After 1113 chapters, One Piece remains as unpredictable as ever. Even when author Eiichiro Oda unveils some big revelations, they are not what you'd expect from his long-running manga series - and this is where we should add a warning. We'll be talking big spoilers for the latest chapter of One Piece from here on in.
In Chapter 1113, Dr. Vegapunk's message from beyond the grave finally begins, and it gets straight to the point with the revelation that the entire world is sinking.
Is it silly? Yes, of course, but only about as silly as anything else in One Piece - like a genius designed to look like Einstein, whose brain grew so big he literally sliced his head and placed it in a jar, or him broadcasting his big message via telepathic snails. And much like many of the other reveals in One Piece, the knowledge that the world is sinking into the sea does not come out of nowhere, but rather feels like the culmination of decades of worldbuilding and plotting.
Oda has slowly been preparing us for the sinking of the world for a long time, starting at the very beginning with the sight of a boy in a barrel lost at sea. The introduction of fishmen and then sky islands let readers know that there was more to the world of One Piece than just what was on land. By the time the Straw Hats went to Water 7, Oda introduced the idea that the island was slowly sinking due to rising sea levels - a clever nod to real-world Venice back then, an even smarter foreshadowing now. But there are those who are prepared for the incoming doom, which may hold the key to the future of the story, such as Wano's impenetrable walls that keep the city high above ground, or Shank's entire crew not having devil fruit users, and of course, Roger's dying words being a call for the world to take to the sea and fill it with boats.
Every big arc in One Piece has had a ticking bomb that raises the stakes, from a literal bomb in Alabasta to a shrinking birdcage in Dressrosa, and a falling fortress in Wano. The idea of the world being about to sink in the near future fits perfectly with this trend while also hinting at the kind of social commentary Oda excels at. It's not just that the world sinking is such an obvious allegory for climate change, as seen since way back in Water 7, but that (as usual) the World Government is involved in it.
Though it is not confirmed as of chapter 1113, it is highly likely that the government knows of the incoming flood, given that their headquarters is in Mary Geoise - the highest point of land in the world - and that the Celestial Dragons wear diving suit-like attire. The government is not just unwilling to help prevent the flooding, but they actively keep the rest of the world ignorant, hunting down and exterminating anyone who looks into the past and the truth of the world.
Since every big piece of lore seems to be connected to the Void Century, including the truth about the One Piece and Laugh Tale, it is likely that everything is related to the incoming flood. We know that Roger and his crew arrived too early, so it is possible whatever the ultimate treasure is only works when the world sinks. What if it is a mountain or an island? A place where humans can survive after the flooding? Or maybe Oda will pull a Lost and reveal that the treasure is a giant cork that can stop the rising tides.
Of course, this is One Piece, and if we have learned anything over the past 1113 chapters is that nothing is as simple as it first seems, and Oda always has another surprise up his sleeve. The sinking of the world may look like the end, but it is likely just the beginning.
You can read One Piece Chapter 1113 right now over at Viz.com.
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