One Piece's main protagonist, Monkey D. Luffy, has a pretty complex family background that shapes his entire character and journey; therefore, this article looks into the known information regarding Luffy's parents and his origins.
Father of Luffy: Monkey D. Dragon
Monkey D. Dragon is Luffy's father and, all by himself, a very famous and important character in the One Piece world. Dragon is generally depicted as the head of the Revolutionary Army, whose purpose is to overthrow the World Government. He is noted as one of the most wanted persons in the world, which further complicates family background for Luffy.
Dragon's Relation with Luffy
Although Dragon is Luffy's real father, he has mostly been absent in Luffy's life. Even the relationship between them is only known to very few characters, which includes Luffy. Indirectly influencing Luffy on his journey has been Dragon's actions and reputation, even though they have hardly interacted directly.
Luffy's Mother: A Mystery
Luffy's biological mother is considered to be one of the largest mysteries hidden in One Piece. Whereas his father and grandfather have already been shown, Luffy's mother has not been officially presented as of yet. This has led to a lot of fan theories and speculations.
Theories About Luffy's Mother
There are many varied theories about who Luffy's mother could be. Of all the guesses, one states that the former Warlord Crocodile is Luffy's mother. This theory deduces that Crocodile might actually be transgender. However, it is still a deduction, and there is no proof from the series about this.
Luffy's Maternal Figure: Curly Dadan
Due to the fact that his biological mother is absent, Curly Dadan took care of Luffy and raised him like a son, for Dadan is very instrumental in raising Luffy, together with Ace and Sabo, who became his adoptive brothers. Though not at all blood-related, she is the closest to being like his mother.
Grandfather: Monkey D. Garp
Luffy's grandfather, Monkey D. Garp, was a vice-admiral of the famed Legend Marine. Unlike his parents, he was more involved in Luffy's upbringing and trained him rigorously every day to see if he would turn into a powerful marine.
The Monkey Family Legacy
The Monkey family has interests that span rather a large area in the One Piece world. It is the family that has had major impacts on the Marines, the Revolutionary Army, and even as a pirate for generations.
Impact on Luffy's Character
The family situation is also very complicated, to the extent that Luffy's parents are barely there, and he comes up primarily raised by his grandfather. This has had a great bearing on his character. It is the raising by Dadan and the experiences with his 'brothers' that instill in him the concept of family with his crew.
Ongoing Mystery
Through the series, Luffy's family is something that remains in constant speculation by the fans, specifically his mother. The mystery of his heritage brings an interesting depth to Luffy's character and the story of One Piece as a whole.