The latest Elbaf arc has been absolutely insane and with the introduction of Shamrock Figarland – Shanks’ twin brother. The who is stronger is the kind of debate in every anime that could start a war in the fans community. It’s like arguing whether Goku or Saitama would win in a fight except this time, we are dealing with two red haired legends who share the same bloodline but had completely different upbringings. For results we to have break down Haki, Devil Fruits, combat experience and the all important One Piece power scaling logic.
The Battle of the Red Haired Twins Shanks & Shamrock
The Two Figarland Brothers by now we know that Shanks and Shamrock are twins. They’re both the sons of Garling Figarland. While Shanks ended up becoming the feared captain of the Red-Haired Pirates, Shamrock was raised by the Celestial Dragons and became one of the strongest figures in the World Government. Its basically the ultimate “Nature vs. Nurture” experiment. Shanks was raised by Gol D. Roger one of the freest men on the seas, while Shamrock was brought up in the world of the Celestial Dragons where strength equals control. This means one thing that their combat philosophies are totally different. Shanks fights like a pirate relying on his insane Haki to dominate the battlefield just like Roger. Shamrock fights like a knight trained to serve the World Government, probably wielding a powerful Devil Fruit on top of his Haki.But which one would win? Let’s get straight
Haki vs. Haki
Who’s More Broken? If we’re talking about raw Haki ability, Shanks is already in the conversation for “strongest Haki user in One Piece.” Remember how Kaido ranked the strongest fighters in the world ? He put Roger, Whitebeard, Shanks, Rocks, and Oden at the top. All of them were known for their insane Haki, and none of them needed a Devil Fruit to be ridiculously strong.Shanks’ Haki feats – Knocked out Admirals from miles away in Marineford without even trying. One-shot Eustass Kid and his entire fleet in Elbaf using just his Conqueror’s Haki. Clashed with Whitebeard and literally split the sky like it was nothing.Made Green Bull run for his life without even stepping on the island.Shamrock’s Haki is still a mystery, but here’s what we can guess: He is leader of the God Knights meaning his Haki must be at least Admiral level. If really he is Shanks’ twin. His Haki potential should be on the same level. He was raised by the Celestial Dragons, meaning he’s been trained in elite combat since birth.That being said, Shanks still has the edge when it comes to Haki unless Shamrock pulls out some overpowered never seen before Celestial Dragon Haki technique.
Shamrock’s Devil Fruit – A broken wild card
Here’s where things get interesting unlike Shanks who fights with pure Haki, Shamrock probably has a Devil Fruit and if we have learned anything from One Piece, it’s that the strongest members of the World Government always have busted abilities. The Admirals have Devil Fruits that manipulate nature itself. The Gorosei just pulled out some insane Mythical Zoan abilities. Imu’s power is still unknown but it’s probably something beyond logic. So if Shamrock is the leader of the God Knights, there’s no way he is fruitless.
Theories suggest: A Time based Paramecia allowing him to rewind or accelerate his movements. A Mythical Zoan, turning him into some godly warrior like the Gorosei. A Sword based Devil Fruit, making his blade insanely overpowered (kind of like Law’s Ope Ope no Mi). If Shamrock’s fruit is as overpowered as we think then this could be the only thing that gives him an edge over Shanks.
Shanks The Free Pirate vs Shamrock The Controlled Knight
Shanks has been a pirate since childhood. He grew up under Roger, fought with legends like Mihawk and became a Yonko before we even knew what a Yonko was. He’s had decades of experience battling the best of the best, including Kaido, Big Mom, Whitebeard and the Marines. Shamrock on the other hand was raised in the controlled elitist world of the Celestial Dragons. While he may be the strongest warriors in the World Government, he hasn’t had the same kind of rea world experience as Shanks.There’s a big difference between training and actual war. Think about it—Shamrock might have all the techniques but if he’s never faced a pirate of Shanks’ level in a real death match he might not be able to handle it when things get chaotic. That said, if Shamrock is anything like Garling Figarland then he’s probably a ruthless, no-nonsense killer machine which would make him extremely dangerous.
Who will win this Fight ?
Alright, the result is here. If Shanks and Shamrock were to throw down in an all-out battle then based on these scenarios we will conclude-
Scenario 1: If Shamrock’s Devil Fruit is Busted — He Has a Shot
If Shamrock has an insanely broken Devil Fruit, something that lets him bypass Haki defenses, alter time, or manipulate reality then he could pose a serious threat to Shanks. Shanks’ biggest weakness is that he doesn’t have a Devil Fruit. He relies purely on Haki, and while that makes him ridiculously strong, it also means he has no counter if Shamrock has an ability that ignores Haki entirely.In that case, Shamrock could win.
Scenario 2: If It’s Just Haki vs. Haki — Shanks Wins
But if this fight comes down to pure skill, Haki and battle experience then Shanks takes it. He’s the most feared Yonko on the planet and has been compared to Roger, Whitebeard, and Rocks. His Conqueror’s Haki alone is enough to dominate most opponents. Shamrock might be a God Knight but unless he has an ability that completely negates Haki, he’s not beating Shanks in a straight-up fight
Is Shamrock the Stronger Brother ?
Right now Shanks is still stronger but Shamrock has the potential to surpass him. If Oda gives Shamrock a crazy Devil Fruit, a unique Haki ability, or some game changing power that we haven’t seen before then he could be the strongest Figarland by the end of the series. That being said, Shanks is still the GOAT right now. Until Shamrock proves himself in battle, he’s just another overhyped villain waiting to get humbled by Luffy.