TheOne Pieceseries is no stranger to incredible rivalries that shape the entire arcs of certain characters. In fact, one of the protagonists of the franchise, Zoro, owes his entire story arc and his reason for sailing the seas to the one-sided rivalry he holds with the world’s strongest swordsman, Dracule Mihawk. Rivalries can also be used in a comedic sense, as can be seen with Zoro and Sanji’s hilarious dynamic.
DespiteOne Piecebeing littered with incredibly captivating relationships between two or more characters who directly oppose one another, there is perhaps no other rivalry that comes close to the one shared between the infamousRocks D. family and the Gol D. family. Unlike the other rivalries in the story, this is one that has transcended generations, so let’s take a look at why it’s so special and what it means for the story as a whole.
Members of the Rocks Family
Gol D. Roger, Gol D. Ace
Of all the rivalries within theOne Piecestory, the oneshared between Roger and Xebectends to be remembered as the fiercest. While it’s currently a mystery, the story has heavily implied that these two legendary figures had known one another before they became the greatest pirates of their respective ages. When Sengoku was recalling the God Valley Incident to the Marines, he alluded to this being the case, saying that Xebec was Roger’s first rival.
The Rocks Pirates were the greatest pirate crew in history, boasting legendary powerhouses like Xebec, Whitebeard, Big Mom, Kaido, and Shiki, and acting more like a terrorist organization who took the fight directly to the World Government rather than a typical crew. This is likely where the rivalry against the Roger Pirates started, as these two were the strongest and most notable pirate crews of their time who would likely have been at each other’s throats quite often on their travels.
He was Roger’s first foe… and perhaps his greatest…
When the Roger Pirates arrived on God Valley, Roger alluded to the fact that the last time the crews went up against one another was one year ago, which many fans have taken to mean that the last time they fought, Xebec beat Roger. What transpired on God Valley is known to everyone at this point, since it was here thatXebec supposedly met his endat the hands of Roger and Garp’s unlikely alliance, ending what is currently hinted at as being the greatest rivalry in the history ofOne Piece.
However, although Roger and Xebec were no longer fighting, their rivalry would continue in a symbolic sense through their sons. Ace was born well after Roger had been executed due to his mother holding him in her womb for 20 months, which unfortunately also led to her death shortly after. Because of this, Ace grew up with a lot of resentment towards his father, so he abandoned his name altogether and eventually joined the Whitebeard Pirates.
Here, he eventually became the Second Division Commander with the dream ofmaking Whitebeard the Pirate King. Coincidentally, this is also where he would meet Blackbeard, who was, similar to him, using the fake name of Marshall D. Teach in order to hide his true lineage, since Chapter 1154 revealed him to be the lost son of Xebec, meaning that his real name has always been Rocks D. Teach. This is an insane parallel that Oda has made between Ace and Blackbeard, which eventually led to their fight as well.
Upon killing another Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, Ace would hunt Blackbeard down for the crime, eventually leading to a confrontation on Banaro Island. This would prove to be one of the most significant events in the entire story, since it ended up with Ace’s defeat and capture by Blackbeard, who would turn him over to the World Government, laying the foundations of the Marineford War. This perfectly parallels the rivalry of Roger and Xebec.
What Are The Other Most Notable Families In The Series?
Other Important Clans
Of course, the D. Clan as a whole can be taken into account when it comes to the most important families inOne Piece,since they are likely the remnants of Joyboy’s time who are destined to change the world in one way or another. Because of this,the Monkey D. family, in particular, is the most important in the series due to the status of the three members that we currently know of: Luffy being the Sun God who will change the world, Dragon being the greatest revolutionary that wants to overthrow the World Government, and Garp, who is the greatest Marine of all time.
Similarly, on the other side of things, there is the Figarland family. This is, currently, the strongest Celestial Dragon family whose members are some of the most notable characters in the entire world, with Shanks as an Emperor of the Sea, Garling as one of the Five Elders, and Shamrock as the Supreme Commander of the Gods' Knights. It’s very likely that the Figarlands could be the final enemies of the Monkey D. family.
