One Piece shock: Shanks's mysterious mother might be the key to his true origins

Time of India

22-05-2025

One Piece doesn't believe in a flaccid Final Saga, shocking fans with huge reveals as the series enters its final chapters. One of the biggest mysteries to date in the series has to be the true origins of Shanks, the laid-back and dangerous captain of the Red-Hair Pirates.
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It's a question that has baffled fans for years and just recently did creator Eiichiro Oda give us another huge clue as to where he came from.
Shanks's mom might be a key player in the series' closing chapters.
Shanks's father is a celestial dragon – But that's not the full story
It's now a well-known fan speculation that Shanks is the son of Garling Figarland, a high-ranking Celestial Dragon and the current Supreme Commander of the Holy Knights. This dramatic turn was foreshadowed in One Piece Film Red, but was kept a secret until later in the manga and anime revealed the truth.
Fans were led to believe at first that Shanks passed down his iconic red hair from Garling—but that's not the case at all.
Confirmed: Garling Figarland is blond, not a redhead
During One Piece Episode 1129, fans were treated to his full color debut, which confirmed that Garling Figarland has blond hair. This was always a significant detail because it means that Shanks did not inherit his red hair from his father.
Of course, this isn't the only key, fans are now looking at Shanks's mysterious mother whose identity is entirely unknown.
Today, her role in that story is coming into sharper focus.
Shanks's Red hair comes from His mother – And that Matters more than you think
That red hair isn't simply an aesthetic hairstyling choice. It's a representation of identity and power that Shanks embodies. He goes by the title 'Red-Hair Shanks' and at one point went so far as to name his whole fleet the Red-Hair Pirates. If that trait was inherited from his mother, then it means that she was an incredibly powerful person and influence to him, whether she's ever been visible or named.
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In other words, it's Shanks' legacy that she might be carrying, not her father's. That by itself turns the concept of 'royal blood' on its head and foreshadows a much deeper tale connected to Shanks's principles, past, and ultimate place in the One Piece universe.
Was Shanks's mother a commoner or a member of the D clan?
One big theory that's been developing rapidly on YouTube is that Shanks's mother could have been a member of the 'D' Clan—an underground family that has a significant part in One Piece's secret past.
If true, this would make Shanks a product of a Celestial Dragon and a D, a combination that might very well topple the foundations of the world.
Another possibility is that Shanks's mom was a commoner or even a slave, which would serve to justify why neither Shanks nor his sibling Shamrock Figarland are acknowledged as Saints (the title given to pure-blood Celestial Dragons). That difference might explain why Shanks isn't a monster like the other Celestial Dragons because he was never truly one of them.
Why this reveal changes everything for Shanks
This aspect isn't simply fun factoids—it changes the entire focus and direction of Shanks's character. In contrast to most other Celestial Dragons, Shanks is honorable, compassionate, and goes to war for peace. He serves to uphold the order and balance of the world, intervening to quell worldwide conflicts on a massive scale, as evident during the Marineford War. That sort of cavalier attitude may not entirely come from his royal side.
It could very well come from his mother's values.
It provides an answer as to why Shanks has never attempted to leverage his royal blood to accumulate his own power. Rather, he transformed his life into a legacy of respect, freedom, and loyalty.
When is the next One Piece chapter coming out?
Expect more in-depth predictions and spoilers in the run-up to the release of the chapter on Sunday, May 25th, 2025. For our fans across the globe, they can read it for FREE on Manga Plus! The chapter will pick up from the Egghead Island Arc, and fans are eager to find out more about the whereabouts of Shanks's family in the subsequent chapters.
Shanks's mother may hold the final piece of the puzzle
As One Piece approaches its final arc, every little thing matters and Shanks's crimson mane could be key to something greater than readers ever expected. With his father finally established as a Celestial Dragon, the Immediate player's attention turns towards his unmentioned mother.
Were these reasons enough to consider her a D. A contrarian at least, if not a rebel? A climate infrastructure hidden hero? Whatever the case is, fans can't wait to find out. One thing's for certain—while Shanks might be holding her will, he just might be the thing that makes him the key to defeating the World Government's tyranny once and for all.