After so many speculations and, one of most emblematic moments of One Piece has just got a new oficial explaination. The chapter 1168, manga, clears why our Shanks has lost his left Arm, a very iconic event that marked the beguining of Monkey D. Luffy´s journey, and that rose doubts among the fanbase for years about his coherence inside the power escalation of the series.
Since the debut of One Piece many years ago, Shanks has been presented as a central figure in Luffy’s upbringing and one of the most influential characters in the pirate world of the One Piece universe. However, as the story progressed, it became difficult to justify how a future Emperor of the Sea would have lost an arm to a mere King of the Seas, didn’t it? The most recent chapters indicate that the sacrifice had a much greater purpose than it initially seemed.
Shank´s Tatoo that changed everything
In chapter, 1152, attentive readers noticed a tattoo on Shanks’ left arm, the very same one he lost when Luffy was a child. The symbol resembled the one used by the Knights of God, raising several theories about a possible link to the Celestial Dragons.
This connection is explained more clearly through a flashback of King Harald. In his attempt to integrate Elbaph into the World Government, King Harald accepts the title of Devoted Lamia of God, an honorary position granted to those who swear allegiance to the Celestial Dragons. As a mark of this pact, he receives an insignia identical to Shanks’s, revealed in chapter 1167.
The pact with Imu and its consequences.
The following chapters confirm that the sea lord, Shanks, was also a God-Devoted Blade, making him one of the candidates to join the Knights of God. The mark received by these individuals is called the Shallows Covenant, the first of three possible pacts with Imu.
And again in chapter 1168, it is revealed that Shanks abandoned the Celestial Dragons before making the second pact, known as the Depths Covenant, which grants abilities similar to the immortality of the Five Elders and creates an even deeper bond with Imu. King Harald ends up taking on this second pact, losing the ability to resist Imu’s will and sealing his tragic fate.
The loss of an arm as a definitive rupture.
In light of these revelations, the manga suggests that Shanks losing his arm was a truly conscious decision, possibly made to definitively sever his connection with Imu and avoid the effects of the pact. This interpretation gains even more strength when associated with other actions of the character discussed in this article, such as his indirect involvement in Fisher Tiger’s rebellion and his opposition to the way of life of the Celestial Dragons.
Impacts on the Elbaph arch
With Elbaph plunged into chaos, conflict, and threatened by Imu’s actions, Shanks’ absence as the bearer of the Depths Covenant could alter the balance of power. Had he maintained this connection, the risk to the Straw Hat Pirates would have been significantly greater.
The revelation also opens the door for a possible reunion between the two beloved characters from the series, Shanks and Luffy, especially given the escalating tension involving the Celestial Dragons and the use of techniques like the Domi Reversi, which puts the giants’ future at risk.
By explaining one of the series’ greatest mysteries, One Piece reinforces the symbolic weight of Shanks’ sacrifice and redefines the meaning of an event that started Luffy’s journey, now confirmed as an act that directly influenced the fate of the world.
This type of action adds more value to the work, even One Piece, which is an exceptional work. After several years of theories and speculation, fans can finally have this event added to their shelves of knowledge.
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