Kid's role in One Piece is likely far from over even after his loss to Shanks, and who he is shows why

Modified Jul 31, 2024 08:30 GMT

One Piece is probably setting up Kid for a greater role in the story (Image via Toei Animation). — One Piece is probably setting up Kid for a greater role in the story (Image via Toei Animation)

One Piece has a wide cast of characters but very few are as divisive and polarizing as Eustass Kid and that is because of the way he has been handled by author, Eiichiro Oda. Kid was hailed from the moment he was introduced in the Sabaody arc as an equal to the likes of Monkey D. Luffy and Trafalgar Law but has fallen behind massively, although that could be by design.

Most One Piece fans perceive Kid as a failure who has constantly lost battles and disappointment, with his final appearance in the manga, as of this writing, being a massive defeat against Shanks where the former's ship, the Punk Victoria, was destroyed. However, there is a chance that Oda has been setting up the character for a considerable comeback and that is because of his rebellious nature.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the series. Any opinion expressed here belongs to the author and not Sportskeeda as a whole.

Explaining why Eustass Kid's personality is a sign that he still has a role to play in One Piece

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Eustass Kid was introduced in the Sabaody arc as one of the most prominent young pirates of the Worst Generation, often at the same level as Monkey D. Luffy and Trafalgar Law. While the last two managed to accomplish a lot throughout the story, the truth of the matter is that Kid has suffered multiple defeats and has failed to make a strong impression, with a lot of fans thinking he has been a loser.

It is difficult to argue against the claim that Kid has been an underachiever in the story thus far but there is an argument to be made that author Eiichiro Oda has done it by design. Kid's punk aesthetic and use of the name fits with his rebellious personality, which has been shown time and time again when dealing with the nobles, Celestial Dragons, and any other figure of authority.

Rebellion is a major topic throughout the series and Kid has that trait to a fault, which is why it seems Oda has a plan for the character. It would make sense since his being defeated the way he did against Shanks would feel like an unceremonious end for the character's role in the story.

The character of Kid in the series

Eustass Kid as seen in the anime (Image via Toei Animation)

While not as prominent as someone like Trafalgar Law, who was his equal when they were introduced in One Piece during the Sabaody arc, Kid has managed to gain a decent following within the fandom. That is mainly because of his personality and character design, constantly persisting despite so many defeats in the New World portion of the story.

There have been some theories that have connected him to Dr. Vegapunk, stating that he is the seventh satellite the latter created since he has the number seven in his mechanical arm. A lot of people have also pointed out that all of his attacks are connected to the term punk, which is something that has further emphasized that theory in recent months.

Final thoughts

Eustass Kid is likely to have a prominent role in One Piece at some point, although there is no clear indication of when that is going to happen. However, there is no denying that fans would like to see more of the character and have him contribute to the story in a much more positive manner.

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Edited by Ahana Mukhopadhyay