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Monkey D. Luffy’s Gear 4 was a game-changer when it was unveiled during the Dressrosa Arc in Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece. As the first new form displayed by Luffy following the time skip, Gear 4 proved pivotal in his triumph over the formidable Warlord Donquixote Doflamingo. Since then, Luffy has utilized Gear 4 in encounters against formidable adversaries such as Charlotte Katakuri and the fearsome Emperor of the Sea, Kaido. However, its efficacy was notably limited in the latter confrontation.
The emergence of Gear 5, touted as the Awakened form of Luffy’s Devil Fruit, overshadowed Gear 4 in subsequent battles. With its introduction, Gear 4’s status as Luffy’s trump card against powerful foes was challenged. This begs the question: has Gear 4 become obsolete at the onset of One Piece’s Final Saga, or does it still hold potential utility despite its drawbacks?
Gear 4 operates on a principle of compression rather than elasticity, significantly enhancing Luffy’s speed, strength, durability, and range of attacks. Employing Armament Haki extensively, Luffy reinforces his limbs and body while inflating his muscles, towering at nearly four meters tall. Moreover, Gear 4 encompasses multiple variations tailored to diverse combat scenarios, including Boundman, Snakeman, and Tankman. Each variant offers distinct advantages, with Boundman amplifying Luffy’s physical prowess to unprecedented levels and enabling aerial maneuverability, while Snakeman emphasizes agility and versatility in combat.
Conversely, Gear 5 represents a paradigm shift, presenting the Awakened form of the Gomu Gomu no Mi. This incarnation combines aspects of Paramecia and Mythical Zoan Awakenings, granting Luffy the ability to manipulate his surroundings by imbuing them with rubber-like properties. With this power, Luffy can alter reality itself, seamlessly transitioning between Gear 2, Gear 3, and Gear 4, manipulating his size, generating lightning, or creating colossal fists.
Since his clash with Kaido, Luffy has notably eschewed Gear 4 in favor of Gear 5, which has proven indispensable against formidable adversaries. Gear 5’s unparalleled attributes, including speed, strength, elasticity, and environmental manipulation, render Gear 4 comparatively obsolete. Notably, Gear 4’s drawbacks, such as Haki depletion and vulnerability post-transformation, pose significant risks in high-stakes confrontations, underscoring its diminishing relevance.
In the current narrative arc, where Luffy confronts elite adversaries like Marine Admirals and the enigmatic Five Elders, Gear 4’s limitations are starkly apparent. Against such formidable opponents, Gear 5 emerges as the superior choice, offering Luffy unmatched versatility and potency. While Gear 4 may still have utility if its drawbacks can be mitigated, its relegation to secondary status underscores the need for Luffy to evolve his abilities further to contend with the challenges ahead.