After serving as an apprentice in his youth on the ship of the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, on his legendary voyage to conquer the Grand Line, Shanks is now one of the most powerful and feared pirates in the world of One Piece. His stature among the Four Emperors, the sway he holds over those navigating the seas, and the bargaining power he holds when dealing with the World Government reflects the strides he has made since. In many ways, Shanks' actions have helped to cement the importance of Roger's final act — that of inspiring a whole new generation of pirates to take to the seas in search of his mythical treasure.
Shanks has also without a doubt, been one of the most influential figures in Luffy's life. From gifting him with Roger's straw hat, to saving from the Sea King and losing an arm in the process, he has indirectly acted as a mentor and father figure. Additionally, his strength, beliefs, and approach to being a pirate have all exerted a considerable impact on Luffy's own values. With the final saga of One Piece now underway, teasing a host of exciting encounters between some of the most powerful people currently roaming the seas, here is a look at how Shanks has fulfilled the wishes of his former captain at every step along his journey.
A Master Of Haki
Even though fans were only treated to a glimpse of Shanks' combat prowess in Chapter 1079, he has long been rumored to be one of the most proficient swordsmen and exponents of all three forms of Haki in the world. Prior to losing his arm, Shanks was often described as a rival to Dracule Mihawk, the "Strongest Swordsman in the World." The two often engaged in earth-shattering duels to best one another and push their own limits, however, this ended with the incident that cost Shanks his left arm. Nevertheless, the clash between the Kid Pirates and Shanks' own fleet on Elbaf is a testament to his incredible power, where he almost single-handedly wiped out an immensely powerful crew with just one attack.
This fight provided some insight into his mastery of Future Sight, which far exceeds that of Luffy or Katakuri, where Shanks could see far into the future and discern Kid's course of attack with his rail gun in virtually no time. In response, he leaped from the seashore on to Eustass Kid's flagship, the Victoria Punk in a single bound. Simultaneously, Shanks unleashed a Conqueror's Haki-infused slash using his sword Gryphon, that easily overwhelmed Kid, Killer, and most of the crew. Shanks has also demonstrated the ability to project his will and Haki over great distances, like in his exchange with Admiral Ryokugyu off the shores of Wano. He can also control his own presence and prevent other Future Sight users from seeing into the future, or hold back Akainu's magma-infused punches at Marineford with Armament Haki. Like and Roger and his crew, none of the Red Hair Pirates make use of Devil Fruits in combat. Both Roger and Shanks are among the select few pirates able to imbue their blades with Conqueror's Haki. Even the name of the attack used by Shanks against Kid — "Divine Departure" — is identical to that used by Roger against Oden, among the many similarities in fighting style between the Pirate King and his apprentice.
Carrying Roger's Will Into The New Era
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For the most part, Shanks' carefree demeanor and love for merry-making bear a lot of similarities to both Luffy and Roger. It is no secret that the captain of the Red Hair Pirates had a fairly close relationship the Pirate King, who gifted him Luffy's straw hat back when he was only a young boy. Having been found at God Valley back when he was only an infant, Shanks had close bonds with most of the Roger Pirates' crew throughout his childhood. Despite not being able to accompany him to Laugh Tale, as he had to take care of an ailing Buggy, Shanks was brought to tears on witnessing Roger's execution at Loguetown, where he set the Great Age of Pirates into motion with his last words.
In turn, Shanks has embodied many of Roger's own values throughout his actions, such as his strong dedication to his friends and allies. A pacifist by nature, and astute in his use of diplomatic negotiation, Shanks seldom seeks out conflict and is often the one bringing battles to an end, playing the role of a mediator as seen in his actions at Marineford. However, he is not one to back down from a fight when challenged, and has displayed a ruthless side when forced to take up arms against those threatening his friends, much like Roger himself. Additionally, he is one of the few pirates to have earned the respect of Sengoku, Garp, and the Five Elders, which can be seen in how he was able to Summit War to a close without a single blow, using only his words, and in his success in gaining an audience with the highest authority of Mary Geoise. This also bears parallels to the respect many of the Marines, such as Garp and Sengoku had for Roger, even if he was one of their biggest adversaries.
Orchestrating the Return Of Joy Boy
Having come into possession of the Gomu Gomu no Mi — now revealed to be the Hito Hito no Mi Model: Nika — Shanks was a key player in arranging the second coming of Joy Boy, now revealed to be Luffy himself. In the midst of the raid on Onigashima in the climax of the Wano Arc, Who's-Who, one of the Beast Pirates' Tobiroppo, revealed that Shanks was the one responsible for stealing the legendary Devil Fruit from the World Government. Who's-Who was the CP9 agent in charge of guarding the fruit, as it was being transported aboard a Navy vessel, and his failure to secure it resulted in his arrest and imprisonment.
While it is still yet to be explained whether Shanks was aware of the fruit's true nature, innately tied to the fabled figure of the Sun God Nika, he played perhaps the most significant role in getting it into the hands of Luffy. Furthermore, by saving Luffy from the Sea King and encouraging him to become a strong pirate, one who would command respect in the manner that he himself does, Shanks set the boy who would one day change the world on the right track. His true motives and allegiances may remain a little unclear at the moment, but there is no doubt that Shanks deserves a great deal of credit for shepherding the journey of the future Pirate King, paving the way for him to claim the One Piece and succeed where the Joy Boy of the Void Century could not, just as Roger intended.