and I quote
"A big part of why I think Shanks may be the true final antagonist (not villain, there is a difference) is Mihawk"
I have read your entire argument no other point made was as significant as this .
what do you mean fanboy definitions of the wss , what's the real definition.
and that aside you mean active rivals where one has not been shown to be subordinate or less than the other or is it the part where one is clearly looking for a swordmaster that is better than his prev rival that's confusing here.
Saying "a big part" does not equate to my "crowning" argument lol. It was a logic statement. Mihawk has everything to do with Shanks and nothing to do with Blackbeard. This is a fact.
By "fanboy" definition of WSS I mean the simple fact that "fanboy's" like to equate everything Shanks does = Mihawk can do better. If Shanks can stop wars, so can Mihawk. If Shanks can clash with Whitebeard and stop Akainu or Kaido, so can Mihawk. Yet, this has not been proven in the manga, so it's a "fanboy" assumption that confuses sword skill with battle or haki competency or the pure fact that it's NEVER BEEN confirmed Shanks tried to be the WSS and failed. And even if he did, we don't even know the extent of how BOTH Shanks and Mihawk fight.
When we first saw Whitebeard, he merely used his Halberd. Then he showed off his DF power. Shanks "merely" uses his sword at this time. We "simply" do not know the full extent of his fighting style with Haki and the sort, same with Mihawk. There is NOTHING you can say to refute this, because it hasn't been shown yet.
"I don't "need" to establish an n1 n2 relationship because it's besides the point."
wdym its besides the point
its not just about zoro fighting mihawk here
but you are implying shanks fights luffy and his crew fights the rest of the strawhats. in every battle that involves the crew
there is an order that's set on who they fight in the opposing crew. ok? thats oda's pattern coded in a vivre card as well (specifically zoro's).
Its besides the point because it literally does not matter. Kaido was portrayed "equal" to Linlin in Wano until he wasn't and now is clearly above her in "portrayal" alone. It doesn't matter if they are equal or not, Kaido is the main Luffy fight this arc, BM wasn't. Same deal with Shanks and Mihawk. If they are equal, then it won't matter because Shanks will be "portrayed" higher than Mihawk because he's a Luffy opponent.
"Maybe Luffy and Zoro equal in the end, like Shanks and Mihawk."
you and i know chances of that happening are slim to none
Unlike you I don't think in absolutes
"Point is, Mihawk will never be the final fight in the series. Can you explain why Zoro would fight Mihawk and not Shiryu if Blackbeard is supposed to be the final villain?"
blackbeard is the final pirate villain for luffy and taking down or surpassing mihawk could be completely isolated from crew battles just as the first fight occurred. I would literally hold the headcanon that shiryu infact kills mihawk and becomes the wss over what you have just posed because it at least holds up the dynamic oda has set for how the crew fights with shiryu more or less confirmed blackbeard's n2.
Nowhere does this manga confirm Blackbeard is the final "Pirate villain for luffy".
I like how "possibility" and "could" applies to Mihawk. Mihawk "could" be later or separate. Mihawk "could" be this. Mihawk "could" be that, but never with Shanks. It's "never" possible when it doesn't align with your mindset
On the flipside, that's literally all I'm saying. If you follow my post, I'm saying Shanks "could" be Luffy's final antagonist based on things I state. Nothing more, nothing less.
"What Oda has "done" in this story is strongly portray Shanks as FAR more important than Mihawk in every sense of the word, because Mihawk has shown nothing on the samenlevel of Shanks. But people want to keep using the WSS title as some catch all argument, when it was never even specified Shanks lost a duel with him lol"
far more important in what strength?
or an important character in general cause those are two different things.
never implied shanks beat him either so again this n1-n2 relationship is just not feasible . luffy's opponents are shown/portrayed to be clearly and undoubtedly , unarguably above zoro's.
Ok then Shanks>Mihawk then if that's the limited mindset you want to have about this lmao.
You'd sooner believe Shiryu kills Mihawk than Shanks being portrayed equal or higher than Mihawk in the EoS because of....what exactly?
You realize Shiryu killing the WSS entirely destroys Zoro's notion of his dream right? Hes wanted to surpass Mihawk, not just the WSS. It would entirely destroy his scenes when he asks him to train Zoro.
You realize that Shiryu has zero semblance of honor when it comes to fighting? You think he'd kill Mihawk in an honorable duel? If that happens, you think the WSS is reasonably attained?
These are the same people that shot half dead Whitebeard to kill him and steal his powers.
You call me a fanboy, but the idea of Shanks being central to Luffy's endgame boggles your mind because you either don't like me putting Shanks above Blackbeard or Mihawk. Not sure which character you like more.
Spent way too much time and energy responding to this already. I'm done after this one. If you have an issue with my thought process on Shanks then that's on you lol