The Elbaph arc in the One Piece manga has finally given fans a proper look at Loki, the “Accursed Prince” of the giants, and the numbers just do not add up. Here is a guy with a bounty of 2.6 billion berries, a legendary weapon called Ragnir, and a newly revealed Devil Fruit power so insane that it lets him transform into a dragon the size of a small mountain . Chapter 1174 showed Loki in his dragon form standing alongside Luffy’s Gear 5, and the sheer scale was mind-blowing—Giant Luffy was only about a third of the size of one of the dragon’s horns .
Yet somehow, years before becoming a Yonko, Shanks managed to defeat this guy and chain him up in Elbaph’s Underworld. Loki himself confirmed it, and his hatred for Shanks is very real. But how did he actually do it? After digging through the latest manga chapters and fan discussions, the answer is more complicated than a simple fight.
The Loki Everyone Is Talking About Right Now
Before breaking down the fight, it helps to understand exactly who Loki is in the current One Piece story. The Elbaph arc has completely changed how fans see him. Initially, everyone thought he was just a villainous giant who killed his own dad, King Harald, to steal a legendary Devil Fruit.
But Chapter 1170 flipped that idea on its head. Loki is now being shown as a tragic figure carrying the weight of his actions and his bloodline . He killed his father, but the circumstances might not be as simple as pure evil. Road revealed that after King Harald’s murder, a massive battle happened where nearly all the giant warriors died. Only Loki and an old giant named Jarul walked away from that fight .
Then there is the Holy Knight situation. In Chapter 1137, Figarland Shamrock—Shanks’ twin brother and the leader of the Holy Knights—showed up in Elbaph with Gunko to recruit Loki . They wanted him to join the World Government’s forces. Loki refused while chained up and weakened by Seastone, showing he has his own agenda . The fact that the Holy Knights personally came to recruit him tells you everything about how dangerous the World Government considers him.
Breaking Down Shanks’ Victory Over Loki
The Timing of the Fight Changes Everything
Here is something fans often miss. The fight between Shanks and Loki did not happen recently. Looking at the timeline, Shanks stopped Loki about six to eight years ago, which was before Shanks became a Yonko . That means a younger, less experienced Shanks managed to subdue a rampaging Loki who had already killed his father and eaten a mysterious Devil Fruit.
Scopper Gaban, Roger’s former crewmate, was also present in Elbaph during that time. In fact, some discussions suggest Gaban might have been the leader of the duo dealing with the Harald situation, with Shanks working alongside him . This changes the math considerably.
The Future Sight Theory Makes the Most Sense
Looking at all the evidence, the most believable explanation for how Shanks beat Loki is his mastery of Future Sight (advanced Observation Haki) . Shanks has shown this ability multiple times. During the Egghead arc, he predicted exactly what Eustass Kid would do and took him out in one hit before Kid could react.
Against a powerhouse like Loki, brute force alone would not cut it. Loki has ancient giant physiology, legendary weapon Ragnir, and a Devil Fruit that turns him into something that can stand next to Gear 5 Luffy . Shanks likely used Future Sight to read every single move Loki made before he made it.
Imagine Loki winding up for a massive strike with Ragnir, only for Shanks to already be somewhere else, landing hits precisely where it hurts. It would not be a long, drawn-out battle. It would be quick and decisive, exactly how Shanks operates.
Some fans also wonder if Loki himself has Future Sight. His name comes from Norse mythology, and in those stories, Loki is known for tricks and seeing things others miss. If both fighters could see the future, then the battle would come down to who had the stronger Haki and more experience . And when it comes to experience, Shanks wins. He sailed with the Pirate King, fought legendary duels with Mihawk, and survived the most dangerous era of piracy.
Shanks Contained the Crisis, He Did Not Win a Brawl
There is a strong argument going around that Shanks did not actually beat Loki in a fair, one-on-one slugfest. Instead, he stopped a disaster from happening .
Think about what happened after King Harald died. Loki, probably consumed by guilt and rage after killing his own father, might have lost control completely. Some theories suggest he wanted to march straight to Mariejois and take on the World Government . Doing that would have caused global chaos, especially with the ancient giants’ power and whatever Devil Fruit he ate.
Shanks is not the type to start wars. He stops them. Look at Marineford—he showed up after the fighting ended, and everyone listened. He met with the Gorosei, which we now know was likely his brother Shamrock, but the point stands. Shanks operates in the background, maintaining balance.
In this situation, Shanks probably stepped in not to prove he was stronger, but to prevent Loki from destroying everything. And here is the interesting part. Loki might have let himself be stopped . After killing his father, he may have wanted punishment. He may have wanted someone strong enough to chain him up before he hurt more people. That fits the tragic figure Oda is building with Chapter 1170.
Did Scopper Gaban Help Shanks?
The Reddit and forum discussions bring up another valid point. Scopper Gaban was active in Elbaph around the same time. In fact, in flashback discussions, Gaban is shown alongside Shanks dealing with the Harald situation . Gaban explicitly mentions struggling against Harald’s Haki and regeneration.
If Harald was that tough, and Loki killed Harald, then Loki was already operating at a level above his father. The conversation between fans suggests that Shanks and Gaban together might have struggled against Loki if he was truly rampaging . But if Loki was mentally broken and wanted to be stopped, then Shanks just needed to be the one strong enough to do it.
Loki’s Hatred Makes Sense Either Way
Regardless of how the fight went down, Loki absolutely hates Shanks now. That much is clear in the manga. When Luffy met Loki in the Underworld, Loki knew exactly where Shanks was and offered to tell Luffy in exchange for freedom . That kind of knowledge means Loki keeps tabs on Shanks constantly.
Then Shamrock showed up. Seeing Shanks’ twin brother, the leader of the Holy Knights, probably made Loki’s hatred for the entire Figarland family even worse . Loki refused to join them even while chained and tortured, showing he wants nothing to do with Shanks’ bloodline.
What Chapter 1174 Revealed About Loki’s Power
The spoilers for One Piece Chapter 1174 (releasing February 15, 2026) have added even more weight to this whole discussion . The chapter shows Loki in his full dragon form, and the size is ridiculous. Luffy in Gear 5, who can stretch giant-sized, looks tiny next to one of Loki’s horns.
Not only that, but when Loki transformed, snow started falling across Elbaph and lightning struck all over the island . His Devil Fruit is clearly one of the strongest in the series, maybe even on the level of Joyboy or Imu. Some fans are already calling it the “second coming of Joyboy” in terms of raw power .
If Loki is this strong now, imagine him six to eight years ago right after eating the fruit. The power must have been raw and uncontrolled, which makes Shanks subduing him even more impressive.
The Chapter Ends With Luffy and Loki Together
Here is where things get wild. One Piece Chapter 1174 is supposed to end with Loki in his dragon form standing alongside Luffy in Gear 5 . These two are now together in Elbaph, and the World Government is watching.
This pairing is terrifying for anyone who has to face them. Luffy with his cartoonish Gear 5 powers and Loki with god-level giant destruction abilities. If these two team up, even Imu might have problems.
This also raises questions about where Shanks fits now. If Loki teams up with Luffy, does that mean Shanks will eventually face his old enemy again? Or will Loki’s hatred for the Figarland family extend to Shanks’ brother Shamrock instead?
The Norse Mythology Clues Oda Left
Looking at the Norse mythology connections helps explain the deeper meaning of this fight . In the myths, the god Tyr lost his hand binding the wolf Fenrir, a beast destined to cause chaos. Shanks lost his arm saving Luffy, and now he has bound Loki in chains. The parallel is almost too perfect.
There is even a real knot called a “dog shank” used in sailing, which could be a pun on Shanks‘ name and his role in tying down the “wolf” Loki . Oda loves wordplay, and this fits his style perfectly.
Both Thor and Loki in Norse myths were described with red hair. In One Piece, Shanks represents order and balance, while Loki represents chaos and vengeance . Their clash was not just about power; it was about ideology. Shanks wanted to protect the world’s balance. Loki, filled with rage over his father and his fate, wanted to burn it all down.
The Rocks D. Xebec Connection Nobody Expected
Just when fans thought the Loki storyline could not get more complicated, Chapter 1145 dropped a bombshell. Loki actually admired Rocks D. Xebec, the most dangerous pirate from four decades ago . Young Loki met Xebec and asked to join his crew, but Xebec refused to let a kid sail with him. They ended up fighting, and Xebec brutally defeated Loki.
This changes everything. Shanks is not the only person who ever beat Loki. Rocks D. Xebec did it first, and apparently without much trouble . This gives Oda room to explore Xebec’s character through Loki’s memories and adds another layer to Loki’s obsession with strength.
If Loki admired the man who defeated him, does he feel the same way about Shanks? Is hatred the only emotion, or is there respect buried underneath?
The Fan Debate: Did Shanks Fight Fair or Get Help?
The fan community is deeply divided on this topic. A poll on one forum asked whether Shanks beat Loki in a clean one-on-one fight. Out of 73 voters, only 28.8% believed Shanks won in an extreme-difficulty fight, while 15.1% thought he won mid-difficulty. The majority, 56.2%, believe Shanks had help .
Fans arguing that Shanks had help point to Scopper Gaban‘s presence and the possibility that the giant warriors of Elbaph joined in. Taking down a rampaging ancient giant with a legendary Devil Fruit might require more than one person, even if that person is Shanks.
Others argue that Shanks is simply built different. He learned from the Pirate King, dueled the world’s greatest swordsman, and has Haki so strong it affects the physical world from miles away. If anyone could take Loki alone, it would be him.
What Actually Happened Between Shanks and Loki
After looking at all the manga chapters, fan theories, and mythology parallels, here is the most accurate picture of what likely happened between Shanks and Loki in One Piece.
Loki killed King Harald. Whether it was intentional or an accident fueled by the forbidden Devil Fruit’s power, Loki ended his father’s life. The ancient giant warriors of Elbaph rose up against him, and Loki, possibly not in full control of his new powers, slaughtered almost all of them. Only Jarul survived that massacre .
Loki then went on a rampage. Consumed by guilt and the overwhelming power of his Devil Fruit, he may have planned to attack Mariejois or cause global destruction . The giants could not stop him. They needed outside help.
Shanks arrived in Elbaph. Probably with Scopper Gaban and possibly others, Shanks confronted the rampaging prince. But Loki might not have fought back with full intent. Guilt-ridden and seeing himself as a monster, he may have wanted to be stopped .
The confrontation was quick. Using advanced Future Sight, Shanks predicted Loki’s movements and landed decisive blows . It was not a long, dragged-out battle. It was surgical precision from a master Haki user who learned from the best.
The giants chained Loki. After Shanks subdued him, the remaining giants bound him with Seastone chains and locked him in the Underworld, where he has remained for years, waiting.
Loki hates Shanks but respects his strength. The hatred is real, but so is the acknowledgment that Shanks was strong enough to do what no giant could .
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Where the Story Goes From Here
One Piece is deep into its Final Saga, and everything is coming together. Loki is free from his chains now, standing alongside Luffy. Shanks is out there somewhere, possibly dealing with his twin brother Shamrock and the Holy Knights.
The real fight between Shanks and Loki might never be shown in full detail. Eiichiro Oda has a habit of keeping Shanks’ biggest moments off-screen . Marineford, meeting the Gorosei, stopping Kaido from going to Marineford—all of it happened out of view. The Loki confrontation fits that pattern perfectly.
But if Oda ever does show it, expect it to be emotional rather than action-heavy. A flashback focused on Loki‘s guilt, Shanks‘ burden as the world’s balance keeper, and the tragic consequences of the Devil Fruit that started it all.
For now, fans have Chapter 1174 to look forward to on February 15, 2026, where Luffy and Loki together might give the best hint yet at just how strong the Accursed Prince really is . And if he is this strong, Shanks‘ victory over him years ago only makes the Red-Haired Emperor more legendary than ever.
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