Highlights
- Shanks plays a pivotal role in Luffy’s journey and is set to have a major impact in the upcoming Elbaf arc.
- Shanks is the protector of Elbaf and will be a key obstacle for Luffy to overcome on his path to the One Piece.
- Fans can expect an exciting showdown between Shanks, Luffy, and Blackbeard, with potential consequences for all parties involved.
Shanks is one of the most important individuals in One Piece. In fact, when it comes to Luffy’s very own journey, Shanks is pivotal and without him, Luffy wouldn’t even have been a pirate in the first place. Of course, Shanks has not played an active major role in the story right now, especially in regards to taking up center stage in a massive arc.
However, One Piece is in the Final Saga now, and from here onwards, it is inevitable for this series to tackle the character arcs of individuals such as Shanks. With the Egghead Island Arc now close to wrapping up, fans are incredibly excited to see what Shanks has to deliver as the story continues.
Shanks As The Protector Of Elbaf
Shanks Has Claimed Many Territories, Including Elbaf
In the Final Saga of One Piece, fans got to see quite a lot of exciting information pertaining to Shanks. For the very first time, Shanks entered the great game and decided to go directly for the One Piece itself. Up until now, Shanks was biding his time, for one reason or another. Now, he is ready to go for the One Piece and directly rival the likes of Luffy. Shanks is going to be especially important moving forward, given that it has already been announced that the next arc of One Piece is going to be Elbaf. It was recently revealed that Shanks is actually the one who protects Elbaf.
I’m not planning to have a reunion with Luffy here. – Shanks outside Wano
Just like many Yonko have different territories, Shanks has Elbaf under his protection. When Eustass Kid decided to attack Shanks’s fleet near Elbaf, he took the responsibility of protecting the land by himself and destroyed Kid and his entire pirate crew.
This is a clear indication of the fact that Shanks will be somewhat involved in the Elbaf Arc. Fans already know that Luffy is currently aiming to head to Elbaf. He is on Egghead Island at this point in time, and the Giants of Egghead have decided to come pick him up. From here onwards, there can only be one destination for Luffy, and that is the land of the Giants, Elbaf. As soon as Luffy leaves Egghead, he will definitely head to Elbaf, and there, a confrontation between these two individuals can happen.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that as soon as Luffy arrives on Elbaf he’s going to see Shanks. Fans know that Shanks isn’t currently in Elbaf. He recently left this territory to potentially seek out Blackbeard. This means that Shanks is on a different mission at this point in time, but eventually, he could potentially return to Elbaf, which is when the meeting between him and Luffy could happen.
Shanks Vs Luffy
Shanks Will Fight Against Luffy Soon
It has already been made clear that Shanks is now rivaling Luffy for the One Piece. This is going to be an incredibly exciting battle, and fans absolutely cannot wait to see these two meet once again. Shanks recently destroyed Kid and took his Road Poneglyphs. Now, he will likely try to do the same when he meets Luffy. Of course, Shanks harbors deep care and love for Luffy. However, that certainly does not mean that he’s going to go easy on him. Shanks is, in a way, going to be Luffy’s last test to see if he is ready for claiming the One Piece itself.
At the same time, Luffy also wants to take down Shanks. He has mentioned this before and he aims to defeat all the Emperors so that he gets to become the one who rules over them all, the Pirate King. Luffy vs Shanks is a battle that is most definitely going to happen at some point in the story, and, as things stand, it will likely come in the Elbaf arc of the series. When this arc gets underway, Shanks will play a very important role of being the major obstacle in Luffy’s path that he has to surpass, and at the same time, being his final test as well. Shanks will be utterly dominant in this fight, but eventually, Luffy will have to triumph, otherwise he will not be fit to become the Pirate King. This is a battle that can be considered to be one of One Piece’s very best, and fans should look forward to it.
Shanks’s Goal Of Stopping Blackbeard
Shanks And Blackbeard Are Intertwined
While Shanks versus Luffy is an incredibly exciting aspect of the Elbaf Arc that every fan is considering at the moment, there is more to this arc than just that. It is possible that Shanks will also confront Blackbeard in this arc. This is simply down to the fact that fans know Shanks is actively hunting him down. Back in the Paramount War, Shanks and Blackbeard could have gone head-to-head, however, Blackbeard openly proclaimed that he was not ready to take on an enemy as strong as Shanks at that point. Now, Blackbeard is at the peak of his powers, and he could potentially fight a battle against Shanks and potentially cause problems for him.
I wish to talk about a certain pirate!
At the same time, fans also know that Shanks is actively trying to thwart Blackbeard. He even visited the Elders to inform them about a certain pirate, which was most likely Blackbeard. At the same time, he was in Wano, on the lookout for Blackbeard, and after leaving Elbaf, his likely goal was once again, Blackbeard. It appears that Shanks and Blackbeard will confront each other at some point in time, and what better arc to get this incredible battle started than Elbaf. While this battle will likely not take place in the land of the Giants, it could still be a part of the Elbaf arc, just as Egghead featured battles outside of this particular Island. This is going to be incredibly exciting and fans absolutely cannot wait to see these two Titans clash. Of course, when Shanks versus Blackbeard does happen, there is always a chance for Shanks to die, however, given how much Oda loves this character, it is highly unlikely to happen.
It is also possible that this battle happens at some point after Elbaf, but given the current circumstances, where Shanks is actively seeking him out, it appears that it is just on the horizon. Fans need to simply sit back and see how things proceed in this arc of One Piece, as Shanks, Luffy, and Blackbeard will certainly have their moments.
Regardless of which way fans look at it, Elbaf is going to be absolutely massive. Not only will it deal with major revelations pertaining to the lore related to Nika, and even the Void Century, but it will also focus on characters such as Shanks, who fans have wanted to be at the center of things for quite a long time now. With Egghead incredibly close to its end, it won’t take long for the story to get to this arc and, for the Straw Hats to embark on this wonderful adventure.
One Piece is available to read via Viz Media. The series can be read by the fans officially and for free on the Shonen Jump and the Manga Plus app. The release date for the next chapter of One Piece, One Piece 1117, is set to be June 17, 2024.
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