One Piece fans are calling Shanks a fraud (and they're missing the point)

One Piece episode 1081 saw Shanks emerge as a direct rival to Monkey D. Luffy as he declared his intention to pursue the One Piece treasure. This development has caused some fans to label Shanks as a fraud, particularly because he chose to act immediately after Luffy and his companions defeated Kaido and Big Mom.

Shanks' decision to make his move right after the demise of two of the strongest pirate crews in the world has also made fans question whether Shanks would even be able to square off against Kaido and Big Mom on his own, seeing that they both have stronger crew members compared to Shanks.

However, multiple factors come into play in Shanks' favor in this situation, showing that he is not a fraud and is, in fact, a far more shrewd character than he outwardly portrays.

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One Piece fans spark debate over Shanks being a fraud

In the world of One Piece, there are characters who are known for talking big but not always following through with their actions. A notable example of this is Buggy, who cleverly bluffed his way into becoming a Yonko. However, there is one more Yonko (Emperor of the Sea) who falls into this category: Red Hair Shanks.

In One Piece episode 1081, Shanks made a declaration about pursuing the One Piece treasure, which led fans to label him as a fraud. According to fans, Shanks waited for Luffy and his companions to defeat Big Mom and Kaido, making a way for him to finally make his move for the ultimate treasure.

Some fans have also stated that Shanks has been a Yonko for six years, and in this time he has never once decided to go for the treasure and compete with Kaido and Big Mom for it. This shows that he was either scared to go all out against these two or he was biding his time until someone else came along and defeated them.

This theory carries some merit since Kaido and Big Mom commanded remarkably powerful crews, featuring members like King, Katakuri, Queen, Smoothie, Cracker, Jack, and many others. On top of that, Kaido was known as the strongest creature on land, air, and sea. Even with Gear 5, Luffy barely managed to win against Kaido, which shows what a monster he was.

Big Mom was a formidable Yonko as well, equipped with a Devil Fruit that granted her the ability to extract and steal people's souls as long as they were afraid of her. Furthermore, she possessed remarkable mastery of all three forms of Haki, which, combined with her superhuman strength, durability, and speed, as well as her special homies, Zeus and Prometheus, made her a truly formidable adversary.

Thus, even if Shanks were to engage in an all-out battle against these two, it was a guarantee that he or his crew wouldn't come out of this conflict unscathed. Thus, it is possible that Shanks avoided making his move for the One Piece because of them for all these years.

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Why Shanks is the real deal and not a fraud like some fans suggest

There are several instances where Shanks has shown what he's capable of. He came to Whitebeard's ship alone and had a drink with him, urging him to call off the search for Blackbeard, stating that he was a dangerous and clever individual who could inflict unforseen havoc. Whitebeard saw this as an insulting request and clashed with Shanks, with their brief fight causing a rift to open in the clouds.

The Red Hair Pirates also intercepted Kaido and his crew, who were attempting to launch an attack on Whitebeard, who was on the verge of going to Marineford and facing off against the Navy in an effort to rescue Ace.

When the Whitebeard Pirates were on the brink of defeat at Marineford and Luffy's life was in jeopardy, Shanks and his crew arrived at the right moment and stopped the Paramount War. Shanks threatened the Blackbeard Pirates and the Marines to pull back their forces unless they wanted to fight the Red Hair Pirates. This ended up making Blackbeard leave, and Sengoku ordered a ceasefire.

It was also revealed that Shanks and Mihawk fought each other often, with all their battles ending in a draw. However, their rivalry stopped after Shanks returned from East Blue, losing his dominant arm. This shows that Shanks was powerful enough to go toe to toe with the Strongest Swordsman in the World.

Shanks, with his Conqueror's Haki, was able to threaten Admiral Green Bull as well, making him retreat with his tail between his legs. In the ongoing Egghead Arc, Shanks defeated Eustass Kid with a single blow of Divine Departure, showing for the first time his true strength.

Kid had grown significantly stronger during the Wano Arc, awakening his Devil Fruit while fighting against Big Mom. Together with Trafalgar Law, he successfully took down Big Mom, resulting in their bounties soaring to three billion berries. For him to be defeated by Shanks in one strike shows that Oda hasn't revealed anything about the depth of his strength yet.

Shanks talking to the Gorosei (Image via Toei Animation)

Aside from his physical strength, he is a master tactician as well, never fighting someone unless absolutely necessary. This might be the reason why he never directly confronted Big Mom and Kaido. He is also extremely well connected with some of the key players in One Piece.

He was shown talking to the Five Elders about a "certain pirate" at Mariejois, which is interesting because this Holy Land is forbidden to all pirates, even if they happen to be a Yonko. This shows that he is no normal pirate and has significant influence even at the highest level of the World Government.

Recently, One Piece fans also got to see the younger version of Saint Figarland Garling, the Supreme Commander of the Holy Knights, an order of knights who are employed by the World Government and operate in Mariejois as law enforcement. This was a huge revelation, as Garling, during his earlier years, bore a striking resemblance to Shanks, albeit with a distinct hairstyle.

Thus, it's possible that he is Shanks' real father, which would explain why Shanks' Conqueror's Haki is one of the strongest in One Piece. It is also important to note that a one-year-old Shanks was found at God Valley in a treasure chest by Roger and Rayleigh, who decided to take him in.

Seeing that Garling took part in the Native Hunting Competition hosted on God Valley thirty-eight years ago and Shanks was found on this island at the same time, it doesn't appear to be a mere coincidence. Thus, Shanks might just be a Celestial Dragon himself.

Considering all of these factors, it becomes evident that Shanks is one of the most enigmatic and impactful characters within the One Piece universe and, in no way, a fraud. He is a strategic individual who prioritizes intellect over brute force, a quality that sets him apart from the majority of pirates in One Piece.