One Piece‘s ultimate saga has been underway for the reason that begin of the Egghead Island arc, and now the manga’s motion is ramping up like by no means earlier than with Shanks attacking a member of Luffy’s Straw Hat fleet in one of the vital latest chapters.
For years now, One Piece‘s manga and the anime adaptation have been filled with unimaginable battles, as Luffy has confirmed himself to be one of the vital formidable pirates on the Grand Line. With Shanks returning to prominence within the manga’s story because it get nearer to its inevitable conclusion, followers are starting to appreciate that One Piece could have quietly teased its ending a few years in the past.
The historical past behind Luffy’s Straw Hat could find yourself being one of the vital essential elements of One Piece‘s lore, and it appears extra seemingly that it will play a big half within the story’s ultimate battle. Luffy and his Straw Hat Pirates crew have been on the heart of One Piece‘s story from the very starting, with Luffy’s legendary crew deriving their identify from his iconic straw hat accent. The Straw Hat has had a longstanding historical past within the pirate world, and One Piece‘s story won’t be prepared to attract to an in depth till it modifications homeowners one final time.
Luffy’s Straw Hat Has Had A number of House owners Over the Years
The Legendary Pirate Gol D. Roger was Its Authentic Proprietor
Whereas Monkey D. Luffy’s straw hat stands out as the iconic image many followers acknowledge and affiliate with him and your entire One Piece franchise, the hat was initially owned by Gol D. Roger, the legendary pirate who discovered the One Piece treasure and have become the Pirate King. He conquered the Grand Line and amassed an enormous treasure on his journeys — one thing Luffy himself has been making an attempt to emulate over the course of One Piece‘s timeline. In some methods, this hat will be symbolic of a crown of kinds when it’s paired with notoriety and standing of its earlier extremely revered proprietor.
The origins of Luffy’s hat initially belonging to Gol D. Roger weren’t revealed in One Piece till the manga chapter #603 in 2010. Earlier than that, followers solely knew concerning the hat’s different earlier proprietor: “Crimson-Haired” Shanks, who gave the hat to Luffy when he was a baby. The trade of the hat between Shanks and Luffy goes all the best way again to the primary chapter of the manga (and episode 4 of the anime). The scene the place Shanks presents Luffy his most prized possession set the tone for your entire One Piece sequence — and this important scene could quickly play an essential half in One Piece‘s ultimate fated battle.
Luffy Made Shanks an Necessary Promise
Shanks Gifted Luffy His Iconic Hat on One Situation
Luffy was truly gifted his recognizable Straw Hat when he was only a baby, nicely earlier than One Piece‘s current story started. In a flashback sequence in the beginning of the manga, younger Luffy tried to show that he’s worthy of becoming a member of Shanks’ crew to diastrous outcomes. Someday, when Luffy was kidnapped and held hostage by Higuma, Shanks arrived to rescue him. Higuma ultimately threw Luffy into the ocean and, as a result of Luffy had consumed the Gomu Gomu no Mi Satan Fruit, it was not possible for him to swim to security.
Shanks headed out to sea to rescue Luffy and even ended up saving his life from the vicious Sea King. Whereas defending Luffy from the ocean creature, Shanks ended up shedding his left arm within the battle, a lot to younger Luffy’s horror and dismay. Afterward, Luffy defiantly advised Shanks that he would develop into a pirate on his personal, even when he could not be a part of Shanks’ crew. Shanks advised him that he did not have what it takes to be a pirate, infuriating younger Luffy, who advised him he’d make his personal crew and develop into the Pirate King.
Amused at Younger Luffy’s outburst, Shanks gave the younger aspiring pirate his legendary Straw Hat and advised him to return it when he has develop into an important pirate — that means, as soon as he had develop into the Pirate King. Over the course of One Piece‘s long term, Luffy’s pirate adventures have been constructing him as much as tackle the mantle of Pirate King. By way of his energy, the talents he accrued over his journey, and the respect he has garnered from highly effective forces far and huge, he’s already a improbable pirate. Now evidently Shanks is sort of ready to retrieve his hat from him.
Luffy’s Journey With the Straw Hat Has Outlined One Piece
The Straw Hat Turned a Essential A part of Luffy’s Id
The Straw Hat has develop into synonymous with Luffy’s pirate id in One Piece. He has named his Pirate crew after the accent and is never seen with out it. Luffy considers the hat his most prized possession, and he normally retains it on his particular person to keep away from something dangerous occurring to it, which reveals how a lot he cares concerning the present he obtained from Shanks again in his youth.
To Luffy, the Straw Hat is an emblem of his promise to Shanks that he would develop into the Pirate King, and he has fought all through your entire sequence to appreciate that dream. From the very starting of the sequence, when he was assembling his loyal crew with members like Zoro, Nami and Sanji, to his hard-fought battles defeating notable pirates like Huge Mother and Kaido, Luffy’s Straw Hat has at all times been with him on his journey.
As One Piece‘s story went on, the wealthy world-building of the sequence opened up many potentialities for horrible conflicts, together with villainous pirates like Buggy the Clown and Blackbeard. Extra lately, One Piece‘s story has revealed much more potent threats like the ominous World Authorities and the 5 Elders who run it, additional complicating issues for Luffy and his crew. These clearly evil forces have at all times been a serious menace to Luffy as he tries to develop into the Pirate King, nevertheless it’s unlikely that many followers would have ever anticipated Luffy’s mentor Shanks to tackle a extra antagonistic position in One Piece‘s ultimate arc.
Shanks Has Sought Revenge on Luffy’s Allies
One Piece’s Elbaf Arc Begins with Sinking a Ship
All through the course of One Piece‘s story, Shanks has performed an essential position as one of the vital important and revered pirates within the land. He has been an apparent position mannequin for Luffy, in addition to being one of many 4 Emperors that dominated over the New World. Whereas he hasn’t been one of many main figures in One Piece, Shanks has at all times been an essential background character and has, for essentially the most half, been an important ally in Luffy’s journeys.
The alliance between Luffy and Shanks could quickly be a factor of the previous, nonetheless. With One Piece‘s Closing Saga nicely underway, Shanks has been taking part in a extra distinguished position within the sequence as soon as extra, and a latest chapter of One Piece noticed him get revenge on one in every of Luffy’s new allies, Bartolomeo. Again within the Wano Nation Arc, Bartolomeo ravaged Shanks’ territory, prompting the captain of the Crimson Hair Pirates to set his sights on getting his revenge on Bartolomeo — who’s the captain of the second ship in Luffy’s Straw Hat Grand Fleet.
Shanks Will get Payback in One Piece’s Latest Elbaf Arc
Now, in One Piece‘s Elbaf Arc, Shanks has lastly seized the chance to get his revenge on Bartolomeo. The Crimson Hair Pirates lately arrived at Gartel Island to punish the Barto Membership, capturing Bartolomeo and giving him an ultimatum: if he had been to kill Monkey D. Luffy utilizing a offered poison, they might forgive his transgressions. Extraordinarily loyal to Luffy, Bartolomeo refused and even drank the poison of his personal free will, saying that his loyalty to Luffy was value greater than his life.
Shanks was shocked by Bartolomeo’s loyalty, and it was revealed that the poison was pretend. He allowed the Barto Membership pirates to depart but additionally took the initiative to show them a lesson, having Yasopp, the sniper of the Crimson Hair Pirates, fireplace on their ship, blowing it up in One Piece Ch. 1126.
What Shanks’ Newest Actions Imply for One Piece’s Ending
The Sequence Could Construct As much as Additional Battle Between Luffy and Shanks
Shanks unleashing an assault on the Barto Membership in One Piece‘s Elbaf Arc could find yourself having long-lasting ramifications for his relationship with Luffy and the remainder of the Straw Hat Pirates. Whereas it is not possible that Luffy himself will reply to Shanks’ act of aggression immediately within the chapters to return, the sinking of Bartolomeo’s ship could escalate issues and immediate the six different pirate crews who’ve sworn loyalty to Luffy to answer the assault on their ally.
It appears unlikely this far into One Piece‘s story that Shanks may develop into a real villain that might be hostile sufficient towards Luffy to rival that of the World Authorities, nevertheless it does look like there’s actual potential for a confrontation between the 2, which One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda may body as being between two rivals relatively than precise enemies. At this level in Luffy’s story, only a few pirates are certified to check Luffy’s progress fairly like Shanks, and he has at all times been a key determine in Luffy’s journey, so it is sensible for him to return on the very finish.
There’s additionally the matter of the legendary Straw Hat, and Shanks will undoubtedly need it again as soon as Luffy has earned himself the title of Pirate King. With One Piece inevitably constructing in the direction of a satisfying conclusion that sees Luffy vanquishing the evil of the world and realizing his goals, the manga’s ending will seemingly see the 2 rival pirate crews engaged in a battle for the ages, and in the long run, Luffy could have to surrender his most prized possession as soon as he claims the One Piece treasure and at last achieves his dream.