Highlights
- MADS, an illicit research group led by Dr. Vegapunk, revolutionized military might in One Piece through the discovery of the Lineage Factor.
- Former MADS members Caesar Clown and Vinsmoke Judge formed NEO MADS to outdo Vegapunk and gain access to Germa 66's military power.
- NEO MADS may seek alliances with organizations like Cross Guild and the World Government for funding and further research opportunities.
Described as an illicit research group that flouted the World Government's authority, MADS was a pioneering endeavor that brought together the finest scientific minds in the world of One Piece. Led by the genius of Dr. Vegapunk, MADS revolutionized the military might of the Marines and other nations such as the Germa Kingdom, due to the discovery of the Lineage Factor and its subsequent application in cloning.
Even after the group split up due to infighting and being outlawed by the World Government, its various members went on to become major players in One Piece. Interestingly, the fallout of the Whole Cake Island Arc resulted in two of the group's former members, Caesar Clown and Vinsmoke Judge — joining hands to form a new organization dubbed NEO MADS. Considering the influence their earlier discoveries have exerted on the series so far, how could the creation of this new research collective affect the Final Saga?
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What Is NEO MADS?
Vinsmoke Judge and Caesar Clown formed NEO MADS after crossing paths during the Whole Cake Island Arc of One Piece, where the pair acknowledged their differences in the past and put them aside for the purpose of collaboration. In essence, they were able to join forces by targeting Vegapunk as the real obstacle they had to overcome, since neither of them were able to match his scientific achievements with MADS.
Consequently, this new organization is seen as a successor to MADS, without the involvement of Vegapunk or Queen — who was incapacitated after the Raid on Onigashima and Admiral Ryokugyu's subsequent assault on the battle's survivors. While the duo's overall objective — apart from outdoing Vegapunk — is not known, it is safe to say that they will become a force to be reckoned with, since they are among the foremost scientists of their generation, and have access to the military power of Germa 66.
Hence, it would not be a stretch to see them seek out alliances for funding, as avenues to further their research in pursuit of this goal. Whereas Vegapunk was working with almost unlimited funds from the World Government after the disbandment of MADS, both Judge and Caesar had to find other ways to continue their work. With this in mind, let's take a look at some potential allies that NEO MADS could align themselves with.
There's Potential For Some Dangerous Alliances in the Future
One obvious name that comes to mind in terms of potential allies for NEO MADS, is the pirate organization Cross Guild. Given their notoriety and the financial means that must be at their disposal in order to pay off the bounties they have placed on the Marines, they could become powerful allies in the New World. This coalition would subsequently be able to combine the strength of Crocodile and Dracule Mihawk, with the advanced technology and weaponry possessed by Germa 66.
While it may be a stretch for NEO MADS to ally with the Blackbeard Pirates, the odds are low considering that Blackbeard's sole objective is to attain more powerful Devil Fruits for his crew. As such, it remains to be seen whether advanced weapons and military power are assets he desires. With this in mind, there is a final ally whose influence and funding is virtually unparalleled in the world of One Piece, which makes the prospect of them allying with NEO MADS all the more probable.
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Naturally, this organization is the World Government itself, who are now short of a leader for the Marines' Special Science Group (SSG), which was headed by Vegapunk until an assassination order on him was issued due to his research on the Void Century. From an external perspective, this would be an almost ideal arrangement for the two lead scientists of NEO MADS, who could now work with the support and funding of the World Government, to outdo Vegapunk's achievements. As it stands, this may be the path that Caesar and Judge will take, as it aligns with nearly all of their goals.
Vegapunk Could Be Tempted to Return to MADS
One more improbable option is the return of Vegapunk, who was the driving force behind MADS in its original incarnation, but is currently also the focal point of Judge and Caesar's hatred. While it remains to be seen whether Vegapunk will even survive the Egghead Incident and set sail with the Straw Hat Pirates, it might not be insane to think that he would completely turn down the chance to collaborate with his former associates from MADS.
Since he really has nowhere else to go, Vegapunk must be desperate for funding and means to continue his research, with NEO MADS offering just that. That being said, the odds of Judge and Caesar letting go of their resentment towards him is next to impossible, and Vegapunk's own desire to join the organization has also not been ascertained at this point. Considering this, it is safe to say that Vegapunk will almost definitely look elsewhere before turning to NEO MADS as a last resort.
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