As the God Valley flashback continues to dominate discussion, a growing number of fans are arriving at a bold conclusion: Shanks may be the Pirate King of the new era—not just a contender. While the spotlight has shifted to the past, the revelations unfolding there are quietly reframing how readers view the present, and Shanks stands at the center of that reevaluation.
God Valley Rewrites the Rules of the Era
The God Valley Incident has quickly become one of the most celebrated arcs in One Piece history. By uniting legends like Rocks D. Xebec, Gol D. Roger, Monkey D. Garp, and even the elusive Imu, Eiichiro Oda has transformed a long-teased mystery into a full-scale historical epic. Rather than functioning as a simple flashback, God Valley feels like the blueprint for the modern world—explaining how power, fear, and authority truly operate.
Within that context, Shanks no longer feels like just another Yonko. He feels like a survivor of a previous age who understands the game better than anyone still playing it.
Fans Aren’t Ready to Return to the Straw Hats—And Shanks Is a Big Reason Why
One of the most striking reactions to the God Valley arc is that many fans openly admit they don’t want to return to the Straw Hats just yet. Social media is filled with readers calling this the most gripping stretch of One Piece in years, praising its darker tone and lore-heavy storytelling. One fan wrote on X, “If we go back to the Straw Hats now, it’ll feel like waking up from a dream.”
That sentiment matters, because Shanks exists at the crossroads of past and present. He carries Roger’s will, commands modern piracy, and moves freely between forces that should be enemies. While Luffy represents the future, Shanks feels like the present ruler of the seas—already acting with the authority of a king.
Why Shanks Feels Inevitable
Unlike other powerful figures, Shanks doesn’t chase chaos, territory, or spectacle. He intervenes only when history itself is at risk of tipping too far. From stopping wars to confronting world powers behind closed doors, his influence extends beyond strength alone. The God Valley revelations suggest that understanding history—not just overpowering enemies—is what truly defines supremacy in this world.
Fans now argue that Shanks didn’t rush toward the throne because he didn’t need to. He waited. He watched eras rise and fall, letting the world exhaust itself until the moment was right. In that sense, he mirrors Roger not as an imitator, but as an evolution.
A Testament to Oda’s Long-Game Storytelling
The rise of this theory underscores Oda’s brilliance as a long-form storyteller. More than two decades into One Piece, he’s still reshaping the narrative by revealing how deeply the past governs the present. God Valley doesn’t just add lore—it reframes character importance across the entire series.
Whether Shanks ultimately claims the title or exists to pass it on, the argument itself shows how powerful the arc has been. The Pirate King of the new era may not be the one charging forward the fastest—but the one who already understands the end of the journey.
And right now, no one fits that role better than Shanks.
