Who ate Shanks arm?

One of the biggest mysteries in the world of One Piece is what happened to Red-Haired Shanks’ left arm. Shanks is one of the Four Emperors in the One Piece world and a former member of Gol D. Roger’s crew. He is first introduced in chapter 1 with only one arm, but no explanation is initially given as to how he lost it. This has led to endless speculation among One Piece fans for over 20 years. In this article, we will analyze the main theories about who or what ate Shanks’ arm and evaluate the evidence for each one.

Table of Contents

The Sea King Attack

The most well-known theory is that Shanks lost his arm saving Luffy from a Sea King attack. This theory comes from a scene in chapter 1 where Shanks scares away a Sea King that is about to eat Luffy. Shanks blocks the Sea King’s attack with his arm, allowing Luffy to escape unharmed. Afterwards, Shanks is missing his left arm, leading readers to conclude the Sea King bit it off while Shanks protected Luffy. There are 5 key pieces of evidence supporting this theory:

Shanks blocks the Sea King’s mouth with his left arm right before losing the arm.
Blood is visible in the water after the attack, implying his arm was bitten off.
Luffy blames himself for Shanks losing his arm.

The narration boxes state Shanks “lost his left arm protecting Luffy”.
Shanks says he bet his arm on Luffy being the future Pirate King.

Overall, Oda provides a lot of contextual clues pointing to a Sea King attack costing Shanks his arm. The timing of events strongly implies this theory is true.

Counter Evidence

However, there are some issues with the Sea King attack theory:

No Sea King is visible biting Shanks’ arm off on panel.
No character explicitly confirms a Sea King did it.

It seems strange Shanks wouldn’t be able to scare off or kill the Sea King with his Haki before losing an arm.

While minor, these issues have led some fans to speculate there is more to the story.

Blackbeard Theory

An alternative theory proposed by some fans is that Blackbeard was responsible for cutting off Shanks’ arm. Possible evidence includes:

Blackbeard gave Shanks his three scars on his eye.
Shanks says Blackbeard “is not ready for that level yet” when warning Whitebeard, implying a previous confrontation.
Blackbeard later scarred Shanks commander Yasopp, suggesting an earlier fight.

Shanks stopping Kaido from reaching Marineford could have been to prevent Blackbeard’s capture.

According to this theory, an earlier battle between Shanks and Blackbeard resulted in Shanks losing his arm. Blackbeard was then able to extract Whitebeard’s Gura Gura no Mi devil fruit power from Shanks’ severed arm. This would explain how Blackbeard suddenly acquired this powerful logia ability.

Problems With Blackbeard Theory

However, the Blackbeard theory contradicts the manga in several ways:

No character ever mentions Blackbeard taking Shanks’ arm.
The timeline doesn’t match since Shanks had already lost his arm when he met Luffy as a child.
Shanks’ arm was bitten off based on the blood in the water.

Blackbeard was afraid of Shanks at Marineford and avoided fighting him.

So while an interesting idea, the current information suggests Blackbeard did not remove Shanks’ arm.

Rocks D. Xebec

Another theory is that Rocks D. Xebec, captain of the Rocks Pirates, was responsible for taking Shanks’ arm. Possible evidence includes:

Shanks was an apprentice on Roger’s ship that defeated the Rocks Pirates.
Losing an arm mirrors how Rocks scarred Kaido.
Big Mom wonders if Shanks can “take an arm or leg from her” like Rocks did.

According to this idea, losing to Rocks early in his pirating career cost Shanks his arm. This traumatic event could have motivated Shanks to get stronger and eventually become an Emperor.

Rocks Theory Problems

However, key details contradict Shanks losing his arm to Rocks:

The Rocks Pirates were defeated over 38 years before the main story begins.

Shanks still had both arms when he was an apprentice on Roger’s ship.
Roger didn’t become Pirate King until after defeating Rocks.

So the timeline simply does not line up for Rocks being responsible. Shanks lost his arm much later on.

God Valley Incident

A more plausible historical theory involves the God Valley Incident. 38 years before the main story, the Rocks Pirates attempted a coup in the holy land of God Valley. They clashed with Roger Pirates and the Marines, including Garp and Sengoku. Details are scarce, but we know God Valley sank during the battle.

Some speculate Shanks lost his arm during this incident as an apprentice on Roger’s ship. Potential evidence includes:

The timeline lines up better, with Shanks on Roger’s ship around this time.

A great battle sinking an island could explain a traumatic injury.
Other major characters like Big Mom and Kaido were involved.

If accurate, losing his arm at God Valley could still have been a pivotal moment for a young Shanks on the path toward becoming an Emperor.

Issues With God Valley Theory

However, there are once again some contradictory details:

Shanks is not mentioned as being at God Valley, though Roger’s crew may have arrived later.
No character ever references Shanks losing his arm at God Valley.

The narration implies Shanks lost his arm shortly before meeting Luffy.

So while possible, there is no direct evidence currently linking Shanks’ lost arm to the God Valley Incident.

Betting on the Future

Rather than a specific event or character, a more abstract theory is that Shanks bet his arm on the future. In chapter 1, Shanks says he bet his arm on Luffy becoming the Pirate King one day. Some interpret this literally, that Shanks willingly lost his arm as a sacrifice to place a “bet” on the future he believes in.

Under this theory, Shanks allowed his arm to be cut off, potentially by Mihawk or even himself, to change the fate of the world. His sacrifice saved Luffy and set events in motion for a new Pirate King to usher in a new era. The specifics are unclear, but Shanks intentionally gave up his arm to bet on Luffy and the future.

Betting Theory Analysis

The betting theory fits Shanks’ personality and outlook as a dreamer who inspires change. However, the main weakness is that chapter 1 implies Shanks involuntarily lost his arm protecting Luffy, not an intentional sacrifice. And narratively, it lessens the emotional impact of the scene if Shanks’ choice was premeditated and voluntary.

So the betting theory makes thematic sense and cannot be ruled out entirely, but contradicts aspects of chapter 1.

Conclusion

After analyzing the main theories, the Sea King attack remains the most likely explanation for how Shanks lost his arm:

It fits the sequence of events shown in chapter 1.
Blood is visible in the water where his arm was lost.

Luffy and the narration boxes say Shanks lost his arm protecting him.
Oda foreshadowed devil fruits when the Sea King wasn’t deterred from entering the water.

While minor issues exist, the manga portrays Shanks sacrificing his arm in the moment to selflessly save Luffy. Alternative theories with Blackbeard, Rocks, and God Valley lack strong direct evidence in the manga or contradict the timeline.

In the end, until confirmed otherwise, the Sea King attack remains the simplest and most logical theory for how Shanks lost his arm based on the full context of the story.