Monkey D. Luffy captains the Straw Hat Pirates, fiercely determined to claim the title of Pirate King. This ambition ignited when the pirate Shanks sacrificed his arm to rescue him from a sea creature, becoming Luffy's idol. During Shanks' stay in Foosha Village, Luffy accidentally consumed the Gum-Gum Devil Fruit, granting his body rubber-like elasticity but cursing him with permanent inability to swim. Shanks entrusted Luffy with his iconic straw hat, symbolizing a vow to return it once Luffy achieved greatness as a pirate. Luffy endured harsh survival training under his grandfather, Marine vice-admiral Monkey D. Garp, who left him with mountain bandit Curly Dadan on Mt. Colubo. There, he forged a brotherhood with Portgas D. Ace and Sabo through a shared sake cup ritual. The trio pledged to become pirates, but Sabo was seemingly killed by a World Noble during an escape attempt. This loss, followed by Ace’s departure as a pirate, drove Luffy to train relentlessly for seven years, mastering his Devil Fruit powers before sailing alone at seventeen. Luffy radiates unshakable optimism and a carefree spirit, paired with direct simplicity. He possesses extraordinary physical resilience and profound loyalty, frequently risking his life for allies. His combat style exploits rubber physiology for stretching assaults like the Gum-Gum Pistol and advanced Gear transformations. Though often comical, he turns lethally serious when crew or principles are endangered, refusing to kill foes—believing crushed dreams are the ultimate punishment. During the Clockwork Island Adventure, Luffy and his crew—Zoro, Nami, Usopp, and Sanji—confronted the Trump Pirates after their ship, the Going Merry, was stolen. Stranded, they allied with thieves Borodo and Akisu, uncovering Bear King’s plot to forcibly marry Nami while constructing the superweapon King Cannon. Luffy scaled Clockwork Island’s spiral staircase, evading traps and battling Trump lieutenants like Honey Queen and her Toro Toro no Mi fluid. After Bear King crucified Sanji, Usopp, and Zoro, Borodo betrayed Luffy to shield Akisu. Witnessing Akisu’s repaired windmill toy reignited their bond, enabling Luffy to escape a crushing trap. He thwarted the King Cannon’s activation, defeated Bear King, and freed the island, displaying trademark fearlessness by inspiring the despairing Akisu and relentlessly attacking to save his crew. Traumatic events, including Ace’s death and crew separation, honed Luffy’s tactical awareness and resilience. These fostered greater emotional control and strategic foresight in crises, yet his core identity—unwavering determination, fierce loyalty, and devotion to freedom—remains the bedrock of his quest to reign as Pirate King.