This article contains spoilers from One Piece's Elbaf Arc.

Summary

Shanks is the Child of Destiny
He will take down the Gods
Shanks will make a difference in the final war of One Piece

One Piece's Elbaf arc has thrown quite a lot of focus on the character of Shanks, despite him not being directly involved in the story. While fans did expect more direct involvement from Shanks in this arc, it appears that Oda is building his character more, bit by bit, before actually allowing him to make moves in the present timeline of the story. Shanks is incredibly exciting already, and fans know that he has a massive role to play.

One Piece Zoro Next Power Up Mihawk Level

One Piece: Oda Has Already Revealed Zoro's Next Big Power Up, And It Puts Him Close To Mihawk

Zoro is gaining in power in the Final Saga of One Piece. He might soon be on Mihawk's level.

Posts 1

By Rei Penber

But if what Oda had done for him so far wasn't enough, what's coming next is even more exciting, as Shanks has now officially been labelled as the Child of Destiny. Naturally, some fans are confused about what that could actually mean, but Oda has already revealed the answer to that question.

Shanks Is The Child of Destiny

Shanks Is A Former Celestial Dragon
He Will Take Down The Gods

In One Piece chapter 1152, fans got to see a flashback of Scopper Gaban and Shanks, where they were taking a bath together, 14 years ago. It was here that Shanks was seen looking back at his life, and acknowledging how much it had changed. Gaban specifically referred to Shanks as the Child of Destiny, which means that the Roger Pirates knew that Shanks was special and more than that, that he has a special role cut out for him. Shanks will shape the future of the world, and Oda has highlighted that on many occasions.

You are the child of destiny! — Gaban to Shanks

He's the one who secured the Nika fruit from the clutches of the World Government, and at the same time, it is Shanks who set Luffy on the path to becoming a pirate. Without Shanks, Nika wouldn't return, and without him, Nika won't win against the Devil either. After all, the previous two times, Nika lost to the enemies. This time, however, Shanks is there to make a difference, and this is why his role as the Child of Destiny is important.

One Piece: Oda Confirms Luffy Will Gain A New Haki, But 1 Character Is Far Stronger

Luffy will get a new power-up soon, but this one character remains superior in One Piece.

Posts 10

By Rei Penber

When Luffy became a Yonko, Oda drew Shanks in a conversation with Ben Beckman, drinking sake. The bottle had “Number 5, 67” written on it, which is a reference to “Destiny” symphony No.5 Opus 67 by Beethoven. Once again, it is Oda's subtle way to tell the fans that Shanks's destiny is to bring back Nika and restore order in the world.

Shanks Will Make The Difference In The Final War Of One Piece

A Celestial Dragon Will Ensure The Fall Of Celestial Dragons

In the Final War of One Piece, Shanks is going to play an exceptionally important role. He will lead from the front and fight the very same Celestial Dragons to whom he belongs. Shanks is a fallen God, but he cares not for glory or his former status, but for the freedom of his friends and those he loves. Shanks loves peace, and he wants to have carefree adventures. Above all, Shanks believes in Nika, and this is why it is his responsibility to ensure that the biggest change in the Final Saga of One Piece is facilitated.

One Piece Chapter 1153 will be out this week. As usual, One Piece is going to drop on Sunday. In Japan, One Piece drops at 12AM JST on Monday. However, the vast majority of international readers will see the chapter available on June 29. The official release date of One Piece Chapter 1152 is June 29, 2025. Fans can read the chapter for free on Manga Plus.

Rating block community and brand ratings Image

Display card tags widget

TV-14

Anime

Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget

Release Date: October 20, 1999
Network: Fuji TV
Directors: Hiroaki Miyamoto, Konosuke Uda, Junji Shimizu, Satoshi Itō, Munehisa Sakai, Katsumi Tokoro, Yutaka Nakajima, Yoshihiro Ueda, Kenichi Takeshita, Yoko Ikeda, Ryota Nakamura, Hiroyuki Kakudou, Takahiro Imamura, Toshihiro Maeya, Yûji Endô, Nozomu Shishido, Hidehiko Kadota, Sumio Watanabe, Harume Kosaka, Yasuhiro Tanabe, Yukihiko Nakao, Keisuke Onishi, Junichi Fujise, Hiroyuki Satou