Highlights
- MADS, an illegal research institute led by Dr. Vegapunk, conducted groundbreaking research in fields such as artificial devil fruits and cybernetics.
- The group's research attracted the attention of the World Government, leading to their disbandment and each member going their own way.
- Despite their conflicting motives, MADS made significant scientific breakthroughs, including the discovery of the Lineage Factor, which had a major impact on the series.
An illegal research institute spearheaded by none other than Dr. Vegapunk, MADS, also known as the "Laboratory for Peace," was active nearly two decades before the start of the main storyline One Piece. In the time since, the genius scientists who formed the organization went on to expand on their work and make groundbreaking contributions to science in their own way. Each of these characters has also played a significant part in the Straw Hats' journey through the New World in their own way.
Financed by Du Feld, the Loan Shark King of the Underworld in One Piece, the four main members of MADS: Dr. Vegapunk, Vinsmoke Judge, Queen, and Caesar Clown, conducted important research into Artificial Devil Fruits, cybernetics, cloning, artifical diseases, and gigantification. Unfortunately for them, their work attracted the attention of the World Government, who forced the group to disband, as they were threatened by the existence of the research group. Subsequently, each member has forged their own path in the world, and built upon the work they did in their time with the group, producing incredible discoveries that are now sought after by some of the world's most powerful forces.
The Planet's Greatest Minds
The research facility which served as the base of operations for MADS was a paddle steamer, which was styled as a research lab for peace, with the word "Pacifist" emblazoned on flag. On the other hand, the ship's hull bore the words "MADS" and "Presented by Lu Feld," acknowledging the underworld figure's role in supporting the group's research. Much like a lot of built forms throughout the world of One Piece, the vessel's proportions are exaggerated to an almost cartoonish degree, with a massive hull and disproportionately small funnel.
Interestingly, the group's values were in direct contradiction to the actual work being done by three of the four scientists who were all attempting to create weapons of mass destruction. After the group's disbandment, each of them would continue their work and get involved with figures from the pirate world and act in direct opposition to the World Government. The only one actually conducting research into instruments for peace was Vegapunk, who would later be employed by the World Government itself under its Special Science Group.
Besides them, the group also supposedly included Buckingham Stussy, a former member of the Rocks Pirates and the future mother of Edward Weevil, who provided the genetic template for the group's first successful cloning subject, also named Stussy. While her contribution to the group's work is still not clear, as she was described as a "freeloader" by the other members of MADS, and has no real discoveries or subsequent research work credited to her name as yet.
Breakthroughs To Change The World
Despite the apparent lack of cohesion in the motives behind their research, the group was responsible for one of the greatest scientific discoveries in history, that of the Lineage Factor. The concept has been described as the blueprint of all life, and an essential ingredient in the development of Artificial Devil Fruits and the process of cloning used by Germa 66 and the Marines' SSG. Naturally, as seen in the series, Vegapunk and Judge had the greatest success in harnessing this breakthrough for their own work after the dissolution of MADS.
Vegapunk's work, especially his development of artificial flower breeds that could grow in gunpowder, began to garner great acclaim, and eventually warranted the attention of the World Government, as this invention rendered firearms and tanks useless. This sparked a great deal of jealousy among the other three members of MADS, who began to quarrel over who was the second-best scientist in the organization.
Over time, as their notoriety and renown grew, the World Government took even more of an interest in their work, and Vegapunk was even granted an audience with the Five Elders. Sadly, this prominence would be short-lived as their research soon began to touch upon subjects that were considered taboo, leading to the dissolution of MADS and arrest of Vegapunk, as the World Government were worried about his research into the Lineage Factor, among other things.
In The Aftermath Of Its Dissolution
This was the series of circumstances that led to Vegapunk's association with the World Government, despite his supposed pacifist outlook. However, even after its dissolution, MADS would go on to have a major impact on the second half of the series. Caesar Clown was the mastermind behind the development of SMILEs, Artificial Devil Fruits that were consumed by the Beasts Pirates. Initially, he worked with Vegapunk in Punk Hazard to further their research into Artificial Devil Fruits, which yielded the fruit consumed by Momonosuke based off Kaido's Lineage Factor, as well as the Green Blood used in the Seraphim.
Alongside this, Caesar Clown also continued creating biological weapons and toxins, and even performed deadly giganitification experiments on children. After ignoring warnings from his superiors to cease his work in this arena, he unleashed a powerful poison gas which made the island uninhabitable. He was imprisoned for this act, but escaped a year later and returned to Punk Hazard to continue his work under the protection of Doflamingo and Kaido, until he was finally thwarted by the Straw Hat Pirates and the Heart Pirates.
Vinsmoke Judge is the current king of the Germa Kingdom, who holds supreme authority over its military arm, Germa 66. He used his research into the Lineage Factor to create Germa's clone army, and also artificially modify his children to become super soldiers. Judge ran into Caesar Clown during the Whole Cake Island Arc, as both had dealings with Big Mom. Eventually, following their escape from Totto Land, the two set up a new institute known as NEO MADS, although its purpose remains unknown.
Queen went on to become one of Kaido's All Stars in the Beast Pirates, modifying his body with cybernetics that complemented his Devil Fruit powers. Buckingham Stussy had a child, Edward Weevil, who later became one of the Seven Warlords shortly before the system was scrapped. Lastly, Stussy, the first clone created by MADS, worked her way up in the World Government to become a CP0 agent, but remained loyal to Vegapunk. She would finally betray Ciper Pol during the Egghead Island Arc, coming to the defensse of her creator.
One Piece is available to stream on Crunchyroll.