The Mystery: Why Was Garp Smiling?
Did Garp know Luffy’s Devil Fruit all along? In Episode 887 of One Piece, Garp hears the news that both Kaido and Big Mom want to kill Luffy. Instead of looking worried, he smiles and even laughs, leading many fans to wonder if Garp already knew the truth about Luffy’s Nika fruit.
Shocked to see him smiling and even laughing at such dangerous news, Rear Admiral Hina calls him out, believing that he should be worried about his grandson.
But then both of them reflect on everything Luffy has accomplished as a pirate. Hina admits that Luffy has become a major figure in the world.
He has become big.
Yet Garp’s response is incredibly interesting.
“Not big enough.”
At first, this line seems like a simple statement from a proud grandfather. But looking back after the reveal of Gear Fifth and the true identity of the Gum-Gum Fruit, this line may have had a much deeper meaning.
What if Garp already knew the truth?
What if he always knew that Luffy’s Devil Fruit was actually the legendary Human-Human Fruit, Model: Nika?
And what if he believed that Luffy still hadn’t reached the level he was destined to achieve?
The Burdens Garp Was Forced to Carry
At this point in his life, Garp was already protecting two of the greatest secrets in the world.
The first was the identity of the boy who possessed the legendary Nika fruit.
The second was the fact that this same child was the son of Monkey D. Dragon and the grandson of the Hero of the Marines.
On top of that, Garp was also raising the son of the Pirate King himself, Portgas D. Ace.
These were not ordinary children.
These were children who had the potential to change the entire world.
With Dragon defecting from the Marines and becoming the leader of the Revolutionary Army, these secrets had to remain hidden at all costs. This could explain why Garp chose to hide both Luffy and Ace away with Dadan.
Perhaps Garp always knew exactly how powerful Luffy’s Devil Fruit truly was and exactly what his grandson was capable of becoming. This could mean that Garp has always known the true nature of Luffy’s Devil Fruit and perhaps even known about Luffy’s Nika fruit long before its awakening.
This also raises an important question: Did Garp know Luffy’s Devil Fruit before it awakened into the legendary Nika fruit?
The problem was that Garp never wanted this path for him.
He wanted Luffy to become a Marine.
But as time passed, especially after the tragedy of Marineford, his perspective may have completely changed.
Did Marineford Change Garp?
The death of Ace was one of the greatest failures of Garp’s life.
He sat back and watched his adopted grandson die because he could not choose between his duty as a Marine and his love as a grandfather.
Maybe that regret changed him.
Maybe that is why, when he hears that two Emperors are targeting Luffy, he simply laughs.
Perhaps Garp has accepted that the next generation must decide its own form of justice.
And perhaps, this time, he refuses to interfere.
Ironically, after being unable to save Ace, Garp may now be making amends by allowing Luffy to walk his own path while keeping the truth about his Devil Fruit a secret.
I believe we can see this change in Garp’s recent actions.
Despite orders to stay away from Hachinosu, Garp launched a rescue mission to save Koby and his fellow Marines, even if it meant sacrificing himself. That decision ultimately led to his capture and imprisonment on Fullalead.
This is not the same man we saw at Marineford.
This is a Garp who is finally acting according to his own sense of justice.
Did Shanks Tell Garp About Luffy’s Nika Fruit?
Now let’s take this theory one step further.
Shanks is the entire reason Luffy came into possession of this Devil Fruit.
And Shanks wasn’t just any pirate.
He was one of Gol D. Roger’s most trusted crewmates, alongside Silvers Rayleigh and Scopper Gaban.
Then there is Garp himself.
Although Roger and Garp stood on opposite sides of the law, they respected one another deeply. Their bond was so strong that Roger trusted Garp enough to raise his own son, Ace.
And Garp accepted.
That level of trust is almost unheard of.
So, is it really a stretch to believe that Roger may have shared some of the truth about the One Piece and the legendary Nika fruit with Garp before his execution?
Possibly.
But I think there is an even more likely answer.
Shanks may have told him.
After all, Shanks had already placed another enormous burden on Garp by inspiring Luffy to become a pirate and indirectly giving him the Nika fruit. This also raises another question: Did Shanks tell Garp the truth about Luffy’s Nika fruit?
Perhaps he felt that Garp deserved to know exactly what Luffy was carrying.
Why Garp Refused to Become an Admiral
Many fans believe Garp rejected the rank of Admiral simply because he hated taking orders from the Celestial Dragons.
But what if there was more to it?
In Chapter 1096, when Fleet Admiral Kong tells Garp that he is needed at God Valley, Garp immediately asks:
“Why such a remote island?”
Kong responds:
“I can’t tell you! Please, Garp, just go!”
This suggests that, at that point, Garp still didn’t know the full extent of the darkness hidden within the World Government.
However, as he rose through the ranks, he likely witnessed more and more of the evil lurking behind the scenes.
He may have learned the truth about the Celestial Dragons, the Void Century, and the things an Admiral would ultimately be expected to protect.
And if Garp already knew the importance of the Nika fruit, then accepting the position of Admiral would have eventually forced him to betray his own grandson.
So he refused.
By remaining a Vice Admiral, Garp kept his freedom.
He remained close enough to protect the Marines but far enough away to avoid becoming a complete puppet of the World Nobles.
Looking back, this conversation with Hina may have been major foreshadowing.
Marineford Hits Differently Now
There’s another detail that most fans may have missed.
Garp never seemed genuinely worried about Luffy’s strength during Marineford.
He wasn’t panicking because Luffy was fighting Warlords.
He wasn’t terrified when Luffy stood before the Admirals.
And we never even saw his reaction when Akainu nearly killed him.
Instead, Garp looked disappointed.
Disappointed that neither Ace nor Luffy became Marines.
Disappointed that Ace was about to be executed.
The story never truly shows Garp being afraid that Luffy is too weak.
And after the reveal of Gear Fifth, that detail becomes incredibly important.
Did Garp Know About Luffy’s Nika Fruit?
Because if Garp always knew the true nature of Luffy’s Devil Fruit, then maybe he also knew that his grandson was destined for something far greater.
The idea that Garp knew Luffy’s Devil Fruit isn’t as far-fetched as it first appears.
It wouldn’t be a stretch considering his close ties to Gol D. Roger, Shanks, and even Monkey D. Dragon himself.
Maybe Garp always knew that one day, Luffy would become much bigger than anyone could have imagined.
And that’s why, when Hina says Luffy has become a major figure in the world, Garp simply smiles and says:
“Not big enough.”
Because in Garp’s eyes…
Luffy still hasn’t reached the destiny that awaits him.
Whether Garp has known the truth about the Nika fruit from the very beginning or only learned it later in life, one thing is clear—his reaction to Luffy’s rise doesn’t look like the reaction of a surprised man. It looks like the reaction of someone who has been waiting for this moment all along.
Question for you: Do you think Garp has known the truth about the Nika fruit since Luffy was a child, or did he only discover it later in life?
If you believe Garp has always known, comment:
“NIKA“
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