Chapters · Summit War › Impel Down

Chapter 544: The Lid to the Cauldron of Hell Opens

Arc: Impel Down · Saga: Summit War · Released: 2009-05-25

Summary

At the stairway up to Level 3, Luffy’s breakout group runs into the Blackbeard Pirates, who have invaded Impel Down from the other direction. Blackbeard taunts Luffy by recounting (via Banaro Island flashback) that he had originally planned to capture Luffy at Water 7 to win a Seven Warlords seat — but Ace, who was hunting him for a crime aboard Whitebeard’s ship, got in the way and was captured instead; so Ace “saved” Luffy and Teach should be thanked “at his grave.” Luffy attacks in a rage but Blackbeard’s Black Vortex (Yami Yami no Mi) drags him in, and the darkness-touch nullifies his rubber so Luffy bleeds. Luffy’s allies — chiefly Crocodile — restrain him: don’t waste energy fighting Blackbeard, remember you’re here to rescue Ace. Crocodile recognizes Teach as the “no-name” who took his vacated Warlord seat. Crocodile also explains the jailer beasts (the Minotaur reappears) are awakened Zoan-types. Then Warden Magellan arrives, unleashing the Hydra poison on the Blackbeard Pirates while the breakout charges up the stairs. Meanwhile Buggy leads a worshipping mob of Level 2 prisoners toward freedom, Blackbeard’s men smash the monitor room and cut every communication line to the outside, and Blackbeard promises that in “a few short hours” he will put on “a show that will shake the world.”

New reveals

• Ace unknowingly saved Luffy’s life. Blackbeard first targeted Luffy at Water 7 (“I wanted to become one of the Seven Warlords… I’ll present him to the government as a gift!”); Ace, chasing Teach for a crime aboard Whitebeard’s ship, intercepted him and was captured instead (pp. 2-4).
• First on-page naming of Devil-Fruit “awakening.” Crocodile: the jailer beasts “won’t stay down for long… they’re awakened Zoan-types!” — their toughness and recovery speed are the awakened trait (p. 11).
• Blackbeard’s darkness nullifies rubber by touch — Luffy bleeds after being pulled into the Black Vortex; the crew gasps “Isn’t he made of rubber?!” (pp. 5-6).
• Blackbeard Pirates have invaded Impel Down and severed all communications between the prison and Navy HQ / other government facilities (smashed the monitor room) (pp. 12-13).
• Blackbeard foreshadows his plan: “We’re going to put on a show that will shake the world!! In a few short hours…” (pp. 14-15).
• Crocodile re-enters the story (last seen Alabasta) as part of Luffy’s breakout alliance; he confronts Teach as the man who took his forfeited Warlord seat (pp. 8, 14).

Foreshadowing seeds planted

Payoffs (seeds from earlier chapters that resolve here)

Mentions / appearances

• Appear: Luffy, Blackbeard, Crocodile, Buggy, Magellan, Hannyabal, Sadie, Minotaurus, Lafitte, Van Augur, Jesus Burgess, Doc Q, Blackbeard Pirates, Straw Hat Pirates, Impel Down, Yami Yami no Mi
• Appear (flashback, Banaro): Ace
• Mentioned only: Whitebeard (“defile the name of Whitebeard”), Shiryu (“I thought Shiryu was going to deal with Blackbeard”), Ace (rescue target), Water 7, Sky Island
• Cover story: Sanji — Limited Cover Series No. 11, “Sanji’s Kamabakka Hell Insanity,” final volume “One of the Girls”

Notable panels

• Page 1 — Title page + cover (B/W): Limited Cover Series No. 11, “Sanji’s Kamabakka Hell Insanity,” FINAL VOLUME “One of the Girls” — okama laughing “DAHAHAHA.”
• Pages 2-4 — Banaro flashback intercut with present: Blackbeard reveals he meant to capture Luffy; Ace’s “HE’S MY BROTHER!!”
• Pages 5-6 — Black Vortex pulls Luffy in; Luffy bleeds (“Isn’t he made of rubber?!”).
• Page 11 — The Minotaur jailer beast reappears; Crocodile names “awakened Zoan-types.”
• Pages 14-15 — One Piece / Sky Island dream debate; Blackbeard’s “show that will shake the world.”
• Page 16 — Sadie (chief guard) defeated/strung up by Ivankov; Magellan arrives.
• Page 17 — Magellan’s HYDRA!! poison splash engulfs the Blackbeard Pirates.
• Page 20 — SBS Question Corner (Old Lady Nyon / Franky; Dr. Kureha’s age 139 vs the 140-year human lifespan / “super-human”; New Character Design Contest declined). Not chapter narrative — route to SBS archive.

Open questions raised

• What is the “show that will shake the world” Blackbeard intends to stage in a few hours?
• Why are the Blackbeard Pirates in Impel Down — and why cut all communications to the outside?
• What exactly is Devil-Fruit “awakening,” now that it’s been named on-page?