We don’t just see it when Luffy first uses it. We see it every time he risks himself for his crew.
We first see Gear 4 the moment Luffy admits, silently, that .
That’s the moment.
Here’s a deep, reflective post on the topic:
And when we finally see it against Doflamingo, it’s not a triumphant reveal. It’s a . Luffy’s eyes go dark. His body inflates into something almost grotesque — a caricature of power. He even jokes about it (Boundman), but you can feel the weight: this form is a burden. It shortens his lifespan. It nearly kills him after one use.
