This article contains spoilers from One Piece’s Elbaf Arc.
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WithOne Piececurrently in the Elbaf arc, it is time for Oda to reveal the biggest secrets of the world and build towards what can be considered the greatest war ever in the world ofOne Piece. Naturally, fans expect some very big reveals here, including about figures who led the way long ago, such asthe late Pirate King, Gol D. Roger.
Roger isn’t around anymore, but his legacy still lives. A big chunk of One Piece fans believe Luffy is Roger’s successor, and while that isn’t entirely wrong, his true successor has already been confirmed by Oda to be Shanks.
Roger Was Not The One To Free The World
It goes without saying thatthe Pirate Gol D. Rogerhad everything one would need to fight the World Government and change the world. Yet, he didn’t do that, and there are two big reasons for this. The first is that Roger was not Nika. It has already been foretold that Nika will return and free the world. Roger knew he wasn’t Nika. But, even more importantly, Roger was suffering from a terminal disease. He only had 1 year to live when he found theOne Piece, which meant that he was never going to be able to free the world.
Rayleigh-san, he said the same words as Captain Roger. The very same words. — Shanks about Luffy
It goes without saying that Roger wanted to pass on his legacy to the next era, which is why he started the Great Pirate Era. Roger wanted his successor to carry the weight of those who existed long ago and fulfil their dreams. Of course, Luffy is considered by many to be the next Roger, but it is actually Shanks.
Shanks Is The Roger Of The New Era
Shanks Isn’t The Chosen One, But He’ll Bring Nika Back
Shanks is incredibly powerful, and in terms of strength, there is no denying the fact that he could even rival Roger. But Shanks isn’t the next Roger based on strength alone. Shanks is Roger’s very own apprentice. Roger entrusted his own hat to Shanks, and gave him a mission before the crew split apart. Shanks wields a saber similar to Roger’s, and he even carries his legacy literally, as he uses the same techniques as Roger.
Everyone knew you were Roger’s apprentice. — Buggy
Just like Roger,Shanks isn’t the chosen one. His role isn’t the free the world, and just like Roger, he is there to bring out a new era. Shanks is the definition of being the Roger of this era, and Luffy is set to parallel someone else.
Luffy Is The Joy Boy of The Current Era
If Roger were alive,he’d guide Luffy himself. After all, Luffy did meet the Roger Pirates, specifically Gaban and Rayleigh. But, in Roger’s stead, he met Shanks, who guided him all this way. While Shanks is Luffy’s ultimate goal, it is Joy Boy’s legacy that he fulfills. Luffy is the next Joy Boy, while Shanks plays the role of Roger.
One Piece Chapter 1156 will be out in two weeks. As usual, One Piece is going to drop on Sunday. In Japan, One Piece drops at 12AM JST on Monday. However, the vast majority of international readers will see the chapter available on August 3. The official release date of One Piece Chapter 1156 is June 05, 2025. Fans can read the chapter for free onManga Plus.
