The only One Piece Devil Fruit being used to its full potential belongs to exactly whom it should

The One Piece community has been divided in recent years regarding the Nika plot twist of Luffy's Devil Fruit and how that resulted in Gear 5 when facing Kaido in the Wano arc. However, there is a new theory regarding how this power-up isn't the full potential of that Devil Fruit and could be the final path for the protagonist to complete his development in the series.

This theory states that, for someone to unlock the full potential of a Devil Fruit in One Piece, the user needs to fulfill the dream that led to the creation of said Fruit, with said origin being stated by Dr. Vegapunk in Egghead. Therefore, there is an argument to be made that Luffy is still not fully free when using Gear 5, and his full potential will be unleashed when he achieves absolute freedom.

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

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How Luffy's full freedom in One Piece could get the most out of his Devil Fruit

Luffy using Gear 5 in Film Red (Image via Toei Animation).

During the Dressrosa arc, Doflamingo stated that an awakened Devil Fruit could affect its surroundings, as he did when covering the island with strings. Therefore, there is an argument to be made that the truth potential of these objects can only be achieved if the user fulfills the dream that birthed them, since, as per Dr. Vegapunk, that is the origin of their creation.

If that proves to be the case, it could connect with the fact that Luffy doesn't seem fully himself when using Gear 5 but rather a more comical and exaggerated version of his personality. Therefore, that could be the Nika Fruit influencing his behavior, which could lead to an eventual revelation where he realizes that he isn't fully free, leading to more character development.

In that regard, most people have theorized that the Nika Devil Fruit was created because of a dream for freedom, which connects perfectly with Luffy's character throughout the story. This could mean that he would be the only person to achieve the full potential of his Fruit, thus making a fitting conclusion for his role as the protagonist.

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The Nika Devil Fruit and Luffy

Luffy using Gear 5 in the anime (Image via Toei Animation).

As mentioned earlier, the Nika plot twist by author Eiichiro Oda was quite divisive within the One Piece community, with some praising this power-up while others claimed that the chosen one trope hurt Luffy's characterization. However, what cannot be denied is that, from the moment that Luffy used Gear 5 against Kaido, this has become a major element in the series.

The Nika Devil Fruit connected the character with the lore of Joy Boy, the Void Century war, and Imu, which has become a set of secrets that could define the legacy of the series moving forward. In a way, there is an argument to be made that this element has defined the series ever since and changed a lot of the story, which is yet to be seen if it was for better or worse.

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Final thoughts

The notion that Luffy could be the only one capable of unlocking the full potential of a Devil Fruit in One Piece is something that could be quite logical and fitting based on what the story has provided. Furthermore, this theory could connect what was established by Vegapunk regarding the origin of Devil Fruits and Luffy's desire for absolute freedom.

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