Why Shanks Is Known as a Child of Fate in One Piece Lore?

One Piece Chapter 1152 has dropped and, like always, brought a new revelation with it. After last week’s break, there were a lot of speculations about what Eiichiro Oda would present to the fans with the latest chapter. It is fair to say that, despite the lack of action sequences, the chapter was still exciting as it provided a glimpse into the past.

Taking a break from Imu’s rampage, One Piece showcased the backstory of King Harald and what happened fourteen years ago at the Aurust Castle. However, the flashback also included Scopper Gaban and Shanks. One Piece’s backstories have always been exciting, but there was something that Gaban said that caught everyone’s attention. He called Shanks a “Child of Fate,” and as things stand, there might be multiple reasons for it.

Reasons Behind Shanks Being Called A “Child of Fate”

Red-Haired Shanks, popularly known as Shanks, is one of the Four Emperors in One Piece and a potent character. When it comes to Haki, only a few can rival him. Shanks is known as the “Killer of Observation Haki,” which demonstrates his credibility as a strong Haki user, capable of utilizing all types of Haki. However, Shanks being called a “Child of Fate,” while Monkey D. Luffy is the protagonist, may seem a bit far-fetched. There are several reasons behind it, and here they are as follows:

• Inheritor of the Straw Hat: One Piece episode 1 featured Red-Hair Shanks passing down his straw hat to Monkey D. Luffy. The hat originally belonged to Gol D. Roger, and at the end of his pirating journey, he passed it on to Shanks, who was supposed to carry on Roger’s will. Rayleigh and Gaban were also there, and they believed it too. Also, Kozuki Oden mentioned in his diary that Roger told Shanks something that made the latter cry. There is a mystery surrounding it, and it might be related to him being a “Child of Fate”.

• Descendent of the World Government: It has been confirmed that Shanks is the son of the former God’s Knight and currently one of the Gorosei, Saint Figarland Garling. One Piece chapter 1152 revealed Shanks’ left arm, and it had a tattoo, which could be a secret symbol or some organization he was a part of. He was supposed to be a God’s Knight, as he belonged to a prestigious family and had immense strength. However, he chose freedom rather than being a slave of the World Government. It is not every day that people get to see a descendant of the World Government going against them. A “Child of Fate” could mean he is meant to go up against his family and unearth the truth hidden for centuries.

• Destined To Be A Bearer: “Child of Fate” can mean a lot of things, and it does not specifically mean that he is the protagonist of the story or will be the one to change it. He may have been destined to be a bearer for the next generation. When the Roger Pirates learned that Joyboy was yet to be born, Roger wondered whether it would be his son, Portgas D. Ace. As a result, when Shanks stole the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika, from a World Government ship, guarded by Who’s Who, he initially wished to give it to Ace since Shanks believed him to change the world.
  
  However, when Luffy ate it mistakenly, Shanks was disappointed but soon overcame and made a bet on it. He bore the duty of nurturing Joyboy, and for that reason, he saved Luffy multiple times, including the Sea Monster attack, stopping Kaido from going to Marineford, stopping the Marineford War, as Luffy could have died, etc. But after Luffy unlocked Gear 5 and reached his true potential, Shanks fulfilled his duty as the bearer and nurturer. He had all the time in the world to go for One Piece, but specifically chose to go after it when Luffy awakened his Devil Fruit, signifying the latter was ready to change the world.

At the moment, everything is a speculation on why Shanks is called a “Child of Fate.” The next few chapters may be crucial to decrypt the truth behind it.

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Also Read: The Elite Few Who Wield Conqueror’s Haki in One Piece

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Source: Fan Theories, One Piece chapter 1152 Manga Plus