While the original scene has been adapted various times, the first chapter of the One Piece manga series portrays a scene in which Shanks gives his straw hat to Luffy and tells him to return it when he becomes a great Pirate King. That simple and gentle gesture of trust sets the precedent for the events in One Piece as Luffy sets out to become the Pirate King.
Through little and big wins, Luffy has left his name deeply in One Piece’s lore and carved himself as one of the strongest pirates. While he’s now considered a great pirate by many around the world of One Piece, effectively fulfilling his promise with Shanks, the duo still have not met, and it seems to be as a result of Oda delaying the meeting rather than the conditions not having been met.
The Symbolism Behind Luffy And Shanks’ Reunion
Why It Matters
After Shanks gives Luffy his straw hat, he makes the Straw Hat captain promise to return it once he’s become a great pirate. Ending Kaido and Big Mom’s rule undoubtedly thrust Luffy into the realm of great pirates, but their meeting still hasn’t happened. But what makes it so important? Luffy and Shanks’ reunion won’t be simply the return of a straw hat or the meeting of the two emperors; it’ll be more like the culmination of Luffy’s journey and a transition between pirate eras.
At that point, Luffy won’t simply be an individual who looks up to Shanks as a mentor, but someone who can stand beside him as an equal. Moreover, Shanks has always portrayed himself as a sort of balance between the Old and New generations. Despite being quite young, he never seemed interested in heralding the next generation, but rather in clearing the obstacles for the youngsters to come. With the meeting, the passing of an era will surely be portrayed, and a pivotal point in the One Piece series will occur, making it all the more important.
The Long Awaited Reunion: Why Luffy And Shanks Haven’t Met Yet
The Narrative Importance Of Timing In Their Meeting
Luffy and Shanks will meet again after Luffy becomes a great pirate. That was the agreement between the Straw Hat Captain and Red Hair Shanks. From initially becoming the Fifth Emperor of the Sea to defeating Kaido and officially becoming a member of the Four Yonko and even facing off against the Gorosei, Luffy has proved again and again that he’s already a great pirate. However, despite his many great feats, Luffy seems to “always just barely miss Shanks,” as seen even with Elbaf, where Luffy arrived just as Shanks had left.
Undoubtedly, Oda has deliberately delayed the meeting to make it that much more important and significant. Shanks is a major character in the series and Luffy’s life as a whole. Moreover, their reunion represents more than a casual meeting; it is a change of an era, and so it must carry sufficient weight. Luffy is undoubtedly strong, but he must mature to the extent that he stands as Shank’s equal, and it’s clear the Straw Hat captain isn’t quite there yet, whether it be in his and his crew’s overall combat prowess or their knowledge of the world and the secrets it holds.
Aside from having sufficient weight, it’s important to note that Oda’s storytelling deals a lot with perfect timing, or at least as close as it gets to that. When Oda drops a bomb, he tends to drop a really big one, and it’s entirely possible Luffy and Shanks’ meeting will be amidst an overarching plot line rather than a simple but significant meeting on a random island. Some fans also speculate that when the duo meets, a battle will occur, but they may not necessarily battle casually or as allies but as rivals.
How Oda Uses Suspense Through Delayed Payoffs
Foreshadowing Their Encounter
Throughout the One Piece series, Oda has gradually but certainly set the groundwork for their fated reunion. This shows that regardless of how it’ll occur, it’ll certainly occur. Till then, all that’s left is for fans to speculate on how and in which situation the two pirates will eventually come together.
Oda’s use of suspense in teasing but delaying their reunion is no doubt intentional. During both the Wano and Elbaf arcs, Shanks could’ve met the Straw Hat Pirate if he so desired, but both times he decided against it, showing that if not Luffy, Shanks definitely has an “ideal moment” in mind. Moments like Shanks’ expression after Luffy was unofficially declared the Fifth Emperor of the Sea or when Shanks arrived at Wano tease the inevitability of their meeting. As always, Oda has dropped these breadcrumbs to keep fans anticipating.
What Could Their Long-Awaited Meeting Mean For The Story’s Endgame?
A Meeting With High Stakes
Oda’s delaying of their encounter serves as both a storytelling choice and a strategic move that’ll undoubtedly influence the series’ endgame. A lot of mysteries surround Red Hair Shanks, whether it be about what he knows about Joy Boy and the truth of the world, or his connection to the World Government. Once their reunion happens, key information is sure to be revealed, and a major shift in the world will be bound to occur, whether they end up as allies or enemies. Undoubtedly, their eventual reunion would connect years of plot threads and unanswered questions, making the moment in which they finally meet all the more significant.
