What Is The Will Of D? Netflix's One Piece Season 2 Introduces The Manga's Biggest Mystery
Netflix's live-action adaptation of "One Piece" is a miracle. It doesn't shy away from even the most ridiculous elements of Eiichiro Oda's best-selling manga. A guy with machine guns in his hair, a talking reindeer who is also a doctor, snails that are also phones — all of these are brought to life in the show. Netflix adapts Oda's impossibly fantastical world into live action with stunning practical effects, and it's perfectly cast as well. The show even makes some really interesting adaptation choices, like bringing in characters and events from later in the manga and telling the story chronologically. This offers a rather unique and fresh viewing experience no matter your level of familiarity with the source material.
Unfortunately, even though Netflix has confirmed a third season of "One Piece," it's unlikely the show will adapt the entire 1100+ chapter-long manga. This means that many of the story's biggest mysteries are likely to go unresolved in this particular adaptation — including one introduced this very season.
In the final episode of "One Piece" season 2, Dr. Kureha (Katey Sagal) notes that Monkey D. Luffy (Iñaki Godoy) shares many traits with former King of the Pirates, Gold Roger (Michael Dorman). She reveals Roger's actual name is Gol D. Roger, and goes on to say that the "Will of D" lives on, hinting that Luffy's middle initial has some importance for the show's lore.
This is one of the biggest mysteries of Oda's world. We know a fair amount about the location of the mythical treasure One Piece and the island of Laugh Tale, but the Will of D remains quite vaguely refined and nebulous. Still, we know certain things. Here's everything you need to know about the Will of D.
Obviously, there are huge spoilers ahead for the entire "One Piece" manga.
What is the Will of D?
A big central theme of "One Piece" is that of the inherited will. This is the idea that a person's dreams and ideals live on after death, being passed on to future generations. We see this in season 2 of Netflix's live-action adaptation when Dr. Hiruluk (Mark Harelik) says his dream of healing Drum Island will live on even after he dies — which it does, through Chopper (Mikaela Hoover).
Luffy shares many traits with Gol D. Roger — including the middle initial D. — and seems to have inherited his will. We don't know everything about the Will of D or its full purpose, but we do know it is a form of inherited will, specifically surrounding those of the Clan of D.
Throughout "One Piece," we meet other characters whose name includes the middle initial D. This includes Luffy's grandpa Monkey D. Garp, but also Trafalgar D. Water Law, Jaguar D. Saul, Clou D. Clover, and more. Most recently, Rocks D. Xebec was introduced, and instantly became the best "One Piece" character ever. The so-called Clan of D are known to be people who held leadership positions and whose reputation is that of world shakers. Pretty much every member of the Clan of D has been involved in huge, world-changing events.
The meaning of the D itself is highly debated by fans. One popular theory is that it is a smile on its side — stemming from the fact that many with the D initial have died with a smile on their face. Another popular theory is that the initial is meant to symbolize "Dawn," the presumed name of the very first pirate crew, led by Joy Boy, the first pirate.
Why is the Will of D important?
Now, the Will of D's full meaning and importance has slowly been revealed for the past 100 chapters or so of the manga. It is definitely going to play a big part in the final conflict of "One Piece" and its final battle. That's because the origin of the Clan of D goes all the way back to the fateful Great War during the Void Century. That war pitted the ancient Great Kingdom against an alliance of 20 kingdoms that eventually formed the current World Government (aka the bad guys of "One Piece"). Those who opposed the alliance adopted the initial D.
This is why it's been said that those with the initial D are the natural enemies of the "gods," which is how the World Nobles that form the World Government see themselves as. Even Monkey D. Garp, a high-ranking member of the marines, is strongly against the World Nobles.
How, exactly, the Will of D and the Clan of D will play into the end of the saga remains to be seen. Still, it is very clear the final fight against the World Government and its mysterious leader, Imu, will involve those with the initial D.
At the very least, we know we'll find out the truth of this mystery by the time we reach the One Piece. Gol D. Roger and his crew found out the truth of the world, its history, and the meaning of D in his voyage to Laugh Tale. This means by the time we arrive at that fateful island, we'll know the meaning of the Will of D.