One Piece has introduced many plot threads over the years while managing to deliver on most of them. Interestingly enough, some of those yet to be fully developed concern the Revolutionary Army — as well as its leader, Monkey D. Dragon.

As one of the major factions in One Piece‘s world, this is rather strange, though what’s even more peculiar is how long they’ve been a part of the story. Since the “East Blue” Saga — the very beginning of the franchise — the Revolutionary Army has been aiding the Straw Hats before they were even aware of who they are. While this could all just be coincidence, what if the Straw Hats are an integral part of the Revolutionary Army’s grand plan? Looking back on their appearances might end up revealing some clues as to the full extent of their connection.

Luffy’s Family Lead the Revolutionary Army

Luffy has been saved by the Revolutionary Army countless times throughout his adventures. The first was back during the early “Loguetown” arc. While escaping the Navy’s Captain Smoker, Luffy and his crew only manage to flee thanks to assistance of a mysterious stranger — who happened to be Luffy’s own father, Monkey D. Dragon. Not only does he save Luffy from Smoker, it is heavily theorized that he is responsible for saving his son from Buggy by calling down that lightning bolt with an unrevealed Devil Fruit power.

While it isn’t impossible that Dragon was in the East Blue and specifically Loguetown at the same time, it still seems like a huge coincidence. Loguetown is the last island in the East Blue before reaching the Grand Line, making it an important stop for pirates on their journey. Considering Luffy had already become famous in the East Blue, there’s a good chance Dragon heard of his exploits and went to Loguetown specifically to see him, assuming he’d be going to the Grand Line from there.

As far as One Piece fans know, there wasn’t any other reason for Dragon to appear in Loguetown at that time, so it’s likely he was there to see and potentially aid his son. He did seem rather keen on meeting Luffy after the Enies Lobby incident, predicting they would meet soon and believing his son might end up enlightening the people of the world about the evil forces that run it.

Similarly, Luffy is saved by another revolutionary during the “Dressrosa” arc, this time their Chief of Staff and second-in-command Sabo, who also happens to be his long-lost brother. Though their reunion was seemingly a coincidence, it is still important to recognize that Luffy now has connections to the two highest-ranking members of the Revolutionary Army. Interestingly, they were both on the island to stop Doflamingo and his operations, though seemingly going after it in two different ways. While nothing about their interaction felt planned, it shows that the actions of the Straw Hats and the Revolutionaries are linked in some way.

Bartholomew Kuma Saved All the Straw Hats

While appearing as a villain at first, this ex-Warlord of the Sea helped the Straw Hats on multiple occasions. Though appearing at first to take Luffy’s head back to the World Government, he relented after Zoro made a deal with him. Though their agreement almost resulted in Zoro’s death, it’s important to remember that Kuma kept his word and didn’t go after Luffy or the rest of the crew afterward.

Kuma then reappeared during the “Sabaody Archipelago” arc, this time as a secret ally. Using his Devil Fruit, he teleported the entire crew to different parts of the world, away from Admiral Kizaru and the Marines. Splitting up the Straw Hats might seem like it was a cruel act, yet each place he sent them to was practically tailor-made to help them grow stronger. Interestingly, before Kuma sent them away, he made sure to tell Rayleigh that he was with the Revolutionary Army, implying his reasons for arriving there and helping the Straw Hats were specifically for Dragon’s cause.

Maybe most impressively was that during the timeskip, Kuma stayed on Sabaody and personally guarded the Thousand Sunny for two years. It is still unknown why he did so, but given how he saved the Straw Hats earlier, it seems suspiciously as though he did so not just for their sake, but also for the Revolutionary Army’s.

Ivankov Has Helped the Straw Hats on Multiple Occasions

Introduced during One Piece‘s “Impel Down” arc, Ivankov — commander in the Revolutionary Army and the Queen of the Kamabaka Kingdom — saved Luffy’s life multiple times and was a great help to him during Marineford. While they weren’t aware of Luffy’s existence or identity as Dragon’s son until after they met, Ivankov still did everything they could to help Luffy save Ace. While these actions were incredibly important, their meeting happened entirely by accident, meaning all their interactions with Luffy weren’t planned. However, Luffy isn’t the only Straw Hat Ivankov has helped during the series.

After being teleported by Bartholomew Kuma, Sanji was trained in both Haki and cooking by Ivankov, helping him become an even better fighter and chef, particularly after learning of his connection to Luffy. Though Sanji seems to not remember his time there fondly, he was undoubtedly stronger afterward. As mentioned earlier, it isn’t fully clear why Kuma saved the Straw Hats, but each place they were sent to made them stronger and was perfect for their training — almost as though it was part of a larger plan.

The Revolutionaries Saved Nico Robin

According to the revolutionaries, they had been searching and hoping to recruit Nico Robin for some time. Coincidentally, they end up finally finding her not long after she is transported to Tequila Wolf by Kuma. This leads to her being taken to Baltigo and meeting Dragon, but also ends with her gaining important combat training. It resulted in her Devil Fruit powers becoming stronger while she also learned some Fishman Karate, making her a much more capable fighter than she was before.

Considering Robin’s knowledge of the Void Century and ability to read Poneglyphs is so important, it’s understandable just how much they valued her safety. They even seem to have helped the Giants of Elbaf secure and hide the saved knowledge and records of Ohara after the island’s destruction. Furthermore, the fact they had been searching so long for Robin showed that they and Dragon see her as someone they need on their side. In that sense, having her stay with Luffy might be the best option, as he has shown the strength and willingness to protect her at all costs.

The Revolutionary Army has a had a massive impact on the Straw Hats throughout One Piece. There is a clear link between the two groups that goes much deeper than the blood relation of their respective leaders. The Revolutionary Army seems heavily invested in the Straw Hats and has gone out of its way to make them as strong as possible and protect them at every opportunity, though the reasons behind this remain unclear. However, with the series’ current arc focused on Vegapunk revealing so much about Dragon and his group, the answers might be coming sooner than later.