Rocks D. Xebec, the forgotten legend of the old era, is making a major return as a central figure in the One Piece story during the Elbaf arc. Beyond revealing deep details about Rocks, creator Eiichiro Oda has officially confirmed his lineage and the true heir to his will in the current timeline.
While fans have long assumed Blackbeard (Marshall D. Teach) to be Rocks’ successor, Oda shocked everyone by revealing that Rocks D. Xebec’s power and fighting style were actually fully inherited by a different character.
Blackbeard: Heir to Rocks’ Bloodline and Ambition
The Elbaf storyline not only focuses on the Giant Tribe but also officially confirms one of the biggest fan theories: Rocks D. Xebec is the father of Marshall D. Teach.
Blackbeard is clearly a “monster” and shares many similarities with Rocks in terms of goals: both crave to overthrow the world and claim the top spot. Teach even established his base on Pirate Island, just like Rocks did in the past.
However, the similarities end there. Rocks’ personality is revealed to be more honorable than Blackbeard’s, and most importantly, their fighting styles are completely different. Teach did not inherit any of his legendary father’s distinctive combat skills.
The True Heir of Rocks D. Xebec Is… Red-Haired Shanks
The biggest surprise for fans is that Oda revealed Shanks the Red-Haired as the one who inherited Rocks D. Xebec’s fighting style and combat abilities. This is a major twist since Shanks and Blackbeard are fierce rivals, and Shanks has no blood relation to Rocks.
Flashbacks about Rocks clarify his unique fighting style: he fought with a sword but didn’t actually “slash” his enemies. Instead, his sword was famous for generating massive destructive force, blowing everything around into pieces, as if hit by a cannon or a giant hammer.
This distinctive technique was later learned and adapted by Gol D. Roger into his own style. Eventually, Shanks observed Roger’s fighting and successfully inherited this power, making it his preferred combat style as one of the Four Emperors.
Today, Shanks is not only the inheritor of Rocks’ fighting skills but also the strongest living pirate in the world, despite formidable rivals like Teach (Rocks’ biological son) and Luffy. These revelations highlight how the legendary Rocks D. Xebec’s influence continues to spread unexpectedly across the pirate world.