One Piece Just Revealed Everything We Know About Shanks, But Fans Have Been Calling Him 'Twin Brother' For A Long Time

Chapter #1134 One piece ended with a truly shocking moment, as a man who looked identical to Shanks came to Elbaph in a summoning circle like that used by the Five Elders. Fans quickly noticed that this man was heavily implied in the series to not be the true captain of the Red-Haired Pirates, which led fans to begin theorizing about the official introduction of a Shanks twin or clone.

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

Fans Theorized About Shanks' Brother Years In Advance

The series strongly suggested this was true

Despite how shocking it may have been to see someone who looked like Shanks come to Elbaph to fight Luffy, readers of One piece manga I expected something similar. Over the years, Eiichiro Oda, the creator of the series, left several clues pointing to this possibility. An important piece of evidence supporting this theory was the appearance of someone who looked like Shanks in chapter #907in which he talks to the Five Elders about an unknown pirate. When this entry was first revealed, fans were shocked by the revelation.

Many believed that Captain Red had betrayed his friends or secretly worked for the World Government. However, Japanese fans noticed that this supposed speech from Shanks seemed 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 may be brief, it became significant to the theory of Luffy's mentor having a brother, as his father spoke to at least one other person. Lastly, the spread representing important characters from the Final Saga, included in chapter #1121, included a mysterious figure hidden by shadows. When closely examined, fans noticed that this character looked like Shanks, which shouldn't have been possible since he was also part of the image. All of these clues combined gave fans all the pieces needed to conclude that Shanks has a brother, a suspicion confirmed in chapter #1134.

Shanks' Twin Could Be His Polar Opposite

If the character introduced at the end of chapter 1134 is indeed Shanks' mysterious brother, he could become one of the most dangerous warriors in the series. Captain Red is known for being one of the most naturally powerful pirates in the world, with only the strongest fighters in the world having the chance to face him and survive. His brother would likely have similar abilities, already making him a huge threat to the Straw Hats. However, he would also have been trained since childhood by his father, Garlin, the leader of the feared Knights of God.

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 brother 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 Elbaphwarning fans that they should enjoy the current peace. Shanks' brother could be the man the author was referring to, with him bringing destruction and pain to the Land of the Giants.

Shanks may also have been cloned

The world government has done this before

Although the theory of Shanks having a twin brother is the most accepted among fans, the manga could also be 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 that Shanks or his twin are the result of a cloning experiment cannot yet be ruled out. It may seem unlikely at the time, but Captain Red and his doppelgänger may have been created while trying to create more copies of Figarland.

The mystery of who Shanks' look-alike is will almost certainly be revealed in the next few years. One piece chapters, as the man is already inside Elbaph Island. However, this mysterious character will be crucial to advancing the manga's story. He could become Luffy's greatest enemy, one that would push him beyond his limits.