#The twin/clone theories are cool don't get me wrong

[bouquetexquis]

No cause I just discovered the "Shanks got an evil twin/clone" theory thanks to my friend reading chap 907 at the same time I read 1134. And everything it would imply seems banger but also.

I just can't shake the feeling that this is really Shanks. And not the "Shanks being forced to cooperate with the government" theory. More like "Shanks deals with the government and has his own shady agenda" theory.

Like I get it, Shanks is dad. Shanks is a fandom favorite.

But Shanks is also massively sus !

Like yeh silly dad emperor being all scary until you bring up his (adoptive) son's name but no one with the power to do such a fast 180 is completely trustworthy.

I'm too sleepy to go back and find evidence but I'm pretty sure there's some of his appearances where he discusses government/lore/meta things and his attitude is just a little off.

I think people tend to forget he is the only emperor with no devil fruit. The pure strength and haki and dealings that implies. As of now he managed to stay emperor, and be regarded as one the strongest at that, for six whole years.

He managed to steal one of the most guarded devil fruit in history and just. didn't eat it. You cannot tell me this man did not know what he was stealing. Like sure, he was going to "sell it". Idk, not being able to swim as a pirate sure sucks but eating one of the most powerful devil fruit in existence seems like a pretty good deal to me.

Also, while he, as a dad™, decided to display mercy and let the Barto Club escape, he also let Yasopp shoot them down without lifting a finger to stop him.

I don't know where I was going with this and I don't really have the brain power to come up with a "eureka here's why he does the things and here's the evidence" reflexion. But I don't think he would be so easily manipulated ; and while the clone theory is actually interesting, a twin that looks exactly like him (down to the stubby beard and clothes and lack of swag, sorry) and has gone unnoticed for a whole 40 years would be a little bizarre.

Anyway I love that shady dude and the way he manages to cause chaos simply by appearing for one panel every 100 chapter.