For a long time, the One Piece community suspected Red-Haired Shanks of being a double agent, secretly supporting the Celestial Dragons.
It’s understandable why fans doubted him, especially when someone who looks exactly like Shanks boldly met the Five Elders in chapter 907. Plus, the One Piece Film: Red hinted at his noble Figarland heritage. The story arc on Elbaph later confirmed Shanks truly carries pure Celestial Dragon blood.
However, Shanks’ actions have never served the so-called “justice” of the World Government. On the contrary, he consistently disrupts and severely damages the interests of the nobility. He doesn’t just bully minor nobles like Saint Charlos, but also causes headaches for the Holy Knights, the Five Elders, and even the supreme Imu.
Here are five classic ways Shanks has “betrayed” the Celestial Dragons.
1. Secretly backing Fisher Tiger’s raid on Mary Geoise
One of the wildest revelations came in the Elbaph flashback in chapter 1167. While Fisher Tiger was infiltrating Mary Geoise alone to free slaves, he encountered Shanks.
Instead of arresting him, Shanks quietly cut his chains, opened the weapons storage, and even guided Fisher Tiger’s actions. Shanks’ aid indirectly led to Mary Geoise being burned down and thousands of slaves escaping, including the three Boa sisters.
Ironically, right after, Shanks acted cold and arrogant before his family, even hunting down the very man behind the chaos he helped create.
2. Pretending to join the World Government then fleeing with secret documents
About 15 years ago, Shanks returned to Mary Geoise and was fully supported by Saint Garling to quickly rise among the Holy Knights. But just a year later, right before his promotion, Shanks suddenly vanished.
His time there was a cover to infiltrate the core system, investigate, and gather intelligence. When he escaped, he took with him explosive secrets, including terrifying details about the pact with Imu.
Many fans believe Shanks’ precise targeting of the CP9 escort ship to steal the Gomu Gomu no Mi wasn’t a coincidence but a result of the intel he stole.
3. Holding off Harald to help Loki gain the mythical dragon power Niddhoggr
Fourteen years ago, Shanks traveled to Elbaph to warn Harald against signing a pact to become a Holy Knight, but it was too late. King Harald’s soul was bound by Imu, turning him into a cold puppet of the World Government.
Though unable to defeat Harald directly, Shanks and Scopper Gaban’s daring intervention bought priceless time. This allowed Loki to consume the mythical dragon-type Devil Fruit Model: Niddhoggr.
Imagine if Harald had caught Loki and gained that power, the World Government would have gained an unbeatable monster. Shanks’ actions effectively cut off a powerful arm of the Celestial Dragons.
4. Snatching the Gomu Gomu no Mi right under CP9’s nose
This is probably Shanks’ biggest “crime” from Imu’s perspective. For 800 years, the Five Elders and Imu repeatedly failed to reclaim the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika (disguised as Gomu Gomu).
Just when the World Government seemed certain of victory, sending CP9 and Who’s-Who to escort the treasure, Shanks suddenly appeared and brazenly stole it. Chapter 1179 reveals this grudge still haunts Nerona Imu today. After eight centuries of searching, the precious fruit was snatched by a Figarland-blooded kid, no wonder Imu can’t let it go!
5. Delivering the legendary Devil Fruit to Imu’s worst enemy
No one knows Shanks’ original intention when he stole the fruit, but he clearly never planned to eat it himself. When docking at Foosha Village, a “miracle” or accident happened, young Luffy casually ate the precious Devil Fruit, surprising the entire Red Hair crew.
The Red Hair Pirates include masters of advanced Observation Haki like Shanks and Yasopp, yet none noticed Luffy quietly devouring the “world’s fate” right beside them.
Now, Luffy has awakened the power of the Sun God Nika, smashing bases, defeating Celestial Dragons, and becoming an existential threat to Imu’s throne. While some think the Nika fruit chose Luffy on its own, without Shanks’ “delivery,” the era of the new Straw Hat Emperor would never have begun.