Shanks’ Recent Moves in One Piece: Joy Boy’s Return or Kaido and Big Mom’s Defeats?

“Among the captivating and mysterious figures in Eiichiro Oda’s beloved One Piece manga is “Red-Haired”Shanks. As the current Yonko and leader of the Red Hair Pirates, Shanks has been a central part of the story since the very start. However, he has been relatively less involved in the 1100+ chapters of the manga compared to other prominent characters.”

This has also given rise to numerous discussions among the One Piece community about Shanks. One of the most debated theories is that Shanks deliberately delayed his actions towards the series’ main treasure until his most formidable enemies, Big Mom and Kaido, were taken care of.

Despite the belief that their shared downfall was planned, there is significant evidence to suggest that it was merely a coincidence and that Shanks was simply waiting for the opportune moment to make his move.

Joy Boy’s awakening in One Piece is what prompted Shanks to make his move, not Kaido’s and Big Mom’s losses

The Oden flashback forms the basis of Shanks' motivations for recent moves in One Piece (Image via Toei Animation) — The Oden flashback forms the basis of Shanks’ motivations for recent moves in One Piece (Image via Toei Animation)

A pivotal element in this theory is derived from the Kozuki Oden flashback in One Piece’s Wano arc, which delves into the past of former Pirate King Gol D. Roger. The flashback strongly suggests that the legendary treasure can only be discovered upon Joy Boy’s return. Roger himself mentions that he and his crew were “simply ahead of their time,”and he wonders who will eventually unearth the treasure.

It should be noted that even though Shanks did not accompany Roger and the rest of the crew on their journey to Laugh Tale, he reportedly had a lengthy conversation with Roger upon their return. This conversation also resulted in Shanks shedding tears, potentially indicating that he was informed of the complete truth, including the revelation that their arrival was premature and that Joy Boy was destined to uncover the treasure.

This understanding of the One Piece would subsequently clarify the reason why Shanks took the Gum-Gum Fruit, also known as the Human-Human Fruit, Model: Nika, from the World Government. The World Government was aware of the true name of this Fruit and its significance in Joy Boy’s potential return.

Keeping this in mind, it can be inferred that Shanks was also aware of this information as he had learned about the legends of Joy Boy and Sun God Nika from Roger. Consequently, he set his sights on obtaining the Fruit in a similar manner.

Shanks specifically seeking out the Gum-Gum Fruit further supports the idea (Image via Toei Animation)

This is also the reason why Shanks was not truly bothered by Luffy consuming the supposedly valuable Gum-Gum Fruit in Windmill Village. Shanks had come to the realization that Luffy was the chosen one who would obtain the titular treasure of the series, as the return of Joy Boy, ultimately changing the course of the world’s destiny.

In this context, it can be contended that Shanks’ words to Koby, after he rescued Luffy during the Marineford arc, also demonstrate his understanding of these issues.

Although it may not be strong evidence on its own, the timing of Shanks’ move coinciding with Joy Boy’s return is significant in connecting the pieces together. This also clarifies why Shanks remained patient and did not make any significant moves in the series until his appearance at Marineford. Despite being prepared to claim the One Piece for a while, Shanks had to bide his time until Luffy fully awakened as the next Joy Boy.

It is highly likely that Shanks was present in the waters surrounding Wano in the weeks following the Onigashima Raid’s conclusion, which could explain his interest in Luffy’s awakening. This could also be supported by Luffy’s recognition of Shanks’ Conqueror’s Haki during his clash with Admiral Ryokugyu, hinting at a possible use of Shanks’ Observation Haki to detect a change in Luffy after recent events.

At the time of writing this article, all of this is just speculation. However, when considering the timing of Shanks’ actions and the evidence presented, there is a strong argument to be made. Fortunately, as the series approaches the end of its first arc in the Final Saga, fans can look forward to discovering the truth about Shanks’ timing in the near future.

Is Shanks a swordsman in One Piece? Explored
Shanks’ true role in One Piece finally uncovered and Luffy’s destiny is a huge part of it
One Piece theory proves Shanks’ arm was a necessary sacrifice for Luffy’s rise to fame
Is Shanks a Celestial Dragon in One Piece?