A surgical instrument, comprising: a surgical end effector defining a central end effector plane and comprising: a first jaw; and a second jaw configured to mate with said first jaw along said central end effector plane and be pivotally coupled thereto for selective pivotal travel about a pivot axis transverse to said central end effector plane between an open position and a closed position, said surgical instrument further comprising: a rotary closure drive shaft operably interfacing with a source of rotary control motions; and a closure assembly operably coupled to said second jaw at first and second attachment points, wherein said first attachment point is located a first lateral distance from said central end effector plane and said second attachment point is located a second lateral distance from said central end effector plane, and wherein said closure assembly is configured to generate axial and pivotal closure motions in response to rotary control motions applied thereto by said rotary closure drive shaft to move said second jaw between said open position and said closed position, wherein said closure assembly comprises: a rotary driven closure shuttle configured for axial travel from a first position corresponding to said open position of said second jaw and a second position corresponding to said closed position of said second jaw; and a closure linkage operably coupled to said second jaw at said first and second attachment points and operably interfacing with said closure shuttle such that when said closure shuttle is moved into said first position, said closure shuttle causes said closure linkage to pivot said second jaw to said open position and when said closure shuttle is moved towards said second position, said closure shuttle causes said closure linkage to pivot said second jaw to said closed position, characterized in that said first lateral distance differs from said second lateral distance. a surgical end effector defining a central end effector plane and comprising: a first jaw; and a second jaw configured to mate with said first jaw along said central end effector plane and be pivotally coupled thereto for selective pivotal travel about a pivot axis transverse to said central end effector plane between an open position and a closed position, said surgical instrument further comprising: a first jaw; and a second jaw configured to mate with said first jaw along said central end effector plane and be pivotally coupled thereto for selective pivotal travel about a pivot axis transverse to said central end effector plane between an open position and a closed position, said surgical instrument further comprising: a rotary closure drive shaft operably interfacing with a source of rotary control motions; and a closure assembly operably coupled to said second jaw at first and second attachment points, wherein said first attachment point is located a first lateral distance from said central end effector plane and said second attachment point is located a second lateral distance from said central end effector plane, and wherein said closure assembly is configured to generate axial and pivotal closure motions in response to rotary control motions applied thereto by said rotary closure drive shaft to move said second jaw between said open position and said closed position, wherein said closure assembly comprises: a rotary driven closure shuttle configured for axial travel from a first position corresponding to said open position of said second jaw and a second position corresponding to said closed position of said second jaw; and a closure linkage operably coupled to said second jaw at said first and second attachment points and operably interfacing with said closure shuttle such that when said closure shuttle is moved into said first position, said closure shuttle causes said closure linkage to pivot said second jaw to said open position and when said closure shuttle is moved towards said second position, said closure shuttle causes said closure linkage to pivot said second jaw to said closed position, characterized in that said first lateral distance differs from said second lateral distance. a rotary driven closure shuttle configured for axial travel from a first position corresponding to said open position of said second jaw and a second position corresponding to said closed position of said second jaw; and a closure linkage operably coupled to said second jaw at said first and second attachment points and operably interfacing with said closure shuttle such that when said closure shuttle is moved into said first position, said closure shuttle causes said closure linkage to pivot said second jaw to said open position and when said closure shuttle is moved towards said second position, said closure shuttle causes said closure linkage to pivot said second jaw to said closed position, characterized in that said first lateral distance differs from said second lateral distance.