Impel Down Arc

Impel Down arc is the 21st story arc in the One Piece series, continuing from the Amazon Lily arc. Luffy puts off finding his crew in favor of rescuing his brother Ace from the underwater prison Impel Down. With some assistance from Boa Hancock, he manages to sneak in. But fulfilling his objective and escaping the nightmarish prison might be easier said then done.

The Other Strawhats Locations
When Nami wakes up she finds herself on a Sky Island. This sky island is very small and one of the people living there, an old man, tries to entertain her by showing her a wind knot and then demonstrating its applications (which unfortunately, only annoyed Nami even more). He then tells her that this small sky island is called Weatheria, an island where the scientific study of weather is conducted.

Franky finds himself on an winter island where he is almost blasted by a projectile fired by a hunter's pet cyborg dog. When a man asks him if he wants to get some warm clothes he says "I'd be a pervert disgrace!" And proceeded to perform some of his trademark poses (curiously, the men and dog who found him followed his example); Karakuri Island is the name of the place where he landed. Two townspeople tell him that he is in the "Future Kingdom Barjimoa."

Sanji, however, has landed in what would probably be the worst place for him to be. Making a mental letter to Nami and Robin, he notes that he is in hell; the transvestite-infested kingdom of Momoiro Island.

Usopp is on the Boian Archipelago in the grand line. He was attacked by many creatures within Glinstone, where he is saved by Heracles. He is attacked by a man eating plant but Heracles saves him again. He is warned by the strange man that if he wishes to keep his life and his possessions then he should take great care within the forest.

Brook awakens on Namakura Island, the land of poverty in the Grand Line. He finds cultists around him, who think that he's a demon. They ask of him to destroy their enemies who robbed them, but Brook is only concerned about "getting back" (to his nakama). The cultist's get afraid and beg him not to go back to the "Demon Realm". They give Brook a sacrifice, a scared pretty girl. Brook asks her to see her panties, and all the cultists rush to find panties for "Satan-sama", as they call him.

In the East Blue on the bridge Tequila Wolf, Robin is questioning the foreman about the bridge, and finds out it is where prisoners or citizens of countries that did not join the world government end up. He says that they are brought there to build the bridge, which has been in construction for over 700 years. He then tells Robin to start working and it is revealed that she is shackled.

Chopper awakens in Torino Kingdom, where he was found by two gigantic birds who attempt to peck at him. Chopper, rendered immobile due to the aftermath of Monster Point, falls out of their nest to avoid being eaten. He lands in front of a couple of natives residing in the island, where it is revealed that they are actually ruled over by the birds.

Zoro suddenly crashes onto Kuraigana Island, where Perona was coincidentally transported by Kuma as well. She complains about not having any servants with her, and Zoro makes his appearance, much to Perona's discomfort. She bandages him up and puts him on a bed, and when he wakes up he asks for his swords, to which Perona says no.

The War with Whitebeard
Following Luffy's and Hancock's entrance on the ship, Hancock lets the marines know of her demand for more food, obviously for Luffy. They bring it to her, and she even uses her Mero Mero devil fruit to freeze any of the marines that peeked into her room as demonstrated by one unfortunate marine, so they would not see Luffy as a stowaway (though she probably would have turned the peeping marines to stone anyway). Luffy eats his meals, and remarks how they are delicious. The marines outside hear, and think someone else is in there and betting that if Hancock said that they would shave their hair into mohawks, but Hancock emerges with a few huge plates on a cart, remarking that she was stuffed as the marines stare in awe (and they all get mohawks).

Meanwhile, many powerful Marines, (including Smoker, Tashigi, Hina, John Giant, Kizaru, and Aokiji) are gathering at Marinford to prepare to combat Whitebeard following the destruction of their observation ships.

At Mariejoa, five of seven Shichibukai are gathered, Donquixote Doflamingo, Blackbeard, Gecko Moria, Bartholomew Kuma, and Dracule Mihawk, who are eating with a few marines. Off to the side, Garp is talking to Ace, saying that even if Ace was killed right there, it wouldn't do any good because they would not be able to stop Whitebeard, saying that they have already angered the "Ruler of the Seas."

Garp continues on, expressing his disappointment that both Luffy and Ace turned to piracy when he wished for them to be marines. Ace counters it wouldn't have mattered anyway since they have the blood of a world class criminal in them. He goes on further explaining that he took his mother's name "Portgas" out of love for her and doesn't care in the slightest of his father, Dragon, claiming Whitebeard to be his only true father.

Entering Impel Down
Meanwhile Momonga's ship reaches one of the gates, spotting a pirate ship as they near it. Though Momonga leaves it be due to keeping to his schedule of reaching Impel Down on time. The pirate ship turns out to be Buggy the Clown's as his crew try to reach Impel Down as well to save their captain whose been captured. But are stopped as their dangerously close to reaching the Calm Belt. The crew argue with Alvida on continuing their mission though she reminds them of the impossible nature of it all and seems more interested in taking Buggy's ship for herself. Upon realizing she right, the crew wish Buggy luck and sail on.

We then go to the underwater prison and given a glimpse inside it horrific structure. Prisoners being tortured viciously. One new prisoner gets into a fight with another after others try to tell him how things work there. While the newbie manages to win, a minotaur-like figure beats them both with his club then throws them into a cell where a monstrous being attacks them. Also shown are various devices used for torturing further implying the nature of the prison.

Meanwhile four days have past since Luffy and Hancock left Amazon Lily as Momaga's ship has finally reached the prison. As they go past the gate, Luffy notices the strict security around the place. Hancock and he (hiding in her robe again) leave the ship to the main entrance, Momonga informing her that precautions will be made since she a former pirate to prevent chaos from happening in the prison. Among such being seastone handcuffs to nullify her power and a body search. The latter of which worries Hancock though Luffy tell her he'll deal with it. With that Hancock and Luffy enter Impel Down while a official receives news that Buggy escaped from his cell. Thirty three hours remaining before Ace's execution.

The group reach the front gate where they're greeted by the vice chief of Impel Down, Hannyabal, who introduces himself and the jail head, Domino. Hancock is taken to be searched, along the way being told of the prisoner entrance process into the prison as well as who their currently holding. Eventually Hancock is taken to a room to be searched by Domino. Before Domino can do so, Hancock freeze her as well as the camera den den mushi to stone allowing to Luffy to come of her robe undiscovered. She then tells him that as far as she can go and apologizes for not being able to help further. But Luffy disagrees, thanking her for getting him that far (even calling her by her name which causes her to swoon). Before he leaves, Hancock makes him promise not to cause a ruckus as she doesn't wish to see him get caught, which he agrees too. Hancock then leaves the room, restoring Domino in the process who has no memories of her being turned to stone. The group then proceed downward to Ace's cell, before they go Hancock sees Luffy ahead of them hiding in the ceiling mouthing "thank you" to her though she misinterprets this as "I love you" and faints much to the prison's staff surprise.

Meanwhile out in the sea, a few rather deformed beings called Bullgory slices up some sea monsters, the pieces which are then sucked into a compartment in the building. They then reenter the prison from an underwater opening as an officer praises them for refilling the prison's food supply.

Crimson Hell
In level 1, Luffy who begins his search for Ace, noting the vastness of the prison and the screaming being heard near constantly. He passes a few cells where the prisoners inside question on why he's out of a cell then being astonished to learn he snuck in. Before they can go on further, something heads Luffy's way. It is a prisoner escapee with a few Bullgory close on his tail. They manage to catch up and slice the man in half. But the prisoner turns out to be Buggy who reconnects himself. He then realizes Luffy, forced to run as well from the creatures, beside him. After a bit of unusual chatting among one another on what to do next. They decide if they've already been spotted, they might as well called a truce, team up and raise a ruckus. With that the two attack the Bullgory together.

Buggy manages to escape from the axe attack of a Bullgory with his Bara-Bara Emergency Escape and tried to defeat it with the attack Midair Spinning Super Circus, but failed to even harm him. Yet, Luffy defeats him in a blink of an ever after defeating all of the guards in an instant and saving Buggy, whose extremely shocked he took the guard down so quickly remarking Luffy's ability comparing to the last time he met him. Buggy initially decides to escape but after hearing Luffy mention the battleships waiting outside the prison, he decides to stay. Buggy suddenly spots the arm band that Luffy is wearing and immediately identifies it as the map to Captain John's treasure. He makes a deal with Luffy, he will escort him to Level 4 of Impel Down but in return Luffy has to give him the treasure. Without hesitation, Luffy agrees and even decides to give him the arm band in advance for helping him. Buggy feels guilty for lying to Luffy but nonetheless, decides to escape from Luffy but crashes into the Goaler's room and towards the Crimson Hell, the first level of Impel Down which is a forest that has blade like leaves and grass. Prisoners are made to run through such a place while being chased by poisonous spiders dyeing the forest red with blood due to cuts, hence the title of the level. Luffy grabs hold onto Buggy as they fall while Luffy throws Buggy's feet into the ground as told and they fly towards the entrance of Level 2, with Buggy feet spitting apart to avoid the blade grass. Eventually the two reach a hole in the middle of the forest which Buggy explains leads to Level 2. Luffy immediately jumps down and heads towards Level 2 despite Buggy's warnings. Buggy shrugs this off and prepares to find another way to escape but an attack by a chasing Bullgory knocks him into Level 2 as well.

Beast Hell
In Level 2, we can see in a cell none other then Mr. 3, appearing more ragged and with facial hair than he had prior to his sentencing. He surprised by the sudden rage of the beasts of Hell on the level, but he doesn't care since he doesn't have the energy to be afraid anymore since all prisoners in Level 2, Beast Hell, are their food anyway. When Luffy and Buggy arrive in the floor, they meet a Gaoler Basilisk, a snake born of a chicken and make run for it at the moment. Meanwhile, Boa Hancock is introduced to the warden in charge of Impel Down: Magellan, a gigantic person with wide black wings and two goat horns with two parallel lines circling them, with a large coat. After a bit discussion with Hannyabal, he accepts her proposal of see Fire Fist Ace, for Hannyabal's shock, firstly made by Hannyabal and promptly denied by the warden, after he performed his well-known persuasion technique. Back in Level 2, Luffy knocks out the basilisk and destroy without knowing the monitor room in the process with Gear Third, to Buggy's amazement.

Buggy hears the requests of the prisoners to free them and does so, including Mr. 3, with the keys on the floor of the former monitor room with the thought about making a riot to make it easier to escape. His thoughts are interrupted by Luffy, who pulls him by the neckband and say to him to hurry up and show the way to Level 3. Buggy retort saying he actually doesn't remember how to go there nor to Level 4, he lied for him only to get the Captain John's treasure map. Suddenly, he notices that the inmates returned to their cell and closed them because, as one of them mention, is useless to escape when there is still the Boss Monster around. Seeing his riot plan ruined, he promptly says to Luffy that he decided to lie to him again, telling him the way to Level 3. Luffy didn't buy it and retort saying that he thought that he said he doesn't know the way, and insults him as Big-nose, to Buggy's anger. Mr. 3 appears (though having to jog Luffy's memory a bit for him to remember the former Baroque Works officer), who says that he will help them to get to the next floor, as a part of his plan to escape from the Great Gaol.

Meanwhile, at the Level where Ace is being held, we finally see Jimbei's face, talking with Ace about his real pain is laying inside his heart, which it is bursting to deal out justice to prevent the upcoming war between the World Government and Whitebeard, and he says that he would willingly give up his Shichibukai title and even his own life to stop this fighting. It seems that Ace and Jimbei know each other for a long time due to his conversation about Whitebeard. Meanwhile Luffy, Buggy and Mr. 3 are running away of and sometimes attacking in distance horrible and some mythological monsters. Finally they meet the boss of the floor, the Sphinx, a fathered lion which says a bunch of ramen types like a parrot. While Luffy is fighting against the Sphinx, Mr. 3, who made a lot of Doru clones to trick the Floor Boss, and Buggy team up to get away from the Great Gaol using Luffy as a bait. Unfortunately for them as their making their escape, the Sphinx smashes the floor to pieces while trying to find the real Mr. 3 (with Luffy egging him on no less), leading everyone down to Level Three.

The guards reach the area soon after the trio have fallen through, wondering at what Luffy could be after. Before they can ponder any further. The escaped prisoners soon gang up on them and with the sphinx now gone start to run wild, thanking Buggy for their freedom. As the guards go to deal with them, Security soon get news that they know that Luffy's after Ace realizing that the two of them are related and that the purpose of Luffy's invasion was to rescue Ace. Quickly the guards go to inform Magellen just as this news quickly reaches the ears of Sengoku. Frustrating him further while Garp however is more amused by the whole situation. Sengoku goes on to explain that only one pirate named Kinjishi (dubbed the flying pirate) was successful in escaping Impel Down but twenty years since then no one has managed the feat again. He soon goes on to scold Garp about it being his grandson who may tarnish the record, as well Kuma's failure to kill the Straw Hats (though Garp realized that was a lie right off the bat) and expressing his temptation to let Garp take all the responsibility for his family's actions but can't due to his reputation. Garp, through all the ranting, simply laughs it off.

Starvation Hell
Meanwhile, Luffy, Buggy, and Mr. 3 have landed in Level 3 which Luffy realizes is much hotter then the previous floors. Mr. 3 however points the nature the level, the prisoners in the cell who look very starved and emancipated were once people who held a bounty of fifty million and over. However in this level, theres very little food or water given to them and their made to suffer the heat from the bottom floor till their near death, thus earning the level the title of Starvation Hell. As the three try to figure out a way out of the level and squabble with Luffy on helping him. The security on the level spring a net made of seastone from under them, hoisting the trio into the air. The guards quickly gather under the bunch headed by the chief guard and commander of the Bullgory, Saldeath, who prepares to secure them while mentioning the four demon guards below should they have continue. Before the guards can do so however the Sphinx, which was also caught in the net, suddenly wakes up. Swinging the net around in and eventually breaking it, freeing Luffy, Buggy and Mr.3 in the process.

Luffy quickly takes advantage of the situation and runs for it though the Bullgory set after him, only to be felled by Luffy's Gatling attack. He then notices Buggy and Mr. 3 climbing the net onto a rafter of the level. The two mock Luffy but he just shouts his thanks for their help much to their bewilderment. Saldeath rallies his security force to go after Luffy forcing him to fight a few till the Sphinx recovers and comes after him as well. Seeing this Luffy hops across the guards heads and runs down the hall with security force in pursuit. Buggy and Mr. 3 take the time to rest for the moment as they try to figure a way back to level 2. The two suddenly hear singing coming from the one cell whose voice Mr. 3 recognizes. The two follow it leading to a cell containing none other then Bon Kurei whose doing ballet with the prisoners in his cell (though they collapse shortly after). As he spins, he does a double take once he see Mr. 3 who ask Buggy if they could not let him one out while Buggy himself is shocked at Bon Kurei's appearance asking "What manner of creature is this?".

Back up topside of the prison, the marines have mobilized and prepare to enter Impel Down to capture Luffy. Before they can enter, they're stopped by the chief guard Sadi-chan who implores them to stay outside to fortify the entrance since they don't have any knowledge of the structure of the prison. Plus she reminds them that the pride of Impel Down is at stake so she and the staff inside will handle it. Sadi proceeds to raise the drawbridges of the prison keeping anyone from getting in or out. All the while a giant koala peeping out from the prison's entrance gets the attention of the marines.

Back inside, Hancock's group have finally reached Ace's cell, allowing the warlord to meet Luffy's brother face to face. As the two talk, The prisoners of that floor begins to leer and make cat calls toward her. This drives on the nerves of Magellan until he suddenly unveils the full extent of his devil fruit, literally dripping himself with poison and forming a hydra from the globs. One of the prisoners tries to calm him down which Magellan responds by covering the prisoner with poison. Magellan then reminds the prisoners that he can and will kill them anytime if they get out of line. Hancock then concludes her business of delivering the news to Ace that Luffy has come to rescue him (apparently having used Magellen as a distraction) much to Ace's surprise.

Luffy meanwhile is trying to find his way to level four on his own. He soon runs into guards that fire seastone nets his way. He manages to dodge them but is suddenly pinned down by the Sphinx. Before the beast can bite into him a voice catches its attention. The person apparently being Zoro who proceeds to beat up the sphinx with his kicks. Luffy however realizes that not Zoro's fighting style before the person changes in Bon Kurei much to Luffy's joy (after some initial disappointment it wasn't his first mate). The two then team up to beat the guards and take down the Sphinx before tearfully weeping and hugging at being reunited. As Saldeath prepares to send his remaining Bullgori after them, Bon Kurei happily agrees to help Luffy reach level five since he wishes to meet someone on that level as well.

The marines soon identify Buggy, MR. 3 (whose real name is Galdino) and Bon Kuri (Real name Bentham) as the ones aiding Luffy as well as notice that the Luffy and Bon Kuri are heading for heading for Level 4. A few inmates, who managed to get their hands on a black Den Den Mushi, comment on their progress through agree in the end they'll be capture. Meanwhile in the Warden's office, Magellen has just recently received this news along with the Sadi-chan and three of the Demon Guards. The fourth on, Minotarus, who look like his namesake but not as intimiating, just happen to confornt Luffy and Bon Kuri on Level 3. It smacks Bon Kuri into a wall in an instant before the two can react and does the same to Luffy despite the latter managing to dodge its first blow. Bon recovers and saves Luffy before Minotarus can strike again but is quickly pinned down. Luffy enters Gear 2nd and hit it with a Jet Boozuka, knocking it up the level. After which, Luffy and Bon locate the entrance to Level 4 which they notice has hot air and smoke billowing out of it. Which lead down into...

Blazing Hell
Bon Kuri explains that the heat is from from a boiling kettle with blood and flames. He also mention to watch where they jump other they "be getting more then a couple of burns". Luffy then inquires about said person who was trying to meet which Bon answer is the queen of Kamabakka Island, Iwa-san, who was supposedly captured and send to Impel Down. Bon state if thats the case, he will try to rescue her. Their talk is suddenly interrupted by something coming their way which happens to be Buggy and Mr. 3 being chased by the recovered Minotarus, who landed near their hiding place after Luffy sent it flying. Luffy and Bon rejoin them, causing all four to be pursued. Buggy then mention to Luffy the Buggy Balls he used back in Orange Town (which Luffy doesn't remember to Buggy's chagrin) only he now condensed it small enough to hide on his person, renaming it the "Muggy Ball". He throw it at the Minotarus where it explodes on contact in it's face, greatly wounding it though not knocking it out. Luffy quickly ask Mr. 3 to fit his arm with wax like he did on Little Garden despite, givin the setting, it'll quickly meet in three second. Bon buys them time by hitting the Demon Guard with a spinning kick knocking it down. Mr. 3 quickly fits Luffy with a Candle Lock on his arm and Luffy finishes Minotarus with a Gum Gum Rifle. The four celebrate celebrte their victory at downing a Demon Guard before proceed onward. Meanwhile Ace begs to Luffy not to come while the rest of Impel Down force assemble on Level 4.