Theories Regarding Latest Chapter and Future

SpoilerTheory

With the latest chapter, I've been thinking of some possible theories for the future.

  1. So firstly, the introduction box for Imu didn't list a specific fruit name like "Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Devil." It simply said "Ability: Devil's Fruit" (Akuma no Mi, written アクマの実 instead of 悪魔の実 like the normal way for Devil Fruits, so it seems to imply a personal name). I think Imu doesn't have a fruit power; he is the source of all Devil Fruits in the world, made during the Second World. In 1179, we saw inanimate objects spring to life with "evil" faces, similar to Big Mom's Homies but far more malevolent. This suggests Imu can imbue "will" into the world itself. Maybe Imu created the original Devil Fruits by imprisoning the souls or "dreams" of those who opposed the Twenty Founders 800 years ago, essentially turning his enemies into tools (fruits) for his subordinates. In the Ancient World, Abilities may have actually been the main power, with Devil Fruits and Haki just being extensions of these original dwimmers (maybe one of the Ancient King's Abilities was the source of Haki, for example).
  2. Imu’s design (tanned skin, white hair, oni horns, etc.) strongly links him to the Lunarians and other ancient races like the Ancient Giants. If the Lunarians were the original inhabitants of the Holy Land, Imu might have been a high-ranking member (or their deity) who betrayed his kind to lead the 20 Kings. His white hair and Gear 5-like curls suggest he is the "Dark Mirror" to Sun God Nika. He may also have a third eye like the Three-Eye Tribe and features of Birkans or Shandora, since he resembles Enel a lot as well. This is possibly because Imu is a mixed-raced Lunarian (like how there are many mixed races in One Piece like Wotans and Zushindodos).
  3. We saw Imu coughing blood and in physical pain during his transformation at Elbaph. I think Imu is physically tied to the Empty Throne or the Giant Straw Hat in Mary Geoise. His immortality (likely from the Ope Ope no Mi’s Perennial Youth Surgery) may come with a geographical restriction. This suggests that the final battle won't just be about strength, but about "uprooting" Imu. If the Straw Hats can keep Imu away from the Holy Land long enough, his body might literally reject the immortality or the "Devil" inside him, making him vulnerable for the first time in eight centuries.
  4. Elbaph will not be a victory for Luffy, but a crushing defeat similar to the Sabaody Archipelago. Imu’s Conqueror's Haki in 1179 was described as unlike anything seen, even dwarfing the displays at Egghead. With Imu now on the battlefield, the Straw Hats are vastly outclassed. This could lead to a final, short timeskip or a desperate retreat where the crew is scattered one last time for a while.
  5. I think some day Imu and Luffy will exhaust each other in battle, and Marshall D. Teach will swoop in to do what he does best: vulture a power. If Imu is indeed the "source" of Devil Fruits, Blackbeard’s "Yami Yami no Mi" (Darkness) might be the void that can nullify him. The manga's final conflict might not be Luffy vs. Imu, but a three-way war where Blackbeard attempts to steal Imu’s "Devil" essence to become the new King of the World.

Posted Apr 5, 2026, 10:29 AM UTC

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