One of the most anticipated moments for fans of the series, aside from uncovering the mysteries of theOne Pieceworld, is the long-awaitedreunion between Luffy and Shanks. As the character who inspired Luffy to embark on his journey to become the King of the Pirates, Shanks holds a special place in Luffy’s heart. Despite Luffy’s deep admiration for him and Shanks' sacrifice of his arm to save Luffy, the two have not crossed paths since that pivotal moment.
One of the driving forces behind Luffy’s journey to become the King of the Pirates is his dream of meeting his idol and standing proudly before his savior. However, until now,Luffy has rarely expressed a strong desire to reunite with the red-haired pirate. This seems to be shifting in the latest arc. In particular,One PieceChapter #1136highlights how deeply Luffy longs to meet Shanks, even showing a willingness to step outside his usual character to make it happen.
One Piece Underscores Luffy’s True Desire to Meet Shanks
One PieceChapter #1136 Highlights Luffy’s Emotional Depth in a Different Way
InOne PieceChapter #1136, “The Land That Awaits the Sun,” Luffy and Zoro discuss Luffy’s idea of freeing Loki in exchange for information on Shanks' whereabouts. While Zoro warns that Loki might be attempting to manipulate him to escape his predicament,Luffy defends his decision by passionately expressing his deep desire to meet Shanks, even throwing a tantrum in the process. Until now, Luffy has never shown such a strong determination to reunite with Shanks as he does in this arc. What makes this development even more intriguing is how Luffy is weighing this decision under the current circumstances.
Luffy is determined to free Loki, a notorious criminal despised by the entire nation of warriors. After discovering that Loki knows Shanks' whereabouts and would reveal them in exchange for his freedom, Luffy has been acting out of character, even keeping his meeting with Loki hidden. While it was understandable for Luffy to consider freeing Loki before knowing much about him, his resolve remains unchanged even after learning how dangerous Loki truly is. This has been repeatedly emphasized over the past few chapters, including the revelation that Loki even killed his own father.
One Piece Confirms That Luffy and Shanks Still Have A Long Way To Go Before Reaching Joyboy’s Level Of Power
Even with the showcases of incredible power from Shanks and Luffy, the end of One Piece’s Egghead arc revealed that their Haki skills are lacking.
What makes this moment so impactful for Luffy, however, is howOne Pieceis finally delivering a character development for the protagonistthat fans have long anticipated. Luffy, often portrayed as oblivious and driven by humor, has left many fans viewing him as little more than a carefree, comedic figure. This pivotal moment, however, reveals a deeper, more human side to Luffy, showcasing his intense desire to achieve something, regardless of the odds or consequences.
In this case, Luffy is willing to risk making enemies of the Elbaph nation just to fulfill his desire to meet Shanks. While fans might find Luffy’s sudden desire to meet Shanks and his willingness to do anything for it unusual, there may be a deeper reason why Oda has intentionally held back from revealing Luffy’s true longing for this moment until now.
Oda Might Have Deliberately Held From Showcasing Luffy’s True Desire to Meet Shanks
Luffy Is Ready to Face His Savior and Idol
Luffy’s willingness to do anything to meet Shanks might seem unusual, but Zoro’s comment about Luffy’s desire to reunite with Shanks suggests otherwise.Zoro points out that Luffy is always thinking about meeting Shanks, showing that his actions aren’t out of character. The real reason Oda waited to emphasize Luffy’s longing to meet Shanks likely lies in Luffy’s readiness for the encounter. After the defining moment whenShanks sacrificed his arm to save him, Luffy vowed to become a great pirate, a promise he has been striving to fulfill ever since.
This promise implies thatLuffy didn’t feel worthy of meeting Shanks until he reached the same rankor surpassed him. Now, as anemperor like Shanks, Luffy feels ready to proudly stand alongside his childhood hero, sharing the same stage as his idol. This highlights why Luffy, despite always longing to meet Shanks, has held back from openly expressing his desire until now. As a pirate with a free spirit, it also aligns with Luffy’s nature to disregard the consequences of his actions, choosing instead to live as freely as he wishes.
Despite this buildup, it seems unlikely that Luffy will meet Shanks just yet, given the current situation involving Shanks’ presumed evil twin infiltrating the land. This may lead to Luffy encountering Shanks’ evil twin before Shanks himself, potentially resulting in further character development. This could come from beingbetrayed by Lokior realizing how someone who looks like Shanks could embody the opposite of his idol’s values.
With these potential twists, it’s clear that the upcoming chapters ofOne Piecewill deliver impactful moments for Luffy, along with the character growth fans have been eagerly anticipating for years.
One Piece
Created by Eiichiro Oda, One Piece is a multimedia franchise that began as a manga series and follows the adventures of the Straw Hat Pirates as led by Monkey D. Luffy. Luffy, an enthusiastic pirate with a thirst for adventure, is afflicted by a mysterious curse that gives him various powers he uses to protect himself and his friends. The manga eventually gave way to the anime series, with the two being some of history’s longest-running anime and manga series. Along with over fifty video games made over the years, the series entered the live-action world with Netflix’s 2023 adaptation.
