One Piece Confirms Shanks Was Stronger Before (And He Will Never Be That Strong Again)

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Chapter 1168 of One Piece reveals a clue about why Shanks was so powerful in the past, and why he can’t reach that same level now. This information comes through a subtle confirmation from the character Harold. For years, fans have debated Shanks’ strength and his true goals. Now, the latest flashback clarifies that Shanks wasn’t a villain; he went to the Holy Land simply to collect information. While it’s still not entirely clear what he intends to do with that information, it seems he was planning something against the Holy Land, especially considering his current status as a major pirate leader.

The recent flashback showed that Shanks’ brother, Shamrock, was likely more powerful than Shanks used to be. This relates to the power Imu gives to people – the stronger the connection Imu makes with someone, the more powerful that person becomes. We saw this happen again in Chapter 1168, “The Snows of Elbaph,” when Harold received an even stronger connection from Imu and immediately became more powerful. This confirms that Shanks was once much stronger because he also received a mark from Imu, but now that both that connection and his arm are gone, he won’t be able to regain that level of strength.

Shanks Lost His Ultimate Source of Strength

Shanks received a mark from Imu known as the “Shallow Covenant,” which was just a small part of the full power possible through a complete connection with Imu. Even this limited power was incredibly strong. Because Shanks lost both his left arm and this power, it’s clear Imu took away his source of strength along with the limb. This explains why he lost his arm while protecting Luffy – he deliberately cut ties to Imu’s control. However, losing an arm is a significant disadvantage for a skilled swordsman like Shanks.

Shanks never sought a close relationship with Imu, and losing his arms has diminished his power compared to his peak. While he’s continued to get stronger, he might not regain the full extent of the power he once had through his connection with Imu. However, this doesn’t mean Shanks is weak – he remains incredibly powerful, and very few characters can even approach his current strength.

The emergence of Shamrock as a powerful and malicious enemy of Shanks is concerning, hinting at a very challenging final battle for the pirates. However, these events may force Shanks to tap into his full potential when he inevitably clashes with his brother – a fight likely to be one of the epic conclusions of the One Piece story. This confrontation will finally determine if Shanks is more powerful now than he was in the past.

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2025-12-08 16:11