After 30+ Years, One Piece Just Dropped Its Most Pivotal Chapter Ever: What You Need to Know

One Piece chapter #1138 shocked fans by delving into the series' biggest mysteries, ranging from the origins of Red-Haired Shanks to insight into the Void Century. The chapter begins with Shamrock of the God’s Knights confirming Shanks to be his younger twin brother, and it ends with Franky awe-struck over a detailed mural created during the Void Century depicting the history of the world and its possible future.

Both moments not only reveal new information but confirm or give credence to several longstanding theories within the fandom, including the origin of the Grand Line, history’s use of the Mother Flame, the origin of the Devil Fruits, and what many assume Oda’s promised grand scale “Final War” will look like towards the end of One Piece.

Shanks Is Confirmed as the Younger Heir of the Figarland Family

Shanks Has Two Families: the Roger Pirates and the Figarlands

The chapter begins with Shamrock telling Loki that he and Shanks are twin brothers and that the current Emperor of the Seas once returned to the Figarland family but preferred the filthy lower world filled with piracy. This denotes that Shamrock dislikes what his brother represents, looks down on him, and wants nothing to do with him. Shamrock then reveals that his sword has an ability reminiscent of a mythical Zoan Devil Fruit, which turns it into the legendary three-headed dog Cerberus, who guards the gates of Hell.

There have been several instances of inanimate objects eating devil fruits, thanks to the research of Dr. Vegapunk, including Mr. 4’s gun, Lassoo, and Spandam’s sword Funkfreed. However, the cloudy sash around its head mirrors the awakening of a Zoan Devil Fruit, a first for an inanimate object. Not only does Cerberus figuratively represent Shankrock as the guard for Hell, which Sabo compares to Mary Geoise, but it also symbolizes how, like an Admiral for the Marines, the head of God’s Knights is just a dog for Imu and the Gorosei.

This revelation fundamentally kills the “Blackbeard has a third devil fruit named Cerberus” theory but immediately creates a new one for Shanks. It’s possible his sword, Gryphon, may have a Devil Fruit ability. Moreover, as Luffy contends with the idea Shanks has a brother and a family outside the Roger Pirates, the mysterious man in a kimono and blonde hair seen throughout this arc approaches, just when Luffy is talking of family and the Roger Pirates, which may cement rumors of the mystery man being a blonde Scopper Gaban.

The World Before the World Government Is Explored

The World Was Destroyed Twice and We Learn a Little About the Time Before the Void Century

Franky laid eyes on a section of the Adam Tree with graffiti depicting the inscription of the Harley in an elaborate mural crafted by children 800-900 years ago during the Void Century. The mural is divided into three sections, showcasing visuals for Harley’s First, Second, and Third World prophecies. The text is cryptic and fans are going wild with theories, but it's possible to assume that the First World came to ruin through a conflict of nuclear war and the Hellflame Serpent, the Second World was flooded due to Uranus, and that the Third’s fate will be decided through an all-out war involving every race in the world and a demonic figure reminiscent of Imu.

The First World, set before the Void Century, features an advanced civilization complete with skyscrapers. Unlike the rest of the mural, the artwork reflects an all-human society using the Mother Flame to industrialize and utilizing slaves, who were the first to call forth Nika. Enraged by humanity's monopoly of the world and its resources, a so-called “Earth God” punished society with the mentioned Hellflame Serpent seen in the mural. The first Sun God was birthed during this time from the wishes of slaves and it's possible to identify three ships: one being built, another in the sky, and one underwater.

As speculated by The Library of Ohara, perhaps high society lived on the man-made Red Line, and the Earth God transformed it into the Hellflame Serpent, which cast the world into nuclear war. Dorry and Broggy mentioned giants being unable to destroy the “blood-stained snake,” which could be a reference to Norse Mythology’s Jörmungandr, a red snake that surrounds the world like the Red Line. It’s also theorized that during this time, three of the Ancient Weapons were made, represented by the three ships. The moon was colonized at this time as well but abandoned due to a lack of resources.

Depictions of the Void Century and Future War

A Massive Tease for the Ending of One Piece

The depictions of The Void Century retell the story fans are most familiar with but establish a society rebuilding with the remains of the Mother Flame and a "Forest God" creating Devil Fruits. The tree that bore the fruit is depicted in the center of the mural, and as described in the text, the rediscovery of the Mother Flame only stoked more conflict.

After the war between the Great Kingdom and the Twenty Kingdoms that would form the World Government, Imu used the Ancient Weapon Uranus to flood the world, something fans already knew from Vegapunk's tale. Joyboy was killed, and the Celestial Dragons won, positioning themselves as gods. Joyboy’s promises were unfulfilled, despite the dreams of the moon and half-moon people, the latter of which may represent the D. clan.

The final part of the mural depicts future events and possible spoilers for the end of One Piece. The accompanying text mentions remnants of the promises Joyboy made to several races throughout society during the Void Century, who finally come together in a clash against a demonic figure in the mural. Nika is depicted as either Joyboy or Luffy himself, and he can be seen surrounded by all the friends he’s made so far, including representation for the Minks, Emet the robot, an ancient giant, regular giants, the Tontatta, a mermaid who could be Poisedon/Shiraoshi, a Lunaria, and several people in boats.

What should have happened in the past will come to pass in the present with Luffy, his fleet, and his allies, which encompass all the races in the mural. Although several things are mentioned and depicted, much of what’s explained in the Harley is speculative and needs further explaining as the chapters roll out. But touching on these endgame subjects shrouded in mystery signals the Final Saga of One Piece is drawing near and that the answers to fans' long-awaited questions are coming soon.