This article contains spoilers from One Piece's Elbaf arc.

Summary

Shanks is not a true villain but will stand in Luffy's way to test him.
Shanks aims to stop Luffy from reaching the One Piece and be his final obstacle.
Shanks vs. Luffy battle will likely occur on Lodestar Island for access to the One Piece.

If there's one thing that One Piece fans have been looking forward to ever since the series began, it is the reunion of Luffy and Shanks. Shanks was the one who inspired Luffy to become a pirate long ago, and fans know that Luffy idolizes him to this day. At the same time, Luffy promised Shanks that he would eventually return his straw hat to him, but not before he surpasses Shanks and his crew.

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By Rei Penber

Luffy is already a Yonko, but he is still not on Shanks's level. That said, their battle is fast approaching and as it does happen, it'll likely decide who gets to the One Piece. Shanks is eyeing for the One Piece himself, which means right now, he is Luffy's enemy and will likely serve as a “villain” in the final saga.

Understanding Shanks's Role as A "Villain"

Shanks isn't a real villain with evil intentions
Shanks's Goal Is To Test Luffy

To call Shanks a villain in Luffy's journey isn't exactly accurate. After all, Shanks doesn't have any I'll intentions toward Luffy and the latter idolizes him. However, fans know already that Shanks's stance towards Luffy now is different. After Luffy beat Kaido, Shanks openly declared that he was going for the One Piece. This means that while Shanks doesn't intend to harm Luffy for fun, he is standing as an opponent.

Hey Beck, it's time to go and claim the One Piece, don't you think? — Shanks to Ben Beckman

Shanks will try to stop Luffy from getting to the One Piece and claim the treasure for himself. Of course, to Luffy Shanks will be an enemy, and anyone obstructing Luffy on his goal has to be called a villain. Whichever arc Shanks features in will see him as an antagonist and that goes without saying. That said, Shanks will only be putting on a show because deep down, Shanks knows that he has a big responsibility and his job is not to claim the One Piece, but to test Luffy.

Why Shanks Will Be Luffy's Final Test Before The Great War Begins

Shanks Will Stand In Between Luffy and The One Piece

Shanks is the pirate who set Luffy out on the quest for the One Piece. As such, it goes without saying that Shanks should be the one who stands at the very end of his journey. But, a very important distinction needs to be made here. Shanks doesn't want to claim the One Piece for himself, or at least didn't want to do it until now. If Shanks wanted to go for the One Piece, he would've done it long ago.

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By Rei Penber

I've changed my mind. I'm not going to go for the One Piece. At least, not for now. — Shanks to Buggy

Even after Roger died, Buggy grew disillusioned with Shanks specifically because he didn't want to go for the One Piece. It is clear that Roger’s words impacted Shanks and gave him a different purpose. Whereas Shanks once wanted to sail to the Final Island himself, now, he wants to set the next Pirate King on the course.

Shanks Vs Luffy Will Happen On Lodestar Island

Shanks vs Luffy will be an an absolutely sensational battle in One Piece and that goes without saying. What fans can say for sure is that Shanks is extremely powerful right now, and although Luffy isn't as strong, he's going to get to his level eventually. Shanks will stand in front of the last island of the Grand Line, Lodestar Island, when Luffy arrives there. This is where Shanks and Luffy will fight and the winner will get access to the last Road Poneglyph, meaning, an access to the One Piece itself.

Of course, fans would hope that Luffy wins the battle and sails to Laugh Tale, but if that doesn't happen, then Shanks will hold the key to the One Piece.

One Piece chapter 1146 will be out very soon, later this week. As usual, One Piece is going to drop on the upcoming Sunday. In Japan, One Piece drops at 12AM JST on Monday. However, the vast majority of international readers will see the chapter available on April 20. The official release date of One Piece Chapter 1146 is April 20, 2025. Fans can read the chapter for free on Manga Plus.

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Release Date: October 20, 1999
Network: Fuji TV
Directors: Hiroaki Miyamoto, Konosuke Uda, Junji Shimizu, Satoshi Itō, Munehisa Sakai, Katsumi Tokoro, Yutaka Nakajima, Yoshihiro Ueda, Kenichi Takeshita, Yoko Ikeda, Ryota Nakamura, Hiroyuki Kakudou, Takahiro Imamura, Toshihiro Maeya, Yûji Endô, Nozomu Shishido, Hidehiko Kadota, Sumio Watanabe, Harume Kosaka, Yasuhiro Tanabe, Yukihiko Nakao, Keisuke Onishi, Junichi Fujise, Hiroyuki Satou