Ngl.
I would LOVE for Shanks to be the real end boss.
Why?
Because Luffy said:
"One day, I'll find a crew that will surpass even your own, and find the greatest treasure of all (One Piece), and then I will become the Pirate King!".
It would be quite fitting for Shanks to be the final obstacle between Luffy and the One Piece.
Same! It would be like the Aizen twist of Bleach but immenesly better imo! Oda purposely made it vague on who Shanks was referring to with the Gorosei and his other words about Luffy might become much darker in hindsight ironically.
Shanks seem too "noble" and the theories about him being the "Dirty God" and emperor of the underworld and such are really interesting and plausible imo.
We've seen hints of a much darker side to Shanks, given what he or his crew did to Kid ofc, we don't even know why they did that, how it went down yet and that will be important imo. Kid wants to kill him specifically and that was before he literally disarmed Kid later too I think? He mentioned wanting to kill Shanks when having his alliance discussion with Apoo and Hawkins I think?
Oda has purposely not shown us about Shanks finding out about Barto attacking one of his own territories. Like with Boa and Koby, what if Oda is trying to make us think it will end in a friendly, good way due to their shared connections? But he's gonna pull a big twist instead?
Why won't Mihawk duel Shanks anymore? Is it really because Shanks lost his arm? Or does he have other personal reasons that we're not meant to know yet? Maybe a matter of clashing ideals/beliefs?
Does he know Shanks has favours with the Marines and WG, how would he feel about Shanks meeting the Gorosei like that too?
I love Shanks, hes always been one of my favourite characters and he has been described recently as being truly "unstoppable" and fearsome when angered, I even suspect the red hair ephitet of his might allude to having "blood soaked" hair, at least symbolically/metaphorically ofc. Katarina, an assassin from League of Legends had her hair soaked red by her victims I think?
After the twists Oda pulled with Carmel and Pudding, is it really crazy to think Shanks might be putting on a facade too and has more sinister intentions? Maybe just doing immortal things for the "greater good" or to "maintain the balance" of the world? Kinda like the Gorosei but in his own ways, on his own terms?
Just how exactly did he stop Kaido of all people going to Marineford and why? Is Kaido also suicidal and depressed because he regrets not going to Marineford and trying to save Whitebeard? Or getting a glorious death like Whitebeard got? Seeing his former crewmate in his final moments too? Maybe he has survivor's guilt? Also he didn't get to meet Ace yet and and he was meant to "pay back" Ace for damaging his dragon statue but I'm sure he would have liked to meet him and even try to recruit him instead?
How did Shanks make Kaido turn back without an apparently major fight, especially no injuries/bloodshed/casualities? We really need answers ASAP!
I mean just look back at the beginning of the series too. Shanks and his crew really set a brutal tone for the series when they straight up MURDERED a bandit instantly and talked about not using guns lightly and "playing games". Similar mentality to Kaido there too and Kaido executed Oden with a gun too!
Shanks and his crew feel like they could be Marines or even WG/Cipher Pol agents if Oda really wanted them to be tbh. Maybe Sword especially?
There are many theories out there like Shanks deliberately poisoned Buggy to try and sabotage the trip to Laugh Tale, that he poisoned Roger and caused his illness and Roger found out and knew and thats why he gave himself up for execution too.
Why would the WG execute Roger after he saved Celestial Dragons from Xebec and took him down, teaming up with Garp, the hero of the Marines to do so too? Why did they go around executing all the firstborns of people to try and kill Roger's potential offspring?
Fuck man, I just feel like we're still not seeing everything, that Oda is still gonna mindfuck us with crazy twists, reveals and chracter moments.
There are theories that Shanks is a Celestial or ex Celestial at least, that he is the son of Xebec, that he was one of the Celestials that Roger was trying to protect at God's Valley etc. That Roger and Rayleigh adopted him and Buggy as abandoned orphans. Why don't we know Shanks and Buggy's full names yet? Why do they have such rare, distinctive hair colours? We're in for some fucking massive twists yet, I swear by it!