Now an Emperor of the Sea on par with his idol, will Luffy reunite with Shanks in the land of the giants and return his straw hat?

HIGHLIGHTS

 Luffy’s reunion with Shanks is a crucial plot thread set up since the early chapters, influencing his journey as a pirate.
 Elbaf is likely the next destination for the Straw Hat Pirates, with implications for Shanks’ motives and potential meeting with Luffy.
 Shanks’ role in the Final Saga, including a possible battle with Blackbeard, adds suspense to the long-awaited reunion between the Emperors.

Set up as far back as the very first chapter of the manga and the fourth episode of One Piece, Luffy’s reunion with Shanks is a plot thread that is as significant as his journey to become the Pirate King. As the spark that kicked off this epic voyage, Luffy’s time with Shanks in Foosha Village had a huge influence on the kind of pirate and person he is today.

After receiving his straw hat from Shanks after his fateful encounter with a Sea King that resulted in the loss of the latter’s arm, Luffy has come close to meeting his idol on a couple of occasions, most notably during the Battle of Marineford. While they did not directly encounter one another at the time, there is now finally a chance for the pair to reconnect, since Luffy is likely on his way to Elbaf. Considering that Elbaf is the Red Hair Pirates’ territory, will Luffy finally meet Shanks there in One Piece’s next arc?

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The Many Reasons To Visit Elbaf

The arrival of the Giant Warrior Pirates on Egghead, alongside the fact that Elbaf is one of the next islands as per the crew’s Log Pose, hint that the home of the giants could be the Straw Hat Pirates’ next destination. At present, there is little doubt in anyone’s mind that this will be the case, given how convenient it would be for the crew to escape the battle on Egghead and seek refuge with the giants.

Until now, there has been no indication that Elbaf is allied with the World Government, especially since it has also been revealed that Sun God Nika is revered as a deity by the island’s inhabitants. Moreover, the fact that Elbaf is home to a recovering Jaguar D. Saul, as well as the salvaged texts from Ohara, make it all the more inevitable that the Straw Hat Pirates will attempt to visit the island. Lastly, Dorry and Brogy’s arrival also poses the intriguing question of whether Shanks was the one who sent them to Egghead in the first place, which has major implications regarding the Emperor’s motives.

What Are Shanks’ Motives?

Initially, Shanks was always seen as a mentor for Luffy, whose sole desire was to see his protégé succeed after having saved his life in exchange for the loss of his arm. For a long time, this image of Shanks remained, even as more about his past and current status as an Emperor of the Sea in the New World came to light. However, there have been a few relatively recent developments which have cast a shadow on his motives, to the point where it is now anyone’s guess about what he is truly after.

His meeting with the Five Elders in Mary Geoise was an immense surprise to many, given the fact that he was able to gain a private audience with them despite being a wanted pirate with an incredibly high bounty. Since then, there have been several fan theories floating around about Shanks actually desiring to seize Roger’s treasure either on his own, or by using Luffy and his abilities as the second coming of Sun God Nika.

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Shanks’ subsequent declaration of his desire to claim the One Piece added fuel to the fire, although most of his other actions in the series, especially Dorry and Brogy’s mission to pick him up from Egghead, are in direct contradiction to this. Hence, without any concrete proof of Shanks’ devious intentions, it is relatively safe to say that he is still on Luffy’s side, for now.

A Long-Awaited Reunion Between Emperors

Now that Luffy is a fully-fledged Emperor of the Sea, who has faced off against the Beasts Pirates and the Five Elders, there can be no doubt in anyone’s mind that he has become a great pirate just like he vowed to at the start of the series. As a result, it is as good a time as any for Luffy return Shanks’ straw hat to him. This time, the pair will be meeting as equals, whose combined power and influence could potentially rival some of the strongest forces in the entire world.

Given that Luffy and Shanks are now technically rivals, it is interesting to see how their meeting could play out, if it indeed does happen. While Shanks might eventually welcome Luffy to Elbaf with open arms, there is also a chance that he may use this opportunity to test him and see whether he is strong enough to be worthy of the title of an Emperor of the Sea. Like earlier battles between Whitebeard and Roger which turned into gift exchanges, this could be Shanks’ chance to challenge Luffy to a friendly bout.

Alternatively, the Davy Back Fight from the Long Ring Long Land Arc may also make a reappearance, through which, the Straw Hats and the Red Hair Pirates could indulge in a more friendly bout of competition. Even with all this speculation, there are a lot of things that could occur on the way to Elbaf to hinder Luffy and Shanks’ meeting. Tragedy can strike at the most unsuspecting moment in One Piece, and there are definitely going to be some difficult moments ahead in the Final Saga.

Could There Be A Twist In The Tale?

One major question about Shanks’ role in the Final Saga is related to his foreshadowed battle with Blackbeard. It is no real secret that Shanks is wary of Blackbeard’s power, especially since Teach is the one who gave the Red Hair Pirates’ Captain his scars. There have also been theories that Blackbeard was the pirate that Shanks warned the Five Elders about, hinting that he is well aware of the threat that Teach poses, and is not willing to stand around to let him get what he wants.

As a result, there is always the chance of the Blackbeard Pirates launching a surprise invasion of the island in a bid to gather more Poneglyph copies or to take down two of their rival Emperors. If such an event were to come to pass, this could bring dreams of Luffy and Shanks’ reunion to a horrific halt. There have been many death flags lingering over Shanks’ head for quite some time now, and his defeat would naturally be a huge motivator for Luffy to take down Blackbeard. Most One Piece fans will likely be hoping that this turn of events does not transpire, but the fate of this long-awaited meeting is now entirely in Eiichiro Oda’s hands.