Celestial Dragons

Lore & Background

The Celestial Dragons are the descendants of the First 20, the group of twenty kings who founded the World Government eight centuries ago.[ch. 497] Nineteen of those bloodlines reside in Marijoa, with the Nefertari family being the sole exception.[ch. 142] They live luxurious lives and abuse their power.[ch. 498] Their capital is the Holy Land of Marijoa (Mary Geoise), and their governing headquarters is Pangaea Castle, where the Empty Throne sits—said to symbolize that not a single person from any of the twenty families can rule the world, but in actuality used by Imu.[ch. 396][ch. 763][ch. 907][ch. 908] The top leaders of the Government—Imu, the Five Elders, the Holy Knights of God, and commander-in-chief Kong—reside in Mary Geoise, which is also the jurisdiction of the Holy Knights of God and the home of the Celestial Dragons.[ch. 1054] Every four years, the royals of member nations assemble in Pangaea Castle to host the Reverie.[ch. 906]

In Their Own Story

The Celestial Dragons' arrogance is legendary. They wear enclosed helmets with supplied oxygen to avoid breathing the same air as commoners.[ch. 499] Their power is absolute: they can summon the Marines or Cipher Pol at will, and any harm done to them brings immediate retaliation from the World Government. The Five Elders, the highest-ranking Celestial Dragons, are the official highest authorities of the World Government, making them the leaders of the world.[ch. 233][ch. 907] However, they secretly answer to Imu with extreme loyalty.[ch. 907] The Celestial Dragons' cruelty is exemplified by Imu himself, who is shown to be extremely sadistic and cruel, casually destroying the kingdom of Lulusia solely due to their proximity to a weapon of mass destruction, as well as unsuccessfully forcing giant children to fall to their deaths to torment their families, amongst an unspecified but great amount of crimes against humanity.[ch. 1086]

Reader's Guide

The Celestial Dragons are central antagonists in One Piece, representing the corrupt pinnacle of the World Government. Their nineteen bloodlines reside in Marijoa, and they are protected by the Holy Knights of God, whose supreme commander is St. Figarland Garling.[ch. 1086] The Five Elders—St. Jaygarcia Saturn (Godhead of Science & Defense), St. Marcus Mars (Godhead of Environment), St. Topman Warcury (Godhead of Justice), St. Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro (Godhead of Finance), and St. Shepherd Ju Peter (Godhead of Agriculture)—each oversee a political field and have eaten Mythical Zoan Devil Fruits allowing them to transform into monstrous creatures from East Asian mythology.[ch. 1086] The Celestial Dragons' power is absolute but not invulnerable; Saturn was killed by a wrathful Imu for letting "Joy Boy" get away, and was succeeded by Garling.[ch. 1125] Their existence is kept secret from the world, and anyone who witnesses Imu's existence is assassinated.[ch. 908][ch. 1085]

Did You Know?

• The Celestial Dragons are made up of nineteen bloodlines, not twenty, because the Nefertari family chose not to move to Mary Geoise.[ch. 142][ch. 1084]
• The Five Elders are the highest-ranking Celestial Dragons and the official highest authorities of the World Government, but they secretly answer to Imu.[ch. 907]
• St. Figarland Garling, supreme commander of the Holy Knights, is the father of twin sons Figarland Shamrock and Shanks of the Four Emperors.[ch. 1086]
• Imu, the secret leader of the World Government, was one of the First Twenty monarchs and chose to embrace anonymity by withholding his surname.[ch. 1179]
• The Empty Throne in Pangaea Castle is said to symbolize that no single person from the twenty families can rule the world, but it is actually used by Imu.[ch. 396][ch. 763][ch. 907][ch. 908]