General & Others Shanks being the final villain would redeem one piece in my eyes

[Monkey D Theories]

As I've said before, the post skip is where OP started to decline, both for me and for many other fans. The vs Yonko saga in particular was riddled with poor planning from Oda and outright terrible writing decisions(forcing back to back power ups to make Luffy yonko level).

With OP heading to its finale post wano, I can't help but say that I'm not hyped for the final war. In all likelihood, Luffy is leaving wano stronger than Akainu and beating Teach before the final war, leaving Imu as the bland, faceless villain of the ultimate arc of one piece.

However, I can't help but entertain the evil shanks theory. OP started with Luffy and shanks, with Luffy promising shanks that he would surpass him. Yet shanks has seemingly been sidelined for the entirety of the post skip. Either shanks is going to be Luffy's next cheerleader, or Oda has something much more important planned up for him.

imo shanks would be a better final villain than Akainu, Teach, or Imu if Oda sets him up properly. I think if Oda is willing to subvert fan expectations and make shanks a complex character and more than just another standard mentor, it would greatly improve the quality of the series.

 

[Franosuke]

I think it's inevitable/obvious that Shanks will be a much more complicated character than what we're initially led to believe. The evidence is there, and it's only gotten more compelling as the story has progressed. @Paperchampion23

 

[zzShinichi]

Spot the difference

 

[Peenix]

In all likelihood, Luffy is leaving wano stronger than Akainu and beating Teach before the final war, leaving Imu as the bland, faceless villain of the ultimate arc of one piece.

Nah after 1044 I'm pretty confident the series will end with Luffy and Teach on laugh tale fighting over the One Piece. They have contrasting Devil Fruits, so it just makes sense for Teach to be the final boss

As for your Shanks theory though, while I don't think he's going to be outright evil there's definitely a lot more to him than we initially expected

 

[Paperchampion23]

Nah after 1044 I'm pretty confident the series will end with Luffy and Teach on laugh tale fighting over the One Piece. They have contrasting Devil Fruits, so it just makes sense for Teach to be the final boss

As for your Shanks theory though, while I don't think he's going to be outright evil there's definitely a lot more to him than we initially expected

This does not make sense (the series ending at Laugh Tale). Read Whitebeards death speech and Oden's flashback. What must be done to change the world comes after finding One Piece and learning about everything. Luffy's involvement in the final war does not make sense until this happens, even if it starts before he gets there.

 

[Peenix]

This does not make sense (the series ending at Laugh Tale). Read Whitebeards death speech and Oden's flashback. What must be done to change the world comes after finding One Piece and learning about everything. Luffy's involvement in the final war does not make sense until this happens, even if it starts before he gets there.

That doesn't mean BB wont be the final boss

 

[York]

I have my qualms with Oda's writing, just like everyone else, but man

I'm always so happy that he doesn't think like you guys

 

[Finalbeta]

In before he will be killed by Teach who in return won't even prove the final villain

I hope not but I find it more likely than Shanks as final villain sorrowfully

 

[CartoonHeroes]

No

 

[Baba]

If that would be the case the idea of Ussop vs Yassop excites me more

 

[Paperchampion23]

That doesn't mean BB wont be the final boss

Not what I said lol. I don't personally agree though

 

[stealthblack]

No way because then zorofans will claim that mihawk and zoro>>>pk luffy and shanks

 

[Roo]

No thanks. Final villain should be Blackbeard

 

[Monkey D Theories]

No thanks. Final villain should be Blackbeard

I would be fine with that, but I fear it might not happen. Luffy needs to beat teach to get One piece after all.

Post automatically merged: Apr 15, 2022

Honestly if shanks isn't evil or something, he's going to be irrelevantized.

If he isn't more than he seems, Luffy and the SHs would have surpassed the RHP by wano's end and Shanks will become yet another cheerleader like Kid and Law. He might even be less important, especially compared to Law who has basically been an unofficial straw hat.

 

[Paperchampion23]

I would be fine with that, but I fear it might not happen. Luffy needs to beat teach to get One piece after all.

This really is the ultimate question. If you think about logistics in the series and where it's meant to head, then Luffy fundamentally needs to find OP before the Final War (as Whitebeard has stated and Roger's voyage suggests).

This would then suggest that Luffy would have to beat Blackbeard to the punch at Laugh Tale. So either he goes down here, or he doesn't and he's still relevant after Luffy finds OP and becomes PK.

Also....do people really expect Shiryu to be Zoro's last opponent? I 100% can't see that, and with Mihawk being close to Shanks, it starts to make sense why Shanks "could" be the final antagonist.

That's not to say BB won't be relevant in the endgame (I doubt he loses at Laugh Tale tbh), but I'm not sure he's the final antagonist

 

[BlackLegFring]

Shanks has nothing to offer as a final villain. No remarkable abilities, no adequate forces, no huge damage done to the MC…actually saved his life multiple times instead.

He may have a self-serving agenda but it will never be outright evil or as detrimental to the MC as what the actual final antagonists have done.

He would have to resurrect Ace and kill him all over again…or capture Sabo and kill him right before Luffy…and get a time machine to go over 900 years into the past to establish the World Government.

 

[Indigo]

I think there's gonna be a lot of outrage if Shanks is an evil or at least an antagonist grey character

Most people wanna see goody Shanks and his reunion with Luffy, i've seen so many people shoot down the Evil / Grey Shanks theory because of this

 

[Jackteo]

Shanks being the final opponent for Sanji would redeem OP

 

[Paperchampion23]

Shanks has nothing to offer as a final villain. No remarkable abilities, no adequate forces, no huge damage done to the MC…actually saved his life multiple times instead.

He may have a self-serving agenda but it will never be outright evil or as detrimental to the MC as what the actual final antagonists have done.

He would have to resurrect Ace and kill him all over again…or capture Sabo and kill him right before Luffy…and get a time machine to go over 900 years into the past to establish the World Government.

You literally do no know what Shanks has to offer since since he's never truly fought onscreen lol. He's literally the only person left alive that Kaido considered the "ceiling" when he questioned how far Luffy could go

Post automatically merged: Apr 15, 2022

I think there's gonna be a lot of outrage if Shanks is an evil or at least an antagonist grey character

Most people wanna see goody Shanks and his reunion with Luffy, i've seen so many people shoot down the Evil / Grey Shanks theory because of this

Sucks for them then

 

[BlackLegFring]

You literally do no know what Shanks has to offer since since he's never truly fought onscreen lol. He's literally the only person left alive that Kaido considered the "ceiling" when he questioned how far Luffy could go

Post automatically merged: Apr 15, 2022

Sucks for them then

Sure we haven’t seen him fight, but we know that he doesn’t have a devil fruit and uses a sword. Not much to offer there without making things even worse by introducing a super secret new application of conqueror’s Haki that’s somehow only special to him.
Being on Kaido’s list doesn’t translate to an interesting or challenging fighting style either. Kaido mostly just swings around a kanabo himself.