One Piece brings back the most famous Impel Down theory in chapter 1114

The next installment of Eiichiro Oda’s highly anticipated manga, One Piece chapter 1114, is set to be released on Monday, May 13, 2024, on Shueisha’s MANGA Plus app and website. According to the confirmed spoilers and raw scans, the upcoming chapter will delve deeper into Vegapunk’s message to the world and the reactions it receives, including that of Doflamingo.

While imprisoned in Impel Down, Donquixote Doflamingo is shown having a conversation with Magellan about the words of Vegapunk. Impel Down, which serves as the World Government’s high-security facility for the most notorious criminals, is notoriously difficult to escape from due to its location underwater in the treacherous Calm Belt.

Surprisingly, the events in One Piece chapter 1114 provide evidence supporting the widely accepted theory that Impel Down is not actually an underwater prison, despite its appearance. This speculation gained momentum after the revelation that the One Piece world is fated to submerge underwater.

Please note: This article includes significant spoilers from the One Piece manga up to chapter 1114.

‘Was Impel Down originally built on land? One Piece chapter 1114 reinforces this shocking theory’

Doflamingo’s Conversation with Magellan in One Piece Chapter 1114

Doflamingo jailed in Impel Down (Image via Toei Animation)

As a Celestial Dragon by birth, Donquixote Doflamingo was once a member of the Seven Warlords known for his sadistic nature and overconfidence. He ruled over Dressrosa for a considerable amount of time, making him one of the most powerful figures in the New World.

After his defeat by Luffy during the Dressrosa Arc, Doflamingo was stripped of his titles and sent to Impel Down where he remains imprisoned. According to the spoilers for One Piece chapter 1114, Doflamingo was one of the many individuals from around the globe who were seen reacting to Vegapunk’s broadcast.

While imprisoned, Doflamingo conversed with Magellan and cracked a joke about Vegapunk’s recent revelation.

“Fufufufufu!!! If Impel Down gets flooded with water, it’s your job to ensure the safety of the prisoners, isn’t it, Magellan?!”

Magellan’s response was to reference the recent increase in sea levels.

“It’s true that the rise of the sea levels on the other day caused great panic within the prison. How many meters would it take for the whole world to sink?”

Doflamingo chuckled at the idea of Impel Down already being submerged, and came to the conclusion:

“If the water rises by five meters, most of the cities in the world will be doomed! Fufufu!! Will everyone move somewhere else? To a higher place, that is…”

Impel Down is one of the most important locations in the series

Impel Down's only emerged part (Image via Toei Animation) — Impel Down’s only emerged part (Image via Toei Animation)

Impel Down is famously known as the primary location of the homonymous arc. Luffy bravely ventured into the submerged penitentiary in order to rescue his brother Ace from the grasp of the World Government. With Ace’s imminent transfer to Marineford for execution, Luffy embarked on a race against the clock.

Despite the powerful danger posed by Magellan, who had left Luffy critically poisoned and near death, the leader of the Straw Hat Pirates successfully orchestrated a massive escape. With the assistance of former foes and newly acquired friends, Luffy made his escape from Impel Down and set his course towards Marineford.

The focus of the Impel Down Arc was on the titular prison, a tower-like structure controlled by a hierarchical system where each level administered a unique form of torture, with the severity of punishment increasing as one descended to lower levels.

Impel Down, the World Government's underwater prison (Image via Toei Animation) — Impel Down, the World Government’s underwater prison (Image via Toei Animation)

The majority of the structure is situated underwater, with its base reaching the bottom of the ocean floor. Constructing such a massive building underwater would seem impractical, even in the world of One Piece. Not only is the depth of the sea a challenge, but the area is also filled with Sea Kings.

Therefore, it was widely believed by fans that the World Government had compelled oppressed Fish-Men to construct it. Although this theory is logical, the latest revelations shared in Vegapunk’s message present an even more intriguing possibility.

It’s likely that Impel Down was initially constructed above the surface of the sea, but as the water levels increased, the majority of the building became submerged, resulting in its current state. Keeping this in mind, the current ocean floor was formerly a visible landmass.

Despite being a common occurrence, this is still quite unusual. Water Seven was once situated on stable, firm land, but as the years passed, the water levels gradually increased, prompting the locals to construct new dwellings atop the existing ones. Presently, the sea levels surrounding Water Seven are still on the rise, causing the city to gradually submerge.

Impel Down may be very similar to Water Seven (Image via Toei Animation)

It is possible that Impel Down was constructed during the Void Century, indicating that it was previously occupied before being claimed by the World Government. It may not have functioned as a prison at the time of its construction, but rather served a different purpose. However, upon its acquisition, the World Government saw potential in its unique features and repurposed it as a prison.

Prior to the significant revelation in Vegapunk’s message, One Piece had already revealed that the Mother Flame attack unleashed by Imu on the Lulusia Kingdom had caused the sea level of the entire world to rise by one meter. As a result, numerous beaches and even some islands were submerged.

While it is true that fans may occasionally overanalyze the series in their quest for evidence to support their theories, one thing remains clear – Eiichiro Oda’s story is carefully crafted and nothing is left to chance. The inclusion of Doflamingo’s sarcastic reaction to Vegapunk’s shocking truth was a deliberate decision made by the mangaka and not a coincidence.

Oda likely utilized the scene featuring Doflamingo and Magellan as a subtle indication that Impel Down holds a significant narrative connection to the lore of the sinking world. It is worth mentioning that Impel Down, along with Enies Lobby and Marineford, is one of the three World Government-controlled strongholds situated in the first half of the Grand Line.

The discovery of a massive hole in the water beneath Enies Lobby has revealed a possible connection to this narrative strand. It would not be unexpected if the same lore tied in with Impel Down. This strongly suggests that Imu and the Five Elders are plotting to flood the entire world of One Piece. It is highly likely that they have been working towards this goal for many years.