Character Discussion Why Shiryu killing Mihawk (SKM) is perfect writing

GalaxyLevelShanks

GalaxyLevelShanks

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#1
#1
Ok, I can sniff those comments from a mile away. "ohhh you're scared of Mihawk's strength" blah blah blah. No, I don't really care about Mihawk, I'm only talking as to why this is going to be good writing for Zoro.

This doesn't change Mihawk's PL in the slightest. Mihawk is still as strong as y'all want him to be. All it means is Shiryu will also surpass him(yeah yeah, shiryu will surpass shanks too). That's ironically better for Zoro agenda wise too since he's fighting a stronger character.

Ok, so now that is out of the way, let's dive in:

"However long it may take, I'll wait for you at the top". This was PEAK. Mihawk giving an open challenge to Zoro to do everything to surpass him.



I mean... just look at the whole sequence. There's so much emotional baggage.


It's similar to this Shanks/Luffy moment. Shanks telling Luffy to only give the hat back to him ONCE LUFFY HAS SURPASSED HIM. Once again, great writing since it sets up a clear barrier for the main characters to surpass and creates a symbolic distance that is only meant to be passed up at the end.





Now imagine this happened: In Marineford, instead of Shanks rejecting to meet Luffy because it violates the premise of their promise, he just went back on it to meet him and comfort him? Would the future meetup of those 2 hit anywhere NEAR the same? Ofc not. The fact Shanks was willing to not even meet Luffy when his life was being threatened despite having loads of care and love for him AND his crew insisting to meet with Luffy adds even more buildup to their future meetup because Oda has clearly established they won't be meeting before Luffy surpasses him NO MATTER WHAT. I mean Oda even gives a callback to their promise.




Same thing could have happened with Mihawk/Zoro but Mihawk just let it all go to train him.

Don't get me wrong now:

1) This is GREAT writing for Zoro since it's in contrast for what he said to Luffy when he was introduced. That he'd leave the crew if it came in the way of being WSS.




Now he's putting his captain's dream above all because he values Luffy immensely as both a friend and a captain.

2) This is also good writing for Mihawk. Since this is a contrast to chapter 96 when he childishly dropped his rivalry with Shanks cause he lost an arm.



Mihawk couldn't fathom Shanks valuing something above raw strength (which was the only thing Mihawk valued). He was taken back from Shanks having a greater goal than being WSS (Shanks prioritizing the future of the world where Luffy fulfils the Nika prophecy and MAYBE cutting ties with his family/WG as well). But this time, he has character development, instead of childishly rejecting Zoro, he offers to train him because he realises not everyone is like him and people have other things to work on other than strength.

However, while this character development development is narratively rich...


...It inadvertently kills the tension in their eventual showdown. Their rivalry was originally framed like Shanks and Luffy’s—rooted in a future promise, a symbolic distance that could only be crossed once one surpassed the other. The moment Mihawk agreed to train Zoro, that distance collapsed. Their future fight now lacks the emotional weight it once held; it feels less like a destined clash between equals and more like a graduation. The tension, the suspense, the idea of Zoro having to reach Mihawk's level through sheer will and journey—all of that dissolves into a more tempered, respectful dynamic. That’s why Shiryu killing Mihawk would restore the dramatic stakes. It reframes Zoro’s path not only as a journey to become the strongest, but also one of vengeance and legacy. Now, Zoro must not just fulfill a promise—he must carry on Mihawk’s will, making their bond and Zoro’s eventual triumph far more emotionally charged.
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moreha9685

moreha9685

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#3
#3
Shanks refused to meet Luffy in MF because Luffy wasn't ready yet.

The fight for the WSS title between Mihawk and Zoro will only take place when Zoro is ready to claim it.

I'm starting to consider the WSS-Shiryu theories on par with the Luffy-won't-be-PK-but-Buggy-will ones: subversion for subversion's sake, which alone does not make it a better storytelling choice.
 
GalaxyLevelShanks

GalaxyLevelShanks

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#9
#9
AI cooked too

9 Reasons Why Shiryu Killing Mihawk (SKM) > Zoro vs Mihawk
1) Subverts Expectations,
Zoro vs Mihawk is the most predictable outcome in the series. Having Shiryu kill Mihawk flips the entire table. Suddenly Zoro’s final duel isn’t a master-student grudge match—it’s vengeance, and that’s far more dramatic.
2) Real Stakes Introduced,
Mihawk dying proves even "untouchable" characters can die. It adds tension to One Piece’s invincibility bubble and shows that legacy means nothing if you get outplayed.
3) Makes Shiryu Actually Relevant,
Shiryu has been Blackbeard’s glorified background thug for years. Killing Mihawk instantly propels him into the spotlight and cements him as a legitimate final swordsman boss.
4) Zoro’s Character Arc Becomes Personal,
Zoro’s goal shifts from “I want to be stronger than Mihawk” to “I must avenge my master and surpass the one who killed him.” Higher stakes, deeper emotions.
5) Avoids a Boring Respect Duel,
Let’s be honest: Mihawk and Zoro would shake hands mid-fight, smile, and talk about honor for 30 chapters. Shiryu would stab someone mid-sentence. The drama writes itself.
6) Fits the Blackbeard Parallelism,
Luffy’s final fight is against Blackbeard, the chaotic mirror of his ideals. Zoro vs Shiryu mirrors that perfectly—two right-hands, both dark reflections of their captains.
7) Mihawk Dies With Hype,
Better to have Mihawk die in a jaw-dropping assassination than slowly fade into the background while baking sourdough bread with Crocodile.
8) Thematic Parallel to Kuina,
Just like Kuina’s death pushed Zoro to become stronger, Mihawk’s death reignites that same drive. The past repeats, and this time, Zoro chooses to embrace revenge.
9) Makes Zoro vs Shiryu 100x More Emotional,
Zoro vs Mihawk would be a respectful competition. Zoro vs Shiryu would be personal, brutal, and unforgiving. That’s not just a fight—that’s storytelling.
 
Blazing Lion

Blazing Lion

‎
#10
#10
Wrong on so many levels but I can appreciate the effort.
There was no limit set on Zoro and Mihawk meeting again. They can meet but the condition was never losing again until Zoro beats Mihawk (and this condition was reinforced in Wano). Luffy and Shanks had that weird condition set by Shanks.
The promise and dream thing is again confused multiple times by fandom in general. People are just too focused on the hate and clown agenda to understand the whole context. In the first instance Zoro gives up his life for Luffy and crew because to him if he cant save his captain in the first place then he is not worthy of becoming the WSS. How will Zoro feel if and when he becomes the future WSS that he ran away from his captain and crew, let them die, to achieve his dream of becoming WSS. He does not see it fit, it does not sit well with his ideology of wounds on the back as a source of shame for a swordsman.
The second instance is similar where Zoro has seen the world and understands the difference in power better now. The responsibility on him keeps getting bigger and he is aware of it. Luffy wants to become strongest to protect his friends and crew, Zoro wanted to be the strongest for his own self and his promise to Kuina earlier but now there is added motive of protecting the captain and the crew. This is why in Wano when he unlocks ACoC Zoro remembers his promise to Kuina and Luffy. Zoro never gave up on his dream nor he put any other dream over his, to him failing in his duty as the RHM/First Mate/Vice Captain makes him unworthy of being the WSS. When he bowed to Mihawk he sacrificed his pride, not his dream.
The last part and main part of the argument is that beating Mihawk and Yoru is the same thing. The problem though is just like Zoro never became Ryuma by wielding Shusui so will no one become Mihawk/WSS by wielding Yoru. What does Yoru represent? The strongest weapon (ancient weapons not included since one is a person and the other is a ship). Every blade can become a black blade but Yoru is the strongest black blade. Forging a black blade is very likely a haki feat since Mihawk indicated it as such. So for Shiryu to become stronger than Mihawk (and killing him as you want) he must forge his blade Raiu or anyother blade as a stronger black blade than Yoru. If Shiryu can do that then he can take place as the WSS and be Zoros goal to be defeated.
Black blade forging has been hinted twice and still is a mystery even though we had DF mystery and awakening shown, only Logia awakening has not been shown. Zoro has twice referenced Mihawk as the goal, one in Wano when fought King and then in Egghead when he clashed with SHawk. So Oda has so far shown no intention of giving up on this plot line. It is only the fandoms limitation in imagination where they cant think how Mihawk fight will happen in the current setup in the story.
Lastly Mihawks whole character from the get go has been that he has achieved everything and is just now bored. His rival Shanks gave up power by sacrificing for Luffy and now Mihawk awaits someone stronger than Shanks to challenge him. So Mihawk training pre TS Zoro who is complete fodder in his eyes to maybe one day surpass him is what Mihawk is waiting for.
If you have taken part in any competition then you know very well how much you crave for a challenge, that excitement is indescribable. You bring yourself low sometimes to the other level, put handicaps on yourself sometimes just to get a challenge. That is what Mihawk is waiting for, somebody to push him to that brink.
 
Erkan12

Erkan12

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#15
#15
Could be, not saying it should be only Shiryu, it can be something else that prevents Mihawk vs Zolo as well.

Because Shanks and Luffy meeting could never happen, and that would be a huge blow to Luffy.

The difference was Shanks and Luffy had a history, Mihawk and Zolo didn't have a history other than 1 short duel.

To create a history, Oda made Mihawk a teacher for Zolo and trained him for 2 years. Mihawk and Zolo's history might be longer than even Shanks and Luffy history, so when Zolo learns Mihawk was defeated or killed before their duel it will be a huge blow to Zolo as well.
 
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