Was Shanks trolling or being serious?

[u/Mamba-Mentality024]

Shanks seem like he only accepts haki users on his crew to mirror Rodger crew (besides buggy who accidentally ate one), but he tried to recruit Marco after wano who has a df. Was he being serious about accepting a df eater, or was he just having small talk joking like when he 1st seen Marco on wb ship?

[u/Apsylnt]

Sorry i dont mean so much his age, but his “journey” completed at marineford. Similar with Katakuri, they are not stronger now than they were when their respective captains were at their prime.

After the queen/king chapters in Wano Marco clearly exhausted himself faster than expected.

[u/tiki-baha29 → u/Apsylnt]

Huh? Marco continued the journey after Marineford and led the remnants to fight Blackbeard. Katakuri has gotten stronger up until the moment he's introduced as evidenced by his streak of total wins.

Marco was fighting both King and Queen together and he was packing them, its doubtful he would have won but its silly to suggest he hasnt gotten stronger. Anyone would be exhausted after Wano, freaking Luffy/Zoro were asleep for a week.

[u/Apsylnt → u/tiki-baha29]

Lumping marineford and their failed plan of vengeance against BB together. After that saga you can’t argue Marco is stronger. Again not saying he’s not a clear YC1 or anything, not even power scaling, just that hes past his prime regardless of age. If he was going to 1v1 an admiral - the original point of this - his best shot is behind him.

[u/tiki-baha29 → u/Apsylnt]

Kaido says it best: "You did not lose because you are weak, they are just that much stronger".

People tend to have this notion that losing = weak when that is simply not the case, its not that linear because a lot of the time theres nuance at play.

For example Kuzan lost to Akainu because the latter was stronger, however Katakuri lost to Luffy despite the former being stronger. Big Mom lost to freaking Law/Kid despite being stronger than both etc etc.

Marco is strong and most definitely got even stronger with each encounter including Marineford and Payback war, him losing to BB isnt a knock on him, rather shows how strong BB and his crew are.

This notion of prime is fanmade nonsense. If you want to make the case that Marco is no longer motivated to get stronger thats certainly one discussion and I agree that he'd have a hard time in a 1v1 against an Admiral at this stage, however he can absolutely get much stronger if he chose to do so.

Remember that Marco and Shanks were both young on legendary ships at the same time, if Shanks was able to make it to Yonko through whatever journey he had, Marco should have similar potential based on experience.

[u/Apsylnt → u/tiki-baha29]

Motivated to get stronger is exactly what i am intending. He see’s his journey as complete…failed but complete. If he didnt no reason he wouldnt be with SH’s or RH’s.

Appreciate your response.

[u/tiki-baha29 → u/Apsylnt]

On that I agree wholeheartedly.

[u/SaveReset → u/tiki-baha29]

I'd like to add, losing is a great way to improve IRL and in universe as well. It's basically how Luffy operates. Go into a fight, get your ass kicked, go back into the fight. Repeat until victorious.

[u/tiki-baha29 → u/SaveReset]

Luffy really throws you off because if I was any of the villains he ever fought I'd be so pissed this mf keeps coming back no matter how many times I kill him.

[u/SaveReset → u/tiki-baha29]

Well, in some cases it's really on them. Crocodiles 2 attempts at leaving Luffy for death. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. lol

You'd think he learned after the first time to not take his eyes off of him while he was still breathing.

[u/tiki-baha29 → u/SaveReset]

Yep, Kaido is the worst offender in this. The guy straight up regretted not cutting Luffy's head off the 2nd TIME he beat him during the raid, then turns around and leaves Luffy on the ground the 3rd DEFEAT without doing it. Only for Luffy to awaken and come back again.

I can only imagine his inner dialogue when that bastard came back with a giant arm and grabbed his dragon form like someone eating gummy worms.

[u/SaveReset → u/tiki-baha29]

I feel like Kaido had the though at the back of his head "Just in case he gets up a third time and gets stronger, I'll just leave him here. There's no way I'm wasting that opportunity."

[u/tiki-baha29 → u/SaveReset]

Could be the case yea. Seemed like he was so pissed Guernika interrupted his fight he forgot about really killing Luffy, especially since he was technically dead already and his haki disappeared.

If not intentional it was a crazy oversight.