Summary
Chapter 1150 of theOne Piecemanga will go down as one of the most important in the history of the franchise for multiple reasons, chief of which is that it finally showcased the powers of the series' ultimate villain; Imu. While many fans had somewhat guessed the nature of these powers, none could have had an idea of just how strong they would be, since Imu was able to singlehandedly defeat some of the greatest warriors of Elbaf.
Fans have been debating how they even got these powers, with some being convinced that this ability comes from a Devil Fruit, while others proclaim that this is anew power system entirely. However, in typical Oda fashion, when digging much deeper, the true nature of Imu’s powers may have been hinted at in Chapter 19 ofOne Piece. So, in this article, let’s go over how the villain’s powers may have been revealed at the very start of the story.
Story Arc
Orange Town
The Orange Town arc took place back when the series was in its infancy, so the story wasn’t even close to being as fleshed out as it has become now. In fact, Oda initially planned forOne Pieceto last no more than 5 years, but the success and world-building of the series truly took on a life of their own. Still, though, many things from these earlier parts of the franchise becamemuch more important far later on.
Vague hints to massive revelations like Luffy being Nika and many others have prompted fans to revisit some of the earlier arcs in the series, which is where the potential reveal of Imu’s powers can lie. Essentially, this theory stems from a passing dialogue between Shanks and Buggy in Chapter 19, back when they were cabin boys on Roger’s ship. Upon finding the Bara Bara no Mi, Shanks tells Buggy of a story regarding Devil Fruits in general, which were said to be created by something called a ‘Sea Devil’.
I once heard that the Devil Fruits are the incarnations of the Sea Devil. If you eat it you’ll gain a special ability, but you won’t be able to swim.
When it was brought up, it was framed in a way that it seemed like a superstition, so many fans forgot about it. However, knowing how deliberate Oda is with his messaging, it could be that this may have been the earliestinstance of world-changing foreshadowingthat he has become known for, since the theory states that, because of this reveal, Imu’s Devil Fruit could be a Mythical Zoan which transforms them into this fabled Sea Devil. The connections are far too perfect for this to be mere chance.
Firstly, Shanks stated that all Devil Fruits are said to be ‘incarnations’ of the Sea Devil, implying that this mysterious figure imparts some of their power to the fruit. This is greatly reminiscent of Imu’s own devilish abilities since they can imbue their allies or enemies with demonic powers that make them far stronger in exchange for some of their lifespan. This was seen with Dorry, Brogy, and the other Giants.
Moreover, this would make perfect sense thematically as well, due to Luffy being the great liberator of the world who is destined to overthrow the villain and the oppressive rule of the Celestial Dragons. He has inheritedthe title of Sun God Nika, which is the perfect parallel to the Devil of the Sea, since the great savior is synonymous with the Sun found high up in the heavens, whereas Imu is synonymous with the Devil found in the darkest depths of the oceans. Just like the Devil from real-world texts, Imu also has the power to make pacts.
All of this comes together to make this the most plausible theory for what Imu’s true Devil Fruit abilities are. Many believe that this may have just been the first-ever Devil Fruit and may be linked with the secret treasure of Marijoa, which many believe to be the Sunlight Eve Tree. This is the supposed tree where all Devil Fruits are grown, so if Imu controls demonic thralls imbued with their power, it could be a really great mirror to this tree as well.
The Identity Of The Sea Devil Ties Into Nika As Well
The Truth Of The First World
Currently, the truth of the First World and Sun God Nika are among the greatest mysteries inOne Piece. However, many believe that the Sea Devil may have been the parallel andvillain to the Nika of this time, which could explain the first great destruction that ever happened. Seeing Joyboy and Imu’s relationship or that of Luffy and Blackbeard, or even Roger and Rocks to an extent, it can be surmised that each age has a heroic figure that is opposed by someone who serves as their exact opposite.
Judging by this, it could be surmised that, in the First World, the original Nika was opposed by whatever this Sea Devil may have been. Coincidentally, all of this checks out for the modern world too, since Vegapunk’s theory on the origins of Devil Fruits explains this as well. This theory states that Devil Fruits are born when many people dream about the same thing, so when many people wished to be liberated by Nika or just become him, the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika was born. Similarly, this could have happened for the Sea Devil fruit too.
