Among the countless mysteries surrounding One Piece, the most important one is the “Will of D.” All fans know that those bearing the name of D have an important role to play in the future, but there is no clarity as to what that role should be. The Will of D is believed to be inherited from someone in the Void Century, most likely Joyboy. Inherited will is the central concept of the series that builds the foundation of the story. It refers to passing on someone’s dreams and ideals to future generations.
Time and again, the series has mentioned “inherited will” but never really dived deep into it. The first time inherited will is mentioned in the series is in one of Roger’s quotes. The first Pirate King believed that inherited will was one thing that could never be stopped so long as man sought the answer to freedom. However, that is not the only known inherited will in the series. So far, there are several other characters known to have inherited the will of someone they admired or who was close to them.
Luffy Inherited Roger’s Will
Ever since the start of the series, Roger has been one of the key characters in the plot development. As the first Pirate King who not only traveled the entire world but also left behind a great treasure, his legacy far surpasses that of others. The fact that they both share the name D and are very alike is enough for many to believe that Luffy has inherited Roger’s will. There are many similarities between the aspiring Pirate King and the one who already achieved his dreams. Luffy’s personality, dreams and many other traits bear a striking resemblance to Roger. Not only that, but the “Wano” arc reveals that apart from becoming the Pirate Kings, Luffy and Roger share one more dream.
Luffy doesn’t know what Roger’s real dream was, but that’s not the notion behind inherited will. It actually means that someone from the next generation will dream of the same thing as them, thereby inheriting their will. Though this dream has yet to be revealed, it is clear that Roger probably never achieved it but that Luffy might. Luffy also mentions that he can only achieve his dream after he becomes the Pirate King. Yamato, Ace and Shanks are aware of both his and Roger’s dreams, but Sabo and Luffy’s crew only know about the dream and nothing else. This is how Luffy ends up inheriting Roger’s will without even knowing about it.
Sabo Inherited Ace’s Will
Sabo’s return is one of the most shocking moments in the series, not just for fans but for Luffy as well. Believing that both his brothers were deceased, Luffy was truly in the depths of despair — that is until Sabo makes his appearance in Dressrosa and fans learn about his life in the Revolutionary Army. Sabo had lost his memory after the accident and only gets the memories of his childhood in the Goa Kingdom after reading an article about Ace’s death. He heard about the Mera Mera no Mi being rewarded to the winner of the tournament held in the Corrida Colosseum. Sabo had more than enough skills to successfully acquire Ace’s memento, and the first attack he used was also Ace’s signature move, Fire Fist. Furthermore, Sabo inherited Ace’s will of protecting Luffy from any harm.
He also ended up saying the same thing Ace said to Luffy’s crew. Even at death’s door, Ace was worried about his reckless brother and asked Jinbe to take care of Luffy. Ultimately, Ace ended up dying to protect Luffy from Akainu. Moments before his own death, Whitebeard declared that just as there will be those who inherit Roger’s will, someone will inherit Ace’s will as well. Whitebeard despised the Marines for believing that just by killing Ace, they would put an end to Roger’s legacy. Whitebeard claimed that severing bloodlines would not prevent their wills from being passed on. The whole point of Sabo consuming Ace’s devil fruit was for the former to inherit his late brother’s will. Before using his first attack with the Mera Mera no Mi, Sabo asked Ace to watch over him, further signifying how important his brother was to him.
Yamato Inherited Oden’s Will
Despite being Kaido’s child, Yamato is still one of the most lovable characters in the series. Born as a woman, Yamato decided to become a “man” because Kozuki Oden was also a man. Although their confidence in identifying as Oden is eccentric, it stems from Yamato’s admiration for the former Daimyo of Wano. After witnessing Oden’s heroic death, Yamato was filled with grief and admiration for the man, so much so that they decided to become like him. Yamato got hold of Oden’s journal, where he wrote his experiences during his voyage. They started treating the journal as their Bible. Yamato knew about Oden’s desire to open up the Land of Wano and decided to inherit his will and fulfill his desires.
Jinbe Inherited Fisher Tiger’s and Otohime’s Will
Jinbe is the strongest Fishman and is well-respected by his peers and even his enemies across the world. He used to serve as a Royal Guard before joining Fisher Tiger’s Sun Pirates. After the tragic demise of his captain, Jinbe took it upon himself to carry on his legacy. Despite the severity of racism, Jinbe decided to become a symbol of positive development toward peaceful coexistence with humans by becoming a Warlord. Not only did he manage to keep his people safe, but he also demonstrated similarities with Otohome’s ideal.
The late Queen of Fish-Man Islan tragically died by one of her people as she was aspiring for them to coexist with humans on the surface world. By serving as a Warlord, Jinbe aspired to bring about systematic change within the government and build a name for his people so that they won’t be discriminated against. On the one hand, Fisher Tiger was too traumatized by his past, while Otohime was so focused on the structural issues that she didn’t really understand the cycle of hatred on an individual level. However, Jinbe accepted both their ideologies and came to terms with things, and he had full perspective on the issue, which he believes will ultimately help him to realize their dream of peace.
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