Shanks, the captain of the Red-Haired Pirates and the supposed mentor of Monkey D. Luffy, has been a mystery since the beginning of One Piece, but lately, he is making his presence felt in the story. Not only did he help Luffy during the Wano arc, but he also brutally took down Eustass Kid during a battle in Elbaf village.
While he is making a move, his intentions are still unclear to One Piece fans, who have been waiting to find out more about the character. Some fans believe that he is the guiding figure who is following the orders of his former captain, Gol D. Roger, to get Joy Boy into One Piece, while others believe that he is an evil villain who is hiding his true intentions.
Although it hasn’t been cleared by Eiichiro Oda, there is a One Piece theory that explains how Shanks will be the final villain of Luffy and prove that he never loved or cared for him. This theory also explains how Shanks might finally execute his plan during the conclusion.
One Piece Theory Explains Shanks’ True Intentions
According to a theory posted by CallingTheWall on the One Piece fan page, Shanks is actually an opponent of Luffy who has his own ambitions and agendas that he will not give up on, no matter what. He has been sitting silent for almost twelve years, and just when Luffy transformed into Nika, he became active again.
The theory states that Shanks knew the true identity of Luffy’s Devil Fruit, which is why he stole it from the CP9 agents of the World Government. However, Luffy unintentionally ate the Devil Fruit, which delayed Shanks’ original plan of going after the One Piece with the power of Nika by himself. Thus, he had to wait for Luffy to unlock the full potential of the Devil Fruit.
This is why Shanks has been saving Luffy through the background from dangers like Admiral Ryokugyu, Sea King, and even during Marineford (indirectly). He wants to fulfill his dream through Luffy, which is why, after Wano, Shanks stated that he is ready to go after the One Piece treasure.
Shanks Would Be Luffy’s Final Opponent
If the One Piece theory holds any credence and Shanks will truly be the final villain of Eiichiro Oda’s magnum opus, it will not only change the entire narrative, but it will also be the biggest betrayal in the history of the series. Although Luffy sees Shanks as a rival, he also sees him as a mentor and a friend; thus, it would be the hardest for him.
It is unknown whether Shanks truly cared for Luffy or if every bit of it was just a sham, but the one thing that is certain is that Shanks is one of the strongest characters right now in One Piece, and there is no way he does not have a dream of his own. Therefore, him going after his dream in a way justifies his means and intentions.
Shanks vs. Luffy is something that fans know is inevitable, but the intent behind it is all that matters. Either it will be a friendly rivalry where Shanks let the future take over, or it will be the biggest plot twist in history and the two Emperors of the Sea will clash to find out who is deserving of the One Piece treasure.
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