The lineage of Red-Haired Shanks has been the biggest identity question about the character in One Piece. His mysterious and limited presence in the One Piece narrative has led fans to question every move he makes and doubt his intentions as a pirate. But the event that marked the beginning of fans questioning Shanks’ character was when he met the Gorosei.
From there on, One Piece fans made the assumption that Shanks was a Celestial Dragon and thus he was working as a spy in the pirate world. These assumptions were further strengthened when Figarland Garling made an appearance in the manga, and his physical appearance from his past paralleled Shanks’.
While fans have developed a pretty solid case about Shanks being a celestial dragon, there is a One Piece theory that not only negates this case but also reveals Shanks’s true heritage in the series. This theory is developed from the God Valley Incident and Whitebeard’s interaction with Shanks during the Post-Enies Lobby arc.
Shanks Might Not Be A Celestial Dragon
According to a theory posted by u/strongerthenbefore20 on Reddit, Shanks is not a Celestial Dragon but actually the son of Rocks D. Xebec. The theory states that Shanks is currently 39 years old, and the God Valley Incident took place 38 years ago. It was after the God Valley Incident that Roger found Shanks in a chest as a one-year-old.
If Shanks had been a celestial dragon, there is no way he would have been present at the God Valley Incident as a one-year-old considering the dangers of the place. Another aspect of the theory is connected to Roger and Garp. When Roger asked Garp to take care of his son, Ace, he knew Garp understood that “a newborn child bears no sin.”
There is a chance that when the Navy and Roger Pirates took down the Rocks Pirates, they discovered Shanks on their ship. Garp and Roger knew that the Navy would want to kill him because of his relations with Rocks, which is why Roger took Shanks in. This not only saved Shanks but also built a bond between Garp and Roger that led to Roger trusting Garp with his son’s life.
Whitebeard’s Interaction With Shanks Strengthens The One Piece Theory
The main aspect that adds more credibility to the theory about Shanks being Rocks’ son is Shanks’ interaction with Whitebeard when he warned him about stopping Ace from going after Blackbeard. When Whitebeard first saw Shanks, he pointed out that the Yonko reminded him of someone who left a scar on his chest.
While many One Piece fans believed that the scar was given to Whitebeard by Figarland Garling when he was a member of Rocks’ crew, there is a strong possibility that the scar was actually a result of Rocks’ attack on Whitebeard. Almost every member of Rocks’ crew has been shown in an antagonistic role except for Whitebeard.
Thus, it prompts that maybe Whitebeard at some point disagreed with Rocks and betrayed him, which led to Rocks lending an attack on him and thus injuring him. This could lead to the fall of the crew and ultimately the Rocks’ defeat. After Rocks’ defeat, Roger might have helped Whitebeard and also taken Shanks in so that he did not follow the path of his father.
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