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Connecting the Dots: Energy Steroids, Ivonkov, Ceylon, + “Hero’s Water”
Throughout the series, we’ve seen multiple examples of characters sacrificing their health in order to obtain some new edge in power. Whether it be the fishman during the beginning of the post-timeskip or Luffy seeking a means to continue + save is brother, Ace. However, how exactly is this possible? It’s not like you can just make a deal w/ your body, like some teller at the bank. We’re always given a means (Ivonkov’s hormone therapy, the moon, energy steroids) but what in these various means makes all of this possible?
Let’s start by comparing all of the examples.
We’ll start w/ the one most people remember, the energy steroids on Fishman Island. For those who don’t remember, these pills were originally contained in the Tomatebako box. However, they weren’t actually talked about as energy steroids. Rather, the were said to be a special medicine that simply made one “older.” But, as we can clearly see, these pills (at least when taken in the thousands lol) gave Hody Jones a huge power-up. Of course, he certainly took on an older appearance, showing white hair early on + ultimately an elderly body once arrested. This process, taking a substance + suddenly growing stronger at the expense of life is actually something we’ve seen before. I’m not even talking about Luffy + Ivonkov (yet).
This is something that most fans of One Piece don’t remember. During the Alabasta arc, we had a very brief confrontation b/n the guards of Alabasta + Crocodile. These guards, though normally no match for Crocodile, chose to face him regardless. It is revealed that they all consumed “Hero’s Water” or “Hero Water” (depending on your translation…doesn’t matter). At the cost of one’s life, great strength can be acquired if one drinks this special water. Unfortunately, the guards don’t even get their chance, as Crocodile decides to just fly out of reach. Sorry, the image selection online is limited…so this is the best I got. If you don’t remember the scene, it’s in Chapter 196!
Why did he fly away though? He’s a logia. He could have killed them in an instant, right?
Well, it was undoubtably a smart move. He didn’t have to waste his time, letting them die on their own. However, it is curious that he chose to leave rather than face them at all. I’ll return to this point, but if you look, the guards clearly go through a rapid change. It’s also odd for Oda to just drop this in w/out addressing it ever again. Here’s my mini theory…a theory in a theory (theory-ception haha) whatever is in Hero’s Water is also in the steroids used by the fishman. Whatever component shared b/n the two allows them to exchange their life for power or energy. This is shockingly similar to something we’ve recently learned about, Ceylon!
As stated by Jimbe, the transformation gives the Minks elevated abilities, but at a cost. Ceylon transformation takes away some amount of time from their lifespan. If allowed to rage in that state unrestrained, they’d continue until they completely consumed their own life force. What’s truly shocking about this transformation, is that it shares almost the identical change in appearance exhibited by the fishman taking energy pills: white hair, red eyes. I suspect that the moon, rather than a drug, acts as a trigger for the minks, allowing them to do what others have artificially been able to do. Or, at least their similarities suggest as much to me.
And lastly, we must consider the injection treatment used by Ivonkov to save Luffy. In the case of Luffy, by all reason he should have died from Megellan’s poison. Instead, the treatment allowed Luffy’s entire body to be replenished in exchange for years of his life. We know that Ivonkov is a hormone DF user, having the ability to produce any + all hormones. Basically, he’s a walking, talking (+ winking lol) pharmacy. I suspect that the horomone/drug used by Ivonkov is the same component found in both the Hero’s Water + the energy steroids. Somehow, this component gives direct access to one’s entire life force (rather than just what’s normally in the body’s ready reserves). It can also be noted that Hody Jones was not only able to acquire more power w/ the drug, he was also able to heal. This is strikingly similar to what Luffy experiences, healing the 1st time + gaining energy the 2nd time!
Some of you might know my opinion of how life energy/haki works + why Gear 4th has a time limit. For those that don’t, I’ll outline it now. I suspect that all of one’s life energy (I know that isn’t a term in One Piece, but since Rayleigh says haki draws on the energy of all living things, I just call it life energy for convenience) is contained in the soul. As one lives, the soul naturally emits this life energy (note: not the same as haki; haki = willpower; life energy or life force = power). This natural radiation of energy is what allows people to perceive auras. This flowing life energy fills the body, which can contain some maximum amount/volume. This rate is normally fixed, and considering both the total amount + the rate at which if empties, we get one’s life span. Any extra is runoff which can be seen radiating from a person’s body. So when Luffy uses Gear 4th, he’s essentially using all of his ready reserves of life energy, which is why he must wait ten minutes. In other words, everyone has a time limit for haki/life energy. So, let’s say it again w/out all the clarification:
Soul (total life energy) –> Body (available life energy) –> Runoff (radiated/excess/unused life energy)
I suspect that all of these methods allow the individual to draw directly from the soul. By reducing the total amount of life energy available at the source, one’s lifespan is reduced (the natural flow remaining constant after the unnatural interference). It is the life energy taken from the source that allowed Luffy’s cells to revitalize + it is that same energy that gave the minks, fishman, + guards of Alabasta their power boost!
*Theory by Twinkidd
