Summary
The first mention of the Great Kingdom, which was the enemy of theWorld Government during the Void CenturyinOne Piece, came during a flashback to the Ohara Incident. When cornered by CP9 for his research into the Poneglyphs and the ancient script used to write them, Professor Clover — the director of the Ohara Library and a world renowned archaeologist who mentored Nico Robin — spoke to the Five Elders through a Den Den Mushi. During this conversation, when the scholars of Ohara learned that they had been condemned to death, Clover mentioned that he knew of certain secrets from the Void Century. He then proceeded to berate the Five Elders, for hiding the true history of the world by citing the threat of the Ancient Weapons being revived.
Clover stated that he was aware of the technologically advanced kingdom that had fought against the World Government. On declaring that the people of the world deserved to know the truth, and threatening to reveal the name of the Great Kingdom, Clover was shot and fatally wounded. Seeing how afraid theWorld Government was of this information being leaked, it would not be a stretch to say that the Great Kingdom was one of the most powerful civilizations in history, such that it took 20 nations to form an alliance to defeat it. Moreover, the Great Kingdom was also responsible for the creation of the Poneglyphs, and its name is also said to be key to understanding the Void Century. There have been various clues alluding to the kingdom’s strength inOne Piece, each adding to the picture of the power it must have commanded.
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The Nemesis Of The World Government
Nearly 800 years prior to the start of the story, 20 kingdoms banded together to form an alliance which evolved to become the World Government, having emerged from the ashes of the Great Kingdom’s defeat in a war. In the time since, the World Government has erased any and all record of the kingdom having existed, as well as the conflict they were embroiled in, banning any attempt to uncover these secrets. This was one of the main reasons behind theBuster Call on the island of Ohara, as the scholars there had successfully deciphered the language of the Poneglyphs and began unearthing the truth they held. Hence, even after its defeat, the messages left by the kingdom, still have the power to overthrow the government, highlighting their incredible power.
The mere existence of the kingdom was regarded as a threat to the World Government, which is why they have taken such extreme measures to bury any record of the kingdom’s existence. At present, the only real way togain any information about the Void Centuryor the kingdom itself is through the Poneglyphs. Although the kingdom was not responsible for creating these indestructible steles — which were produced by the Kozuki Family of Wano — they did emblazon them with the knowledge they sought to pass down to future generations in the hope that they would one day end the tyranny of the government.
The Ancient Weapons
Besides the records of history they contain, the Poneglyphs also holdinformation about the three Ancient Weapons, each of which is said to hold the power to rain down devastation upon the world. As such, the world lives in constant fear of the weapons being revived for use, as any group that comes into possession of them, could disturb the delicate balance of power on the seas inOne Piece. Considering how the Ancient Weapons are tied to the Poneglyphs, and by extension, the Great Kingdom itself, it is likely that this civilization had a hand in creating them, and maybe even used them in the war.
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Apart from the Mother Flame, there are no such weapons held by the World Government, which are capable of such destruction. Moreover, there are also certain theories that tie the Mother Flame to the Ancient Weapons. While the Ancient Weapon Poseidon is a mermaid born with the ability to communicate with the Sea Kings, the battleship Pluton is said to be housed under the nation of Wano. Hence, the only remaining weapon among the trio, Uranus,may have ties to the Mother Flame, although this could just be another red herring that Oda has planted to confuse fans.
The world’s foremost scientist Dr. Vegapunk has attested to the advanced technology of the Great Kingdom, having spent a large part of his life attempting to understand and recreate it with limited success. He has also stated that his inventions are pale imitations of the kingdom’s power. Looking at theadvanced nature of Vegapunk’s own creations, it is frightening to think of the military might that might have been at the kingdom’s disposal, with the most recent example of this being the autonomous Iron Giant on Egghead Island, which was comparable in size to the Ancient Giants. While Vegapunk was able to model his Vegaforce-01 mech on its design, he was unable to recreate the Ancient Energy used to power it, highlighting how advanced it must have been to be even beyond Vegapunk’s comprehension.
Ideals That Could Change The World
As Imu stated during the Five Elders' meeting with Nefertari Cobra in front of the Empty Throne, the Will of the D. is heavily tied to the Great Kingdom, and the initial “D” is itself the name of the World Government’s old nemesis. Where the technological marvels and secrets associated with the Great Kingdom already pose a major threat to the authority of the World Government, it is the ideals of this civilization that perhaps scares them the most. Professor Clover theorized that understanding the messages of the Poneglyphs would give one the power to change the world, and given theFive Elders' reaction to this statement, it may not have been far from the truth.
The World Government has also suppressed any knowledge of the Will of the D., hinting that the beliefs spread by the Great Kingdom have more value than their technological or military might ever could. The government’s ruthless policy of erasing any information about the kingdom, highlights how much of a problem itposed to them during the Void Century, such that they may have even been more powerful than the combined might of the World Government itself. In time, the Final Saga may reveal more on this topic, which has invited the curiosity ofOne Piecefans since its first mention on Ohara.
