One Piece‘s latest flashback, which began by unveiling the origin of how the great King of the Giants, Harold, died, has now shifted to telling the full story of one of the most renowned events in the series: the God Valley Incident. Considered perhaps the greatest historic event ever revealed, it showcases the biggest clash between the pirates and the World Government. This incident is also famous for the alliance between Monkey D. Garp and the Roger Pirates in taking down Rocks D. Xebec, who was deemed the most evil pirate. However, the flashback has now revealed that much of what fans believed about Rocks’ supposed evilness was not true, retconning many long-held assumptions.
With One Piece finally unveiling the God Valley Incident in full, the series is set to answer many mysteries fans have wondered about since the event was first mentioned. While Rocks’ death and Harold’s role are central to how the incident concludes, it is also the place of origin for the fan-favorite Red-Haired Shanks. Previously, a special bonus chapter revealed that the Roger Pirates found Shanks during this incident. Since then, many details have been confirmed, including Shanks’ family background, yet one mystery remained: how he ended up inside the treasure chest. The latest developments in One Piece now seem ready to unveil this final piece as well.
One Piece Is Ready To Reveal How Shanks Ended Up in the Treasure Chest
The crucial information about how Shanks was found by the Roger Pirates was revealed in a special bonus volume titled One Piece 4 Billionhandwritten by the creator himself and released during the premiere of One Piece Film: Red. In this special issue, it was revealed that the Roger Pirates discovered Shanks as a 1-year-old boy inside a treasure chest they recovered during the God Valley Incident. Since then, many questions have arisen, with one of the most pressing being how Shanks ended up in that chest.
With the latest chapters delving deeper into the incident and even revealing that Shanks’ mother is from the island as well, the series appears ready to answer this mystery, with Monkey D. Dragon prepared as the final piece to the puzzle. In One Piece Chapter 1160, Dragon, then a Navy officer, realizes he has participated in a horrendous event and seemingly takes in Shamrock and Shanks, the twin children, as an act of redemption. Although his intent was to save both from what he believed was a targeted execution, Chapter 1161 reveals that he could only escape with Shanks, as Shamrock was seized by one of the God’s Knights.
This makes it clear that Dragon will be the key player in placing Shanks inside the treasure chest that the Roger Pirates would later recover. Amid the chaos, it becomes increasingly apparent that Dragon struggles to protect Shanks alone. With the Celestial Dragons targeting both children and adults, and with Rocks Pirates’ own nefarious actions escalating, Dragon seemingly entrusts Shanks to the Roger Pirates. With Shanks’ destined path as a pirate under Roger’s crew, there is something poetic about Dragon, the man who would later become the leader of the Revolutionary Army, being the first to set Shanks on his journey, especially as Shanks is regarded as the “Child of Destiny.”
Shanks’ Journey as a Great Was Forged (Better Than Luffy’s)
One Piece has long carried the concept of inherited will, and with Monkey D. Luffy seemingly shaped as Joy Boy, or the Sun God Nika, his alignment as the destined one can at times feel forced. Meanwhile, Shanks, recently deemed the Child of Destiny, fits the role more naturally, especially with the revelation that Dragon may have been the key figure who set him on this path as a baby. With Shanks’ origins now confirmed, the stage is set for his next move and his impact as a destined child in the series’ final arc.
It is clear that alongside Luffy, Shanks, and Marshall D. Teach (Blackbeard) will be central players in the final war, each carrying influence equal to the others. While many fans once speculated that Shanks could become Luffy’s enemy, the recent revelations and his journey toward becoming a great pirate no longer align him with the role of a villain. Though his exact role in the final arc remains uncertain, with One Piece approaching its end, the reveal is bound to come soon.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
