This article contains spoilers from One Piece's Elbaf Arc.

Summary

Shanks was born a Celestial Dragon and fights them
Oda confirms Shanks's role in Final Saga is crucial
Shanks's destiny is to bring about a new world order

One Piece is currently in the Elbaf arc, where Oda is now revealing a lot of exciting information about the likes of Loki and Harald, two characters central to the events of the final saga. However, an unexpected surprise thrown into the mix is the Emperor of the Sea, Shanks. Fans know very well that Shanks is central to One Piece's Final Saga and that Oda has been itching to draw him in the story.

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By Rei Penber

In fact, many fans expected Shanks to fight Luffy in the Elbaf arc, but when he left the country before Luffy even arrived, it became clear that his arc was coming later. Despite that, Oda surprised all fans when he dug deeper into his character through individuals like Shamrock, Loki, and now, most recently, Harald and Gaban. Oda has already confirmed what Shanks's true role in the Final Saga is going to be, and it is incredibly exciting, to say the least.

Shanks Is The Child Of Destiny

Shanks Was Born A Celestial Dragon
He Currently Fights The Celestial Dragons

Shanks is an incredibly powerful pirate, and that's how fans have known him since the very beginning of the story. However, his birth was rather surprising. Shanks was born as a Celestial Dragon and into one of the most exalted families, known as the Figarland Family. As the son of Saint Garling Figarland, Shanks was always destined for greatness, and he would most likely rise high within the ranks of the World Government.

However, his life was flipped during the God Valley Incident, where he was accidentally taken by Gaban, and eventually, he ended up being raised by the Roger Pirates. In many ways, the Roger Pirates became his family. More than that, Shanks was now walking the thin line between the Celestial Dragon and the enemies of the Gods. Oda specifically gave Shanks this role because he's so important.

You're the Child of Destiny, Shanks! — Gaban

Shanks isn't just meant to be an obstacle for Luffy to overcome. He has his own goals to fulfill, and what he seeks is to bring about the world that Roger and Joy Boy before him wanted. As Gaban said, Shanks is the Child of Destiny, which means that his true role is comparable to that of Luffy.

Shanks's Role Is As Important As Luffy's In The Final Saga

Shanks Will Facilitate The Fall Of The World Government

Often, fans wonder what relevance Shanks has in the story besides getting surpassed by Luffy. Some consider him to just be an obstacle for the protagonist, but Shanks is actually a protagonist of his own story. In the Final Saga, especially, he's far more important than most characters, and fans will see that slowly.

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By Rei Penber

Hey beck! It's time, don't you think? To claim the One Piece, that is! — Red Haired Shanks

Why Shanks Will Lead The New Era

Shanks's role is to facilitate the fall of the World Government, and he had to do this by bringing Nika back. This could be the main reason why Shanks even went back to Marijoa, and thanks to all his effort, he eventually located the Nika fruit. Shanks brought Nika back, but his role wasn't just to facilitate his return. After all, Nika can't do everything on his own. Shanks needs to be by his side and fight the World Government when the time comes, side by side with Nika. It is his destiny to bring about a new world order, and he will surely fulfil it.

One Piece Chapter 1153 will be out this week. As usual, One Piece is going to drop on Sunday. In Japan, One Piece drops at 12AM JST on Monday. However, the vast majority of international readers will see the chapter available on June 29. The official release date of One Piece Chapter 1152 is June 29, 2025. Fans can read the chapter for free on Manga Plus.

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Release Date: October 20, 1999
Network: Fuji TV
Directors: Hiroaki Miyamoto, Konosuke Uda, Junji Shimizu, Satoshi Itō, Munehisa Sakai, Katsumi Tokoro, Yutaka Nakajima, Yoshihiro Ueda, Kenichi Takeshita, Yoko Ikeda, Ryota Nakamura, Hiroyuki Kakudou, Takahiro Imamura, Toshihiro Maeya, Yûji Endô, Nozomu Shishido, Hidehiko Kadota, Sumio Watanabe, Harume Kosaka, Yasuhiro Tanabe, Yukihiko Nakao, Keisuke Onishi, Junichi Fujise, Hiroyuki Satou