Shanks’ Scar: Possible Origins and Theories Behind It

Despite being one of the last adversaries in One Piece and a notorious figure on the Grand Line, Blackbeard remains shrouded in mystery. Despite having been mentioned prior to the timeskip, very little is known about this enigmatic pirate aside from his past affiliation with the Whitebeard Pirates.

One of the most enduring enigmas is the origin of Shanks’ facial scar, inflicted by Blackbeard, despite Shanks’ formidable strength. However, a more intriguing inquiry to consider is whether Blackbeard was truly responsible for Shanks’ scar.

The idea of dual personalities has been present in the series, with characters such as Cavendish. However, the widely accepted theory that Blackbeard possesses more than one heart further reinforces the possibility of him having multiple personalities. One of these personalities could potentially be responsible for scarring Shanks’ face, as Blackbeard himself is not known for his physical strength or strong-will.

Please note that all opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.

Exploring the Identity of the Person Who Gave Shanks His Infamous Scar in One Piece

The meeting between Whitebeard and Shanks (Image via Toei Animation)

During One Piece episode 316, Shanks paid a visit to Whitebeard, one of the Emperors of the Sea, also known as Edward Newgate. The purpose of this visit was to convince the Emperor to prevent his commander, Portgas D Ace, from meeting with Marshall D Teech, also known as Blackbeard, a former member of the Whitebeard Pirates.

Blackbeard committed murder to obtain the Dark-Dark devil fruit, a fruit he had been coveting for some time. As Blackbeard was a member of the Whitebeard Pirates under Ace’s leadership, Ace felt it was his duty to reprimand Blackbeard for his treacherous act.

Shanks' scar as seen in the anime (Image via Toei Animation) — Shanks’ scar as seen in the anime (Image via Toei Animation)

Despite the pain that Shanks’ words caused Whitebeard, the meeting also shed light on one of Blackbeard’s qualities that solidified his reputation as a formidable force. Shanks disclosed that there was an injury that still ached, inflicted on his face by none other than Blackbeard himself.

Despite his attempts to use cheeky tactics in battle, Blackbeard’s true nature seems to be that of a coward. However, his ability to scar one of the strongest characters in the series suggests there may be more to him than meets the eye.

The Straw Hat Pirates after meeting Blackbeard (Image via Shueisha)

Blackbeard made his first appearance in the series during the Jaya arc, where he encountered the Straw Hats after they were defeated by Bellamy and his group. After observing Blackbeard, Zoro and Luffy referred to him as “they.”In the Paramount arc, Blackbeard managed to steal Whitebeard’s devil fruit and became the only person to possess two devil fruits.

Returning to the idea of ‘dual personalities,’ Cavendish serves as the leader of the Beautiful Pirate crew and suffers from a condition in which a different persona emerges when he falls asleep. This alternate personality, known as Hakuba, bestows upon him extraordinary swiftness.

Like Cavendish, Blackbeard may possess a stronger alter ego that overpowers his true self. This alternate persona could be the same one who inflicted the scar on Shanks following his defeat of the real Blackbeard. This further highlights the possibility that the individual who scarred Shanks may not be the same person who encountered Monkey D. Luffy in Jaya.

Final Thoughts

There is a popular fan theory in the One Piece community that suggests Blackbeard may possess three hearts, with one of these personalities potentially being responsible for the scar on Shanks.

With one of his personalities being a coward and the other being strong-willed, it begs the question of what the third personality could be. However, since this is all just speculation, it should be taken with a large grain of salt.