28 Years Later, One Piece Finally Fixes Its Oldest Plot Hole

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From the very start of Luffy’s adventure, Shanks has been the biggest influence on how he sees the world. Shanks, known as the Red-Haired Pirate, was Luffy’s first friend who sailed the seas, and he’s now become one of the most powerful and respected pirates in the current era.

Fans have always questioned how Shanks lost his arm. Given his incredible power and mastery of Haki in One Piece, it seemed unlikely a sea creature could catch him off guard and take his arm. Fortunately, the latest chapter of One Piece may finally explain what happened, potentially resolving a long-standing mystery and one of the series’ oldest plot holes.

Shanks Literally Severed His Connection to the World Government By Losing His Arm

Chapter 1168 of One Piece, called “The Snows of Elbaph,” focuses on what happened without showing Shanks. The chapter reveals that 14 years ago, Shanks was a strong contender to become the next Pirate King, but he mysteriously vanished during his last assignment, and that’s what drives the current story forward.

With Shanks gone, King Harald was chosen as a Knight of God. This led to the revelation in One Piece Chapter 1168 that all Knights of God are controlled by Imu through a mark called the Depths Covenant. We immediately see this control in action when Harald is forced to act against his own will, which makes us wonder: did Shanks know about this power and what it would do?

Before now, both Shanks and Harald possessed weaker versions of the Depths Covenants, called Shallows Covenants, and very little is known about what these actually do. However, considering Imu’s consistently malicious behavior, it’s unlikely the Shallows Covenant is benign.

If the Shallows Covenant connects Imu to his followers, it explains why Shanks let Luffy take his arm. The Sea King incident happened shortly – at most two years – after Shanks left the Celestial Dragons, suggesting he only decided to allow the injury at that time.

Considering this, Shanks giving up his arm isn’t a thoughtless mistake, but a purposeful act of defiance. By losing his arm, he effectively cut himself free from any control Imu had over him.

Recent developments in One Piece have huge consequences for Shanks, changing how we understand his story. Although he still appears to be a hero, his connection to the Grand Line will be forever altered now that the truth behind the loss of his arm – and how it relates to Luffy – has been revealed.

Shanks’ Connection to the Celestial Dragons Has Completely Changed His Story

For years, One Piece fans have theorized that Shanks might have Celestial Dragon ancestry, so his connection to the Figarland Family isn’t entirely surprising. What’s really interesting is that he actually went back to the Celestial Dragons, climbed their social ladder, and almost became a Knight of God – all right before he met Luffy for the first time.

Shanks appeared to oppose the Celestial Dragons, as shown by his help with Fisher Tiger’s revolt against fishman slavery, even while serving as a Devoted Blade of God. Considering this, it’s likely he infiltrated the Celestial Dragons and agreed to the Shallows Covenant to understand their inner workings.

With One Piece quickly approaching its ending, we’re learning more and more about the series’ backstory. Shanks hasn’t had a major role yet, so it’s highly likely that the author, Eiichiro Oda, will soon reveal more about why he does what he does.

Considering how well Oda has explained major events, like why Shanks lost his arm, his backstory is shaping up to be one of the most compelling parts of the One Piece saga.

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2025-12-15 06:18