Since Luffy’s Gear 5 transformation, fans of One Piece have been ecstatic over its incredible power and wild, cartoonish abilities. Derived from the legendary Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika, the sheer absurdity of Gear 5’s abilities, combined with Luffy’s boundless creativity, has placed him on a level few could ever hope to reach in the One Piece universe.
But with great power comes great cost. Like many of Luffy’s previous transformations, Gear 5 takes an immense toll on his body. Even the CP0 agents have mentioned that Luffy’s Gear transformations not only drain his stamina, but it also risks cutting down his life expectancy.
However, a recent theory suggests that the solution for this critical flaw in Gear transformations may lie in the treasure of One Piece itself. Could this treasure be the key to unlocking a new level of power for Luffy, one that would allow him to overcome the deadly drawbacks of his current transformations?
The Fatal Flaw of Gear 5 in One Piece
Since the introduction of Gear 2 during episode 272 of the Enies Lobby arc, each of Luffy’s transformations has come with significant risks. While Gear 3 and Gear 4 allowed Luffy to unlock immensely powerful forms, they came with the drawback of severe stamina depletion and physical exhaustion after its use.
Similarly, Gear 5 has given Luffy almost God-like abilities, but it has also taken a bigger toll on his physique. In this state, Luffy uses the power of the Nika fruit to awaken, pushing his powers beyond their boundaries. However, as shown in his fight against Kaido, Gear 5 drains Luffy’s stamina rapidly and places immense strain on his heart and organs. Adding the fact that, CP0’s Rob Lucci confirmed that Luffy’s continuous use of his gears would eventually shorten his life.
If he continues to rely on Gear 5 without finding a solution to its drawbacks, he could severely damage his body or even die prematurely. This danger has given birth to many theories to speculate that there must be a way for Luffy to overcome these limitations and fully harness the power of his Nika fruit without endangering his life.
The One Piece Treasure and Eiichiro Oda’s Foreshadowing
Within the One Piece fanbase, one of the most interesting theories that has gained traction is that Luffy’s full potential could be unlocked by finding the legendary treasure known as the One Piece. This theory suggests that the treasure might be a sun-related artifact, possibly a crown that would enable Luffy to use solar energy to reach a new level of power, Gear 6.
The One Piece treasure might be a celestial crown similar to the Sun Crown associated with the Sun God Helios in ancient Greek mythology. This crown was said to radiate solar energy, symbolizing limitless power and life-giving energy. If Luffy manages to secure such a crown, it might enable him to access an endless supply of energy, removing any concern regarding stamina or the physical toll his Gear transformations take on his body.
Eiichiro Oda has foreshadowed the symbolism of the sun throughout the series. Many think Luffy’s fate is strongly related to the sun, and the “Sun God” Nika, whose abilities Luffy now possesses is a figure of liberty and freedom. It wouldn’t be far-fetched to think that Oda has been consistently using the sun-related imageries toward a revelation where the One Piece treasure itself is connected to the sun, and by extension, to Luffy’s ultimate form.
While the theory that the One Piece treasure holds the key to Luffy’s next transformation remains speculative, it’s a compelling idea that fits within the framework of the series. Whether or not the One Piece treasure will be final key for Luffy or not, one thing is crystal clear — Luffy’s journey is far from over, and the greatest revelations in One Piece are yet to come.
One Piece is currently available to watch on Crunchyroll.
