In Chapter 1000 Ace and Yamato both reference the secret dream Luffy and Roger share.

This was set up as far back as Sabaody when Rayleigh told Luffy about Shanks:

Since chapter 968 there’s been renewed discussion about the particular words both Luffy and Roger may have said that stood as similar to others, specifically to Shanks, as he recounted to Whitebeard.

From this point of view it’s interesting to note the similarity between the following two scenes. I’m sure people have already realized the connection, but it may be worth pointing it out, if only to start a discussion. The first is Luffy talking to Ace and Sabo, from chapter 585:

At that time I remember people arguing what Luffy might have said, guessing that he probably said he wanted to be the Pirate King, but also noting that it’s a little bit odd to delete the words, if that’s all it was. After all, why would Oda deliberately dampen the effect of an otherwise climactic point in the conversation?

Now compare that with this scene from 966, Roger talking to Whitebeard and Oden:

Note the similarity in the style of the panels, and Whitebeard’s comparison to what a child might say!

We can guess with good reason that Roger did not say he’ll be the Pirate King, because of how he reacted when he was later called that by the papers.

Therefore, if the similarity of the two scenes is deliberate, and the exact same words have been said, Luffy also did not say he wanted to be the Pirate King, but something else. One could argue it’s the usual “most free man in the world”, however we’ve already heard it twice, why hide it? There’s something else here, which makes Luffy an even more interesting character than he already is.

Luffy has an objective that hasn’t been revealed yet and it was Roger’s dream as well.What if Luffy dreams to achieve the One Piece without even knowing that it’s the One Piece? This is why Oda isn’t telling us, it’s not time for this information, it’s too early.

At this point we’ve all seen the speculation on what Luffy’s dream could be. The prevailing theories seem to be:

1. Luffy wants to throw a party for the entire world.
2. Luffy wants to bring together the pirates and marines.
3. Luffy wants world peace.

I believe that Luffy’s dream is more fundamental than these popular theories, but essentially achieves the same effects. Also, we need to consider a few things about the dream itself:

1. The dream is something a child with almost no worldly knowledge could think up.
2. The dream is so absurd it stuns those who hear it, and makes them laugh.
3. The dream is very difficult if not almost impossible to achieve.
4. Roger had the same dream, so it needs to be something not unique to Luffy’s lived experience.
5. Being the Pirate King would help in achieving the dream.

We now need to briefly dive into Luffy’s character. What motivates Luffy at a basic level in every arc throughout the story? Friendships.

Luffy liberates an island, or solves the central conflict of an arc because his friends are tied up in it. Luffy is selfish by nature, and has even claimed he does not want to be considered a hero. He inadvertently becomes a hero because he wants to save/protect/help his personal friends. Luffy does not think about liberation or justice when he’s defeating the antagonists; it’s ALWAYS more personal to him. When defeating Crocodile, he’s doing it for Vivi and old man Toto. In Dressrosa, he’s thinking about Rebecca. In Wano, he’s thinking about Tama, Momonosuke, and Kin’emon. He thinks about the well-being of HIS friends first and foremost.

The point I’m making here is Luffy’s dream must also have a tinge of selfishness to it, but at the same time inspires pure joy/shock in those who hear it. What type of dream could fulfill the criteria of being a childish fantasy and be so in line with Luffy’s character?

“I want to be friends with everyone in the world!”

I believe this is Luffy’s true dream. It lines up so perfectly with Luffy’s character, and with the reactions from the crew, Ace, Sabo, Whitebeard, and Oden. In Luffy’s mind being the Pirate King would help him, because he would be the freest man on the seas, and “who wouldn’t want to be friends with the Pirate King?” The prevailing theories about uniting marines and pirates, throwing a gigantic party, and achieving world peace naturally result from this dream too. Wanting to be friends with everyone in world just strikes me as pure, raw, distilled Luffy.

*Theory by Blurnsball

*by rubblerust