Every One Piece fan knows the iconic moment when Shanks saved Luffy from the Sea King and had his arm bitten. This is one of many scenes that got us hooked on the series. It also created this image of Shanks as Luffy’s father figure and someone willing to make great sacrifices for a friend.
Recent discoveries in the Elbaph Arc of One Piece, however, suggest that Shanks might have had a different goal in mind. Figarland Shamrock, the commander of the God’s Knight, is revealed to be Shanks’ twin brother, confirming he is a Celestial Dragon, albeit a renounced one.
While the Emperor did want to save the young pirate, losing his arm presented an opportunity. All the God’s Knights bear a mark that allows them to use the Abyss, a magic circle that teleports them to long distances. Sometimes, those marked can be summoned without their permission. Was Shanks marked?
Shanks sacrificed his arm for Luffy but gained his freedom against the World Government
Freedom is a major theme in One Piece and it applies even to the most powerful characters. Shanks might seem invincible and overpowered but now he has a backstory that humanizes him more. Naturally, fans have been rethinking his actions in the context of being a renounced Celestial Dragon.
If Shanks’ Haki was all it took to take down the Sea King who attacked Luffy, it made fans question why he hesitated before losing his arm. Bearing the mark of the Abyss is the only logical explanation behind this.
As we saw with the Five Elders, marked individuals can be forcefully summoned. This would mean, that if Shanks was marked, he could be summoned back to Mary Geoise without his permission.
Although he was sailing the seas, he never technically had his freedom against his lost heritage until saving Luffy presented a unique opportunity. He could lose his arm without having others question too much about how he lost it. If it was against something as chaotic and unpredictable as a Sea King, he could pretend there was nothing he could do.
Of course, we know otherwise. While Sea Kings are incredibly powerful, his Haki was enough to scare it away. He could’ve done it the moment he reached Luffy.
However, he found the best way to gain his freedom against the clutches of the Celestial Dragons. He said that it was just an arm but for him, it was much more. One Piece fans are grateful it wasn’t for manipulating Luffy but to bet on him instead.
Why didn’t Shanks remove his mark earlier?
Having a scar that big or losing an arm without a good explanation would be noticeable anywhere. For someone as popular as Shanks in the One Piece world, it would bring unwarranted attention to his heritage. He wants no part in Imu’s propaganda or to be recruited by the God’s Knights.
According to Figarland Shamrock, Shanks did visit Mary Geoise once before but the lifestyle wasn’t for him. He loves the seas and doesn’t wish to go back to being a Celestial Dragon. However, he can’t just cut off his arm and get away with it. It’s not easy to cover up, either.
The Sea King was the best explanation to give others. While it does symbolize his faith in the new generation, particularly in Luffy, it also grants him his freedom against his father, Imu, and the Five Elders.
This, of course, assumes he was marked. Considering Gol D. Roger found him as a 1-year-old, it’s a bit unlikely. A brief visit to Mary Geoise wouldn’t grant him a mark either, since only higher-class Celestial Dragons get it. It’s just a One Piece theory for now.
One Piece is available on Crunchyroll.
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