One Piece Just Upturned All We Know About Shanks, But Fans Called His 'Twin Brother' Ages Ago

While this revelation completely changed the story of Shanks as fans knew it, it did not cause as much alarm among fans as expected. The reason behind this was mainly that many members of the fandom had already suggested a similar hypothesis in the past. The series left several pieces of evidence behind that explained that Luffy’s idol was separated from his sibling or was cloned by the World Government.

Fans Had Theorized About Shanks' Sibling Years In Advance

The Series Had Strongly Hinted At This Being True

Despite how shocking it might have been to see someone who resembles Shanks arrive at Elbaph to fight against Luffy, readers of the One Piece manga had already been expecting something similar. Throughout the years, Eiichiro Oda, the creator of the series, left various hints pointing at this being a possibility. A major piece of evidence supporting this theory was the appearance of someone who looked like Shanks in chapter #907, in which he speaks with the Five Elders about an unknown pirate. When this entry was first revealed, fans were shocked by the revelation.

Many believed that the Red Hair Captain had betrayed his friends or had been secretly working for the World Government. Nonetheless, Japanese fans noticed that this supposed Shanks's speech sounded too formal for his character. Later, when the God Valley incident was depicted in chapter #1096, a younger version of Saint Figarland Garlin, strongly believed to be Shanks’ father, told at least two children to watch him kill civilians during the manhunt.

While this moment might be brief, it became significant for the theory of Luffy’s mentor having a brother, as their father spoke to at least one other person. Lastly, the spread depicting the important characters for the Final Saga, included in chapter #1121, included a mysterious figure hidden by shadows. When examined closely, fans noticed that this character resembled Shanks, which should not have been possible as he was also a part of the image. All these clues combined gave fans all the pieces they needed to conclude that Shanks has a sibling, a suspicion confirmed in chapter #1134.

Shanks’ Twin Could Be His Polar Opposite

If the character introduced during the ending of chapter #1134 is indeed Shanks’ mysterious sibling, he could become one of the most dangerous warriors in the series. The Red Hair Captain is known for being one of the most naturally powerful pirates in the world, with only the strongest fighters in the world having a chance to face him and survive. His sibling would likely have similar abilities, already making him a massive threat to the Straw Hats. Nevertheless, he would also have been trained from childhood by his father, Garlin, the leader of the feared God’s Knights.

He would also have learned to be a ruthless and bloodthirsty fighter like Figarland was during his youth. Unlike Shanks, who resorts to violence only when necessary, his sibling would be willing to do anything to achieve his goals. During Jump Festa 2025, Oda commented that a mysterious man would soon cause chaos in Elbaph, warning fans that they should enjoy the current peace. Shanks’ sibling could be the man the author was referring to, with him bringing destruction and pain to the Land of the Giants.

Shanks Could Have Also Been Cloned

The World Government Has Already Done This Before

Although the theory about Shanks having a twin brother is the most accepted among fans, the manga could have also been preparing fans for the revelation of a clone. Artificial humans are nothing new to the series, as proven during the Egghead arc with the powerful Seraphim. The possibility of Shanks or his twin being the result of a cloning experiment cannot be discarded yet. It might sound farfetched at the moment, but the Red Hair Captain and his doppelgänger might have been created while attempting to create more copies of Figarland.

The mystery of who Shanks’ lookalike is will almost certainly be revealed in upcoming One Piece chapters, as the man is already inside the Island of Elbaph. Nonetheless, this mysterious character will be crucial to the story of the manga moving forward. He could become the ultimate enemy for Luffy, one that will push him past his limits.