Summary
- Shanks’ destiny is intertwined with the Nika fruit, since he may have always had something to do with it.
- Shanks may have originally wanted to become the Sun God but had to face challenges.
- Shanks’ role as a mentor to Luffy may not have been his original destiny, but it was a role he accepted wholeheartedly.
Chapter 1152 proved to be as monumental as fans have come to expect from the Elbaf arc. Not only were there some amazing reveals and grander stakes added to the arc, but it also introduced some incredible new mysteries to the story, which has opened up many new avenues for One Piece to explore later on. Of all these mysteries, perhaps none were as important as the one regarding Shanks.
Many would argue that One Piece was at its peak when it added a lot more nuance to Shanks’ character with the reveal of him being a Celestial Dragon, which they say has been missing for some time now. However, with the mysterious concept of the ‘Child of Destiny’ being thrown into the mix, a lot of this mystery is back, so let’s break down what this title could mean.
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Shanks’ Fate Has Always Been Intertwined With The Nika Fruit
This Explains A Lot
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Shanks’ First Appearance |
One Piece, Chapter 1, “Romance Dawn – The Dawn of Adventure” |
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Story Arc |
Romance Dawn |
Ever since Chapter 1152 was released, fans have been clamoring over every minute detail within it, particularly of Shanks being the Child of Destiny. As of now, we have no idea what this could mean, but through examining everything that we know about the character and the contextual clues within the Elbaf arc, an inclination to its true meaning can be made. Firstly, the theory about Shanks’ arm being the avenue for his summoning through the abyss was confirmed in this chapter.
Moreover, a vague hint at Roger’s last words could have been shown. In Chapter 1152, Shanks told Scopper that his real dream was to be a carefree pirate who explored the world with Buggy, but this was something he was never able to do. Many fans have taken this to mean that, upon Roger’s return from Laugh Tale after having learned the truth of the world and knowing the origins of Shanks, he revealed the role that the young pirate would have to play in the coming years, as well as the truth of where he came from.
This could explain why Shanks started bawling, since his true origin would have been revealed to him as well as the fact that Roger would have told him that he could not live out his dream with his best friend, instead needing to be responsible for bringing up the person who would change the world. It’s possible that Shanks visited Elbaf for exactly this reason, which was to get the Nika fruit and give it to the promised savior.
This explains what Scopper meant when he called Shanks a Child of Destiny, since he would need to play a crucial role in the nurturing of the inheritor of the Nika fruit, which is a part that simply couldn’t be replicated by anyone else. Luffy is the latest version of Nika, and he set out to the sea not only to become the Pirate King, but also to return Shanks’ hat to him. Moreover, all of this could also explain why Shanks waited so long to go after the One Piece since Luffy has now finally awakened his Nika form.
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Shanks Was Destined To Become The Sun God
An Alternative View
- Shanks visited Elbaf 14 years ago to get the Nika fruit.
Alternatively, some fans think that, originally, Shanks was never meant to be a guide or a mentor for whoever was going to inherit the Nika fruit; rather, he was supposed to eat the fruit himself. In the other flashback in Chapter 1152, it was revealed that during the commotion at Aurust Castle with King Harald being stabbed by his guards, a mysterious cloaked figure was seen in front of a vague chest.
By connecting the pieces, fans can see that the entire thing regarding Harald’s murder was likely a ruse to create a distraction in the castle in order for the World Government to send an agent to steal the Nika fruit. The timeline checks out as well, since this event happened almost exactly a year before Shanks attacked the Navy ship to take the Gomu Gomu no Mi for himself, which could explain everything considering how the ship may have been on its way to transport the fruit to the World Government when Shanks attacked it.
It’s not here! The Gum-Gum Fruit that we took from that enemy ship!
However, upon taking it, Shanks deliberated for some reason or another before eating it. After taking the fruit out of the World Government’s hands, the Red Hair Pirates stopped by Foosha Village for a while, during which time Luffy went on to eat the fruit for himself. Although shocked, Shanks would have remembered the words of his late captain, and knowing how the fruit seeks out the perfect person to use it, would have accepted his new role as a mentor to Luffy.
Of course, this theory works far more on hearsay and speculation than the previous one, but it does offer some food for thought. What is confirmed, however, is the fact that Shanks has always been one of the most important figures in One Piece history and has been destined to play some sort of role in the changing of the world. Though he may not be Nika, his role in the story is arguably just as important.
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