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

One Piece chapter 1114 will be officially released on Monday, May 13, 2024, on Shueisha's MANGA Plus app and website. As per the confirmed spoilers and raw scans, the new installment of Eiichiro Oda's addictive manga will continue focusing on Vegapunk's message to the world and the various reactions to it, including that of Doflamingo.

Donquixote Doflamingo, now detained in Impel Down, is briefly seen discussing Vegapunk's words with Magellan. Impel Down, the World Government's maximum-security prison for the most dangerous outlaws, is nearly inescapable, as it's located underwater, right in the middle of the Calm Belt.

Interestingly, the content of One Piece chapter 1114 may corroborate the popular theory claiming that despite appearances, Impel Down isn't an underwater prison. Of course, this assumption has already gained traction since it was revealed that the One Piece world is destined to sink underwater.

Disclaimer: This article contains major 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 talk with Magellan in One Piece chapter 1114

Doflamingo jailed in Impel Down (Image via Toei Animation)

Born as a Celestial Dragon, the sadistic and overconfident Donquixote Doflamingo is a former member of the Seven Warlords. For many years, Doflamingo was the tyrannical ruler of Dressrosa and one of the most influential individuals in the New World.

During the Dressrosa Arc, Doflamingo was defeated by Luffy, resulting in the former being stripped of his titles and imprisoned in Impel Down, where he is currently incarcerated. As per the spoilers of One Piece chapter 1114, Doflamingo was among the countless people from all over the world who were shown reacting to the broadcast of Vegapunk's message.

While locked in his cell, Doflamingo spoke with Magellan, making a joke about what Vegapunk just revealed:

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

Magellan answered by citing the recent rise 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?"

Laughing at the thought of Impel Down being already underwater, Doflamingo concluded:

"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 is well known for being the main setting of the homonymous arc. Luffy infiltrated the underwater prison to free his brother Ace from the clutches of the World Government. As Ace was transferred to Marineford to be executed, Luffy began a race against time.

Despite Magellan's formidable threat, which left Luffy fatally poisoned and on the verge of death, the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates managed to stage an unprecedented mass breakout. With the help of former enemies and newly introduced allies, Luffy fled from Impel Down to head towards Marineford.

The Impel Down Arc emphasized the homonymous prison as a tower-like building governed by a system with different forms of torture on each level, with a lower level corresponding to a higher and more severe punishment for the inmates.

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

The structure mostly extends underwater, with its foundation touching the very bottom of the sea bed. Of course, building such a large edifice underwater appears impractical even by the standards of the One Piece world. As if the depth of the sea wasn't enough of an obstacle, the surrounding waters swarm with Sea Kings.

Hence, most fans assumed that the World Government forced some enslaved Fish-Men to build it. While this speculation makes sense, the recent revelations featured in Vegapunk's message open up an even more interesting scenario.

It's possible that Impel Down was originally built to be above sea level, but the rising waters eventually covered most of the structure, leading to its current appearance. With this in mind, what is now the sea bed was once a surfaced mainland.

This would be all but unprecedented. Water Seven used to be on solid, dry ground, but over time, the water began to rise, forcing the inhabitants to build new houses on top of the older ones. Even nowadays, the sea levels around Water Seven continue to rise, to the point where the city is slowly sinking.

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

Impel Down may have been built during the Void Century, meaning that other people were occupying it before the World Government took possession. At the time, Impel Down may not have been a prison, but a building constructed for a different purpose. Upon seizing the structure, the World Government decided to exploit its peculiar characteristics to use it as a prison.

Even before the huge revelation featured in Vegapunk's message, One Piece had already disclosed that Imu's Mother Flame attack on the Lulusia Kingdom had resulted in the sea level of the entire world rising by one meter. For this reason, many beaches and even some islands were submerged.

Granted, at times, fans may overanalyze the series in search of evidence to back their theories, but one thing is certain—nothing happens by chance in Eiichiro Oda's story. It is no coincidence that the mangaka decided to include Doflamingo's sarcastic reaction to Vegapunk's shocking truth.

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In all likelihood, Oda used Doflamingo and Magellan's scene to subtly hint at Impel Down having some particular narrative connection with the lore of the sinking world. It should be noted that Impel Down is one of the three World Government-controlled strongholds in the Grand Line's first half, together with Enies Lobby and Marineford.

Enies Lobby was recently revealed to be connected with this narrative strand, given the enormous hole in the water underneath the island. Hence, it wouldn't be a surprise if Impel Down was linked with the same lore. Whatever the reason, it seems quite evident that Imu and the Five Elders plan to flood the entire One Piece world. Most probably, they had already begun implementing their plan many years ago.