One Piece’s Mother Flame may use nuclear fusion and be Dr. Vegapunk’s grave sin

Despite the forced break week due to Shueisha’s Golden Week holiday publication break, One Piece fans were thrilled to find alleged spoilers for chapter 1114 leaked early. Although these spoilers were not as detailed as fans are accustomed to, they were still exciting and came from reliable sources within the series’ leaker community.

The recent One Piece spoilers sparked much excitement with the mention of the Mother Flame and the Power Plant that is said to create it. Although its exact purpose remains a mystery, a prevalent theory suggests that the Mother Flame and one of Dr. Vegapunk’s two sins may be linked in the form of creating nuclear fusion.

One Piece: Comparing Dr. Vegapunk to Other Infamous Scientists

To begin with, it is important to note that in the original Japanese version of One Piece, the device created by Dr. Vegapunk is referred to as a “fusion reactor”rather than a “Power Plant.”A fusion reactor is a type of device that produces energy through nuclear fusion or fission reactions, generating heat that is then converted into electricity. It should also be noted that water is commonly utilized in this process, and recent spoilers suggest that the Mother Flame is located within water.

The idea of nuclear fusion and fission has been explored in the series, as evidenced by Vegapunk Shaka’s suggestion to Dr. Vegapunk in the latter’s pre-recorded message to the world. This implies that Dr. Vegapunk has indeed made groundbreaking discoveries in this field within the world of the series.

Similarly, it is believed that the Mother Flame, sent to the Gorosei by Vegapunk York, utilizes energy from either the power plant or the fusion reactor. This is further supported by the Mother Flame’s potential as a flying weapon, drawing parallels to the Ark Maxim from the Skypiea arc in One Piece. The connection between the two is reinforced by the prominent use of electricity as a key element in both devices, as well as the similarity in layout between the pages where they are featured.

It is evident to many One Piece enthusiasts that Dr. Vegapunk’s persona draws inspiration from the renowned scientist Albert Einstein. This resemblance is apparent not only in their physical features but also in their achievements and areas of expertise. Like Einstein, Dr. Vegapunk is credited for his contributions to the Manhattan Project, overseen by J. Robert Oppenheimer, which resulted in the development of the atomic bomb, utilizing nuclear fission and fusion.

Dr. Vegapunk’s journey, from discovering nuclear energy to using it to create a destructive weapon, and eventually apologizing to the world for the consequences, will parallel Oppenheimer’s story. The act of apologizing can be compared to Oppenheimer’s famous quote, “now I am become death, destroyer of worlds.”

Additionally, it should be noted that the two atomic bombs created as a result of Oppenheimer’s research were given the names “Little Boy”and “Fat Man.”The naming of Dr. Vegapunk’s invention as Mother Flame appears to be a nod to this similar method of atomic nomenclature. It is worth noting that Fat Man was also a nuclear fission bomb, providing further evidence for this theory.

Although it is simply speculation at the time of writing this article, it appears highly probable that the theory holds merit, given mangaka Eiichiro Oda’s penchant for drawing inspiration from real-life occurrences. This, coupled with the fact that Dr. Vegapunk is already modeled after renowned scientist Albert Einstein, suggests that fans may indeed witness the theory come to fruition before the conclusion of the Egghead arc.