“There’s a reason for his strength”

Ever since Figarland Garling was introduced in One Piece, he has maintained a menacing presence with every appearance. He has now officially become one of the Five Elders and we know that he’s extremely strong. However, it’s a whole different situation when Eiichiro Oda confirms it himself. Oda recently answered ten special questions and one of them was about Garling. 

Even though the mangaka was extremely vague with his answer, we know that Garling will play an important role in the series. One that might threaten or affect Shanks, given the theories that have surfaced online in recent years.

Oda Hints at Garling’s True Powers in One Piece

Figarland Garling was first introduced to us during the Egghead Arc of One Piece, specifically in the God Valley incident. From his first appearance, it was established that he is a conceited world noble. Similar to most celestial dragons and nobles that we have seen, Garling doesn’t care in the least about the commoners. His active participation in the hunting game highlighted his disregard for human lives. 

Aside from his inconsideration for others, he seems extremely confident in his abilities, as he was unfazed by the arrival of the Roger and Rock pirates in the past. If that and his new status as an Elder wasn’t proof enough of his powers, Eiichiro Oda vaguely confirmed Garling’s strength. Out of the ten questions he was asked, the last one was about Garling and his combat abilities. Instead of delving into any details, Oda simply confirmed what we somewhat already knew.

It was already pretty clear from Garling’s authoritative nature that he was strong. Now that he has become an Elder, he could be stronger than the admirals and even the emperors. Another striking aspect of Oda’s answer is the reason he mentions.

Speculatively speaking, Garling’s familial ties could explain his powers or something along those lines. While the character is a menace for every pirate, he could be Shanks’ worst nightmare if a popular fan theory turns out to be true. 

Here’s Why Garling’s Situation Could Affect Shanks 

Garling’s introduction and the silhouette of the Holy Knights were tied together by fans to arrive at a mind-blowing conclusion: Shanks is related to Garling. One of the members of the Holy Knights resembled Shanks and it would explain his casual meetings with the Five Elders. Garling is an authoritative person and there’s not a single person who comes to mind that he’ll be kind or even cordial towards.

Given how Shanks is a pirate, Garling might not allow the negotiations to continue like before. It would strip off an important aspect of Shanks’ character, rendering him less powerful than before. Moreover, Garling could take a more proactive approach to sabotage the emperors. While Luffy and Blackbeard at this point have become infamous for their consecutive victories, Shanks is the easiest target.

This theory of a potential connection between the two characters, if proved right, could turn things around for the worse. Some even claim that Shanks is the illegitimate child of Garling. So, we might get a repeat of the gut-wrenching flashback of Kuma and Ginny. Either way, Garling is bad news, and all we can do is wait to see how Oda plays that out. 

One Piece is available to stream on the MangaPlus app and website.