One Piece Confirms a Long-Lived Fan Theory, Revealing the Secrets Behind Shanks' Family

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One Piece

Large image of Shanks wearing a hood while looking focused with a group of Celestial Dragons standing in the background in front of large fancy buildings.

One Piece chapter #1138, titled "The Harley", released on February 2, 2025, stands out as one of the most informative chapters in years. This is no small feat, considering that since the series entered its final saga, it has been steadily unraveling mysteries built up over two decades. The chapter’s massive lore dump is highly significant, potentially even hinting at how the series will conclude. However, amid this groundbreaking reveal, another major revelation is being overlooked.

Before diving into extensive lore, the latest issue of One Piece showcases Shamrock Garling in action, officially confirming that he is Shanks' twin brother. Fans have speculated about this connection for years, and for once, they were right, as Oda finally validated their theories. Yet, beyond this confirmation, the chapter also highlights the stark contrast between the two characters, foreshadowing an inevitable clash between them.

One Piece Confirms Shanks’ Lineage With the Garling Family, Just as Fans Speculated

Fans’ Long-Held Speculations About Shanks’ Lineage Are Finally Confirmed in One Piece Chapter #1138

Shanks was always mysterious, however, his mystery deepened even further when he was shown meeting the Five Elders in the Holy Land during the Levely arc. As a major figure in One Piece, this moment ignited debate among fans regarding his true role in the story. Some believed Shanks was secretly working for the World Government, while others dismissed the idea of him having a hidden agenda. Instead, they speculated that someone resembling Shanks, either through natural similarity or a Devil Fruit ability, was the one meeting with the Five Elders.

Given Shanks' importance in the series, both sides had compelling arguments. However, the theory of a look-alike gained traction when a flashback from One Piece chapter #1095 revealed a younger Figarland Garling, who bore a striking resemblance to Shanks. This led fans to speculate that Shanks might have a twin. One Piece chapter #1137, "Introducing Shamrock", confirms this, revealing that Shanks' doppelgänger is Shamrock Garling, the son of Figarland Garling. This revelation disproves the idea of Shanks being a traitor, establishing that it was Shamrock, not Shanks, who was involved with the Five Elders during the Levely arc.

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With this confirmation, all that remained was proof of Shanks being a twin, and the latest chapter delivers as Shamrock himself reveals that Shanks is his younger twin brother. Fans were right about Shanks' lineage all along, thanks to Oda’s carefully placed hints over the years. While suspicions of Shanks being a traitor have been put to rest, the latest chapter unveils even more significant details, hinting at the crucial role the Garling twins will play in the future.

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Shanks and Shamrock’s Clash Is Inevitable

After Shamrock confirms that he is Shanks' twin, Loki becomes agitated, openly expressing his hatred for the Shanks' family and vowing to hunt them down. This enrages Shamrock, who draws his sword, seemingly ready to fight. However, without directly engaging, he allows his sword to act on its own, effortlessly subduing Loki. This moment unveils the terrifying power of Shamrock's weapon, Cerberus. Interestingly, the deeper connection between Shanks and Shamrock is hinted at through the swords they wield.

The Garling twins, like Figarland Garling, use saber-type swords, but the key contrast lies in the names of their weapons. Shamrock's sword, Cerberus, and Shanks' sword, Gryphon, are both named after mythical creatures from Greek mythology. Gryphon references the Griffin, a guardian of the holy land alongside Zeus, while Cerberus is the three-headed monstrous hound that guards the gates of the underworld for Hades.

Despite Shamrock being a noble from the Holy Land and Shanks, a pirate feared across the seas, their powers contrast with how they are perceived. This contradiction aligns with One Piece’s overarching theme, as the so-called "nobles" are often the true monsters, while pirates like Shanks and Luffy embody truth and justice, standing against the tyranny of the World Government. While it remains unclear whether Shamrock’s sword possesses a Devil Fruit ability, its nature suggests that it might be Shamrock's power and not a Devil Fruit.

Luffy, Gear 5 Luffy, and Shanks in front of the Harley

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Thus, this also raises the possibility that Shanks' Gryphon could manifest its mythical namesake, serving as a direct counterpart to Shamrock’s power. With their stark contrasts, it’s clear that Oda is setting the stage for an inevitable clash between the Garling twins, one that could take place in the final war of One Piece. While these revelations solidify Shanks as a noble figure rather than a villain, Shamrock’s mention of Shanks visiting the Holy Land remains an intriguing detail, one that suggests Shanks is still keeping secrets and is on a secret mission.

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Luffy and Shanks standing side by side while smiling. Behind them, the Elbaf port can be seen.

As Shamrock confirms that Shanks is his younger twin, he also reveals that Shanks once returned to the Holy Land. This suggests that Shanks has long been aware of his lineage, contradicting the series' previous portrayal of him. Before the Garling revelation, fans only knew that Shanks was an orphan found by the Roger Pirates in God Valley. Now, this new information implies that Gol D. Roger may have discovered Shanks during the God Valley Incident and deliberately separated him from his tyrannical family.

This could explain why Shanks was in tears during his final meeting with Roger, possibly because Roger revealed the truth about his origins and urged him to visit his homeland. If so, it is likely that after Roger’s execution, Shanks returned to the Holy Land and uncovered his true lineage. The more intriguing aspect of this revelation is how much knowledge Shanks may have gained during his time there. While the exact duration of his stay remains unclear, Shamrock’s remark suggests it was significant.

Luffy making a werid face as in the background Shamrock's identity is revealed

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During this period, Shanks may have learned about the existence of the Five Elders, Imu, and their true agenda. He could have also discovered the legend of Joyboy and Sun God Nika, either through Roger in their last conversation or during his time in the Holy Land, along with the World Government’s fear of them. Understanding that the Gum-Gum Fruit, aka the Human-Human Fruit, Model: Nika, was the key to liberation, Shanks may have left the Holy Land with the purpose of ensuring the Sun God’s return.

What happened next is already known: Shanks eventually obtained the Devil Fruit, which Luffy ultimately ate. This revelation may also explain why Shanks was willing to sacrifice his arm for Luffy, recognizing that he had consumed the destined fruit. Now that One Piece has confirmed that Sun God Nika, Luffy, will lead the world to liberation, it strongly suggests that Shanks has always played a secret role and that is ensuring Nika’s return to bring an end to the World Government’s centuries-old tyranny.

One Piece

Release Date October 20, 1999

Network Fuji TV

Directors Hiroaki Miyamoto, Konosuke Uda, Junji Shimizu, Satoshi Itō, Munehisa Sakai, Katsumi Tokoro, Yutaka Nakajima, Yoshihiro Ueda, Kenichi Takeshita, Yoko Ikeda, Ryota Nakamura, Hiroyuki Kakudou, Takahiro Imamura, Toshihiro Maeya, Yûji Endô, Nozomu Shishido, Hidehiko Kadota, Sumio Watanabe, Harume Kosaka, Yasuhiro Tanabe, Yukihiko Nakao, Keisuke Onishi, Junichi Fujise, Hiroyuki Satou

Writers Jin Tanaka, Akiko Inoue, Junki Takegami, Shinzo Fujita, Shouji Yonemura, Yoshiyuki Suga, Atsuhiro Tomioka, Hirohiko Uesaka, Michiru Shimada, Isao Murayama, Takuya Masumoto, Yoichi Takahashi, Momoka Toyoda