Is Doflamingo a Celestial Dragon in One Piece? Explained

Donquixote Doflamingo features in a few major One Piece arcs, including being the antagonist in the Dressrosa Arc. After his defeat, he ends up in Impel Down and not seen much more. But is Doflamingo a Celestial Dragon in One Piece? 

Donquixote Doflamingo was formerly a Celestial Dragon and lived in Mary Geoise. His father’s decision to leave removed this membership from the entire family, including Doflamingo. He was sent to maximum security prison for his crimes on Dressrosa. 

Let’s explore what happened to this character, whether it’s fair to call him a Celestial Dragon and what his current status is.

How Does One Become a Celestial Dragon in One Piece?

Being in power for over 800 years, the World Government is composed of the World Nobles, a top social class with the alternative name as the Celestial Dragons.

The World Government is the ruling class over the One Piece world, with the original Twenty Kings being victorious over the Great Kingdom and eventually forming the organization through a series of alliances.

19 of the 20 families relocated to the ‘Holy Land’ of Mary Geoise, located at the halfway point of the Grand Line. The Arabasta family and kingdom decided to stay where they were.

Unless born into the founding stock descended from the Twenty Kings, one cannot be a World Noble or Celestial Dragon, and there are no alternative joining methods currently known.

With total power, they commit terrible crimes and cannot be held accountable, relying on their enforcement arm of the Marines to keep them safe and free from consequences. They can call on the Marine Admirals to deal with any enemies.

This power has corrupted them, although Donquixote Homing is one of the few who seems decent. His total lack of knowledge of the impact of the World Government on the greater world eventually leads to him making the fatal mistake of voluntarily leaving the Celestial Nobles.

There are no real rules to being a nobility, except that it is forbidden to bring shame to the Celestial Dragons. This mindset leads to horrific and terrible loss of life and misery, but is freely allowed under the rules of being in the World Government.

A Celestial Dragon has an identifying chip which can be scanned to ascertain their status.

Due to their oppressive rule and general scumbaggery, they are hated by others including the pirates, who wish to overthrow them.

In their eyes, they must rule so as to not get overthrown, which they do so via relying on violence and oppression. The means to fight back or oppose them are, of course, denied to all the people not part of the World Government.

Pappag has even mentioned that due to this toxic attitude, each successive generation is worse than the last, making a sort of positive feedback loop of abuse. They practice hypocrisy, mainly via owning slaves (that they banned for others) and killing at will.

Permanent exile and banishment await any who wish to leave or who are seen as a traitor, with the cowardly use of bounties on enemies so that they can outsource their dirty work and violence to others.

Going so far as to not wanting to breathe the air of the non nobles, when they leave their fortress on Mary Geoise, they will go into a type of self-contained breathing suit. This bubble and distinctive white attire makes them immediately obvious as part of the nobility.

This habit of looking down on people means that the Celestial Dragons are not keen on letting anyone join their exclusive club, and so one must be able to prove a direct line of descent to the founders to be admitted.

Is Doflamingo a Celestial Dragon?

Donquixote Doflamingo AKA Heavenly Yaksha was formerly part of the Celestial Dragons through his lineage. The Donquixote Family ruled over Dressrosa and were invited to be a part of the nascent World Government.

However, Donquixote Doflamingo’s father, Donquixote Homing, eventually withdrew from the social class, forever removing his family from the World Government. This act permanently withdrew Donquixote Homing and all his descendants from the World Nobles.

Donquixote Doflamingo wasn’t happy with this, killing his father when he was only 10-years old. In a sick twist, Doflamingo claims that this act of patricide was in fact the only way he would forgive his father for removing him from the privileges of the World Nobles.

The news of the arrival of Donquixote Homing coupled with his new non noble status, saw him get targeted by those who hated the World Nobles, so Homing’s last years were not pleasant. 

This did result in the Donquixote having to live in a dumpster after their manor was burnt down, revealing the true hatred of the ‘commoners’ towards the nobility.

It’s almost impossible that he would get targeted, especially by non pirates, if he was still part of the World Nobles.

Due to Homing’s request to both rescind his membership and also be declared to be an equal to all humans, he was exiled but soon realized that harsh penalties fell on his family, causing him to request that they be accepted back into the World Nobles.

This request was ignored, and the banishment was taken so seriously that when Doflamingo returned with the head of his father as a tribute to be accepted back in, it was refused. Doflamingo then attempted other means.

The fall from grace was further underscored after Doflamingo’s defeat at the hands of Monkey D Luffy. Doflamingo became the king of Dressrosa after returning to his family’s kingdom of old, and took the throne from Riku Doldo III.

He and his crew were arrested by Admiral Fujitora, and then put in the prison Impel Down at Level 6. If it was unclear by now, committing Doflamingo to the Great Prison is a sign of total rejection by the World Government.

However, despite what may be considered the official word, Donquixote Doflamingo still considers himself a Celestial Dragon. While absolutely resolute in trying to void his father’s repudiation of membership ab initio, he tirelessly works to be accepted back into nobility.