Eiichiro Oda’s captivating One Piece series takes place in a complex universe with numerous diverse settings, including the Red Line. This vast continent encircles the world of One Piece like a colossal ring, dividing the globe into four separate seas.
Despite being the location of significant sites such as Reverse Mountain and the World Government’s capital city, also known as the “Holy Land”of Mary Geoise, the history of the Red Line remains largely shrouded in mystery despite its importance in the series.
Furthermore, it was discovered that this location was once the ancestral land of the god-like Lunarians, an enigmatic race believed to have a connection to Joy Boy and a disdain for the World Government. As a result, fans of One Piece have been abuzz with various theories.
The Mysteries of the Red Line in One Piece
The Global Continent
The Red Line derives its name from the presence of a reddish mineral in its composition. This landmass is situated at a considerable elevation above sea level, making it insurmountable, and its durability makes it nearly impervious. As a result, it serves as a barrier, effectively halting the movement of ships between different seas or sections of the Grand Line.
There are a limited number of ways to cross the Red Line, with one option being to obtain permission from the World Government at Mary Geoise. However, those who opt for this route must leave their current ship behind and acquire a new one on the opposite side of the Red Line.
Despite the World Government’s strict regulations, outlaws must find alternative routes to pass through Mary Geoise. One option is to traverse the Red Line by navigating the waterways of Reverse Mountain. Another possibility is to travel beneath the Red Line by passing through Fish-Man Island.
This enables them to depart from the initial segment of the Grand Line, known as the “Paradise,”and venture into the second region, the “New World.”Nonetheless, pirates must have their ship coated in order to descend to Fish-Man Island.
Mary Geoise: The Headquarters of the World Government
Mary Geoise, situated at the intersection of the Red Line and the Grand Line, is the designated capital city of the World Government. It is located on the opposite side of the world from Reverse Mountain, and 800 years prior to the current events, nineteen out of the Twenty Kings who established the Ancient Alliance relocated to Mary Geoise from their individual kingdoms.
This event officially established the World Government, giving rise to the Celestial Dragons who are descendants of those involved. As the most elite and powerful individuals in the world, the Celestial Dragons live in complete opulence and have the freedom to do as they please, including the ability to enslave others.
The safety of Mary Geoise is ensured by the presence of the highest-ranking members of the Navy and the CP0, while the Holy Knights oversee the city’s jurisdiction. One notable building within the city is the Pangaea Castle, a massive structure with multiple towers and levels, where the most esteemed Celestial Dragons, known as the Five Elders, reside.
The Five Elders are not just politicians; they possess extraordinary abilities such as Yokai-like transformations and formidable Haki powers. They are under the command of Imu-sama, the mysterious ruler of the Empty Throne in Pangaea Castle. Imu’s true identity is kept hidden from the public, as they are the ultimate leader of the World Government.
The Mysterious Reverse Mountain and the Majestic Twin Cape
Reverse Mountain, located on the opposite side of the world from Mary Geoise, is a unique location on the Red Line. It is where the four seas ascend the landmass, reaching the top before flowing down into the Paradise portion of the Grand Line.
Many pirates choose to pass through Reverse Mountain because it allows them to utilize a Log Pose and access any of the seven routes within the Grand Line. Located at the base of the mountain, just before the entrance to the Paradise section of the Grand Line, is Twin Cape. This area is where Crocus maintains a lighthouse.
Crocus, who was once a part of the notorious Roger Pirates and accompanied them to Laugh Tale, now hopes for the Straw Hat Pirates to successfully complete their voyage and return to Reverse Mountain. He and the whale Laboon will eagerly await their return.
The Lost Land of the Lunarians
The Red Line was the home of the Lunarians long before Mary Geoise was constructed. These individuals were revered as deities for their extraordinary abilities to adapt and thrive in any circumstance or habitat.
Despite their distinctive black feathery wings, dark skin, and white hair, the Lunarians shared a common trait – the ability to produce flames. However, the entire Lunarian Race mysteriously vanished, leaving only one survivor, Alber, who was later imprisoned by the World Government.
After being impressed by Alber’s abilities, Kaido bestowed upon him the new name of “King”and appointed him as his right-hand man. Thanks to his Lunarian powers, King had the ability to envelop his body and limbs in flames, and unleash destructive blasts of fire. These Lunarian flames were comparable to magma, a force much more powerful than regular fire in the world of One Piece.
By maintaining the flame on his back, King was able to enhance his resilience to the point where he could withstand incredibly powerful attacks without sustaining any harm. He could emerge unscathed, even from assaults that were strong enough to severely injure the formidable body of Kaido.
King was known for his exceptional skill of extinguishing his flames in order to gain a significant speed increase, although it did come at the cost of reduced resilience. In the Onigashima Raid, Roronoa Zoro managed to defeat King by utilizing his Advanced Conqueror’s Haki to overpower the Lunarian’s powerful flames.
Despite the current lack of information, the details surrounding the near-total decimation of King’s tribe are still unknown. However, the World Government extracted King’s DNA and utilized it to improve the Seraphim cyborgs, bestowing them with the same remarkable resilience as the remaining Lunarian.
The Connection Between the World Government, Joy Boy, and the Lunarians
The World Government is willing to pay a significant amount of 150 million berries to anyone who can provide information on the location of a surviving Lunarian. Additionally, their capital city has been constructed on land previously inhabited by the Lunarian Race, suggesting that the World Government forced them out of the Red Line and effectively wiped out most of their population.
The Lunarian survivor King held great reverence for Joy Boy, an enemy of the World Government, making things even more intriguing. King remained steadfast in his hope and expectation for Joy Boy’s comeback, suggesting that there is a mysterious and powerful connection between the Lunarian Race and this individual that has yet to be revealed.
Imu-sama declared the initial adversaries of the World Government to be those who possess the will of D., a faction of individuals who were also referred to as “the natural enemies of the gods.”
The Lunarian Race’s portrayal as fallen angels holds a special meaning, given that the Celestial Dragons residing in Mary Geoise view themselves as the divine creators of the world.
According to a retelling of a story from the Christian faith, the divine Lunarians were once the dominant rulers of the Red Line. However, they were eventually dethroned by the founders of the World Government, who saw themselves as the sole deities worthy of reverence.
One intriguing aspect is the connection between the term “Lunarians” and the Moon, suggesting that the Lunarians may have originated from there. As history tells us, a group of winged humanoids journeyed from the Moon to Earth in search of additional resources.
All of these individuals, specifically the Skypieans, the Shandia, and the Birkans, possess wings on their backs. However, unlike the Lunarians whose wings are black and large and enable them to fly at high speeds, the wings of the former group are small and white and cannot be used for flight.
It is likely that the Lunarians originated from the Moon, much like these tribes, but were significantly more aggressive and prone to war. As a result, they utilized their powers to conquer the Red Line and held dominion over it until the World Government toppled their rule.
Will the destruction of the Red Line lead to the liberation of the One Piece world?
One of the most widely accepted ideas surrounding the Red Line is that Luffy will bring about the destruction of this continent, ultimately uniting the world as one. This would fulfill Sanji’s lifelong ambition of discovering the All Blue, a fabled place where all the oceans meet and become one.
According to the map of the One Piece world, it appears that the All Blue does not exist due to the Red Line dividing the seas. However, the absence of this landmass would drastically alter the events that may occur. In the epic battle against the World Government, Luffy could potentially shatter Mary Geoise with a mighty strike, ultimately destroying the Red Line in the process.
By assisting Sanji in achieving his dream, Luffy would not only be granting him freedom but also opening up the possibility for everyone to travel the globe without being subject to the World Government’s restrictions. This aligns with Luffy’s ultimate aspiration to become the freest man in a world without the limitations imposed by the Red Line.
It is worth noting that the destruction of Mary Geoise and the Red Line may have been hinted at beforehand. The naming of Mary Geoise’s Pangaea Castle is derived from the real-life supercontinent that existed hundreds of millions of years ago and eventually separated into the continents we know today.
In chapter 129 of One Piece, Dorry and Brogy uttered a mysterious phrase:
“The only thing we can’t pierce is a snake soaked in blood.”
The recent One Piece chapters have placed a strong emphasis on these two Giants as important characters in the story. It is plausible that their words were intended as a metaphor. If this is the case, the unbreakable blood-soaked snake could represent the Red Line, a symbol of the world’s unbreakable and formidable nature.
This theory is supported by the fact that, similar to the other Giants, Dorry and Brogy are inspired by the Viking Age Scandinavia. In Norse mythology, it is believed that Jormungandr, a massive serpent, holds the world in place by coiling itself around it and biting its own tail.
According to this legend, the world will come to an end once Jormungandr releases its tail. Similarly, the One Piece universe could undergo a significant transformation if Luffy were to break the snake-like Red Line.
Additional Resources
All unexplained enigmas in One Piece, cataloged
The connection between Kuma’s book and the adventures of Joy Boy.
It is speculated in the One Piece community that Imu may have played a significant role in Joy Boy’s demise.
The 20 most powerful races in One Piece, listed in order of strength.
The theory regarding One Piece suggests a connection between Imu and the formation of the Red Line, drawing parallels to voodoo mythology.
Leave a Reply