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After chapter 1086, One Piece will go on a hiatus as Eiichiro Oda will have surgery to correct his astigmatism. While the break will last for an entire month, fans won't be left empty-handed. Centered on the events of the latest Reverie, recent issues of One Piece have been amazing, delighting readers with the series' lore.
Finally, fans have been able to see more of Imu-sama, the enigmatic true leader of the World Government and a tyrannical dictator that manipulates everything, including history itself. With the latest chapters, a glimpse of Imu's capabilities was finally shown, leading fans into making speculations about the cryptic villain's powers.
Disclaimer: This article contains major spoilers from the One Piece manga up to chapter 1086.
The recent One Piece chapters teased Imu's Devil Fruit power, and it's dreadful
The mysterious owner of the Empty Throne
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The Empty Throne in Mary Geoise should have no occupant to symbolize how all nations affiliated to the World Government have equal authority. Unbeknownst to the public, an enigmatic individual called Imu sits on it, giving orders to the Five Elders, who rule the world on the former's behalf.
As such, Imu is the true leader of the World Government. So far, the character has only been seen as a silhouette, wearing a spiked crown and possessing almond eyes with red irises and two black circles surrounding the pupils. Interestingly, these peculiar eyes bear a striking resemblance to Dracule Mihawk's.
One Piece fans have been making countless theories with regards to Imu's identity, which is one of the biggest enigmas in the series. Going by the recent chapters, Imu appeared to have a personal acquaintance with Nefertari D. Lily, who was the queen of Arabasta more than 800 years ago.
Imu spoke as someone who partook in the war that opposed the Ancient Alliance to the Ancient Kingdom during the Void Century. In One Piece chapter 1086, after hearing Sabo's report of his meeting with Imu, Emporio Ivankov speculated that the cryptic individual might be Saint Nerona Imu, one of the twenty founders of the Ancient Alliance.
With the events of the Void Century dating back to more than 800 years ago, it means if Ivankov's hypothesis is true, Saint Nerona Imu must have achieved immortality, most likely through the Ope-Ope's Perennial Youth Operation. However, the assumption that the current leader of the World Government is Saint Imu from the Nerona Family remains a speculation as of now, albeit a good one.
Imu and the Five Elders have complete control over Mother Flame, a weapon created by Dr Vegapunk that allows them to completely destroy an entire island in a few seconds, erasing it from the maps. Mother Flame works by firing a rain of lasers from the sky, with the target being vaporized.
A devil-like transformation shrouded in dark shadows
In One Piece chapter 1085, Imu transformed into a beast-like humanoid creature with big sharp teeth. Furthermore, Imu's ringed eyes, which normally have two circles surrounding the pupils, added a third spiral when the latter was about to transform. In this dreadful form, Imu easily countered Sabo's Devil Fruit powers. As the second-in-command of the Revolutionary Army tried to launch an attack with the Flame-Flame Fruit, he literally swallowed it with no damage whatsoever.
In the same chapter it was shown that Imu has control over some sharp-pointed shadow arrows, whose strikes wounded Sabo, despite the latter being a Logia-class Devil Fruit user whose body is inviolable unless attacked with Haki-enhanced hits.
It's unknown if this happened due to Imu using Haki or some kind of special ability, just as it is yet to be revealed if the former's transformation comes from a Devil Fruit power. What's for sure is the traits that Imu was depicted with in One Piece 1086 typically recall those associated with traditional depictions of devils.
Imu's teased Devil Fruit will be the direct opposite of Luffy's
Imu is bound to be the final villain of the series, so he will likely be the fated enemy of the main protagonist, Monkey D. Luffy. Recently, the Straw Hat Pirates' captain achieved a form called Gear 5, which allows him to become the incarnation of "Sun God" Nika and turning himself into a "Warrior of Liberation" who fights while bringing joy to those around him.
With Luffy's personality and Devil Fruit powers being the literal embodiment of laughter and freedom, Imu may be the total opposite. The leader of the World Government is cold and ruthless tyrant, who aims to keep everyone in check. Thus, Imu's Devil Fruit may reflect those traits, just like Luffy's does.
Some fans assumed that Imu's ability is the Devil Fruit of ink, which is a fitting power for a villain who wants to erase and rewrite history. Interestingly, before using Mother Flame to destroy Lulusia Kingdom in One Piece chapter 1060, Imu was shown painting a cross of black ink to erase the island from the map.
A power based on ink also clarifies how Imu can instantly create and control black arrows out of nothingness. Potentially, such an ability is perfect for the final fight against Luffy, whose Gear 5 allows him to perform unreal actions, with imagination being his only limit.
While Luffy can alter reality in a funny way, like in a cartoon for children, Imu changes it in a dark manner, using ink to write things into existence and creating them out of nothingness or erasing them. It's also worth noting that in One Piece 1086, Imu's roar covered Cobra's words as if the former was literally writing over them.
It would be amazing for the final villain of One Piece to have control over the very substance the manga is drawn with. Moreover, such an ability matches perfectly with Luffy's power. Their battle could be an unprecedented showdown, with the outcome leaving fans in awe at Eiichiro Oda's vision.
Both Imu and Luffy's powers would have limitless potential, but the latter may win by exploiting his spontaneous imagination. Imu is stuck in the past, having been preparing for centuries and assuming that a second coming of Joy Boy would be totally the same as the first.
Instead, Luffy acts instinctively, without thinking about it. Funnily enough, this characteristic may be crucial for him to ultimately overcome Imu's powers, providing a symbolic ending to the battle. Granted, this won't happen without a fierce struggle.
In summation
Whereas Luffy, as the second coming of Joy Boy, brings happiness, Imu wants to suffocate the One Piece world under a hypocritical tyranny. First introduced in chapter 906, the leader of the World Government is strongly hinted to be the final villain of the series, together with the Five Elders.
With the cues that One Piece author Eiichiro Oda has revealed so far, the malevolent individual may be the owner of a Devil Fruit ability that allows to write and rewrite everything. As such, it allows him to alter reality in a directly contrasting manner to Luffy's Gear 5 powers.
It's also possible that they have literally the same ability, but with polarly opposite results. Luffy's Devil Fruit represents good dreams, making things goofy and funny, while Imu's turns nightmares into reality. Interestingly, Imu's transformation recalls the devil, who in many traditions only comes out at night, right when people can have bad dreams.
Thus, Imu being the embodiment of the night and the devil would perfectly match with the "Sun God" Luffy, who brings a new dawn to the world of One Piece.
