Summary
Shanks is one ofOne Piece’soldest and most important characters. Not only is he among the greatest pirates in the world due to his status as an Emperor of the Sea, but he is also directly responsible for getting the series started, as fans know it, due to being Luffy’s greatest inspiration for becoming a pirate in the first place. Since then, his eventual reunion with his protegé has been one of the most awaited by fans.
Eventually, one of the biggest reveals inOne Piecewas made with the revelation of Shanks’true lineage as a Celestial Dragon, prompting most to believe that his ultimate battle in the Final War would be against either Shamrock or Garling. However, a large contingent of fans believe that his true final battle will be against one ofOne Piece’soldest and most important villains, so let’s see how this could be the case.
A Thematic Clash
Shanks' First Appearance
One Piece, Chapter 1, “Romance Dawn - The Dawn of Adventure”
Blackbeard’s First Appearance
One Piece, Chapter 223, “I Promise Never to Fight in This Town”
One of the oldest fan theories among the community has been the eventualshowdown between Shanks and Blackbeard. On the face of it, there admittedly isn’t much to go on, considering the two of these characters don’t share too many similarities. However, when looking deeper into it, they share many thematic connections that serve to make this one of the oldest and most popularOne Piecetheories.
Shanks and Blackbeard have been inextricably linked from the early days of the franchise. The first hint of them sharing a past was revealed during Shanks' meeting with Whitebeard aboard the Moby Dick, where he urged Whitebeard to recall Ace’s pursuit of the villain. Here, he stated that he didn’t think Ace was ready or strong enough to take Teach on at that point since the villain’s power was far too formidable for what Ace could have managed at the time.
Shanks even said that when he and Teach crossed paths earlier, Blackbeard was the one who gave Shanks his three iconic scars, and that it wasn’t as if he got a lucky hit in either, since Shanks was fully prepared for the engagement. At that stage in the story, fans felt that these two were equals, which is really saying something considering how Blackbeard has only gotten stronger since then due to havingeaten Whitebeard’s legendary Quake fruit.
Thematically, both of these characters have a profound impact on Luffy’s journey, which is a big reason why many think that they will clash. Shanks was the reason Luffy’s journey started in the first place, while Blackbeard is very clearly built up as the dark mirror of the protagonist who wants to achieve the same dream as him but for the exact opposite reason. Seeing as how Luffy wants to see Shanks again more than anyone, this would make Blackbeard’s battle with him far more likely.
Fate has chosen me to conquer this world!
Moreover, more than just being some of the most important characters in the entire world due to their status as Emperors of the Sea, Shanks and Blackbeard are also inheritors of the will of some of theseries' most legendary figures. Shanks is seen as someone who is championing Luffy to take up the position as the savior of the world, just like his captain Gol D. Roger, while Blackbeard wants to control and subjugate the world, much like Rocks D. Xebec. Seeing as how both of these legends were rivals back in the day, this parallel makes sense.
Finally, both of them are the perfect representations of the two power systems ofOne Piece. Shanks owes all of his strength to his mastery of Haki whereas Blackbeard is the only character in the world who can use more than one Devil Fruit power, so it stands to reason that these two are opposites in this regard as well. Because of this, their inevitable battle at the end of the series will finally give an answer to which power system is superior between Haki and Devil Fruits.
Why Shanks May Still End Up Fighting His Family
The Battle Of Figarlands
As expected as his eventual battle against Blackbeard is, many fans think that Shanks' story arc simply won’t be complete without aconfrontation with his Celestial Dragon family. It’s unknown how this will work or when in the story it would happen, but one of the most ubiquitously believed things regarding the Final War is that Luffy will need particularly powerful allies to help in the battle against Imu and the Elders.
Here, it would make the most sense to have Shanks face his father, Garling, since their thematic and familial connections run incredibly deep. Similarly, he could also face off against Shamrock, but the thing that makes the most sense about this is the fact that his inevitable fight with Blackbeard will likely take place after this, with most even believing that this is where the legendary Red-Haired Shanks will meet his end.
