Chapter #1134 ofOne Pieceended with a truly shocking moment, asa man who looked identical to Shanksarrived at Elbaph in a summoning circle like the one used by the Five Elders. Fans quickly noted that this man was heavily implied by the series to not be the real captain of the Red Hair Pirates, prompting fans to begin theorizing abouta twin or clone of Shankshaving been officially introduced.
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.
Despite how shocking it might have been to see someone who resembles Shanks arrive at Elbaph to fight against Luffy, readers of theOne Piecemanga 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 wasthe 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 thatthis 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.
One Piece’s New Arc May Give Luffy His First Real Character Development in Years
Although Luffy has gained significant power upgrades, he has yet to develop fully as a character, and Elabph might be the place to get it done.
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 depictingthe 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
This Man Could Be Following In The Footsteps of His Father
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 onlythe strongest fighters in the worldhaving 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 thata 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 forthe 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 upcomingOne Piecechapters, 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.
One Piece
Cast
The One Piece anime began in 1999 and follows the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy, a boy with rubber-like abilities, as he embarks on a journey to find the legendary treasure “One Piece.” Inspired by the pirate Shanks, Luffy aims to become the King of the Pirates, accompanied by a diverse crew.
