Shanks’ Mysterious Year: The Secret Journey After Roger’s Death

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This article contains spoilers for One Piece’s Elbaf Arc.

Summary

  • Shanks vanished after Roger’s execution, with a year unaccounted for in his timeline.
  • Shanks has ties to Celestial Dragons and may have visited his homeland during his disappearance.
  • Shanks may have been recruited by the God’s Knights before becoming an Emperor of the Sea.

In the world of One Piece, keeping up with each character’s storyline can sometimes be quite challenging given the numerous elements and personalities involved. With such a vast array of characters, it’s easy for some fans to struggle to keep tabs on the smaller characters and their ongoing activities. This is particularly relevant when considering the backstories of One Piece characters that predate Luffy’s journey, which can become more complex and less clear as time passes.

In the grand saga of “One Piece,” I’ve found myself consistently intrigued by one elusive figure – the Sea Emperor himself, Shanks. Despite his immense popularity within the series, Shanks seems to vanish more often than not, leaving us fans in suspense about his whereabouts for lengthy spans. A particular instance that has left many of us guessing is right after Roger’s execution, when the Red Hair Pirate mysteriously disappeared for an extended stretch, only to resurface later as a formidable pirate leader.

Shanks Left To Sea After Roger’s Execution

One Year Of His Time Is Unaccounted For

shank

At the initial phase of his life as a sea robber, Shanks was part of the Roger Pirates – a band who raised him since childhood. Regrettably, after Roger was put to death, Shanks had no choice but to venture out on his own, aiming to emulate his late captain’s greatness. Approximately a year later, Shanks resurfaced with a small pirate crew. At this point, he tried to persuade Yasopp, Usopp’s father, to become part of his team.

He returned to the Holy Land once… – Shamrock regarding Shanks

Simultaneously, it’s important to mention that Shanks, the character from One Piece, has been linked to the Celestial Dragons. Interestingly, Shanks’ father, Figerland Garling, previously led the God’s Knights – an organization tasked with safeguarding the World Nobles and top-tier officials of the World Government. His twin brother, Shamrock, is also a part of this same group. Yet, there appears to be some mystery behind why Shanks wound up in a treasure chest within God’s Valley, which was discovered by the Roger Pirates and led to his adoption by them.

Shanks May Have Visited His Homeland During This Period

The God’s Knights Could Have Offered Him A Position In Their Ranks

  • Shanks May Have Been A Potential Recruit Of The God’s Knights
  • After Refusing He Started His Own Pirates Crew

The connection between Shanks and the Celestial Dragons might shed light on what Shanks was up to following Roger’s execution. In the course of the One Piece storyline, Shamrock hinted that at one time, Shanks revisited the land sanctified by the Celestial Dragons, presumably meeting his kin there. While the reason for Shanks’ return hasn’t been specified yet, certain fans speculate that his brother and father were attempting to enlist him as a God’s Knight.

Visiting the sacred territory of the Celestial Dragons in One Piece might shed light on Shanks’ activities following Roger’s execution. Given that Roger was executed in the East Blue, it would presumably take some time for Shanks to travel to Mary Geoise, situated along the Red Line. Additionally, if Shanks were to pause his journey for rest or recruit new crew members, this pilgrimage could potentially last several months, or even a year, contingent on any unexpected encounters or delays that might occur during his voyage.

The Celestial Dragon’s Likely Wouldn’t Deal With Shanks If He Was An Emperor

The Best Time To Visit Home Was Before His Pirating Career

It could plausibly be that Shanks was invited or chose to return to his homeland himself, given he hadn’t yet achieved full pirate captain status at that time. This meeting might have been the Celestial Dragons’ final effort to persuade him to rejoin their ranks. Moreover, this interaction may have inspired Shanks further to emulate Roger, as his visit to Mary Geoise exposed him to the oppressive nature of the World Nobles, potentially fueling his desire to challenge them.

He seems to perfer the filth of the lower world… – Shamrock regarding Shanks

It’s possible, though not definitive, that after Shanks visited Mary Geoise during the series, he might have returned to his homeland following Roger’s execution. Given that this would have been before Shanks embarked on his pirate journey, it seems plausible that the Celestial Dragons wouldn’t have welcomed him back as a pirate captain afterward. This hypothetical scenario suggests that in an alternate timeline of One Piece, Shanks could have been recruited by the God’s Knights instead, thus never rising to become an Emperor of the Sea.

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2025-03-23 16:56