Summary
“Red-Haired” Shanksis definitely one of the most fascinating characters inOne Piece. He was originally introduced as a random, honorable pirate who inspired Luffy to follow his dreams, but the manga slowly revealed more and more information about his past and motivations, blowing the minds of fans around the world on more than one occasion.
There’s no denying that the Shanks whoOne Piecereaders met back in Chapter 1 is quite different from the version of the character actively participating in the story nowadays. This is because author Eiichiro Odahas revealednumerous mind-blowing details about Shanksover the years, but the following eight are the most shocking ones so far.
8He Was Part Of Gol D. Roger’s Crew
The Unexpected Connection Between Luffy’s Two Role Models
Two prominent characters shaped Luffy’s ideals and inspired his dream to find the One Piece: “Red-Haired” Shanks andGol D. Roger, the legendary Pirate King. Little did he know, however, that both of his role models had not only met each other in the past, but that they were actually very close.
Shanks was an apprentice of the Roger Pirates when he was a kid, a revelation that was especially fascinating because the story had already previously established that he and Buggy were part of the same pirate crew when they were younger, but most fans did not expect them to have been part of the Pirate King’s crew. Furthermore, this information also completely re-contextualized Shanks' decision to bet on the future and give Luffy his beloved straw hat, as it was also confirmed that it had once belonged to Gol D. Roger himself.
7He Used Conqueror’s Haki To Save Luffy
Shanks’ Strongest Ability Has Been There Since The Very Beginning
The scene in which Shanks saved Luffy from the Lord of the Coast remains one of the most important and iconic moments inOne Piece, but it actually contained a small clue about a special power, years before it was officially revealed. It turns out that the Sea King didn’t run away just because he was intimidated by Shanks’ glare, but because the pirate had usedConqueror’s Hakion him.
The story later established that, even though he didn’t eat a Devil Fruit, Shanks became such a formidable pirate becausehe has complete mastery over the three types of Haki, with his Conqueror’s Haki being the strongest one in his arsenal. This means that he knew how to use this power from the very beginning, and he intentionally used it to save the life of the young boy who would inherit his straw hat and become a great pirate in his own right.
6He Wants To Claim The One Piece
He’s Actually One Of Luffy’s Biggest Rivals
The conclusion of the Wano Country arc was a decisive moment for the main plot ofOne Piece. The defeat of Big Mom and Kaido, followed by the appointment of Luffy and Buggy as the new Emperors, clearly marked the beginning of the Final Saga. However, in what was possibly the most shocking moment at this point in the story, it was revealed thatShanks and his crew want to claim theOne Piecefor themselves.
The Red Hair Pirates have been around since Chapter 1, but it was never specifically stated what their goal was. They appeared very occasionally to do something important, like putting an end to the Summit War of Marineford, only to mysteriously disappear again. This moment finally confirmed what their goal is, while also establishing that theRed Hair Pirates are inevitably going to compete against the Straw Hat Pirates in the race for the One Piece. However, some fans theorize that Shanks actually wants Luffy to claim it, but he’s going to put the Straw Hats to the test first.
5He’s From A World Noble Family
He Has A Secret Past Tied To The Celestial Dragons
For many years, fans couldn’t help but wonder where exactly Shanks came from. After all, he was shown as part of the Roger Pirates when he was around nine years old, but Roger and Rayleigh also hinted that they had taken care of a baby while they were navigating the seas, which naturally fueled a lot of fan speculation about the red-haired pirate’s true origin.
They finally got their answer whentheFigarland Familywas first mentioned inOne Piece Film: Red(and it was later introduced in Chapter 1086 of the manga). That’s right, Shanks was born into a prestigious family of World Nobles, but the Roger Pirates took him in at some point during his youth. Needless to say, this shocking revelation definitely added a great deal of intrigue and depth to his character.
4His Father Is The Leader Of The God’s Knights
Shanks' Controversial Connection To One Of The Series’ Biggest Villains
Many fans began theorizing thatSaint Figarland Garlingwas biologically related to Shanks in some way from the very moment he was introduced. It turns out, they were right; in the Elbaf arc, it was finally confirmed that he is actually Shanks’ father.
This is a significant revelation that completely changed Shanks as a character, because Garling is currently one of the biggest and most dangerous antagonists in the series. He is the supreme commander of the God’s Knights and the infamous champion of God Valley who hunted slaves for sport. To make things even more complicated, Garling was recently turned into the new Warrior God of Science and Defense after Jaygarcia Saturn’s death, meaning that Luffy’s mentor is directly connected toone of the World Government’s highest authority figures.
3He Has A Twin Brother Named Shamrock
This Antagonist’s Existence Deceived Fans For Many Years
During the Levely arc, “Shanks” could be seen talking in private with the Five Elders and warning them about a certain pirate. This naturally caused a lot of commotion among the fan base, because it didn’t make sense that an infamous Emperor like Shanks could be talking so closely to the highest authority figures of the World Government, and it led to a lot of fan theories about him potentially being a secret spy all along.
However, at the very beginning of the Elbaf arc, it was revealed that this person was actually his twin brother,Figarland Shamrock, who still considers himself a Celestial Dragonand is currently the commander of the God’s Knights. This revelation not only cleared Shanks’ name, but it also seemingly confirmed that nepotism is a factor in World Noble Families (which, at the end of the day, wasn’t much of a surprise).
2He Returned To Mary Geoise At One Point
Shanks Lived In The Holy Land Before He Began Recruiting His Pirate Crew
For many years, fans believed that Shanks started forming the Red Hair Pirates from the moment Roger was executed, since Buggy was the first person he wanted to recruit. After all, he had been living as a pirate for many years, so it seemed like he wanted nothing to do with his Celestial Dragon heritage. However, Figarland Shamrock recently mentioned something mind-blowing:Shanks actually returned toMary Geoiseat one point in his life.
Sometime between Roger’s death and the official founding of the Red Hair Pirates, Shanks went back to the Holy Land to address his status as a Celestial Dragon. Still, he chose to live on as a regular human being, which the other World Nobles consider the “filthy lower world.” There’s now obviously a lot of intrigue surrounding Shanks’ brief stay at Mary Geoise, and fans are hoping that Oda will reveal more about this specific moment soon.
Was Shanks Also Part Of The God’s Knights?
Chapter 1152 ofOne Piecefeatured a flashback of Shanks hanging out with Scooper Gaban at Elbaf that took place fourteen years in the past, before the Red-Haired pirate met Luffy at Foosha Village. Interestingly, this flashback contains a small but fascinating detail that many readers may have overlooked during an initial reading. At one point, anAbyss Markcan clearly be seen on Shanks’ left shoulder, on the arm that he would eventually sacrifice to save Luffy’s life a few years later.
Every God’s Knight has this mark on some part of their bodies because it’s what allows them to use the Abyss summoning circle to teleport around the world, not to mention that it seeminglyconnects them directly to Imu’s mysterious powers.This not only means that Shanks may have originally been a God’s Knight (which wouldn’t be much of a surprise, considering both his father and his twin brother are also part of this group), but that he may have also let the Lord of the Coast eat his left arm on purpose in order to get rid of his Abyss Mask.
