“ In the last moment of his life, he turned his fading "flame of life" into a huge fire that enveloped the world. I've never laughed more than on that day...!! I've never cried more than on that day... I've never drank more either..!! He was our captain... and he was a magnificent man...!!! ”

In the final days of Roger's reign, he had attained more wealth, power, and fame than anyone could imagine. Though now known as the Pirate King, Roger was well-aware of his own mortality. As if seeing the end, he disbanded his crew in secret. Before his death, he told Rayleigh he would not die. He also informed Whitebeard that he was going to die before his execution. Whether he was referring to his illness or him giving up to the Marines, is unknown. Here, he also informs Whitebeard of the meaning of the people carrying the Will of the D. Also, someday he met Portgas D. Rouge, a woman living in Baterilla, that would later become the mother of his son, Ace. Roger then turned himself into the Marines and scheduled to be excecuted. While in prison, he asked of Garp to take care of his son when he was gone, saying that an infant child should not be labeled a criminal for his family ties. Although Garp said he had no obligation to do so, Roger knew he would do it anyway.

Roger's execution in LoguetownRoger's execution in Loguetown.

Thinking they would make an example of him to prevent others from becoming pirates, they immediately set up his execution in Loguetown. But as he was about to die, Roger yelled out his famous last words. The swords of the executioners fell and the greatest pirate of them all died. This was thought to of been a warning to all and extinguish the hopes of all pirates, but it failed. The last words of Gold Roger ignited the excitement of the world, and thus began "The Great Age of Pirates", dubbed by a few characters as the "Age of Dreams". The echoes of his influence resonate further into the current era, and shape most of the world after his death. As far as directly influencing major contenders, those known to be present at his execution include his apprentices Shanks and Buggy; the Shichibukai Crocodile, Donquixote Doflamingo, Hawk Eyes Mihawk, and Gecko Moria; the revolutionary Monkey D. Dragon; and it can be assumed from their conversation with Shiki that Monkey D. Garp and former Fleet Admiral Sengoku attended as well. Twenty two years after his execution, as Whitebeard was about to die, he revealed to the world that Roger's treasure, One Piece, is real and inferred the consequences of what would happen once it was discovered. This triggered the New Age of Pirates to be created out of Roger's legendary treasure.

The Beginning

Born in Loguetown, Roger was famed as the man who did what no one thought possible - he conquered the Grand Line. It would seem that he had been around for some time, considering that Brook refers to him as a rookie, more than 50 years before the original storyline. Before he formed his crew, he met Silvers Rayleigh, a young man who was living on a ship he had stolen after his house had burnt. Roger said that it was a fated meeting and asked Rayleigh to join him.

Unavoidable Fate

Twenty-six years before the start of the story (four years before his death), Roger came down with an incurable disease. He decided to pitch one last journey with his crew into the Grand Line. Upon reaching the lighthouse at Reverse Mountain, at the entrance of the Grand Line, he recruited Crocus as his doctor that would be responsible for keeping him alive until the completion of his journey.

Their journey took them to Skypiea and later Water 7 where the shipwright Tom built them a ship called the Oro Jackson.

Two of the most powerful opponents Roger faced on his journey were Marine Vice Admiral Monkey D. Garp and the pirate Edward 'Whitebeard' Newgate. The former is said to have cornered him many times on the journey, and the latter was the closest rival to his title. It is said that Whitebeard was the only one capable of matching Roger in combat.

Before reaching Raftel on his final journey, Roger was approached by the "Flying Pirate" Shiki, who had learned that Roger had located an Ancient Weapon. Seeing the opportunity, he asked Roger if they could join forces. With his large pirate fleet and Roger's weapon, Shiki believed that together they could take over the whole world, even telling Roger that what happened between them in the past was now forgotten. Despite the urge of one of his apprentices, Roger refused Shiki's offer, saying that he wanted to be free to do what he wanted. Shiki then announced that his answer meant the death of him, while Roger said it meant that he would beat him and a great sea battle soon ensued between their crews.  

Roger was spared due to a storm that happened during their fight, half of Shiki's fleet sunk. Despite this and getting a piece of a steering wheel lodged into his head that almost killed him, Shiki came to have great respect for Roger.

Near his death, Roger had a final meeting with Whitebeard, as he told him about the nickname the government gave him, Gold Roger, and the secret of the Will of the D.

 Gol D. Roger, known to most as Gold Roger (ゴールド・ロジャー Gōrudo Rojā?), was the Pirate King (海賊王 Kaizoku-Ō?), captain of the Roger Pirates, and owner of the legendary treasure known as "One Piece". He was also the lover of Portgas D. Rouge and biological father of Portgas D. Ace.

Appearance

Roger was a tall man who walked proudly before his execution. His most prominent physical features were his curved black mustache, a fierce grin he almost always wore, and his intense eyes. He also had thick black hair and a short thick neck.

Like many other high ranked pirates, he wore a long red captain's coat. Beneath his coat, he wore a blue shirt and had a green sash around his waist. He had a white cravat around his neck, wore dark blue pants, and (unlike most other pirates seen in the One Piece World) he wore what appeared to be black sea boots. Before he turned himself in, he also wore a pirate hat with his jolly roger on it over a yellow spotted bandana. During the Battle in Edd War, however, he donned a dark-blue vest and a yellow sash. He was one of the few people to mirror the stereotypical pirate.

Later on, during a flashback to Roger's first meeting with Rayleigh, it was revealed that Roger looked a lot like Luffy to the point of also wearing the straw hat that Luffy is currently wearing.