Summary
ManyOne Piecefans believe that Blackbeard will beLuffy’s final obstacle in obtaining the final treasure and becoming the Pirate King. However, another popular opinion is that another pirate close to Luffy may be in his way:Red-Haired Shanks. Shanks entrusted the Straw Hat to Luffy and helped him earn his pirate name, so it’s only fitting that the final battle would pit Luffy against Shanks.
In the 25-year history ofOne Piece, Shanks has always been a popular character for fans, despite his limited screen time. Shanks' ideology and character are largely unknown and the mystery behind his character is what attracts fans to love the red-haired pirate.
His motivations are widely open to interpretation, so many fans believe the theory of Shanks turning into an antagonist for Luffy makes sense since no one knows what his true goals are.
Shanks Could Oppose Luffy Because they Have Different Plans
Both Want to Claim the One Piece but for Different Reasons
Shanks is one of the strongest characters in the series.He is one of the four emperorsand was on Gol D. Roger’s crew when Roger found the One Piece. Because of his mysterious nature, many fans don’t know the extent of Shanks' power or ambition. Even if Shanks wasn’t aiming to become an emperor, he had to have some sort of motivation to earn that status. Chapter #1054, “Flame Emperor”, implies thatShanks knew the true nature of the Gum-Gum Fruitwhen he stole it from a World Government ship.
Shanks must have known that it was the Nika fruit and that he wanted to protect it from the World Government. For this reason, many fans speculate that Shanks wanted Luffy to eat the Devil Fruit since he wouldn’t be careless enough to let anyone near the Nika fruit that he stole from the World Government unless he had some kind of plan. This is reinforced by the fact that he not only entrusted Luffy with the Nika fruit but he also sacrificed his arm to save him.
Shanks also has a suspicious relationship with the Celestial Dragonsand this becomes more evident when Shanks has a private meeting with the Five Elders back in Chapter #907. Putting everything together, it’s clear thatShanks is not a carefree pirate, but has clear plans and goals that will end up inevitably clashing with Luffy’s, because both want to claim the One Piece. When they cross paths, then, it’s unlikely they will collaborate, and a battle could ensue to decide who is going to be the new Pirate King.
What Would a Battle Between Luffy and Shanks Look Like?
Regardless of the Motivation, This Would Be a Massive Moment
A battle between Shanks and Luffy would be intense and cause a dramatic shift in the world ofOne Piece.It might even have the same impact that Whitebeard’s crew had on Marineford where the world was forever changed afterward. The battle between Luffy and Shanks would become the biggest fight of the series as viewers would get to see Shanks fight with his full ability. It would also be a great chance forfans to see how much Luffy has evolvedsince the first time they saw Luffy and Shanks on screen together.
Whether Shanks becomes evil like the other Celestial Dragons depicted in the series or stays a good guy like he is portrayed currently, the final battle will have mixed emotions as two fan favorites battle it out. IfLuffyends up returning the Straw Hat toShanksafter the battle, then this moment could become the greatest moment inOne Piecethat fans have been waiting two decades for.
