Warning: Contains spoilers for chapter #1116 of One Piece.

One Piece‘s Egghead traitor plot had fans pointing fingers in every direction at the beginning of the arc and though York was eventually revealed to be the traitor, her betrayal left many unanswered questions. That said, the latest chapter has finally fixed one of the biggest plotholes surrounding York’s betrayal, explaining how she managed to keep her plans secret from the rest of Vegapunk’s satellites.

In chapter #1116, Vegapunk reveals that a portion of the Mother Flame was stolen from him, which was then used to power the Ancient Weapon that destroyed Lulusia. York expresses her disbelief at hearing this, claiming that she had stopped synchronizing with Punk Records, which meant that Vegapunk shouldn’t have known about the Mother Flame being stolen.

While York has previously withheld certain information from Punk Records, such as the passcode to the Frontier Dome, the latest chapter confirms York had entirely stopped synchronizing her experiences for quite some time, thus keeping her betrayal a secret. This, in turn, explains how Vegapunk was also able to keep his own countermeasures and his message to the world a secret.

One Piece Explains How York and Vegapunk Kept Their Plans Secret

Created by Eiichiro Oda, Chapter #1116 “Internal Conflict”

When it was revealed that York had sealed the Frontier Dome in chapter #1090, it seemed as though she simply hadn’t yet synchronized with Punk Records for that day, making it impossible to get the password out of her. That said, the latest chapter proves that it is possible for the satellites, including Vegapunk himself, to completely stop synchronizing their experiences with Punk Records for days on end, finally explaining how York went behind Vegapunk’s back without him finding out.

If York had the choice and the ability to do so, then there is good reason to assume Stella, Shaka, and Edison also did the same when secretly recording Vegapunk’s broadcast and preparing for the attack on Egghead. It is likely that only these three were aware of the contingency plan and the entire contents of Vegapunk’s message. Unfortunately, both Stella and Shaka are no more, and the latest chapter has revealed that Edison too is gravely injured, which means that if the broadcast is interrupted, there may be no one left who can reveal the rest.

How Did Vegapunk Find Out the Mother Flame Was Stolen?

That said, chapter #1116 raises the question of how Vegapunk found out the Mother Flame was stolen in the first place. The most straightforward answer is that Dr. Vegapunk simply noticed a portion of it was missing. The latest chapter reveals Vegapunk did not know who was responsible for stealing it, which means he likely did not make the connection to York until after she revealed herself as the traitor.

Some fans have theorized that the Five Elders could have a traitor among them who informed Vegapunk about the Mother Flame being stolen and used on Lulusia, and while this explanation is most convenient, there is little concrete evidence to support such a betrayal. The most likely and believable outcome is that Stussy leaked the intel, including the fact that the World Government was planning to assassinate Vegapunk.

Nonetheless, the latest chapter of One Piece does partially redeem Vegapunk’s character, proving that he isn’t the evil, irresponsible scientist he was believed to be, but simply a very curious individual. York certainly represents Dr. Vegapunk’s own darkest desires so while he isn’t completely free of blame, his final message to the world may just make up for it.

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