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One Piece chapter 1068 proves how the MADS research team is still relevant 24 years after they were disbanded.
Many of the former members of MADS are highly active in the current storyline. Vegapunk, for example, finally revealed his dream of sharing free energy with everybody in One Piece chapter 1068. Meanwhile, the cover story of this installment featured Vinsmoke Judge and Caesar Clown reminiscing about their glory days in MADS.
The scientific organization has made significant progress in their years together, so much so that the World Government felt threatened by their existence. While the team members no longer work alongside each other, they have all gone on to achieve greatness in their ambitious paths. While there are quite a few loose ends that need to be resolved in the story, it is guaranteed that MADS will likely play a greater role in the story after One Piece chapter 1068.
Disclaimer: This article reflects the writer's personal views.
MADS had significantly contributed to the series' plot before the events of One Piece chapter 1068 took place
The illegal research team was made up of brilliant scientists
Not much is revealed about MADS in One Piece chapter 1068. They have developed powerful weapons and made significant advancements in the scientific world. So far, the names of at least four members have been disclosed:
- Vegapunk: The smartest man in the world, known for being 500 years ahead of his time.
- Vinsmoke Judge: The supreme commander of the Germa 66 army.
- Caesar Clown: A former World Government researcher.
- Queen: A former All-Star of the Beasts Pirates, led by Kaido, the former Emperor.
It remains to be seen if there are other members in the group. Regardless, the currently known ones are among the smartest characters in the entire series. Here's a look at some of the accomplishments that they have achieved prior to the events in One Piece chapter 1068:
- Vegapunk helped bolster the Marine forces with his Pacifista and Seraphim projects. Moreover, he made accurate copies of various Devil Fruits and figured out a way to cross the Calm Belt.
- Vinsmoke Judge leads a powerful army of genetically modified soldiers with no regard for emotion, including his own children.
- Caesar Clown is a chemical weapons specialist who came up with the SMILE project, better known as artificial Devil Fruits.
- Queen is known to create deadly viruses. He has greatly enhanced his own body with cybernetic modifications and is able to replicate Germa 66 technology perfectly.
Suffice to say, they are a stacked group of brilliant scientists. The former members of MADS all contributed to the story, albeit without any elaborate mentions, in a major way before One Piece chapter 1068. In addition, Vegapunk and his team have forever changed how they want people to look at Devil Fruits.
They discovered the Lineage Factor
Since the group discovered the Lineage Factor many years ago, MADS found a breakthrough in relation to the Devil Fruits. Also known as the "blueprints of life," the Lineage Factor is present within everyone and directly influences a person's growth. The Devil Fruits interact with these bloodline elements in some way, giving the person special abilities in the process.
Vegapunk used a sample of Kaido's DNA to create a replica of his Devil Fruit, the Uo Uo no Mi, Model: Seiryu. Interestingly, the scientist's knowledge of the Lineage Factor gives him the ability to create more Devil Fruits.
MADS' subplot will likely be expanded after One Piece chapter 1068
There has to be a reason why Eiichiro Oda is still running the Germa 66 cover story in One Piece chapter 1068. As such, the MADS subplot will likely be resolved by the end of the Egghead arc.
With the introduction of Vegapunk, along with the return of Judge and Caesar, the story will likely dwell a little deeper into their backstories. As the current story progresses, the curiosity only increases as to why the scientists worked alongside each other and what else they discovered in their time together.
