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Ever since Shanks has been theorized as an evil character inOne Piece, fans have been finding clues and events in the narrative to pin on him. These clues are being used to firmly establish the Shanks being evil theory, and most of them feel justified. However, there are a few that prove Shanks is not an evil character, just a pirate who earned the status of an Emperor.
Recently, Shanks once again got the tag of being evil when he went face-to-face with Eustass Kid and his crew and took them down with a single attack. Many believed that Shanks could have just defeated Kid and let him leave peacefully, which would have reflected on his character.
But what fans fail to realize is that Shanks is actually one of the strongest pirates inOne Piece,and to maintain the status, he needs to prove his power when someone like Kid attacks him. Thus, Shanks being a villain might not be true after all.
Shanks vs. Kid Made Shanks Look Like A Villain
Shanks is one of the longest-running Emperors of the Sea inOne Piece.After his small journey to Wano, he and his crew were seen enjoying and resting in the Elbaf village and were getting ready to confront Bartolomeo. However, their rest was shortlived as Eustass Kid was on their doorstep, and he already attacked Shanks’ fleet and defeated almost every one of them.
“Luffy never winks”: Eiichiro Oda Sent Shockwaves Through One Piece World by Making Luffy Do One Thing He Never Does
Shanks and Kid had a past where Shanks not only defeated Kid but his firstmate, Benn Beckman, cut off his arm. Thus, Kid was looking for vengeance for a long time, and after Wano, he was ready for it. However, even after getting a considerable power-up in Wano, Kid was no match for Shanks.
When Shanks finally decided to confront Kid after his attacks, it took Shanks less than a minute togive the worst defeat to Kid. His crew begged Shanks for mercy and even gave him their poneglyph copies. However, their ship eventually got destroyed, and they were completely defeated, removing their name from the race ofOne Piece.
Shanks’ Attack Was Justified
While fans criticize Shanks for the way he took down Kid, they need to realize that Shanks has a duty to fulfill as an Emperor of the Sea. Kid not only mocked his status but also attacked his fleet and defeated most of them.
If he had let Kid slide with such big attempts on his crew, his image as an Emperor and one of the strongest Pirates of theOne Pieceworld would have been tarnished.
Not only that, Shanks has never proved himself to be caring and easygoing. He has only shown affection towards Luffy and his allies. Other than that, he has always maintained his aura as a ruthless Emperor who rules the seas of theOne Pieceworld. Thus, fans’ expectations of Shanks going easy on Kid were unjustified.
“If you make it big, you’ll be the second one born here”: A Surprising Coincidence Tied Takehiko Inoue & Eiichiro Oda’s Lives Together Long Before One Piece Got Big
Shanks is also a contender in the race for theOne Piecetreasure, and if he lacks it in front of a pirate like Kid, he won’t be able to compete with the likes of other Emperors of theOne Pieceworld. Therefore, Shanks’ attack on Kid in no way confirms himbeing an evil villainin theOne Piecenarrative.
One Pieceis available to watch on Crunchyroll.
Tarun Kohli
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2959
Tarun Kohli is the Senior Anime Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,900 published articles. He currently specializes in critiquing One Piece and other Shonen anime. A passionate fan of the genre, his love for thoughtful analysis reflects his genuine appreciation for the art of anime. His deep understanding of anime culture has earned recognition from industry figures such as Adi Shankar and the creators of Blood of Zeus.
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One PieceRed-Haired Shanks
