Fans of One Piece have been speculating for many years about the possibility of Shanks having a twin brother, a topic that has gained more attention following chapter 1121 of the manga.
When Shanks met Monkey D. Luffy, he wore a cloak that concealed his face, and his actions were very secretive, indicating he did not want anyone to know about this encounter. The reason Shanks went to Mary Geoise was due to some significant circumstances.
The creator of One Piece has hinted at the existence of two Shanks due to events during the Marineford arc, where Shanks intervened to stop a clash with Kaido, who resided across the Red Line, while also confronting Admiral Akainu.
A fan had posed a question to Oda, the series’ author, and the response was marked as “classified,” which further fuels the theory regarding a twin brother or doppelgänger of Shanks.
Recently, the manga introduced a shadowy figure who is a member of the Holy Knights, with the name Figarland Garling, and the silhouette bears a striking resemblance to Shanks. Additionally, in One Piece Film: Red, there was a hint suggesting that Shanks is a descendant of the Figarland family.
In chapter 1121 of One Piece, there is a double-page spread introducing the 12 most important characters who will play central roles in the Final Saga, including: Buggy, Blackbeard, Luffy, Shanks, Sabo, Kuzan, Koby, Garling, Imu, Dragon, Akainu, and a mysterious character.
This mysterious character wears a cloak and wields a sword similar to Shanks’s. It is possible that this character is Shanks’s brother, or perhaps even a doppelgänger of him.
As seen in the Egghead arc, a character with a doppelgänger can exist entirely separate from the original, as evidenced by the case of Dr. Vegapunk. To achieve more, Vegapunk has created six clones with different appearances and purposes to assist him in daily tasks.
