What if Luffy was a Marine in One Piece?

Imagining Luffy being a marine is preposterous to any long-term One Piece fans considering he was always hell-bent on being a marine. One Piece is a story revolving around freedom, imagination, and willpower, and Luffy, as the possessor of Conqueror's Haki (the physical manifestation of ultimate will) is on the path to be the King of the Pirates.

However, fans have often speculated on what might motivate this thrill-seeking connoisseur of freedom to join the ordered ranks of the World Government Navy. Being a part of the Navy is hardly a joke, or even implies that the Marines are weak-willed characters, as Luffy's grandfather himself had gone toe-to-toe with the Pirate King, Gol D Roger himself. It is interesting to ponder the circumstances and consequences of Luffy's possible alternate lifestyle.

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This does beg the question: What would happen if Luffy were motivated to join the other side in One Piece?

Why would Luffy join the Marines?

In One Piece, Monkey D Luffy was motivated to become a pirate by Shanks and (indirectly) the idea of freedom espoused by Gol D Roger. Despite his grandfather's best efforts to mould him into a pirate, Luffy took the opposite route and set sail once he was 17 years old.

However, in an alternate retelling, in a One Piece filler episode (Episode 907), Luffy's source of inspiration is his grandfather, who is a pirate. Monkey D Garp's alternate depiction as a rambunctious rover makes fans wonder if the opposite might happen, especially if Luffy had not eaten the Gomu Gomu no Mi or met Shanks.

It is undeniable that Luffy without a Devil Fruit would be nowhere near as powerful as he currently is, so surviving as a pirate might have been difficult for him. Alternatively, he could have taken the place of Koby, Garp's protege in the current storyline, who has managed to make a name for himself through the use of his Haki or willpower alone.

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What Luffy's alternate career choice implies in the One Piece storyline?

If Luffy had become a marine, it is interesting to ponder about the kinds of friendships and relationships that he would have developed over the One Piece storyline. It is also a point of contention as to what his dream would be if he even had one. Would this new Luffy be reminiscent of Koby, but with a greater Haki, or will he be a carbon copy of his grandfather, who sails the oceans of the Grand Line, seeking to rid the world of justice?

Considering Luffy is the liberator of the world, which he does chaotically, his belonging to a faction that prioritizes order seems too paradoxical. However, Garp has made it work, choosing to mete out justice in his own way and opting out of his promotion to Admiral simply because he wanted the freedom to explore the world.

Nor does it necessarily mean that Luffy has to lack a Devil Fruit to be a part of the World Government, as he might still have the same or a different absurd power bestowed on him. It would be interesting to ponder how he uses this power while being part of the Marines, and perhaps the journey can even lead him to rebel and create a new faction within the Marines themselves - one not as corrupt, and dedicated to justice.

It is undeniable that Luffy would not accept the hierarchical overlordship of Akainu and his supporters, as his philosophy of freedom is too different. Perhaps he would find a new rival amongst the new generation of pirates like Garp had found in Roger. They might even team up to take on Yonko and foes within the World Government itself!

One thing that this new alternate timeline might not explore, however, is the dynamic among the Straw Hats, which is a unique characteristic of One Piece. It would perhaps be impossible for most of them to even reach the Grand Line, considering they were only able to do so after joining Luffy's crew. He might not even have formed close bonds with his brothers unless they joined him, of course!

Ultimately, it is up to Oda-sensei himself if he chooses to clarify the events of this alternate timeline in an SBS or approves of a filler episode talking about the same. One Piece, as the best-selling manga of all time can be read on MangaPlus, Viz Media, and the weekly shonen jump releases, while fans can catch up to the anime episodes on Crunchyroll.