Due to the length of the One Piece series, there's a noticeable amount of characters that readers have been waiting for years to see. Among them is Doctor Vegapunk, the greatest scientist at the World Government's disposal. After many years of waiting, chapter 1061 of the One Piece manga has introduced fans to Vegapunk's enigmatic figure.
However, the long-awaited reveal of the scientist's appearance has left fans shocked, questioning if the person who showed up in the latest installment of the series really is Vegapunk. Follow this thread to learn more.
Disclaimer: This article contains major spoilers from the One Piece manga up to chapter 1061.
The supposed reveal of Vegapunk's true appearance in One Piece 1061 has left fans shocked
Who is Vegapunk?
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Doctor Vegapunk is known as one of the greatest scientific geniuses that the One Piece world has ever known. He is the lead scientist at the World Government's disposal, with unparalleled scientific expertise and technological advancement. Vegapunk's genius is such that he is said to be more than 500 years ahead of the other scientists.
He is an essential figure who has researched Seastone, Devil Fruits, Lineage Factor, artificial lifeforms, and gigantification. He also worked on the creation of Pacifista cyborgs, the old models, and possibly the new ones, the Seraphims, as well. Vegapunk is also responsible for the modification of former Seven Warlord member Bartholomew Kuma into a cyborg.
Vegapunk currently leads the Special Science Group, abbreviated as SSG, an eponymous team and project. After the latest Levely, the institution of the Seven Warlords of the Sea was abolished. The SSG was established to replace them and recently created the Seraphim Unit, a new powerful version of the Pacifista cyborgs, imprinted with the peculiar powers of the Lunarian race.
Very little is known about Vegapunk's past. Before working for the World Government, he was part of MADS, an unauthorized research team that included other prominent scientists such as Judge Vinsmoke, Queen, and Caesar Clown. He has an interest in dragons, having created two of them on Punk Hazard and an artificial Devil Fruit that allows the user to transform into one.
Vegapunk's personality and beliefs are yet to be revealed. From what is known, he seems to be an honorable individual. A testament to that, before making Bartholomew Kuma a cyborg, he granted him his final wish as a human being, which was to program him to protect the Strawhat Pirates' ship, the Thousand Sunny, until their return.
Before chapter 1061 of the One Piece manga, Vegapunk's appearance was yet to be shown. However, he was referred to as an old man, suggesting he was an elderly person.
What happened in One Piece chapter 1061
According to the leaks of the latest installment of the series, the Strawhat Pirates unknowingly arrived at Vegapunk's location, an island called Egghead. The crew got split, with Luffy, Chopper, Jinbe, and Jewelry Bonney, one of the Eleven Supernovas, getting swept by the powerful waters of the sea raging around. Meanwhile, the Thousand Sunny was attacked by a giant mecha shark.
While the remaining Strawhats were thrown underwater after the ship capsized, a weird giant mecha warrior suddenly appeared and attacked the shark. A mysterious figure left the cabin of the mecha and stood in front of them. The person who showed up had the looks of a young woman.
The Strawhats thanked him for saving them, but he affirmed to be an employee of the World Government, making him their declared enemy. To everyone's shock, the young "woman" shockingly revealed his identity, claiming to be Doctor Vegapunk.
Whether or not that's entirely true, it will most likely be uncovered in the next One Piece chapters. More precise information will also be disclosed with the official release of chapter 1061, which is scheduled for Manga Plus on September 25, 2022.
How One Piece fans reacted to Vegapunk's supposed appearance
The revelation of Vegapunk's identity was absolutely unexpected. Fans were absolutely shocked and thrilled. However, an immediate debate has sparked whether the young woman that appeared at the end of the chapter truly is Vegapunk or not.
Throughout the entire series, the scientist had never appeared before. However, there have been two clear references to his persona. In both cases, Vegapunk was referred to as an old man. Given this, most One Piece fans were really surprised at the alleged revelation of Vegapunk's identity.
A widely shared theory assumes that the girl is not Vegapunk's real body, but an android the old man is speaking through. A possible hint to this is the fact that the woman has the code "PUNK 02" on their body. Considering the mecha shark had "PUNK 03" on it, and the robot warrior had a "PUNK 12," it's likely that the girl who claimed to be Vegapunk, sharing the same kind of code, is also a creation of his.
Some fans argued that the character could be his daughter or his niece. Most assume that they have a robotic body containing Vegapunk's consciousness, considering that they talk like an old man typically would. This could hint at the option of the scientist having separated his consciousness from his body, a really astonishing technological accomplishment.
Final thoughts
Since the closure of the Wano arc, which some fans have claimed did not fulfill its potential, One Piece has been running wild. With the revelations about the Cross Guild, the new bounties of the Strawhat Pirates, Rayleigh stopping Blackbeard, the appearance of the Seraphim Unit, and the mysterious Imu destroying the Lulucia Kingdom, every recent chapter had been a big hit.
Over the past few weeks, fans were never able to catch a break, as One Piece author Eiichiro Oda was able to surprise and entertain them with every new installment of the series. Likewise, chapter 1061 was no different.
The debate over whether or not the young "woman" truly is Vegapunk has involved most of the One Piece fandom. However, to learn the answer to this enigma, fans will have to wait at least two weeks, due to the next chapter being delayed. One Piece 1062's official release is scheduled to release on October 9, 2022, with some leaks possibly available in the preceding days.
One way or another, the moment to disclose Vegapunk's identity, one of the biggest mysteries of the entire series, has finally come. With the series having just entered its endgame, it's only reasonable for the author to start uncovering all the secrets that he teased fans with. Hopefully, along with Vegapunk's reveal, all the plotlines connected to the scientist will also be explored.
