute top and this ability is something that comes naturally just to him.
9 Roger: Strength
When it comes to strength, few characters in the One Piece world could put up a fight against Gol D. Roger when he was alive. Garp was one person known to have fought Roger countless times and Newgate was the only person known to have matched him in a fight.
Luffy, although strong, is far from that level, and even when he becomes the Pirate King, it isn't necessary for him to reach the same heights as Roger and Whitebeard in terms of physical strength.
8 Surpass: Chosen One
Roger was the first person to reach the Final Island in over 800 years and he later named it Laugh Tale. Although he became the Pirate King, he and his crew arrived too early. This is one of the biggest reasons why Roger ushered the Great Pirate Era.
Luffy, the man who Shanks once entrusted with Roger's Straw Hat, is the chosen one who will free Wano Country and ultimately, bring about a great change in the world of One Piece. In doing so, he will undoubtedly surpass Roger.
7 Roger: Experience
Gol D. Roger had journeyed to the Grand Line countless times as a pirate. Although he became a pirate at a young age, as seen in Rayleigh's short flashback, it took him quite some time to reach Laugh Tale.
Roger completed the circumnavigation of the Grand Line 39 years before the current storyline and reached Lode Star Island. 14 years later, he reached Laugh Tale and became the King of the Pirates. It is quite easy to see that Roger would've accumulated far more experience on his journey than Luffy.
6 Surpass: Fulfill Joy Boy's Promise
Luffy is the man referred to as one of the sovereigns by the Sea Kings. According to what Oden's flashback told the fans, Joy Boy would eventually return just as Poseidon returned in the form of Shirahoshi centuries after.
Luffy is undoubtedly the man they were referring to and thus, he will be the man to fulfill the promise that Joy Boy made to the Fishmen and Merfolk. Roger, despite being the Pirate King, couldn't fulfill this promise.
5 Roger: Swordsmanship
Roger was a pirate who had it all, incredible strength as a fighter and great mastery over the sword as well. While he may not be the best in the series, Roger certainly was powerful enough to fight using it against Whitebeard, the "Strongest Man in the World."
Luffy might be a phenomenal fighter, however, he doesn't have as much diversity when it comes to fighting as Roger did. In that area, Luffy will inevitably fall short.
4 Luffy: Take Down The Tenryuubito
The rulers of the world who are known to be the descendants of the 20 Kings, also called the Tenryuubito, are the biggest enemy in the One Piece world.
They were the enemy that stood in the way of the Ancient Kingdom over 800 years ago, as explained by Clover. Luffy, being the man who will carry that history on his shoulders, will be the one to take down the corrupt Tenryuubito, and in doing so, surpass Roger in yet another way.
3 Roger: The Man Who Started The Great Pirate Era
Luffy might be the one to bring everything to an end by taking down the Tenryuubito and doing what Joy Boy and Roger failed to do, however, both of those figures have great importance in the series in their own way.
Roger will always be remembered as a mighty pirate who started the Great Pirate Era and used his spark to ignite a new age. No matter what age, he'll always be the one who paved way for Luffy to achieve greatness.
2 Luffy: Free
Roger was of the belief that the man who has the most freedom in the world is one who can be called King. Luffy, who has inherited his will, holds the same belief. While Roger was, undoubtedly, the freest man on the seas back during his times, he couldn't do much about the corrupt world system and the Celestial Dragons.
Luffy will become freer than Roger by doing just that and becoming a greater King than Roger ever was.
1 Roger: First Pirate King
Roger was the first man in over 800 years to reach the Final Island and find Joy Boy's treasure. While Luffy will follow him on that path eventually, find out the true history of the world, and get his hands on the One Piece, nothing can change that fact that Roger did it first.
Luffy might surpass him in every other way, however, Roger will always be remembered as the first Pirate King and the man who successfully turned the world upside down by starting the Great Pirate Era.
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