Summary
Joy Boy may have greater power than Gear 5, capable of surpassing even the 5 Elders. Luffy can still unlock a new transformation to compete with the power of the Elders. Oda is revealing the mystery of Joy Boy to fulfill the prophecy of the Straw Hat captain becoming a powerful warrior.
Warning: The following contains spoilers for Eiichiro Oda's One Piece!!
In chapter #1115 of Eiichiro Oda A piece, the silhouette of the mysterious Joy Boy was finally revealed. As expected, the legendary pirate looks uncannily like Luffy, which makes sense since he is also a user of the Human Fruit, Model: Nika. However, while Joy Boy's transformation is very similar to Luffy's Gear 5Oda seems to have includes many significant differences.
The changes between Joy Boy's strongest form and Luffy's latest transformation could hint that the Straw Hat captain could still become stronger.
If Luffy awakens a new transformation, he can even rival the power of the 5 Elders, giving the pirates hope of still winning the battle of Egghead Island.
Greater power than Gear 5
Joy Boy may have unlocked another form that fans have never seen before
In chapter 1115 of the One Piece manga, Vegapunk revealed to the world that the first pirate in existence, the mysterious Joy Boy, fought against the World Government during the Void Century. As the scientist speaks, an expected flashback can be seen revealing the figure of the Liberation Warrior. Joy Boy's image is extremely similar to Luffy when in Gear 5 form. However, the many small but significant differences could hint at Joy Boy being in an even more powerful form. The First Pirate's hair is noticeably spiky than Luffy's, despite probably being in Gear 5.
Instead of the iconic white clouds surrounding the Straw Hat captain in this form, Joy Boy appears to be black, like those of the 5 Elders. Finally, his stance seems more aggressive. These the difference may be a result of Joy Boy gaining powers beyond Gear 5, which allowed him to fight hand-to-hand against the 5 Elders and their monstrous transformations. During the Egghead Island arc, we saw Luffy struggling to defend himself against one of these majestic warriors. It seems like Joy Boy can't fight them with that power.
Luffy could become a major threat to the World Government
The new transformation can help Luffy fight the 5 Elders
Even though he has awakened the power to defeat a powerful creature like Kaido, Luffy still cannot deal with the threat from the 5 Elders. The young pirate managed to push his limits, though this was apparently not enough to defeat Im's messenger. This seems strange, since Joy Boy is said to be able to fight powerful beings like the Elders on his own, thanks to the power of Model: Nika Fruit.
Luffy has not yet been able to achieve such great achievements, so he may not have unleashed his full power yet. Oda may be waiting to grant Luffy a new transformation, one that could give him the power he needs to defeat these incredibly powerful opponents. By doing this, The prophecy of Joy Boy's return will finally be fulfilled, as the Straw Hat captain becomes a warrior powerful enough to defeat the world's oppressors.. This new form may be similar to the Joy Boy form used in the flashback.
For many years, Joy Boy and his connection to Luffy were one of the greatest mysteries in history. A piece. Since this is the final story of the manga, Oda seems to be making an effort to reveal the mysteries surrounding this character. Joy Boy's true power and why Why the World Government fears him so much may soon be revealed during Luffy's fight with the 5 Elders.
