The entire history of One Piece is full of wild theories about One Piece, many of which revolve around Shanks. Shanks is undoubtedly one of the most mysterious characters One Piece has to offer, and countless fans still wonder who Shanks's father is in One Piece.

Shanks may be the biological son of Rocks D. Xebec, the leader of the Rocks Pirates in One Piece. The theory is that Shanks was found by Garp as a one-year-old baby after Rocks' defeat at God Valley 38 years prior. However, there is no official evidence proving Shanks's ancestry yet, and there are also conflicting theories, such as Shanks being a Celestial Dragon.

While there are certainly still a ton of questions regarding Shanks' past and background, fans have been able to piece together potential cases based on various details throughout the story. Stick around to find out everything you need to know about Shanks' possible father in One Piece, as well as why many fans believe Rocks D. Xebec is Shanks's father.

Who is Shanks' father in One Piece?

Shanks has been surrounded by speculation from One Piece fans for ages, having a massive influence on the One Piece world and being a point of interest for many powerful figures. Fans know a little more about Shanks' past thanks to the release of One Piece Film: Red, where it is revealed that Shanks was found in a treasure chest as a baby – similar to how Uta was found by Shanks later.

But even with this revelation, there are still tons of questions—in fact, this revelation may have raised even more questions for One Piece fans around the world. Amid all the speculation surrounding Shanks, such as whether Shanks is truly evil and whether Shanks is actually married, many fans are still desperate to know who Shanks's father is.

There is still no solid evidence pointing to Shanks's biological parents, although Oda has given fans more insight into the obscure character's past. Below are the most likely candidates for Shanks's father in One Piece, all of which many One Piece fans believe for various reasons.

Is Shanks Rocks the son of D. Xebec?

The most popular theory, especially after the release of One Piece Film: Red, is that Shanks is actually the biological son of the legendary Rocks D. Xebec—a ruthless pirate who ruled approximately 40 years before One Piece's birth. Rocks D. Xebec was infamous for leading the Rocks Pirates in One Piece, who were considered the most feared pirate crew of the time and included young versions of many major One Piece villains like Big Mom and Kaido.

Rocks D. Xebec, commonly referred to as "Rocks," was actually an incredibly cruel pirate—desirous of becoming king of the entire world at any cost. While very little is known about Rocks, it is believed that Rocks D. Xebec was powerful, intelligent, and knowledgeable (especially when it came to information and world secrets).

It is believed that Shanks, who is 39 years old in the One Piece storyline, was actually found as a baby (around 1 year old at the time) after the God Valley Incident (which is believed to have occurred around 38 years before the One Piece storyline). Fans who support the theory believe that Shanks may have been found on the Rock Pirates' ship by Garp and Roger after they defeated Xebec.

Based on the political situation of the One Piece universe, Shanks was supposedly doomed from the start simply by being Xebec's son. It is believed that Garp and Gol D. Roger may have kept this a secret, allowing Shanks to take on a new identity on Roger's ship. There are also other variations on this theory regarding the possible order of events, detailed below thanks to Anime no Mi.

A twist like this would be insane, but it would also be incredibly poetic given the other details we've learned about the key players in this theory. For example, it would make more sense as to why Roger entrusted Ace to Garp, but there's something very interesting here about the connection between Shanks and Uta.

One Piece Movie: Red also revealed that Shanks found Uta in a treasure chest when he was a baby (around 1 year old), after which he passed her on so she would take on a new identity and live a happy life. even though she initially believed he had abandoned her. The similarity between Uta and Shanks both being found in a treasure chest at around 1 year old is already interesting enough, but this added similarity in having an "identity change" twist of fate would be quite ironic.

Alternate Theory: Shanks is a decoy for Rock D. Xebec's son (Buggy the Clown)

Of course, it goes without saying that this theory is surrounded by debate since it's quite widespread, but some fans believe that Shanks is a decoy for Xebec's true son. This alternate theory revolves around the same key elements, such as timelines, ages, and coincidences, but it claims that Xebec's true son is actually Buggy the Clown.

Buggy is also 39 years old and shared a similar upbringing to Shanks, making him a possible candidate to become Xebec's son. Furthermore, his origins are also a mystery to fans. Oda apparently teased that Buggy also has the potential to become one of One Piece's most powerful characters, only adding fuel to the flames of speculation.

To top it all off, an official Vivre card contained data indicating Buggy's origins as the "Grand Line," which is also where God Valley once stood. Considering that tons of people would go after the son of one of the most infamous One Piece pirates of all time, it's possible that a plan was devised to hide Xebec's true son. Even if this were true, it would still leave questions as to who Shanks's father is.

Is Shanks a Celestial Dragon?

That being said, many fans still cling to the theory that Shanks is a descendant of the Celestial Dragons in One Piece. This theory holds that Shanks is actually the son of an unnamed Celestial Dragon, though there isn't as much evidence to support it.

Many fans have used the way powerful figures in the One Piece world treat Shanks as a way to support the theory. However, this could be due to various other reasons, such as Shanks having a huge influence on the future of the One Piece world. Furthermore, Shanks's background found in a treasure chest is now considered canon, which would add gaping holes to the Celestial Dragon theory. Still, it's possible fans will be surprised by new, groundbreaking revelations in time.

That's all there is to know about Shanks' possible father in One Piece so far, with images courtesy of the One Piece Wiki. While there is no official proof that Xebec is Shanks's father, there is substantial evidence that could indicate that this is the case.

Oda is infamous for leading fans on with ambiguous details, and it's rare for coincidences to be unintentional. While we don't have anything concrete yet, many fans are keeping their fingers crossed for an Oda sketch featuring Rocks D. Xebec with red hair—hopefully, Shanks' origins and last name will be revealed in future episodes of One Piece!