Let’s rewind to One Piece chapter 1165.
Monkey D. Garp had just witnessed the nightmare known as the God Valley Incident. He saw the aftermath of the Celestial Dragons’ deadly human hunt and even caught a glimpse of the “World Government’s dark monster”, who we now know is Imu.
Amid this chaos, Gol D. Roger, Garp’s greatest rival, made a surprising offer. If Garp wanted to leave the Marines, he could join Roger’s pirate crew.
So what’s interesting? The way Garp declined the offer felt… very unusual.
1. Garp focused on the fate of the low-ranking soldiers
Fans have long wondered why Garp stayed with the Marines despite knowing how rotten the system was.
Chapters 1165 and 1166 finally gave a clear answer. Garp feels that if he leaves, no one will protect the ordinary soldiers from cruel superiors. This fits perfectly with Garp’s character all along.
He often refused promotions to Admiral, disobeyed orders, and even openly insulted the Celestial Dragons. Yet he chose to remain inside the organization because, in his view, someone has to stay to protect “those standing at the edge of the cliff.”
Ultimately, this is likely the core reason Garp stayed in the Marines for decades, even though his spirit never aligned with the World Government’s system.
2. Garp never actually said “no”
When Roger invited Garp to join, Garp didn’t respond with “I will never become a pirate.” Instead, he immediately talked about his responsibilities toward the soldiers.
This means, technically, Garp didn’t reject the idea because he hated it. It’s as if a small part of him was shaken and wanted to leave the Marines after witnessing the horrors at God Valley.
Moreover, the other two “D.” bearers also eventually left. Jaguar D. Saul deserted before the Ohara tragedy, and Monkey D. Dragon left the Marines to form the Revolutionary Army.
However, Garp chose a different path. He stayed inside the system and fought in his own way.
3. It’s funny that there was once a version of Garp who was actually a pirate
What makes this even more interesting is that Eiichiro Oda once created a version of “Garp” who was actually a pirate.
This detail appears in Romance Dawn Version 2, one of the early drafts before One Piece officially began. There, Luffy’s grandfather (who looks and acts very much like Garp) was not a Marine but a pirate.
So when Roger invited Garp to join his crew, it feels like Oda was playing with an old idea he once had.
4. Garp didn’t even bother to explain his reasons to Dragon
Another bitter fact is the strained relationship between Garp and Dragon after the God Valley incident.
When Dragon was imprisoned for insubordination and Garp secretly gave him the key to escape, Dragon said he hated his father. It’s likely because Dragon knew they both witnessed the horrors at God Valley, yet Garp chose to stay with the Marines.
The sad part? Garp never defended himself. He didn’t explain his desire to protect the low-ranking soldiers and simply accepted his son’s hatred.
And that feels very… “Garp.” Stubborn, bearing everything alone, and choosing to carry the burden without many words.