Who Is Shanks’ Father in One Piece? (& What You Need to Know About Him)

The entire One Piece storyline has been packed with room for wild One Piece theories, many of which revolve around Shanks. Shanks is undoubtedly one of the most mysterious characters that One Piece has to offer, and countless fans still wonder who Shanks’ father is in One Piece.

Shanks could be the biological son of Rocks D. Xebec, the leader of the Rocks Pirates in One Piece. The theory dictates that Shanks was found by Garp as a 1-year-old baby after the defeat of Rocks at God Valley 38 years prior. However, there is no official evidence to prove Shanks’ ancestry yet, and there are also contradicting running theories – such as Shanks being a Celestial Dragon.

While there are certainly still a ton of questions surrounding Shanks’ past and background, fans have been able to piece potential cases together based on various details throughout the story. Stick around to find out everything you need to know about Shanks’ possible father in One Piece, as well as why many fans believe that Rocks D. Xebec is Shanks’ father.

Who is Shanks’ Father in One Piece?

Shanks has been surrounded by speculation from One Piece fans for ages, having a massive influence on the world of One Piece and being a point of interest for many powerful figures. Fans have gotten to know a bit more about Shanks’ past thanks to the release of One Piece Film: Red, where it’s revealed that Shanks was found in a treasure chest as a baby – similar to how Uta was found by Shanks later down the line.

But, there are still tons of questions even with this reveal – in fact, this revelation may have brought even more questions for One Piece fans worldwide. Of all the speculation surrounding Shanks, such as if Shanks is really evil and if Shanks is actually married, many fans are still desperate to find out who Shanks’ father is.

There is still no solid proof that points to Shanks’ biological parents, although Oda has given fans more information about this shadowed character’s past. Below are the most probable candidates for Shanks’ father in One Piece, all of which are believed by many One Piece fans for various reasons.

Is Shanks Rocks D. Xebec’s Son?

The most well-believed theory, especially after the release of One Piece Film: Red, is that Shanks is actually the biological son of the legendary Rocks D. Xebec – a ruthless pirate who ruled around 40 years before One Piece takes place. Rocks D. Xebec was infamous for leading the Rocks Pirates in One Piece, who were seen as the most feared pirate crew of the time and included young versions of many major One Piece villains like Big Mom and Kaido.

Rocks D. Xebec, usually going by “Rocks” was actually an incredibly cruel pirate – eager on becoming the king of the entire world at any cost. Although there is very little known about Rocks, it’s believed that Rocks D. Xebec was powerful, intelligent, and educated (particularly concerning global intel and secrets).

It is believed that Shanks, being 39 years old in the One Piece story, was actually found as an infant (approximately 1-year old at the time) after the God Valley incident (which is said to have occurred around 38 years before the One Piece storyline. Fans who support the theory believe that Shanks may have been found on the Rocks Pirates’ ship by Garp and Roger after defeating Xebec.

Based on the political situation in the One Piece universe. Shanks would have been doomed from the very beginning simply by being Xebec’s son. It is believed that Garp and Gol D. Roger may have kept this a secret, allowing Shanks to take on a new identity on Roger’s ship. There are also other variations of this theory concerning the order of possible events, detailed below thanks to Anime no Mi.

A plot twist such as this would be insane, but it would also be incredibly poetic considering other details we’ve learned about key players within this theory. For example, it would provide more meaning as to why Roger entrusted Ace to Garp, but there is something very interesting about the connection between Shanks and Uta here.

One Piece Film: Red also revealed that Shanks had found Uta in a treasure chest as a baby (approximately 1-year-old), after which he passed her on in order for her to take on a new identity and live a happy life – although she would initially believe he abandoned her. The similarity in Uta and Shanks both being found in a treasure chest at around 1 year old is already quite interesting, but this additional similarity in having an “identity-shifting” twist of fate would be pretty ironic.

Alternate Theory: Shanks is a Decoy for Rock D. Xebec’s Son (Buggy the Clown)

Of course, it can’t go without being said that this theory is surrounded by debate since it is quite out there, but some fans believe Shanks is a decoy for Xebec’s true son. This alternate theory revolves around the same keynotes, such as the timeline, ages, and coincidental match-ups, but it states that the true son of Xebec is actually Buggy the Clown.

Buggy is also aged 39 and he shared a similar upbringing to Shanks, making him a possible candidate for being Xebec’s son – plus, his origins are also a mystery for fans. Oda has apparently teased that Buggy has the potential of becoming one of the most powerful characters in One Piece as well, only fueling the flames of speculation.

To top of the theory, an Official Vivre Card included data that listed Buggy’s origins as the “Grand Line”, which is also where God Valley was once located. Considering that tons of people would be after the son of one of the most infamous One Piece pirates ever, it’s possible that a plan was devised in order to conceal Xebec’s true son. Although, even if this were proven true, it would still leave questions as to who Shanks’ father is.

Is Shanks a Celestial Dragon?

With all that being said, many fans still hold onto the theory of Shanks being a descendant of the Celestial Dragons in One Piece. This theory dictates that Shanks is actually the son of an unnamed Celestial Dragon, although isn’t as much evidence to support it.

Many fans have used the way that powerful figures in the One Piece world treat Shanks as a means to support the theory. Although, this could be for a variety of other reasons – such as Shanks having a huge influence on the future of the One Piece world. In addition, the background of Shanks being found in a treasure chest is now being seen as canon, which would add more gaping plotholes to the Celestial Dragons theory. Still, there is a chance that fans may be surprised by new groundbreaking reveals in time.

That’s everything there is to know about Shanks’ possible father in One Piece so far, with images thanks to the One Piece Wiki. Although there is no official evidence to show that Xebec is the father of Shanks, there is substantial evidence that could point to this being the case.

Oda is infamous for leading fans on with ambiguous details, and it’s rare for coincidences to be unintentional. While we don’t have anything concrete just yet, many fans are crossing their fingers for an Oda sketch showing Rocks D. Xebec with red hair – let’s hope Shanks’ origins and last name will be revealed in future One Piece episodes!