One Piece may have hinted that Roger’s true plan was never about treasure

One Piece has always been more than just a story about pirates fighting for gold and glory. It is a series filled with secrets about the world itself. For years, fans as readers and viewers have believed Gol D. Roger’s true goal was focused on treasure, freedom, or the mysteries Joy Boy held.

But what if that was never the case? What if the Great Pirate Era wasn’t about wealth at all, but instead a secret preparation for something much more catastrophic? A plan involving the seas, survival, and ultimately the future of humanity.

Disclaimer: The article reflects the writer's opinion and includes spoilers from the One Piece manga.

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How One Piece may have hinted that Roger’s true plan was never about treasure, explained

Roger's plan in One Piece could be the growth of humankind (Image via Toei Animation)

One Piece might always have suggested that Roger's real scheme was never treasure, but to prepare humanity for survival. When Roger arrived at Laugh Tale, he did not merely discover wealth; everything he learned there told him the truth about the world and its future.

Rising seas drowning the land, as foretold, is an indication that the "Great Pirate Era" was less about freedom and more about a vast training ground. By initiating innumerable journeys, Roger pushed human beings to adapt to ocean life, honing navigation, ship-building, and survival skills that would prove indispensable when the world naturally flooded.

Rayleigh's ability to coat ships, previously considered mere means for traversing the Red Line, could be reinterpreted as preparation for survival in an underwater world. Crocus dwelling within Laboon's body wasn't mere sympathy; it provided him with a natural protective shelter from calamity.

Crocus may have used Laboon as a shelter in One Piece (Image via Toei Animation)

Shanks commanding a crew without Devil Fruit users is also meant to be foresightful, so that his men would have no flaw against the sea. Even the Celestial Dragons' actions fit in with this theory: their palace placed on top of the Red Line is like a fortress against flooding, and their space suits might be specialized diving suits for survival, rather than luxury.

The other mysteries tie in, as well. Zunesha's punishment may have been related to Joy Boy's scheme to make the elephant a savior of the world during the great flood. The Fishmen's oppression falls into place suddenly, as they naturally pose a threat to the World Government's hold in a flooded world. The elimination of the Lunarians is the same; their capacity for existing above the clouds means they would escape doom altogether.

Sanji dreams of finding All Blue in the story (Image via Toei Animation)

When the seas merge and all oceans unite, the mythical All Blue will emerge, turning Sanji’s dream into reality. More importantly, the unification of seas symbolizes the world itself becoming “One Piece.”

Roger's inheritance, then, wasn't about seeking out a hoard of gold; it was about uniting mankind and preparing them for a common fate on the waves. This interpretation of the Pirate King's last will and testament is that he left behind a bounty more than treasure; a future in which humanity collectively will survive on the endless waters.

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Final thoughts

One Piece may have been leading fans to think that Roger's grand plan was not merely to accumulate treasure but that he was really attempting to help humanity survive. The Pirate Era was, at a minimum, preparing the world for the day when the seas would rise and nations no longer exist.

Every mystery that fans have encountered from Rayleigh's secret ship-coating to Shanks' crew connects to this ultimate hidden fact. Roger's will, therefore, was not about being rich; it was about preparing mankind for unity because the world is fated to become One Piece.

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