Chapters · Summit War › Impel Down

Chapter 543: Straw Hat and Blackbeard

Arc: Impel Down · Saga: Summit War · Released:

Summary

The mass jailbreak surges upward through Impel Down. At Level 1 (Crimson Hell) the staff scramble to raise a bridge against the five-man Blackbeard Pirates, who have stormed in; the former Head Jailer Shiryu — once imprisoned on Level 6 — appears freed, and Blackbeard (Marshall D. Teech) introduces himself to him. At Level 4 (Inferno Hell) Luffy’s escapee column (with Jinbe, Crocodile, Ivankov and the okama) drives for the stairway to Level 3. Chief Jailer Sadie is intercepted by Ivankov; Under Warden Hannyabal makes a fanatical last stand, lecturing Luffy that Impel Down exists as a “warehouse for scum” so decent people can sleep, but Luffy flattens him with Gum-Gum Jet Gatling. Hannyabal keeps rising until he is finally cut down from behind — by Blackbeard’s crew, who have caught up. Luffy recognizes Teech as “that guy from Jaya,” the cherry-pie man who told him “People’s dreams don’t ever end.” Blackbeard greets him: he was surprised to learn Straw Hat is the brother of his “old division leader, Ace,” and warns that Ace is about to lose his head. Warden Magellan, meanwhile, reaches Level 4’s great elevator hunting the rebellion’s leaders.

New reveals

• Shiryu (VIZ “Shiryu”; “Shiliew of the Rain”), the former Head Jailer of Impel Down who was himself imprisoned on Level 6, is loose and aligns himself with Blackbeard (p. 3). The jailers’ shock — “When were you released?!” — reads as his on-page reveal.
• The Blackbeard Pirates are a five-man force (“There are only five of them!!”) and have invaded Impel Down, breaching from Level 1 up to Level 4 (pp. 2, 16-17).
• Marshall D. Teech served in the Whitebeard Pirates’ 2nd Division under Ace — he calls Ace “my old division leader” (p. 19), confirming his pre-defection rank within Whitebeard’s crew.
• Luffy connects Blackbeard to Jaya / Mock Town — the man who said “People’s dreams don’t ever end” and who captured “Fire Fist” Ace are the same person (p. 18).
• Magellan, Warden of Impel Down, arrives at the Level 4 elevator demanding the leaders of the rebellion (p. 12).

Foreshadowing seeds planted

Payoffs (seeds from earlier chapters that resolve here)

Mentions / appearances

Luffy · Blackbeard (Marshall D. Teech) · Jinbei · Crocodile · Hannyabal · Magellan · Sadie · Shiryu · Ivankov · Ace (mentioned) · Blackbeard Pirates · Whitebeard Pirates (via “division leader”) · Impel Down (Level 1 Crimson Hell, Level 4 Inferno Hell) · Jaya (referenced) · Will of D (the D. initial — “Marshall D. Teech” spoken in full, p. 3) · Saldeath (SBS, p. 20)

Notable panels

• Page 1 — Cover: Limited Cover Series No. 11 — “Sanji’s Kamabakka Hell Insanity,” Vol. 1: “Adventure on the Island of No Way Out.” Sanji flees a mob of okama wielding butterfly nets. (Start of the Sanji/Kamabakka cover serial — defer to cover-tracker.)
• Page 2 — Level 1 “Crimson Hell”: staff scramble to raise the bridge — “There are only five of them!! Stop the Blackbeard Pirates!!” / “Blackbeard and his men have betrayed us!!”
• Page 3 — Shiryu reveal: the 獄-coated former Head Jailer, freed, meets Blackbeard. “You must be Blackbeard, Marshall D. Teech.” / “Ze ha ha ha! That’s right!”
• Page 6 — Chief Jailer Sadie with her “Red Viper Whip”; Ivankov intercepts.
• Page 8 — Under Warden Hannyabal opens the gate revealing “a thousand prison bazooka troops in the stairway to Level 3.”
• Page 11 — Luffy’s Gum-Gum Jet Gatling flattens Hannyabal.
• Page 12 — Warden Magellan arrives at the Level 4 great elevator.
• Pages 14-15 — Hannyabal’s justice creed: the prison is a “warehouse for scum” so decent people “could sleep at night.”
• Page 17 — The Blackbeard Pirates’ silhouette entrance at the top of the level; Crocodile and Jinbe react (“Teech! What are you doing here?!”).
• Page 19 — Blackbeard’s full-body reveal to Luffy: “I was surprised to find out you’re the brother of my old division leader, Ace.”
• Page 20 — SBS Question Corner: Oda confirms Saldeath’s trident is also a flute used to command the Blugori jailer-beasts; New Kama Land fishnet-stocking gag.

Open questions raised

• Why has Blackbeard broken into Impel Down with only five men — who is he here to collect?
• Is Shiryu now formally allied with Blackbeard, or merely a freed convict crossing his path?
• What does Teech intend toward Luffy, knowing he is Ace’s brother and Ace is set for execution?