One Piece Has Gifted Shanks a Twin, And the Manga Set Up the Reveal Ages Ago

The revelation that Shanks, one of the most popular and important characters in One Piece, has a double that looks exactly like him is one that fans cannot fully wrap their heads around yet. Eiichiro Oda, the author of the series, completely altered everything readers knew about the Red Hair Pirates Captain with this simple surprise.

While this announcement appeared out of thin air for a large portion of the fandom, many fans had already speculated something similar months or even years in advance. Moreover, many readers think they have already successfully predicted what the role of "Shanks’ twin" will be in future chapters, as the manga had already hinted at this revelation in the past.

One Piece Hinted at Shanks Having a Brother Years Ago

Fans Had Already Prepared Themselves for the Revelation

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Chapter #1134 of the One Piece manga caused awe among fans, as it depicted a man who looked exactly like Shanks arriving at Elbaph. Some followers believed that this man was the original Red Hair Pirates Captain, an assertion that was soon disproven by the fact that the mysterious character arrived via a summoning circle. The only ones known to have used this technique are the monsters who control the world, the Five Elders, who are currently in Mary Geoise.

Related One Piece Chapter #1135 Release Date & Time The mysterious appearance of Shanks' "twin" has created a buzz in the manga. Here is when the new chapter One Piece will follow up on that.

Many other fans came out to offer more proof of this man not being Shanks, evidence that had been hiding in plain sight in the manga for years. Readers reminded the fan base of chapter #907, in which this same man supposedly made his first appearance, showing up in the Five Elders' audience room. At the time, almost everyone believed that he was Shanks, as he looked identical. Nonetheless, he was noticeably missing his scar, and his way of speaking was way too formal. The fact that his silhouette could also be seen in the spread of chapter #1121 was definite proof of the existence of a man who looks almost identical to Shanks.

Shanks’ Origins Support the Theory of a Brother

This Character Could Be Inspired by the Pirate’s Original Concept

In the past, Oda planned to release a completely different manga called Land, the Dragon, and the Ten Thieves. This story was discarded in favor of the one fans know and love today, but many elements survived the transition, like the appearance of the protagonist. Still, what readers find interesting about the concept of this unread story is the introduction of a knight named Shanks, implied to be the inspiration for One Piece’s Emperor.

Shanks’ twin, who more than likely works for the World Government, has been implied to be a part of the God Knights, an order of elite fighters who protect the Celestial Dragons. Oda might not have made the original Shanks a knight like his inspiration was, but his brother could still have been heavily inspired by the original concept. Not much is known about the warrior who would be a part of Oda’s discarded manga, so nothing can truly be inferred about the intentions the creator has for this mysterious man.

Fans Believe They Know What Role Shanks’ Twin Will Play

A Compelling Theory Has Been Shared on Social Media

It's all but officially confirmed that Shanks is a scion of the Figarland family of the Celestial Dragons, found as a baby by Gol D. Roger hiding in the treasure he stole from God Valley during that infamous incident. The head of the family, Figarland Garling, is the former captain of the God Knights who has recently ascended to the seat of one of the Five Elders, after Saturn was killed by Im for his failures in Egghead.

A few months ago, the One Piece fan account @writingpanini shared his ideas about what the role of Shanks’ brother could be. This theory was posted several days in advance of the official revelation of the Red Hair Captain having a sibling. In his post, the user explained that he believed Shanks and his brother would be the representation of Skoll and Hati, children of the Nordic wolf Fenrir. Luffy’s mentor would embody the concept of the former, famous for always chasing the sun, in this case, Nika.

His twin, as the embodiment of Hati, would always go after the moon, a concept that their supposed father, Figarland Garling, seems to be inspired by. While Shanks lives to bring freedom and joy to the world, his siblings would want to maintain the status quo, no matter who gets hurt in the process. The hypothesis of the fan seems to have been confirmed during the latest chapter, as it was revealed that "Shanks’ twin" has traveled to Elbaph to get in contact with Loki, the fallen prince of the island whose Devil Fruit powers could be inspired by Fenrir.

The One Piece manga series will soon dive deep into this important storyline in this exciting final saga. The role of Shanks’ mysterious twin will be revealed soon, as the story fully enters the breathtaking Elbahp arc.

Source: @writingpanini