Dracule Mihawk, the strongest swordsman in the world of One Piece, is a character shrouded in mystery that fans have long sought to understand more deeply. This character has been part of the story since its inception, yet very little information has been revealed about him. Nevertheless, the enigmatic swordsman has inspired numerous theories to uncover more about this beloved character.
One of the theories posits the origins of Mihawk and interprets details about the relationship between his parents, Rayleigh and Shakky, in One Piece. According to the theory, Mihawk is the son of Rayleigh, the former right-hand man of the Pirate King Gol D. Roger, and Shakky, the former empress of the Kuja tribe. Although this theory seems intriguing, there is not much evidence to confirm it.
However, Eiichiro Oda’s acknowledgment of the relationship between Shakky and Rayleigh adds more credence to the theory that Mihawk is their offspring. This is because Mihawk may possess the abilities of both Rayleigh and Shakky within him. However, these abilities may not only manifest as swordsmanship but also as Haki powers.
Eiichiro Oda confirms the relationship between Shakky and Rayleigh
In the SBS section of volume 109, Oda was questioned about the former empress of the Kuja tribe, Shakuyaku, and why she did not perish like other empresses before her, such as Granny Nyon. Oda clarified that when Granny Nyon spoke about Shakky, she did not explicitly state that Shakky had died.
Oda expressed: “This is a matter of speculation. It is not necessary to take it literally; the phrase in question, ‘the empress has lived for two generations…’ refers to ‘love,’ and she (Shakky) is also included! In fact, prior to this, empresses and the warriors of this nation have always perished due to this condition without knowing the reason behind it. However, in recent years, Granny Nyon and others have managed to avoid death in this manner.”
Regarding Shakky and the nature of love, the manga author revealed that the phenomenon of love has caused the empresses of the Kuja tribe and their warriors to live longer, but since the empresses around that time had the ability to ward off death, they have managed to escape demise. Therefore, indirectly, Eiichiro Oda has confirmed the relationship between Shakky and Rayleigh.
Could the theory that Mihawk is Rayleigh’s son be true?
When Rayleigh was first introduced in the story during the Sabaody Archipelago arc, fans of One Piece noticed numerous similarities between him and Mihawk. From appearances to the structure of their faces and their strong presences, there are several parallels, but most importantly, their roles as swordsmen in the story.
Both Rayleigh and Mihawk are exceptional swordsmen, and they have demonstrated this fact numerous times. However, one ability that Mihawk also possesses is powerful Conqueror’s Haki. His Haki is so strong that it can imbue his sword, Yoru, with Haki, transforming it into a powerful black blade.
The Amazon Lily arc specifically revealed that the members of the Kuja tribe have the ability to impart their Haki onto others, and they use this to combat those who wield evil powers. As Shakky is the empress of the Kuja tribe, she would also possess the ability to wield formidable Haki, which she could have passed on to Mihawk. Therefore, the theory that Mihawk is Rayleigh’s son becomes even more plausible.
