Ending One Piece with Shanks' death will bring things full circle

One Piece has a moment in store that a lot of fans want to see, and that is the reunion between Shanks and Luffy, which has been teased since the very first chapter of this manga series. However, there is a chance that author Eiichiro Oda might play with the expectations of the fandom and not deliver said reunion, using a storytelling tactic he used with another character, Portgas D. Ace.

Much like with Shanks, Luffy agreed to meet with Ace once again at the peak of piracy, but the One Piece manga later subverted people's expectations by having the latter die during the events of the Marineford arc. There is a running theory that Oda is going to do the same once again with Shanks, thus resulting in Luffy never meeting his hero again and not being able to give him the straw hat as he promised.

Disclaimer: This article is a speculative theory and reflects the writer's opinion.

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Explaining why Shanks' death could make the One Piece ending click

Shanks losing his arm to save Luffy in the anime (Image via Toei Animation).

It has long been theorized that Luffy and Shanks are going to reunite, with the recent Elbaph arc teasing that even further through the latter's twin brother, Shamrock. However, a recent theory also suggests that author Eiichiro Oda is going to play with the fandom's expectations and have Shanks die before they can meet, mirroring what Ace went through with the protagonist when they swore to reunite as high-level pirates back in the days of the Alabasta arc.

Every time Shanks has been given a chance to meet Luffy, he has avoided it, which fits with his characterization of ignoring things he seems to care about. Moreover, his rivalry of sorts with Blackbeard could have him dying during a potential clash, which would also be similar to the fact that the latter captured Ace, leading to his death in the Marineford arc.

Furthermore, after the events of Ace's death, Luffy has been more eager and willing to meet Shanks instead of simply waiting for things to play out. This could be Oda's way of showing how the death of Luffy's brother changed him and how he wants to meet his hero before anything happens, which is something that could be a cruel twist of fate when the legendary Yonko dies.

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The importance of Shanks in the series

Shanks and Luffy as seen in the manga (Image via Shueisha).

The role of Shanks is fundamental in One Piece, not only because of him inspiring Luffy to start his journey but also due to his World Government connections since he is the twin brother of Shamrock, a Holy Knight, and the son of the new member of the Gorosei, Figarland Garling. Therefore, him dying at the hands of Blackbeard would be a massive twist, especially in a series like this one where casualties are rare.

Furthermore, the straw hat is a massive element of Luffy and the franchise's visual imagery, so there is an argument to be made that he is not going to lose it before the story's conclusion. It could also represent the end of his journey by the time he decides to give it away, perhaps putting it on Shanks' grave, thus concluding the manga as a whole.

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Final thoughts

The idea of Shanks dying would be one of the most emotional and memorable moments in the history of One Piece, especially because of what it is going to mean for the character of Luffy. Moreover, Oda has enough material to make this logical, especially because of characters such as Shamrock and Blackbeard getting involved.

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