The final saga of Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece has started the character development of many characters who have been sitting idle for so long within the narrative. Be it Monkey D. Garp or the Five Elders, Oda has decided that it’s finally time to bring these characters to center stage and reveal why they were kept as a mystery for so long.
One such character that has started making major moves in One Piece is Shanks, captain of the Red-Haired Pirates and the former mentor of Luffy. Shanks’ limited screen time has made fans question his importance in the narrative, but now that he is on the move, there is a possibility that he may soon be making an entry to the central storyline and finally prove his worth as one of the strongest pirates in the One Piece world.
However, this also gives rise to the question of to what end Shanks will be relevant for One Piece. Considering the final battle will be majorly focused on antagonists like Imu and Blackbeard against Luffy and the rest of his crew, there is a chance that Oda might give him a decent ending and remove him from the story completely.
Shanks’ Role in One Piece
When One Piece started back in 1997, Shanks was one of the first characters who was introduced. He was the pirate who inspired Luffy to become a pirate and ultimately the Pirate King. Shanks also promised Luffy that he would meet him once Luffy became a great pirate of the sea. This moment has been greatly anticipated by One Piece fans.
However, as the story progressed, Oda kept on introducing more and more mysteries relating to Shanks and his character. While his role was limited, his rare appearances made fans question his intentions and his goals regarding the One Piece treasure. Not only that, some even deemed him the main villain of the series.
Many fans assume that Shanks will betray everyone in the end and grab the One Piece treasure for himself and his crew, proving him to be the biggest antagonist. But recent developments might have changed the perception of these fans, as it looks like he genuinely cares for Luffy.
Shanks Might Be The First To Die
While Shanks is one of the most important characters in One Piece, there is a strong chance that he might not be a part of the final war. Although he has multiple links to the aspects of the final war, his role as Luffy’s mentor and “rival” would limit his character development in the end.
If he is not the big bad villain and just a character that would help Luffy grow even more, he might not make it to the final arc.
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In fact, many fans believe that there is also a possibility that he might die to give Luffy the ultimate boost that would make him the perfect protagonist of One Piece.
Ultimately, it all depends on Eiichiro Oda and how he plans to portray Shanks’ character in the end. The one thing that is certain is that Oda surely has big motives for Shanks’ character, and it would bring a big change in the narrative of One Piece.
One Piece is available to watch on Crunchyroll.
