Shanks, the Man, the Myth, the Legend, kicked off One Piece by sacrificing his arm to save Luffy, the protagonist of the series. While this moment is still hailed as one of the unforgettable beginnings for an anime series, as years went by, fans started to debate over how a formidable man like Shanks lost his arm to a mere Sea King.
Many considered it one of the biggest plot holes in the One Piece series. Now, after 28 years, Oda has given us a clue in One Piece chapter 1152 to solve the mystery of why Shanks lost his arm that day, and read on to transform your perception of this event.
One Piece chapter 1151 revealed that Shanks was in Elbaf when King Harald was assassinated nearly 14 years ago. He was seen taking a hot spring bath with his ex-crewmate Scopper Gaban. New vague details about Shanks’ past were revealed, such as being called the “Child of Destiny” and that he has visited the Holy Land and met King Harald.
In addition, everyone spotted a crucial detail: Shanks also possessed the “Abyss Mark” on his left arm, similar to the God’s Knights. This was one of the unexpected revelations in the series, since we always thought Shanks was born and raised to be a pirate by the Roger Pirates.
Shamrock, Shanks’ elder twin brother, remarked earlier that Shanks returned to the Holy Land in the past. Maybe this was when he was bestowed the Abyss Mark, either by his Figarland family or Imu, and used to serve as one of the Holy Knights.
The origins of the Abyss Mark and its complete usage remain largely unknown at the moment. We only know that they can be used to teleport to other regions or summon other characters with the mark. However, since Imu’s powers resemble dark magic after they arrived in Elbaf, there has to be some connection between the Abyss mark and Imu. Fans have always speculated that those who’ve made a contract with the Sea Devil received the mark and demonic powers.
Coming back to Shanks losing his arm, Shanks had always possessed the ‘Abyss Mark’ and was under the control of his family. When Luffy ate the Gomu Gomu no Mi devil fruit, Shanks must have realized that Luffy was the one who could turn the tide against the World Government. After all, he has always been saying Luffy reminds him of his captain.
When the situation to save Luffy arose, Shanks didn’t hesitate to save the kid by losing his left arm in the process. In that moment, Shanks gave up his marked arm to sever his ties with his Figarland family and Imu, and at the time, he placed his faith in the dawn of a new era led by Luffy.
In a way, Shanks chose the light by abandoning his bloodline’s wicked path. Later, when Whitebeard asked Shanks about his arm, the red-haired pirate mentioned that he had placed his bet on the next generation with Luffy.
Oda retconning this event has changed the way we see Shanks’ character and the story so far. Luffy is the Warrior of Liberation who will free the One Piece world from its shackles, and Shanks is the first person he liberated from the tyranny of the World Government. Although it may seem like this moment happened inadvertently, destiny itself had set this in motion, which brings Shanks’ journey full circle.
Do you think Shanks sacrificed his arm to sever his ties with Imu and the World Government? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
