- For the founder of the World Government from the Nerona Family, see Nerona Imu.
Imu is the secret supreme ruler of the World Government, who occupies the Empty Throne and whom even the Five Elders, publicly recognized as the government's highest authority, obey and serve.[2]
Imu's existence has been kept an absolute secret within the government and from the world at large, to maintain the lie that there is no singular ruler of the world, until they were discovered by Sabo of the Revolutionary Army during the most recent Levely.[3] With the ambition of bringing the Great War to a decisive conclusion, Imu directed their subordinates to procure Dr. Vegapunk's invention, the Mother Flame,[4] and ordered the Knights of God to annex Elbaph in an invasion that Imu personally participated in.[5]
Imu is revealed and first appears during the Levely Arc. Due to their status and indirect actions, they are the overarching antagonist of the Egghead Arc, the main antagonist of the Elbaph Arc, as well as one of the primary overarching antagonists of the Final Saga and the One Piece series as a whole.
Quick Answers
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Appearance[]
Imu has only been shown as a silhouette so far, with even their gender being unconfirmed currently. They possess a humanoid figure similar in size to a regular person, with a hand resembling a human's and sharp, almond eyes with red irises, each having a thin ring around the pupil. In terms of attire, Imu dons a crown that has four sharp, incredibly tall spikes on the top and an extremely long robe that flows upon the ground a great distance behind them.[1][2] In the anime, Imu's voice has a distorted echo to it.
Gallery[]
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Personality[]
Imu is a callous and enigmatic despot who refers to their own self as "god," much like the World Nobles are prone to do.[6] Imu has shown no care whatsoever to the subjects they rule over, and everything they have done and decreed so far has been for the sole purpose of advancing personal desires or the interests of the World Government, namely its Holy Land Mary Geoise. For this reason, Imu was unbothered when Rocks D. Xebec attempted to leverage five captive Levely kings, as they did not care nearly enough about the kings to be swayed into doing anything.[7] Imu is even perfectly willing to commit genocide against nations affiliated with the World Government for the sole purpose of conveniently testing new weapons at the government's disposal, having targeted the Lulusia Kingdom to test the Mother Flame's power on for no other reason than its proximity. Even the Five Elders were taken aback by this request, but Imu calmly asserted that the many lives in Lulusia were of no importance.[8][4] Imu also did not keep honor promises if it did not suit their interests, as they took full advantage of Harald's devotion to register Elbaph as a World Government nation to control him via a Depths Covenant, forcing him to mobilize the giants as slaves instead.
Imu has eschewed ruling out in the open in favor of operating in secret, and so the World Government presents itself as a decentralized representative body, which prevents Imu's power from being challenged. Imu's existence is treated as one of the World Government's greatest taboos, and so anyone outside of Imu's inner circle who learns of the supreme leader will be sentenced to death and their exploits erased from history, which occurred with Rocks.[9] Imu has been known to reveal themselves to outsiders as they see fit, but even this will carry a death sentence for the other party.[10][3] In almost all instances, Imu lets the Five Elders and Knights of God execute decrees publicly; Imu has been content to remain hidden even when someone is at large with knowledge of the leader's existence. Only in truly desperate situations will Imu decide to take direct action; by the time the Knights of God moved to annex Elbaph, the suffering of Mary Geoise caused by the Revolutionary Army's blockade caused Imu to view that the giants must be turned to the government's side as soon as possible, and so Imu brought their own powers to the fray by possessing Gunko's body.[6]
In most instances, there is an air of calm serenity around Imu. When not at the Empty Throne, Imu is typically found in the Room of Flowers, where they stay still and handle butterflies while being attended to by special servants.[2][7] In typical conversation, even with non-World Nobles, Imu tends to maintain an air of politeness and avoid petty rudeness. However, Imu does still show a domineering side in these exchanges by bluntly dictating the topic of discussion, as they explicitly refused to answer Cobra's question about their identity and made clear that they would only answer what he had originally come to ask about Lili and the D.[3] With subordinates, Imu similarly keeps them in line by giving strict orders and may question faltering maneuvers but has not been shown to target them with petty insults.[11] Imu does not blink in the face of most threats, being secure in their power. Notably, they barely reacted when Rocks invaded the Room of Flowers, despite this action being unprecedented in history and Rocks having killed a Marine Admiral shortly before, as Imu did not care for Rocks' hostages and both parties knew the pirate could not threaten Imu.[7] That said, however, Imu was much less calm when Sabo unexpectedly interrupted their audience with Cobra 56 years later, when Imu was in the midst of attacking the king while having been worked up from their prior conversation.[3]
Imu shows a rare display of anger.
Indeed, there have been several moments when Imu's veneer of calmness has slipped away, turning into a violent anger. So far, this emotion has been shown manifesting itself when Imu is confronted with knowledge and remnants of the distant past. Although the Five Elders stood ready to execute Cobra following his meeting with Imu, the ruler took it upon themself to strike the king first after he revealed Lili's true name and then showed visible rage when learning that Sabo had witnessed the whole event, going as far as to transform and pursue him.[3] Imu notably screamed in agony upon sensing Joy Boy's Haki eight centuries following the latter's death,[12] and shortly following this event, Imu moved to kill Elder Jaygarcia Saturn because of his failure to stop the new "Joy Boy," Monkey D. Luffy. Imu spoke to Saturn in a rage while recounting this unforgivable sin, ignoring the Elder's pleas for mercy despite his more than two centuries of service and going forward with stripping his immortality despite Saturn being in a room with several Marine Vice Admirals at the time.[13] Even when not angered, Imu has demonstrated willingness to inflict brutal injuries in combat, such as when they casually severed Brogy's hand with a pistol (though Brogy retained use of the hand afterwards).[14]
Imu has displayed a considerable degree of interest in the World Government's history, which they are familiar with to the most ancient days. Imu greatly dislikes those who have opposed the government, such as the Clan of D. and Joy Boy, and has a particular obsession over the spreading of the Poneglyphs across the world and Nefertari D. Lili's role in that, referred to by Imu as her "great mistake." Notably, Imu began shaking in anger while recounting this affair.[3] Imu has been seen visiting relics of the past, including a giant straw hat[1] as well as a portrait of Lili that hangs on the wall despite Imu's seeming animosity toward her.[15] Despite their reclusiveness, Imu does actively keep aware of present-day global affairs so that they may advise the Five Elders' actions. Notably, Imu considered images of Monkey D. Luffy, Marshall D. Teach, Shirahoshi, and Nefertari Vivi before being approached by the Elders to identify the "light" that should be extinguished from history. Imu was shown to have left the aforementioned pictures (save for Vivi's) pierced through and cut apart by blades,[2] and later declared that they desired to have Vivi.[4] Imu has also recounted the history of Elbaph and expressed their desire for its giants to return to their traditional warrior ways, though it is uncertain whether Imu actually respects this culture or if they are just interested in Elbaph fighting on the World Government's behalf.[16]
Imu uses the unique first-person pronoun "Mu" (ムー, Mū?) seemingly derived from their name, as well as the unique second-person pronoun nushia (ヌシア?) for others.
Relationships[]
World Government[]
Imu withholds their existence from everyone but the Five Elders and full-fledged Knights of God. These groups are completely loyal to Imu and treat the ruler with great respect. They refer to Imu as "Imu-sama" (VIZ: "Great Imu") and by the title "Boss" (御大, Ontai?, VIZ: "Great One").
Five Elders[]
The Five Elders humbly bow before Imu, the true ruler of the world.
The Five Elders show their immense respect toward Imu by going as far as to prostrate themselves in the ruler's presence. They have never resisted any command given by the ruler; at most, when Imu ordered the annihilation of the Lulusia Kingdom they were taken aback by this request and sought reasoning, but obeyed without any further hesitation. In this exchange, Marcus Mars stated that the state of the world would be as "the creator" wills it.[8] The Elders understand that any outsider that learns of Imu's existence must be eliminated to maintain the illusion of peace and equality among the allied nations, which is why they assisted in the assassination of Nefertari Cobra and joined their sovereign in a failed attempt to kill Sabo.[3]
It is inherently implied that Imu has sufficient faith in the Elders' ability to serve as the public face of the World Government and execute decrees on their own accord. However, sufficient failure on the part of an Elder can lead to Imu revoking their title and killing them with seemingly no remorse, as happened with Jaygarcia Saturn, while refusing to listen to Saturn's desperate pleas and excuses. Despite Saturn's more than two centuries of service, Imu was angered enough following the Egghead Incident in which Saturn allowed Monkey D. Luffy, whom Imu referred to as "Joy Boy" to escape. Imu replaced Saturn with Figarland Garling even before killing the former and elected to have Garling inform the other Elders of his promotion rather than explaining the circumstances themself, a move that unnerved Saturn's former contemporaries.[13]
Knights of God[]
The Knights of God all serve Imu with great reverence, regarding them with respect and humility. Imu, on the other hand, admonished the ones sent to conquer Elbaph for their tardiness in light of Mary Geoise's hour of need. They do, however, respect the Knights enough to have a cordial conversation with Sommers and Killingham, answering their questions calmly.[6][17]
Imu has a particularly close relationship with Manmayer Gunko, as the Knight has served as Imu's personal attendant for the last six decades and the two have regularly been seen together in the Room of Flowers.[7] Imu also chose to possess Gunko out of the three Knights present on Elbaph.[6] The reasons for Gunko's special relationship with Imu are not currently known. Despite Imu's general apathy for even the closest subordinates, they would nevertheless be concerned for their lives if knowing they could be killed by some external force, if only for self-preservation as it seems Imu would suffer damage should anyone with a Depths or Abyssal Covenant were to die outside of Imu's own will.[18]
Imu observed the king of Elbaph, Harald, during his many years of service as a Devoted Blade of God, and eventually coronated him into full knighthood. However, they did not respect his desire for the nation of giants to be peacefully registered with the World Government, instead ordering Harald to mobilize the giants as slave soldiers. Harald, realizing that Imu, and by extension, the government, never intended to honor his hard work and desire for Elbaph to connect with the rest of the world, came to loathe them for their disrespect and treachery, and defied Imu with all his might. When Loki successfully killed Harald, this reminded Imu that despite the rare opportunity for an Ancient Giant like the king would submit himself to the World Government, it was bound to end in failure and disappointment due to Elbaph being from the Clan of D.[18] To this day, Imu remains frustrated at the late giant king for his defiance that denied them of the giants' military might.
Clan of D.[]
Imu possesses an immense hatred for those who bear the letter D. as the middle initial of their names, due to it being the moniker of an "ancient enemy". For this reason, they became angered when Cobra admitted that his ancestor, Lili, also had it.[3]
Rocks D. Xebec[]
Rocks D. Xebec was the first known wielder of the "D" to learn of Imu's existence and desired to dethrone the shadow monarch and take their place as ruler of the world. Imu however initially paid no mind to the pirate's threats and dismissed him as a minor nuisance.[19] Upon learning that Rocks was part of the near extinct Davy Family, descendants of Davy D. Jones, Imu arrived at God Valley by possessing Saturn to ensure Rocks' death was a top priority, due to a certain "promise" that led to their clan's near erasure.[20] They went as far as to convert him into a demon so he could hunt down and kill both his wife and son.
Davy D. Jones[]
Imu is familiar with the legendary pirate as when meeting Rocks again on God Valley, Imu referred to him as Davy Jones himself (similarly how they refer to Luffy as Joy Boy). According to Xebec, Imu fears Jones on the same level as Joy Boy, which only angered Imu as they claimed that neither of them would ever return once the Davy Family's bloodline was exterminated.
This shows that Imu has a personal hatred against Davy D. Jones, especially when Xebec claimed that his ancestor was the first "king of the world" as Imu angrily rebuked this by claiming that he was never a king for even a moment, claiming that Xebec had no right to comment on the fate that binded Imu and Davy together.
Nefertari Family[]
Imu shows great disdain for the Nefertari Family, particularly because of the actions of Queen Lili during the Void Century that resulted in the dispersing of the Poneglyphs across the world, which they suspected was no mere accident. However, despite this disdain, Imu seemingly keeps a portrait of Lili inside Pangaea Castle to look at for unknown reasons.[21]
Despite their utter contempt for Lili, they were polite to her descendant King Cobra, although they fully intended to kill Cobra when the conversation ended because he had become aware of Imu being the shadow ruler of the world. Hostilities intensified when Imu learned that Arabasta's royal family had the initial "D" in their middle name. When Cobra sacrificed himself to ensure that Sabo escaped Mary Geoise, Imu was greatly angered.[3]
Imu has also developed an interest in Princess Vivi for currently unknown reasons. After she escaped the custody of CP0, Imu ordered the Five Elders to capture and bring her to them.[4]
Joy Boy[]
Imu appears to be familiar with Joy Boy on a personal level, as they were kneeling in pain after Joy Boy's Supreme King Haki was unleashed during the Egghead Incident, instantly recognizing that the Haki used to belong to him.[12] Imu regards stopping Joy Boy's second coming, manifested in the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika's awakening of Monkey D. Luffy, as of the utmost importance and even went as far as to kill Saturn of the Five Elders for allowing Luffy, whom Imu referred to as "Joy Boy", to escape.[13]
Abilities and Powers[]
| — Imu[6] |
As the occupant of the Empty Throne, a seat associated with sole authority over the entire world, Imu by all accounts holds the highest authority within the World Government. They have direct control over the Five Elders, who are publicly considered the government's highest authorities,[2] and have the sole authority to revoke an incumbent Elder's title and replace them should the need arise.[13] Imu also has the authority to command the Knights of God, an elite group of powerful Celestial Dragon warriors who publicly oversee affairs on Mary Geoise, and many of the Elders' and Knights' abilities are bestowed to them by Imu.
In addition to their illimitable political authority, it is also apparent that Imu's individual combat abilities are among the most powerful in the world. They did not react even when the notorious pirate Rocks D. Xebec committed the unprecedented feat of confronting the ruler personally in the Room of Flowers; despite having killed a Marine Admiral immediately prior, Rocks acknowledged that there was nothing he could do against Imu.[7] Years later during the God Valley Incident, Imu (while possessing Saturn) took on Rocks, several of his subordinates who would go on to become Emperors of the Sea, the future Pirate King Gol D. Roger, and Monkey D. Garp singlehandedly and had no issues doing so, as Imu quickly managed to subdue Rocks and turn him against the others. In the present day, Imu directly intervened in the Knights' invasion of Elbaph; although the mission had been going well already, it was understood that the ruler's arrival would hasten the subjugation of the island of giants even quicker. Using their demonic powers, Imu quickly subdued the Giant Warrior Pirates, including their captains Dorry and Brogy, transforming them into demons.
Notably, Imu appears to have possession of one of the Ancient Weapons,[22] which is powered by the Mother Flame invented by Dr. Vegapunk. This weapon, which floats in the sky above the target location, can effect the total annihilation of an entire island within seconds, which it did to the Lulusia Kingdom.[8]
Demonic Powers[]
Transformation[]
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Imu possesses the ability to transform into a demon, which appears to resemble common depictions of the devil Satan. They first showcased this transformation against Sabo in Pangaea Castle; the complete transformation has only been seen in silhouette to this point, but is evidently extremely large, rivaling the entire platform under the Empty Throne and being roughly equivalent to the Five Elders' massive Mythical Zoan Beast Forms in size.[3] It remains uncertain if this ability is also Devil Fruit-based. While transformed, Imu gains a pair of large, bat-like wings, a pointed tail, and a long pitchfork trident.[23] The tail can be used as a fast and powerful piercing appendage, and Imu could even impale Sabo, a Logia user, with it. When fully transformed they were unaffected by a strike from Sabo's fire which they simply ate.[3]
When possessing Gunko's body, Imu activated a seemingly more limited version of the transformation, in which only the three aforementioned features appeared while the rest of Gunko's body remained unchanged and did not grow in size. While in this transformation, Imu is capable of floating in the air without appearing to have to move their wings.[23]
Imu's book.
Imu can summon a levitating grimoire-like book with a pentagram on the cover seemingly out of thin air. From this book, they are able to manifest a dark-colored substance which can quickly transform into a variety of weapons, with these weapons being powerful enough to severely injure the giant Brogy.[14]
Immortality[]
Imu unaffected by a combined attack from powerful opponents.
Imu appears to be immortal, with their regeneration seeming to be far stronger than their subordinates, as they can easily regenerate from any attack inflicted on them no matter how severe and strong. When Imu (while possessing Saturn) was simultaneously attacked by Xebec, Roger, Garp, Whitebeard, Big Mom, and Kaidou, some of the strongest pirates and Marines that ever lived, Imu simply regenerated with no visible injuries, despite all of them having used attacks infused with Supreme King Haki.[24]
Abyss[]
Imu can make use of the Abyss in combat, seemingly to a far more extensive and casual degree compared to the Five Elders and Knights of God. While these groups have so far only summoned magic circles on the ground to transport themselves and other people, Imu has swiftly created circles of varying sizes on the ground and in thin air that can manifest weapons.[23]
Covenants[]
Imu is capable of performing supernatural "Covenants" on other people, which grant powers that Imu possesses but also completely subject them to the ruler's will.
Imu possesses Saturn using his Covenant.
Imu invokes three stages of Covenant, known as Shallows, Depths, and Abyssal Covenants, to the Five Elders and Knights of God. The latter two stages of Covenant grant Imu's immortality and Abyss powers to recipients, but the recipients become incapable of defying any order given by the ruler.[25] Only 13 people possess Depths and Abyssal Covenants at any given time. Imu is capable of communicating telepathically with Covenant bearers as well as possessing their bodies outright. When the possession takes effect, the original personality of the host body is removed as Imu takes full control of it. Imu appears to retain full access to their original powers when possessing someone else, including their demonic transformation and Haki.[6] Imu can also freely access the abilities of their subordinates while possessing them, as they could make use of Saturn's Mythical Zoan transformation on God Valley.[26] When possessing Saturn's body, Imu was able to manifest their own body from Saturn's back, rearing up above him as a massive silhouette from which their eyes and even their crown took shape.[27]
Imu can telepathically murder Covenant bearers at any time, which they did with Jaygarcia Saturn. The process involved a dark, flame-like substance being emitted from and around Saturn, leading to him withering away and resulting in a large explosion, which left only his skeleton.[28] However, making a Covenant with another person also requires a "cost" paid by Imu as well. The specifics of this drawback are yet to be revealed, but after Harald was killed by Loki despite his immortality, Imu was in pain and refused to send any more Knights of God to Elbaph.[29]
Alternatively, Imu can invoke the "Demon Covenant," which transforms any target into a demon against their will. Imu utilizes this Covenant against enemies and can invoke it rather quickly and with seeming ease, allowing the ruler to swiftly transform powerful foes into even stronger allies. Once transformed, the target possesses an immortal body and greatly enhanced strength, which Imu dubs the "power of god" (神の力, kami no chikara?). Unlike the recipients of other Covenants, demons completely lose their original personalities and free will, becoming mindless and violent and completely beholden to Imu's will at every waking moment.
Techniques[]
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- A Kuwaru (
悪魔契約 , Ā Kuwāru?, lit. "Demon Covenant"): Imu creates an Abyss in the air with their hand, which is then projected down beneath their target for them to sink into. In exchange for a portion of the target's lifespan, they are transformed into a demon. The name of this technique is likely a pun on the Japanese words aku and waru (悪?), which mean "evil." In the VIZ manga, this pact is called Diabolical Covenant.
- Domi Reversi (
黒転支配 , Domi Ribāshi?, lit. "Black Conversion Control"): After Imu's target becomes partially submerged into the Abyss and begins transforming into a demon, Imu flips their hand and rotates the target so that they become fully submerged. If two demons stand on either side of another target, then that target — having been caught between them — will also undergo the same process and transform into a demon.[30] Imu has also demonstrated the ability to convert a specific target into a demon by stabbing them with two black tendrils.[31] While there is no known defense to this technique, sufficient willpower can delay the transformation, even if only briefly.[32] This is similar to the rules of the board game reversi.
- Domi Reversi (
Haki[]
- Further information: Haki
Supreme King Haki[]
Imu uses Supreme King Haki.
Imu is one of the few people in the world able to use Supreme King Haki. When possessing Gunko's body, powerful waves of Haki began to radiate out from her body, resembling black lightning.[6] Imu is capable of unleashing Supreme King Haki over a vast area to incapacitate multiple giants across Elbaph, including warriors of the Giant Warrior Pirates.[33] This burst of Haki was so powerful and potent that numerous powerful fighters among the Straw Hat Pirates, a crew whose captain is an Emperor, veteran pirate Scopper Gaban, and the New Giant Warrior Pirates have reacted with shock, with Loki in particular commenting that it was "preposterous".[34]
Observation Haki[]
Imu is capable of using Observation Haki. During the God Valley Incident, Imu used it to sense Eris and an infant Teach, Rocks' wife and son, fleeing through the forest on God Valley.[24] Imu was also able to identify Joy Boy's Supreme King Haki when it was unleashed on Egghead, even though Imu was physically in Mary Geoise at the time.[12]
Weapons[]
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Imu possesses a saber, which they used to cut apart wanted posters and photographs or stab them.[2] Whether or not Imu has any skill in wielding it for combat is unknown.
While possessing Gunko's body, Imu manifested a large black trident with arrow-shaped prongs. They appeared to use this weapon in the creation of an Abyss portal to summon a pair of cannons.[23]
Using their mystical book, Imu manifested a dagger that they used to stab Brogy's hand and free themself from his grip, and a huge double-barrelled flintlock pistol that is powerful enough to blast straight through Brogy's arm and sever the giant's hand from his body.[14]
History[]
Past[]
Most of Imu's life is a mystery, but it has been speculated by Emporio Ivankov that they may have been alive since the Void Century, being Nerona Imu of the First Twenty. This assumption is supported by Imu being familiar with Nefertari D. Lili, recognizing the Haki of Joy Boy and knowing who Davy D. Jones was, all of whom lived during that time period. What is known is that Imu has been the secret supreme ruler of the World Government for some time, though its unknown how long they have held this position.
Imu is confronted by Rocks D. Xebec.
56 years ago, during the Levely of that year, 5 kings were kidnapped. Imu expressed little concern about their lives when the perpetrator, Rocks D. Xebec, infiltrated the Room of Flowers. Rocks menacingly declared his intention to return in the future, and left before Imu could say anything.[7]
38 years ago, during the God Valley Incident, Imu contacted Saturn about the status of Rocks' life. They were furious to learn that he was still alive, and that something else risked being unleashed if things continued to go awry from their original plans. Wishing to prevent such things from taking place, Imu descended on God Valley themselves, possessing Saturn.[26]
Imu prepares to use Domi Reversi on Rocks.
Imu promptly attacked all of those around themselves, annoyed by the presence of not only pirates, but Marines as well. Imu was subsequently confronted by Rocks, who mocked them for finally deciding to face him. Imu revealed their knowledge of his heritage, addressing Rocks as Davy Jones, but Rocks denied even knowing the man. Rocks went on to state his intention to follow through on his promise made nearly 20 years prior, drawing even more of Imu's ire. Imu declared that the world would remain incomplete until all of their enemies were vanquished, and promptly attacked Rocks. In the subsequent scuffle, Imu was unable to defeat Rocks, and to make matters worse, a collective of Roger, Garp, Kaidou, Newgate, and Linlin unleashed a series of powerful attacks onto Imu. However, due to their immortality, Imu was able to simply shrug off the damage, before unleashing a large blast of Supreme King Haki, knocking out the weaker individuals nearby. As they reformed themselves, Imu revealed that they had discovered the location of Eris and Marshall D. Teach, Rocks' wife and son. Rocks, outraged at the threats against his family, foolishly jumped straight into Imu's grasp, allowing them to restrain him. After issuing the order to hunt down his family, Imu used Domi Reversi, converting Rocks into a demon.[24]
However, Rocks managed to resist the transformation, instead using the last of his consciousness to taunt Imu about their fear of Davy Jones and Joy Boy. Imu was able to turn the argument around by mentioning their plans to subjugate Elbaph in the future, drawing Rocks' anger, and completing the transformation. As Imu released Rocks, they issued a single order: end Davy Jones' dream by slaying his remaining family, and eliminate anyone who gets in the way. Imu stood by as Rocks did as ordered, quickly defeating his subordinates, and making his way over to kill his wife and son. Due to interferance by a young Bartholomew Kuma, however, the pair were safely "pushed" away to an unknown location. As Imu was unable to see this occur, they assumed the job was done, and redirected Rocks to killing anyone remaining on God Valley.[35]
As Rocks became locked in an intense battle with Garp and Roger, Imu saw no further need for their presence, and exited the island on a government ship. Issuing orders through Saturn, they declared that God Valley never existed.[36] Following the incident, Imu overheard Harald's pleas to atone for the giants misdeeds in the past, only wishing to ensure a peaceful future for his kind and a peaceful life side-by-side with humans, before tearing out his horns and offering to become a slave.[37]
24 years ago, through the Five Elders, Imu granted King Harald of Elbaph the opportunity to join the Knights of God.[38] 14 years ago, after Shanks went missing during his final mission as a Devoted Blade, Harald was considered trustworthy enough to receive the promotion to a full Knight of God in his place. When Harald voiced his intents to step down as King after Elbaph joined the World Government, Imu revealed themselves, and made it clear he would do no such thing. Despite his shock at seeing someone seated on the Empty Throne, Harald was granted a promotion to a full Knight of God, and given the power of immortality. Before he left, Imu issued the order for him to carve an Abyss somewhere on Elbaph, so as to cement their newfound bond.
Imu threatens Harald.
However, things did not go as smoothly as Imu hoped. Although Harald did as asked, he drew the line when Imu telepathically ordered him to mobilize the entire nation into an army of warriors, to fight alongside the Marines. Imu reminded Harald of his own choice to become a slave in order to atone for Elbaph's past, and refused to entertain the notion that he would bear such a burden alone. With Harald still unwilling, Imu enforced their will on him, informing him that the cost of the power he had been granted was total obedience to them, and that the orders would be carried out no matter what.[39]
Even with Harald under their control, however, Imu did not anticipate the presence of Shanks, Scopper Gaban, and Harald's son, Loki. Their plans came unraveled as the trio managed to successfully put an early end to Harald's attempted tyrannical rein, with Loki dealing the finishing blow. Imu was left in utter horror at Harald's death, as he was intended to be one of their most powerful pawns. While they contemplated who could have possibly killed him, Mars chimed in, offering to send further Knights of God to investigate. Imu bluntly rejected his idea, fearing the death of yet another one of their Knights, and lamenting that even they paid a price when granting the Covenant to subordinates. Imu continued by noting the strangeness of Harald's character despite his identity; a caring individual who sought only to assist others and establish good relationships, despite being a supposedly savage giant. Given the World Government's nature, Imu declared that he would have brought down the whole organization had they simply let him join. They concluded that the uniqueness of the situation would normally have been an excellent opportunity, however Elbaph's connection to the Will of D., as well as what had just occured, proved that they were inherently incompatible with the giants. Thereby, another attempt at a diplomatic approach would be for naught.[40]
Whole Cake Island Saga[]
Levely Arc[]
Imu approaches Mary Geoise's straw hat.
As royals gathered at Mary Geoise for the Levely, Imu went to an underground frozen chamber deep within Pangaea Castle, and approached a large straw hat while carrying several wanted posters and photographs including Monkey D. Luffy's.[1] Imu later went to the Room of Flowers and cut apart Luffy and Blackbeard's wanted posters and stabbed the photo of Princess Shirahoshi. Afterwards Imu was alerted by a servant that the Five Elders had arrived. While carrying a photo of Nefertari Vivi in hand, Imu met with them and sat on the Empty Throne. The Elders requested that Imu reveal the name of the "light" that needed to be extinguished from history.[2]
On the fourth day of the Levely, Nefertari Cobra went to the Empty Throne room to talk with the Five Elders about why Nefertari Lili, the Queen of Arabasta 800 years ago, was not officially documented after the Void Century, and questioned what the "D" meant. As the two parties conversed, Imu listened in on their conversation from the Room of Flowers. Without notice, Imu then entered the Empty Throne room and proceeded to sit on the throne in front of the Five Elders and a surprised Cobra.[10]
Imu refused to answer any questions about their own identity but went on to reveal that the Will of D. was the moniker of the government's ancient enemy; it has cropped up more frequently in recent times, but Imu referred to it as nothing but a faint echo and individuals who carry the name aren't even aware of its true meaning. Imu then explained Lili's involvement that caused the Poneglyphs to be scattered all over the world, considering it the worst possible outcome for the World Government. In exchange, Imu, who had shown interest in a letter written by Lili that Cobra mentioned having beforehand, ordered the Arabasta king to reveal the full name of its author.
Imu and the Five Elders target Cobra and Sabo.
Realizing he had no chance to escape and was set to die anyway, Cobra admitted that Lili carried the moniker D. on her name and was impaled by Imu using a devil tail. Sabo, who was eavesdropping nearby, quickly jumped in to attack the Five Elders and Imu, but the latter was able to cancel Sabo's flames with their own ability. Having let Sabo witness some of their biggest secrets, the top brass of the government gave chase to the revolutionary and Cobra, only managing to stop and kill the latter. Wapol also happened to witness the whole thing through a peephole and ran away as far he could.[3]
Sabo managed to escape with knowledge of Imu, and the World Government went on high alert to locate him.[8]
After the Levely ended, Imu called the Elders. They wished to test out Vegapunk's latest creation, the Mother Flame, and upon being asked where to use it on, Imu named Lulusia Kingdom as its target simply due to the kingdom's proximity to the Mother Flame, regardless of the people living there. Imu also ordered the Five Elders to capture Vivi and bring her to them.[4]
Final Saga[]
Egghead Arc[]
Coincidentally, the World Government eventually was able to trace Sabo's location to Lulusia after intercepting a call where he attempted to reveal Imu's existence to the rest of the Revolutionary Army. In the Room of Flowers, Imu listened in on the Five Elders discussing the discovery of Sabo's location and the country of Lulusia being destroyed by an explosive energy barrage from the sky, with the Five Elders proclaiming that it never existed at all.[8] Imu later witnessed the rise of the sea in the world.[41]
Imu notices Joy Boy's Haki.
The next day, Imu looked at a painting of Nefertari Lili and listened to Vegapunk's broadcast about the rise of the sea and the discoveries he had made about the Void Century.[15][42][21] With the broadcast nearing its end, Imu listened to Vegapunk state that the fate of the world would be decided by whoever was able to claim the One Piece.[43] After Emet used Joy Boy's stored Supreme King Haki to force the Five Elders back to Mary Geoise, Imu fell to their knees screaming and cursed Joy Boy's name.[12]
Following the conclusion of the Egghead Incident, Imu furiously blamed Saturn for his role in allowing Luffy (whom Imu referred to as Joy Boy) and his allies to escape. As a result, Imu stripped Saturn of his apparent immortality, killing him. At the same time, they promoted Figarland Garling to Saturn's previously held position as Warrior God of Science and Defense.[13]
Elbaph Arc[]
Imu possesses Gunko.
During the Knights of God's mission on Elbaph, the group ran into a number of adversaries that caused them trouble in completing their mission of subjugating Elbaph and bringing it under the World Government, including the Straw Hats and Scopper Gaban, Gol D. Roger's left hand man. As a result of this, alongside an unknown catastrophe in Mary Geoise involving the holy city being set ablaze, Imu decided to act. Having noticed Knights of God member Manmayer Gunko suddenly regaining lost memories between herself and Straw Hat member Brook, Imu used an unknown method to possess Gunko's body, before declaring their intention to "assist" the Knights of God.[6]
A moment later, the Giant Warrior Pirates, as well as a few parents, finally made their arrival to rescue the children. Imu, annoyed by their interference, sprouted a pair of devil wings and took to the sky, before unleashing a burst of Supreme King Haki, knocking a few of their adversaries unconscious. As said giants were meant to have been distracted by Killingham's MMAs, Imu took a moment to berate Killingham for his failure to do so. They then addressed Sommers, demanding that he take charge of the children. Meanwhile, Dorry and Brogy, the captains of the Giant Warrior Pirates, finally arrived to confront whom they believed to be Gunko.
Imu prepares to use Domi Reversi on Brogy.
With suitable candidates before them, Imu attempted to inform the pair of their new status as the kings of Elbaph, but was interrupted by Brogy grabbing them. While Brogy began to rant about stopping the Knights of God, Imu casually summoned a magical book, which they then used to create a pair of weapons. At the same time, they issued a simple order for Dorry and Brogy, which was to kill Jarul and declare themselves kings. Brogy was outraged by the very idea, but was cut off by Imu suddenly stabbing him with a dagger they summoned, before blowing his left hand off using a large shotgun. With Brogy effectively immobalized, Imu summoned an Abyss below his feet, before preparing a demonic contract. Using Domi Reversi, Imu converted Brogy into a demonic version of himself. The shock of the moment allowed Dorry to be converted as well, alongside a few of their crewmates. Imu was impressed with the sheer ability their new pawns showed, and watched intently as they set off to kill Jarul.[44]
With the majority of their work complete, Imu stood aside and watched as their demons proceeded forward, alongside Killingham's newly revitalized MMAs. Upon being proposed a question by Sommers as to how long they planned to go with their takeover, Killingham chimed in that things were safely in their favor. Before he could finish his explanation, Imu cut him off, and declared their intention to shatter Elbaph's spirit. Imu added that Harald's apparent mistake 14 years prior had been the sole reason for their previous failure, and that Elbaph should long have been under the World Government's control.[45]
Major Battles[]
- Imu and Jaygarcia Saturn vs. Rocks D. Xebec, Gol D. Roger, Monkey D. Garp, Edward Newgate, Charlotte Linlin, and Kaidou
- Imu and Five Elders vs. Sabo
- Imu vs. Brogy
Translation and Dub Issues[]
In the VIZ Media translation, Imu talks in first person with the standard subject pronoun "I", but instances of the objective form "me" are replaced by "mu".
Imu's unique second-person pronoun nushia (ヌシア?) in Japanese is seemingly derived from the dated "you" pronouns onushi (御主?) and nushi (主?). In the VIZ Media translation, Imu uses the archaic English pronouns "thou" and "thee".
The dub does not use this convention, but it does have Imu speak in a very formal dialect.
Trivia[]
- Regarding Imu's name:
- Emporio Ivankov has hypothesized that Imu may be one of the First Twenty from 800 years ago: specifically, a member of the Nerona Family named Saint Imu, who may have received the "Perennial Youth Operation" since a normal Celestial Dragon has no authority to command the Five Elders.
- This belief is supported by Marcus Mars referring to Imu as a "Creator", the same way as the First Twenty are referred to, although whether Imu is indeed one of those 20 kings is unknown as of now.[4]
- This theory is further reinforced when Imu collapsed and seemed to recognize the Haki of Joy Boy, who lived during the Void Century, during the same time as the First Twenty.[12]
- The existence of an authority even higher than the Five Elders within the World Government is first hinted at in Chapter 793 when Fleet Admiral Sakazuki learns from the Five Elders that the orders approving Doflamingo's charade of falsely quitting the Seven Warlords came from an authority that supersedes their own.[46]
- In One Piece in Love, an extremely shy girl called Hagiwara Hana (萩原 花?) wears an Imu costume to approach the pirate club.[47][48]
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Notes[]
- ↑ The ending credits of Episodes 1118 to 1120, in which Imu is heard speaking, list Imu's voice actor as "???".
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 90 Chapter 906 (p. 16-17) and Episode 885, Imu is first seen before a Straw Hat.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 90 Chapter 908 (p. 15-17) and Episode 889, The Five Elders bow before Imu taking the Empty Throne.
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 107 Chapter 1085 (p. 2-12) and Episode 1119.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 107 Chapter 1086 (p. 6-10) and Episode 1120.
- ↑ One Piece Manga — Vol. 112 Chapter 1137 (p. 16-17).
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 One Piece Manga — Vol. 113 Chapter 1149 (p. 18-19).
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 One Piece Manga — Vol. 113 Chapter 1155 (p. 5-6), Imu is confronted by Rocks D. Xebec.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 105 Chapter 1060 (p. 13-15) and Episode 1089, Imu destroys the Lulusia Kingdom.
- ↑ One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 95 Chapter 957 (p. 6-11) and Episode 958.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 107 Chapter 1084 (p. 9, 17) and Episode 1118.
- ↑ One Piece Manga — Vol. 113 Chapter 1150 (p. 4-6).
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 111 Chapter 1122 (p. 14) and Episode 1153.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 111 Chapter 1125 (p. 12) and Episode 1155.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 One Piece Manga — Vol. 113 Chapter 1150 (p. 8-9).
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 110 Chapter 1114 (p. 11) and Episode 1148.
- ↑ One Piece Manga — Vol. 113 Chapter 1150 (p. 10-13).
- ↑ One Piece Manga — Vol. 113 Chapter 1150.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 One Piece Manga — Chapter 1171 (p. 6-7).
- ↑ One Piece Manga — Vol. 113 Chapter 1155 (p. 5-6).
- ↑ One Piece Manga — Chapter 1163 (p. 4).
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 110 Chapter 1116 (p. 2) and Episode 1149, Imu keeps a portrait of Lili despite condemning her for her actions.
- ↑ One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 110 Chapter 1116 (p. 7) and Episode 1149, Vegapunk theorizes that the weapon that destroyed the Lulusia Kingdom is an Ancient Weapon.
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 One Piece Manga — Vol. 113 Chapter 1150 (p. 4-5).
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 One Piece Manga — Chapter 1163 (p. 5-6, 11-17).
- ↑ One Piece Manga — Chapter 1168.
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 One Piece Manga — Chapter 1162 (p. 13, 16-17).
- ↑ One Piece Manga — Chapter 1163 (p. 2).
- ↑ One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 111 Chapter 1125 (p. 11-13) and Episode 1155.
- ↑ One Piece Manga — Chapter 1171 (p. 6).
- ↑ One Piece Manga — Vol. 113 Chapter 1150 (p. 11).
- ↑ One Piece Manga — Chapter 1163 (p. 17).
- ↑ One Piece Manga — Chapter 1164 (p. 2-4), Rocks fights off the Domi Reversi.
- ↑ One Piece Manga — Vol. 113 Chapter 1150 (p. 2-5).
- ↑ One Piece Manga — Vol. 113 Chapter 1151 (p. 15).
- ↑ One Piece Manga — Chapter 1164 (p. 2-5, 15-17).
- ↑ One Piece Manga — Chapter 1165 (p. 11).
- ↑ One Piece Manga — Chapter 1166 (p. 18-19).
- ↑ One Piece Manga — Chapter 1167 (p. 6-7).
- ↑ One Piece Manga — Chapter 1168 (p. 9-13).
- ↑ One Piece Manga — Chapter 1171 (p. 6-7).
- ↑ One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 108 Chapter 1089 (p. 5) and Episode 1123.
- ↑ One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 110 Chapter 1115 (p. 17) and Episode 1149.
- ↑ One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 110 Chapter 1121 and Episode 1153.
- ↑ One Piece Manga — Vol. 113 Chapter 1150 (p. 2-15).
- ↑ One Piece Manga — Vol. 113 Chapter 1151 (p. 8).
- ↑ One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 79 Chapter 793 (p. 4-5) and Episode 736.
- ↑ One Piece in Love Manga — Vol. 4 Chapter 62.
- ↑ One Piece in Love Manga — Vol. 4 Chapter 63.
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