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Biodata
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | Impel Down (因佩尔) |
| Alias(es) | The Iron Wall; the world's foremost prison 436 796 |
| Location | Calm Belt; much of the prison extended beneath the sea 437 665 |
| Affiliation | World Government; operated separately from Marine Headquarters 659 |
| Role | Prison for criminals, including pirates and Devil Fruit users 436 674 |
| Status | Destroyed by Maud; whether the World Government will rebuild it remains undecided 713 796 |
| First Appearance | Chapter 4 (mentioned) 4 |
Layout and Security
- Exterior: A towering outer wall had a single drawbridge entrance. A higher inner wall enclosed the prison towers; a forest covered the structure above them, with three lookout towers rising through the trees 666.
- Entry procedures: Even Shichibukai were ordinarily barred. Exceptions required Seastone Cuffs, followed by a thorough search at the first-floor entrance 436.
- Surveillance: Den Den Mushi monitored corridors and transmitted footage to a control room 674 677.
- Administration: Magellan served as warden during Maud's earlier visit. Hannibal held the post during Maud's later invasion 436 677.
| Level | Documented details |
|---|---|
| First Floor | The highest prisoner level; Buggy was held here. Blue Gorilla guards patrolled it 673 674. |
| Second Floor | Housed Prisoner Beasts and other beasts 678. |
| Fifth Floor | An extreme-cold level where inmates struggled to survive. Maud harvested prisoners' shadows here 437. |
| Hidden Floor 5.5 | A space created by Revolutionary Army commander Jasmine and unknown even to prison authorities. Later called Newkama Land, it became Emporio Ivankov's territory 437 700. |
| Sixth Floor | Secretly held exceptionally dangerous pirates. The World Government concealed the floor's existence, leaving the public aware of only five floors 437. |
History
Maud first entered Impel Down with Marine permission while he was a Shichibukai. Escorted to Magellan, he proceeded to the Fifth Floor and took prisoners' shadows to increase his strength. His visit exposed the tension between the prison's security rules and the exceptional access granted to him 436 437.
Following the Summit War, prisoners escaped from the Sixth Floor. The World Government initially sought to conceal the escape, while the Marines faced the danger posed by the fugitives 520. Maud later resolved to return to Impel Down to confirm Saul's whereabouts. Because Marine Headquarters could reinforce the prison quickly, he considered both an assault and negotiation using captured Celestial Dragons as leverage 656 659.
Maud ultimately assembled allies for an attack, including Fish-Man warriors whose underwater abilities suited the prison's submerged design 665. The Marines deployed forces around Impel Down and intended to use it as a cage to isolate Maud from his crew. He entered by shifting to a Shadow Mark placed on the first underground level and sought the Sixth Floor, where Saul was imprisoned 666 673 674 700.
During the battle, Jaya used her Float-Float Fruit ability to lift the entire prison from the sea as the Maud Pirates withdrew 710 711. Maud then spread shadows through Impel Down and tore it apart, sending its wreckage toward the Marines 713 714.
Aftermath
- Impel Down remained in ruins. Rebuilding it would require extensive resources, and the Marines' relocation to the New World cast doubt on the value of its original site 796.
- Escaped Sixth Floor prisoners continued to cause destruction. After the battle weakened the Marines, they had less capacity to pursue those fugitives or answer requests for aid 796.