[Theory] Luffy's announcement

[ziggyZ]

When Luffy said he'll beat all of them (and held 3 fingers), he wants to defeat Shanks (his promise as a kid and he wants to fight him even more since he knew he was an Emperor, Post EL). And the reason he he only showed 3 fingers and not 4 is because he doesn't intend to fight BB because of his title but because he was responsible for Ace's death.
So to put it bluntly; he wants to fight Shanks, Kaido & BM because of their title (3 fingers) and BB for Ace.

Seems far-fetchedxd But IMO

 

[TheHokage]

maybe he means defeating them in strength as in surpassing them...I can see the strawhats fighting the emperors but the one that gets me is Shanks maybe it's like with Coby they won't kill each other but they will battle to see who is the best once and for all.

 

[ziggyZ]

maybe he means defeating them in strength as in surpassing them...I can see the strawhats fighting the emperors but the one that gets me is Shanks maybe it's like with Coby they won't kill each other but they will battle to see who is the best once and for all.

None of Luffy's fights with any Emperor will result in death. Because not only does Luffy not like to kill people, he believes "defeating" is worse than death, because everything they worked for has been lost.
Oda's words from an SBS.

 

[Frozenstein]

When Luffy said he'll beat all of them (and held 3 fingers), he wants to defeat Shanks (his promise as a kid and he wants to fight him even more since he knew he was an Emperor, Post EL). And the reason he he only showed 3 fingers and not 4 is because he doesn't intend to fight BB because of his title but because he was responsible for Ace's death.
So to put it bluntly; he wants to fight Shanks, Kaido & BM because of their title (3 fingers) and BB for Ace.

Seems far-fetchedxd But IMO

why would he want to defeat Shanks? they are friends. that 3 fingers could mean the other 3. Black Beard is also an emperor now as far as I know.

 

[ziggyZ]

why would he want to defeat Shanks? they are friends. that 3 fingers could mean the other 3. Black Beard is also an emperor now as far as I know.

Well he is friends with him and he's also friends with Coby but they'll still fight. He'll fight Shanks because of his promise, and how else will he know he surpassed Shanks without actually lining fists with him? As for BB, I already said that he's fight with BB has nothing to do with the Emperor fact but simply because BB is the reason Ace died.

 

[KGB Kakuzu]

I thought he just put down the finger because with the Straw Hat Alliance apparantly planning to Target Kaidou (based on the last page)....so that would leave three fingers up to represent the three other pirates left to deal with after Kaidou XD

 

[Roy]

The three fingers is because he was counting them since if he actually meant only three of them he'd have his index risen instead of his pinky .-. atleast that's what normal people do.

Also, it was a translation error about going after Shanks first, the correct translation was that he's fine as long as the first one is not Shanks.

 

[Jellal Fernandes]

Yep..*********** Version said all four of them.

 

[Machiko]

I liked it

 

[scarkid10]

In my opinion he's going to fight kaido because that is what his alliance with law is all about and for his personal reasons (pirate king). and he's going to battle big mom for Fishman island; and jimbei will most likely be in the crew for that purpose and so on. He's not going to fight shanks but surpass him in some way and hes going to beat the **** out of blackbeard with help maybe due to plot... in other words he only puts up 3 fingers because he wants to fight big mom, kaido and blackbeard

BTW i wrote this in the order i think on when he's going to fight these emperors

 

[TheLastSamurai]

Thats what why i'm so excited about One piece, I know there are coming some epic battle ( its an amazing and long job to defeat an emperor), and all those battles are gonna take ageeeesssss. I LIKE IT