What is the One Piece treasure?
One Piece’s initial world mystery is that it is said to rest on the final island, Laugh Tale, which the Pirate King Gol D. Roger finds. What kind of treasure that was, and for what reason Roger and his crew laughed at finding it, have been among the biggest mysteries of the story.
Theories about One Piece are as numerous as the hints that the great Eiichiro Oda has left scattered across the world of One Piece. In this detailed theory, I’ll try to take a peek at what One Piece can be, who Joyboy is, why Roger did nothing after finding it, Shanks’s seeming indifference in finding it for so many years, and his now-sudden involvement.
Joyboy’s Legacy and the Loyer of Treasure He left Behind
Joyboy is one of those figures whose study sheds a lot of light on the mystery called One Piece. Immediately connected with his legacy are the Poneglyphs, in particular, the one situated on Fish-Man Island, with an apologetic message to the island’s residents. This might also lead to the inference that Joyboy tried, but was not able to keep a promise.
What did Joyboy leave behind?
A Vision for a New World: One Piece does not have to be an actual treasure in physical form. Instead, it’s more like a treasure in concept or symbol that Joyboy had come up with to express his dream of one united world free from the shackles of the World Government. It would also include the dissolution of the social structure established by the Celestial Dragons and restoring freedom to the subjugated people and races, such as the Fish-Men.
Weapon: Another reason would be that he might leave behind some ancient armament or technology capable of changing the shape of the world. Some people are thinking that it might be one of those three legendary Ancient Weapons, like Uranus, Pluton, or Poseidon, or some kind of devices which can show either destruction or change depending on how they are handled.
Ancient Civilization Knowledge: Joyboy might have left behind knowledge of the Ancient Kingdom-amassed and then erased from the records by the World Government. Maybe it contains the real history of the Void Century and even technology advanced enough to appear almost magical, which could help dismantle the oppressive regime of the Celestial Dragons.
The Discovery of Gol D. Roger and the Significance of Laughter
When Gol D. Roger finally reached Laugh Tale and found One Piece, the whole crew burst out laughing. It is one of the most debated parts of the story. What could have been so funny about One Piece that even the world’s toughest pirates found it comical?
Theories on the laughter:
The irony of the treasure: I know some might not like what I’m about to say but again just considering every possibility. What if One Piece’s nature is ironic in nature-it shows how futile the ambition was in terms of Roger and the rest of the pirates? The material value of the treasure might be less or more philosophical, such as it coming as a revelation that the real “treasure” was in fact the journey, or that the people chasing One Piece were already living in the world Joyboy envisioned. They may have laughed at the simplicity and the irony that the greatest treasure in the world was not wealth or power but something intangible like friendship, adventure, or freedom. Don’t worry this is definitely a big NO!
The Incomplete Promise: Another possibility is One Piece being incomplete, part of Joyboy’s vision or even a plan that requires somebody else, namely the next generation represented by Luffy to complete. Roger, realizing he came into the world too early to fulfill Joyboy’s promise, might have found it humorous: they went so far only to understand it wasn’t their fate to conclude.
The Great Change: It’s also possible that the treasure showed the full plan for the change in order but needed some specific timing or condition to activate. Perhaps the irony was that the world wasn’t ready for this grand change throughout his lifetime, and Roger might have laughed at it. It was probably some sort of grand cosmic joke that this treasure can only be activated under particular conditions, the understanding of which, in hindsight, makes the whole journey significant and at the same time, absurdly premature.
Why Gol D. Roger Didn’t Act After Finding One Piece
Roger found One Piece, yet did nothing. Instead, he dissolved his crew and surrendered to the government, thus marking the beginning of the Pirate Era.
Possible reasons for his inaction:
He Was Too Early: Roger realized how he was too early to fulfill Joyboy’s promise and bring about the great change. This is furthered by the fact that Roger mentions that they were “too early” when they arrived at Laugh Tale. Joyboy’s plan needed someone from the future, perhaps someone like Luffy in order to represent the “Dawn” that the world was waiting for. Perhaps Roger felt that this wasn’t his place in order to enact the change.
His Health and Mortality: By the time Roger discovered One Piece, he was already terminally ill. He knows he is going to die and probably realizes that he cannot hold on for long enough to enforce whatever changes were needed on such a colossal scale. Instead, he decides to will the legacy of “D” onto future generations and to set the stage for the next Joyboy, implied to be Luffy.
He wanted to inspire the future: By surrendering himself and provoking the Great Pirate Era, Roger made sure literally hundreds of thousands of pirates took to sea in search of One Piece. His death sparked the search, opened the way to a new era that would, in turn, create the right person who could pick up where Joyboy left off.
Shanks’ Role: Why He Waited and Why He’s Moving Now
Shanks is one of the most mysterious characters in One Piece. Although he is part of Roger’s crew and among those who actually know what One Piece really is, he evinced no interest in claiming it for years. But now, all of a sudden, he’s making moves to perform his interest in the treasure.
Why did Shanks wait?
Saving the world from early chaos: Shanks might have felt that One Piece was not ready for the world to deal with yet. Since he’s close to Roger, he could understand the dangers that Joyboy’s legacy and Ancient History posed to the current world order. Shanks, by being passive, could only be waiting for the right timing or the right person-Luffy-to come forward and take up the mantle of Joyboy’s successor.
Watching over the Balance of Power: Shanks has always been a balance keeper, ensuring peace between the great powers that make up the World Government, other Yonko, and the Revolutionary Army. He could have taken extra precaution that nobody- more importantly, no featherbrained or quite unworthy-surfed in too early in his hunt for One Piece.
Why is he showing interest now?
Prophecy Unfolding: Shanks is now moving because the said events-a new Joyboy or a “Dawn” of a new world-can already be seen to be unfolding in front of him. Luffy’s rise to fame might be – along with the gradual instability of the world itself – a signal to Shanks that the time for the great change in his will is near.
Trying to Prevent a Great Disaster: Another possibility is that Shanks wants to prevent somebody else, like Blackbeard, from reaching Laugh Tale and using the treasure for villainous reasons. If One Piece contains ancient armaments or knowledge which could reshape the world, Shanks may have come to believe it requires protection from those who would utilize such powers for devastation.
What is One Piece?
Theories on what the treasure itself is:
The True History of the World: One Piece can be everything about the truth of the Void Century and the Ancient Kingdom. Knowing this truth would reveal the World Government’s deceit and could even start global chaos; it would be that kind of “treasure” which might change the course of the world forever.
A Symbol of Unity: One Piece can be an artifact that unites all races and nations, a possible key or tool to achieve Joyboy’s promise to unite the world. It may take this cooperative effort in the diverse cultural aspects, just like the Fish-Men, Giants, and other creatures, to truly make it happen.
A Weapon or Tool for Change: One Piece can be, conceptually, some sort of ancient weapon or tool that physically or politically destroys the World Government and allows for the “Dawn” of a new era.
Conclusion
One Piece’s secret is deeply related to Joy Boy’s past, the real history of the world, and the promise of a new era. With that in mind, Gol D. Roger decided that the world was not ready yet and prepared a path for the next generation to take over; Shanks has waited his time and can also feel the time for change is near. The treasure may not be in gold or riches, ultimately, but in the power to reshape the world into that image of freedom and unity that Joyboy had envisioned-a final, cruel irony that made Roger’s crew laugh, as they knew they came too early yet were still pivotal in the grand plan of destiny.
