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One Piece has captivated fans for over two decades with its engaging story and dynamic characters. At the heart of it all is Monkey D. Luffy, whose drive to become the Pirate King keeps viewers hooked to the story. Luffy progresses in strength throughout his journey, unveiling new techniques and transformations along the way.
His latest form, Gear 5, represents the full awakening of his Devil Fruit abilities. This powerful state was crucial to defeating Kaido in the Wano Country arc.
However, some uncertainty lingered around whether Luffy could activate Gear 5 at will. Its initial emergence seemed tied to specific circumstances. But recent events in the manga have confirmed Luffy now has much more control over activating his newest Gear.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from the One Piece Manga.
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Despite initial confusion, it is now clear that Luffy can control Gear 5 in One Piece
Luffy’s variety of Gears have become signature techniques throughout One Piece. They allow him to enhance his physical abilities in different ways by using the properties of his Gum Gum Devil Fruit. Gear 2 boosts his speed and power, while Gear 3 inflates his limbs. Gear 4 combined these concepts with Haki to create devastating attacks.
But Gear 5 operates on another level entirely in the One Piece series. It represents Luffy finally awakening his Devil Fruit to its full potential. During his final fight with Kaido, Luffy appeared defeated. But he suddenly unlocked unbelievable new power that let him go toe-to-toe with the menacing Emperor.
In this state, Luffy's body takes on cartoonish properties. He can stretch, expand, and contort himself in outrageous ways. His physical skills receive an enormous boost as well. Gear 5 was critical to overwhelming Kaido's defenses and finally taking him down after a grueling battle. But the transformation clearly took immense effort. Luffy was left drained afterward, needing time to recover his full strength.
The initial limits around controlling Gear 5 in One Piece
Given how dramatically Gear 5 increased Luffy's abilities, fans wondered if he could activate it at will going forward or if there were specific conditions or limitations around using this new power.
There were valid reasons to think some restrictions might exist. All of Luffy's previous Gears amplified his rubber body in different ways. But none fundamentally changed the nature of his Devil Fruit like Gear 5. Unlocking his full powers seemed tied to Luffy being pushed to his absolute limit against Kaido.
Gear 5 also carried definite risks. While active, Luffy seemed to lose himself in the euphoric, unhinged energy it granted. If he couldn't control these primal instincts, it could leave him vulnerable in combat.
Finally, the sheer power of Gear 5 took a heavy physical toll on Luffy. It was unclear if he could activate it multiple times in a row without rest in between. So while Gear 5 gave Luffy the strength to overcome a Yonko, lingering questions remained around how often and how freely he could access this upgraded form.
Confirmation of Luffy's control in the Egghead Island Arc
Fortunately, the manga's latest Egghead Island arc has provided more definitive answers. In chapter 1071, Luffy encounters Rob Lucci again, now serving as a member of the Cipher Pol. When Lucci displays his own awakened Devil Fruit powers, Luffy responds by immediately shifting into Gear 5.
Their ensuing exchange confirms that Luffy can consciously call upon his full abilities at will now. There's no need for specific circumstances like before. Activating Gear 5 becomes as simple and second-nature for Luffy as his other Gears in the One Piece series.
Luffy still lacks complete mastery over these upgraded Mythical Zoan powers. He can't yet sustain Gear 5 for long periods or access its peak strength at all times. But the Egghead Island battle leaves no doubt that voluntary activation is now well within Luffy's wheelhouse.
Seeing Luffy shift into Gear 5 on demand shows that his understanding of this form has grown considerably. He no longer needs the desperate stakes against Kaido to unleash his awakened Human Human powers. It is now an established part of Luffy's arsenal that he can call upon as needed.
In conclusion, Gear 5 immediately cemented itself as one of Luffy's most important transformations in One Piece. While its debut left doubts around accessibility, Luffy has proven he can now voluntarily enter Gear 5 like his other modes.
There is tremendous upside still to realize from his awakened Human Human powers, but having on-demand access to Gear 5 significantly expands Luffy's options and solidifies him as a top-tier pirate. He can call upon this upgraded form whenever he needs its vast strength in the challenges ahead. Unlocking control over Gear 5 marked a major leap forward in Luffy's progression toward his ultimate dream.
