The mysteries surrounding the Void Century have been lurking in the story for a long time, and Luffy’s latest transformation may hold some clues.
Since its first mention during the flashback to the Buster Call on Ohara, the Great Kingdom and its conflict against the World Government are aspects of One Piece’s lore that have been speculated on in significant detail. It has been quite some time since these story elements were introduced, and it is only now during the Egghead Arc, that series creator Eiichiro Oda might finally provide some answers to the many questions surrounding them.
Chief among them is the ancient energy source which powered the Great Kingdom’s advanced technology, said to be so ahead of its time that even Dr. Vegapunk, the One Piece world’s greatest mind, was unable to replicate it. The legendary figure of Sun God Nika has also been linked to the mysterious individual known as Joy Boy from the Void Century, who held a great deal of influence during this forgotten period of history. Considering these connections, is it possible that the reality warping powers of Gear 5 — the Awakened form of the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika — has something to do with the ancient energy source of the Great Kingdom?
The Drums Of Liberation And The Iron Giant
One of the most telling indications of this connection came to light during the Egghead Arc, when Luffy entered his Gear 5 form while battling Admiral Kizaru. Earlier on in the arc, Vegapunk showcased some of his inventions to the Straw Hat Pirates, along with a remnant of the Great Kingdom’s technology which is now at the heart of this theory. This was, of course, the enigmatic Iron Giant, which was supposedly powered by an ancient energy source that Vegapunk was unable to recreate despite his best efforts.
When the siege of Egghead began in earnest, and Kizaru attacked the fleeing crew, Luffy stepped in and activated his Awakened Gear 5 form. In this state, his heartbeat took on a specific rhythm associated with Sun God Nika and Joy Boy, now known as the “Drums of Liberation.” At this time, he was not too far from the Iron Giant’s location, and it was soon shown powering up after being dormant for nearly 200 years.
From this, it can be gathered that Gear 5 is either a trigger or the actual source of energy that fuels the Iron Giant, which may explain why Joy Boy was such an important figure in the past. That being said, the actual depth of this theory does not end here, as there are a few other events and coincidences to consider in the overarching story of One Piece, which point to a connection between Gear 5 and the Great Kingdom’s energy source.
The Mystery Behind The Mother Flame
Another new and potentially important piece of lore revealed in the Egghead Arc concerns the sinister weapon that was used by the World Government to destroy the Lulusia Kingdom. The secret ruler of the world, Imu, referred to it as the “Mother Flame,” and later on, Vegapunk’s satellite, York, agreed to create more versions of it for the Five Elders, in exchange for her being granted the status of a Celestial Dragon. These conversations give off the impression of the Mother Flame either being the actual weapon or its fuel source.
Back on Egghead Island, Vegapunk himself spoke of an inexhaustible power source that could address the entire world’s energy needs, referring to it as an “Eternal Flame.” As Egghead Island’s technology is itself powered by fire, the connection between the weapon that destroyed the Lulusia Kingdom and the power source that Vegapunk spoke of, may be more pronounced than it may appear at first.
The weapon was itself likened to one of the Ancient Weapons from the Void Century by Emporior Ivankov, one of the Revolutionary Army’s founding members. In this vein, the ancient energy source could potentially be connected to a more advanced version of the Mother Flame, perhaps due to the influence of Sun God Nika’s power. As the Egghead Incident heats up, it is only a matter of time before more information comes to light on what the weapon and its power source actually are.
Are Nika’s Powers The Key To Truly Claiming The One Piece?
All this ties into one of the lingering secrets from Gol D. Roger’s journey to conquer the Grand Line, with regard to why he was not able to make full use of what he found on reaching Laugh Tale. There is almost definitely something lurking on the final island which could be the key to uncovering the truth about the Great Kingdom’s demise in the Void Century, and it may be tied to Gear 5 itself.
It has long been rumored that the one who will usher in the dawn of the world will be Luffy himself, as the future Pirate King. Since he is also now connected to the Great Kingdom by inheriting the power of Sun God Nika, and being hailed as the return of Joy Boy, there is a fair chance that his Devil Fruit, the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika, will play a part in this cataclysmic event. This, among many other secrets, will need to be addressed in the Final Saga of One Piece, and hopefully, it may not be too long before there is confirmation about whether this speculation is warranted or not.
One Piece is available to stream on Netflix.
