Summary
Shanks is one of the most important charactersinOne Piece’sFinal Saga, and fans have been waiting for ages to see him take up a significant role in the story. Fans know Shanks to be a monstrously powerful individual, but more importantly, he is the person who inspired Luffy to become a pirate. He is Luffy’s Idol, and for that reason, Shanks will always hold terrific importance in the story.
Fans have always wanted to find out more about him. However, Oda has maintained that he will only start incorporating Shanks into the story towards the very end and that is whereOne Pieceis right now. As fans know,One Pieceis currently in the Final Saga, which means Shanks is going to be much more involved than ever before. This also means his past, his family, and all the other connections that he has fostered over the years will be focused on as well.
Shanks’s Birth And Childhood
Shanks Was Present On God Valley 38 Years Ago
Fans have not had a proper backstory of Shanks just yet and it is possible that they will never receive one. All that doesn’t significantly define who Shanks is right now. However, there are key things in his past that certainly do raise an eyebrow among the fans. For instance, Shanks is of royal lineage and this separates him from just about everyone in the One Piece world. Shanks was found on the island of God Valley, where the Celestial Dragons were present for their Native Hunting Games, 38 years ago. On that day, the Roger Pirates found Shanks inside a treasure chest, and that is how Roger made this child his apprentice. As fans know, many Celestial Dragons were present on the island on that day, and one of them was Saint Garling Figarland as well.
Hey, Beck. Isn’t it about time to go and claim it? The One Piece.
It was clear for the fansto see from Kuma’s flashbackthat Garling Figarland was Shanks’s very own father. In fact, he also clearly indicated that his children were present on the island as well. On the very same day, the Roger Pirates arrived there as well, and in the aftermath of it all, Shanks was somehow separated from his family, and eventually found his way to the Roger Pirates’s ship, the Oro Jackson. It might not look like much to the fans, but this essentially confirms his lineage as a Celestial Dragon, and a member of the Figarland family. Shanks was, however, raised by pirates and he ended up becoming like one. Despite being born with the blood of those who sit at the top of the world and actively hunt down pirates, Shanks is one himself and goes against the authority of the Gods.
Shanks’s birth is one of the reasons why he is also very well respected among the Celestial Dragons. At the same time, he is also a very level-headed individual, who knows much about diplomacy. This has been seen on many occasions in One Piece, but, it absolutely cannot be denied that the royal bloodline aids him in this regard as well.
Shanks And The Figarland Family
Shanks Has A Very Powerful Family In One Piece
As mentioned earlier, fans already know at this point thatShanks is the son of Saint Garling Figarland.This person is still active in One Piece and is certainly one of the strongest characters, and that goes without saying. This means that he won the Native Hunting Games on that day. Of course, while this isn’t something to brag about, it solidifies his status as one of the most heinous, sinister, and, at the same time, quite likely one of the most powerful Celestial Dragons that fans have seen in One Piece. He oversees God’s Knights, who are some of the strongest individuals within the ranks of the World Government who oversee judiciary matters and possess tremendous strength.
Garling Figarland is the supreme commander of this lot, and, at the same time, he possesses enough power that he can actually pass judgment on other Celestial Dragons as well, something that separates him from the rest. Garling Figarland can essentially pass judgment on anyone, as fans saw when he killed Saint Mjosgard, and it is clear to see that his authority is much higher.
This places him directly below the Five Elders and makes him one of the strongest Celestial Dragons that fans have seen inOne Piece. Back in his prime days,Garling Figarland was likely even stronger, and this just goes to show that Oda has great plans for him once he starts incorporating him into the future of One Piece better.
Shanks’s Unrevealed Siblings
Garling Figarland is not theonly member of the Figarland Family. It is heavily implied that Shanks also has siblings. In fact, back during the God Valley flashback, the terminology that Garling used implies that he is speaking to his own children. Fans have mistakenly thought that Garling was using a demeaning tone towards other competitors and calling them mere children in comparison to him. In reality, a more accurate translation of this phrase implies that his own children are watching him, which is why he is telling them to watch closely. This essentially implies that Shanks has other siblings as well, and this wouldn’t be surprising, given that fans have seen a silhouette of the God’s Knights already and one of them, at the very least, looks remarkably like Shanks.
At the very least, Shanks should have one sibling withinthe ranks of the God’s Knightswho fans are unaware of yet. This person could be revealed very soon, and they likely wield a saber, just like the red-haired emperor.
There could be more than just one sibling that Shanks has, and it will be interesting to see how Oda incorporates these characters into the story.In the Egghead Island arc, fans know that Shanks had a small role to play, as did the likes of Garling Figarland. However, they will only start moving once this arc ends. In Elbaf, fans are going to see a much bigger focus on the likes of Shanks, and potentially even the God’s Knights, which directly involves Shanks’s father, and his potential siblings in the story. Things are going to get more exciting for Shanks and his family from here onwards, and fans absolutely cannot wait to see what is next for these characters.
One Piece is available to read via Viz Media. The series can be read by the fans officially and for free on the Shonen Jump and theManga Plusapp. The release date for the next chapter of One Piece, One Piece 1121, is set to be July 27, 2025.
