Possible Clues in One Piece Anime Suggest Buggy and Shanks’ Parentage Through Garling Figarland’s Character Design

The release of One Piece episode 1120 on September 22, 2024, sent ripples through the fandom, especially with the unveiling of Garling Figarland’s blond hair. Fans had anticipated it would be red like that of Shanks. However, this unexpected hair color revelation has sparked theories suggesting Garling Figarland may be the father of a well-known pirate, specifically connecting to Buggy due to the hair color similarity displayed during the One Piece Stampede movie.

While the familial ties between Shanks and Garling Figarland remain ambiguous, the resemblance between Shanks and the enigmatic Rocks D Xebec may point towards deeper connections, as noted by the legendary Whitebeard.

As fans speculate about these lineages, reality might diverge significantly from the collective imagination of the fandom.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are the author’s own.

One Piece: Delving into the Connection Between Buggy and Garling Figarland

Buggy as seen in the movie (Image via Toei Animation) — Buggy in the movie (Image via Toei Animation)

In One Piece episode 1120, Garling Figarland takes the spotlight after executing the Celestial Dragon Saint Donquixote Mjosgard for aiding the oppressed Fisherman tribe against another Celestial Dragon.

To the surprise of many, Garling’s hair revealed during the episode was golden, which contradicted speculation throughout the manga that he could be Shanks’ father.

This twist opens possibilities for another pirate to potentially be considered Garling’s son, particularly in light of a revelation from the One Piece Stampede movie where Buggy appeared with blonde hair, diverging from the blue hair he has sported from the series’ inception.

This discrepancy might imply that Buggy is concealing his true identity from the world by dyeing his hair blue. Additionally, Garling’s character design features a prominent nose that does not resemble Shanks’ but reflects Buggy’s concealed features behind his characteristic red nose, leading to speculation that Buggy could indeed be a ‘potential’ son of Garling Figarland.

The Dynamic Between Shanks and Rocks D Xebec

Rocks D Xebec as seen in the anime (Image via Toei Animation) — Rocks D Xebec in the anime (Image via Toei Animation)

Should Garling Figarland not be identified as Shanks’ father, who could fill that role? Hints have surfaced during the initial encounter between Shanks and Whitebeard, where Whitebeard remarked about a scar on his face that he received in a past conflict.

The series has yet to clarify who inflicted this scar, but all signs point towards Rocks D Xebec as a likely suspect.

Whitebeard was formerly part of the Rocks Pirates, a crew led by Rocks D Xebec, whose ambition to become the King of the World ultimately led to the disbanding of his crew due to his selfish behavior.

Given Whitebeard’s forgiving nature, it’s conceivable that Rocks did something significant to Whitebeard’s actual family, which initiated their conflict and resulted in Whitebeard acquiring that scar. If Shanks’ appearance evokes memories of the person responsible for that scar, this could imply a profound connection, potentially suggesting that Shanks is the son of Rocks D Xebec.

Final Thoughts

It is essential to approach this article with a critical mindset, as the theories presented are speculative and stem from non-canon materials, such as the movies. Nevertheless, previous films have confirmed canon elements (like Aokiji’s broken leg). If these speculations hold any truth, Buggy’s traits may align with those of the Celestial Dragons, reinforcing the idea that he is, in fact, Garling’s son.

However, if this theory proves accurate, it could negate numerous others, including the Shanks twin theory and Buggy’s potential ties to the Nefertari clan.

Thus, view this theory as a source of entertainment, and always await confirmation from the One Piece source material.

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