One Piece’s Latest Chapter Revives the Seven-Year-Old Debate About Shanks

Despite Shanks not being directly involved in the Elbaf Arc, he receives more attention than any other arc in One Piece. Throughout the story, his importance surpasses that of many characters, yet he remains enigmatic to this day. As the narrative progresses into the second arc of its Final Saga, Oda intends to explore one of the series’ most intriguing characters more thoroughly. Although Elbaf is under Shanks’ control, it doesn’t guarantee the island’s immunity. The World Government won’t abandon its underhanded strategies simply because an island carries a Yonko’s flag. Additionally, the Holy Knights possess extraordinary abilities and believe they can bring down Elbaf as long as Luffy doesn’t intervene.

Indeed, these individuals are hardly honorable knights; they resort to kidnapping children initially before executing their assault, a tactic designed to force the Giants into surrender. It’s Shamrock Figarland, Shanks’ twin and leader of the Holy Knights, who devised such a cowardly strategy. The storyline also sheds light on Shanks knowing his true family origins, yet choosing not to live as a Celestial Dragon. As the manga delves into Shanks’ genuine identity and past, there arises speculation about whether this person was present during the Reverie Incident in Mariejois.

The “Rat Memes” About Shanks May Not Be Wrong

In Chapter 907 of One Piece, fans were taken aback as “Shanks” conversed with the Five Elders about an unidentified pirate. There has been much speculation regarding this pirate, but the manga remains vague on the subject. Some theories suggest it could be Luffy, Blackbeard, or another individual entirely. However, the chapter’s release sparked a lot of debate within the community, with some suggesting Shanks might secretly work for the World Government, while others proposed the possibility of him having a twin brother.

In the past, the manga never gave any indication that Shanks was of Celestial Dragon blood or introduced the Figarland family, which meant these theories were baseless. Predictably, many fans took this chance to make jokes about Shanks being a “rat,” a joke that lasted for more than six years. The humor behind the “rat memes” was that he was secretly working for the government and pretending to be a pirate. Even his connection with the Figarland family didn’t help clear up rumors about him being a villain.

In Chapter 1134, Shamrock’s appearance seemingly resolves the dispute about Shanks attending the gathering in question. The absence of Shanks’ scar in Chapter 907 provided strong indication that he wasn’t present among the villains. Yet, the most recent chapter rekindles this argument and the uncertainty surrounding it.

The Man In the Cloak Can Be Either Brother, and It Would Make Sense

The idea that Shanks was a “snitch” or traitor emerged again after Chapter 1152, when Shanks admitted he had resided in Mariejoise for some period. Earlier, Shamrock had hinted that Shanks had visited Mariejoise once but opted to become a pirate instead. It seems the Figarland family has no interest in him either. Additionally, Chapter 1152 contains a flashback where Shanks confirms he encountered Harald in Mariejoise, suggesting he stayed there for a considerable length of time.

1) This fact would make sense as to why the Elders seem acquainted with him, as if they’ve had a long-standing relationship. Despite Shanks not being portrayed as evil in the series, it’s hard to predict anything definitive about fictional characters. Particularly since we don’t know Oda’s intentions for Shanks’ character development. While there are suggestions that Shamrock might be the cloaked man, other clues seem to favor Shanks instead.

Option 1: Oda has the flexibility to reveal either brother as the figure in the cloak, and he’ll provide an answer to who that is. The character of the “mystery pirate,” or the man in the cloak, is open for interpretation by the author. Shanks, being a Yonko, has been pursuing the One Piece, but his reasons were unclear until Luffy activated his Devil Fruit. The Elbaf arc is proving to be significant not just for the Straw Hats, but also for the Red-Haired Pirate, whose hidden truths will slowly unfold.

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2025-06-26 20:09