In One Piece, mysteries are as common as Devil Fruits and just as unpredictable. But of all of the mysteries that Eiichiro Oda has planted over the decades, none are as intriguing and foreboding as the existence of Imu Sama.
Ruling from the shadows of the Holy Land, Mariejois, seated in silence on the Empty Throne, Imu sama is a character whose very name sends shivers down the spines of hardcore fans. Now that the world is made aware that Imu is the true ruler of the world, questions are aplenty—but one theory looms darker and more compelling than the rest
The Immortal Ruler of the World
The Five Elders, who are themselves phenomenally powerful, bow before Imu with the deepest respect. And that alone is evidence that Imu’s strength isn’t metaphorical. They aren’t a placeholder. They coerce.
But as a consequence of this revelation comes the fact: Imu sama has somehow been hidden for centuries, their name never uttered even by the highest ranks of the World Government.
How is this possible unless Imu is immortal?
Several clues indicate the potential for immortality in One Piece:
- Law’s Ope Ope no Mi can grant immortality to an individual through the “Perennial Youth Operation”—taking the cost of the user’s life.
- The World Government has shown a fanatic interest in this fruit.
- If Imu underwent this operation way back, it would explain their never-ageing life and reign over centuries.
Can Imu sama be a former user of this operation, maybeffered by a loyal servant or forcibly taken from a user of the Ope Ope no Mi?
The Great Enemy: Joy Boy
Now enter Joy Boy, the enigmatic figure of the Void Century, who left behind a mysterious legacy tied to the Ancient Weapons, the Poneglyphs, and the forgotten truth of the world.
Joy Boy was a symbol of liberation. He tried to keep a promise—most likely to Fish-Man Island—but failed. That promise was so significant that it was carved into a Poneglyph. What kind of person was Joy Boy that even the mermaid princesses passed down stories of him?
Now consider this: What if Joy Boy was leading a rebellion against the tyranny of Imu sama and the 20 Celestial Dragon kings who would later form the World Government?
We know that the Ancient Kingdom—Joy Boy’s likely homeland—was destroyed. Its history wiped clean. Its language was nearly erased.
Who else would benefit from this erasure of history… if not Imu Sama?
Joy Boy vs. Imu: The Ancient Clash
Imagine the scene: Over 800 years ago, a titanic war raged between Joy Boy and the Ancient Kingdom versus the Twenty Kingdoms, led or manipulated by Imu.
The defeat of Joy Boy wasn’t just the end of a man—it was the extinction of an entire ideology. A belief in freedom, inherited will, and unity.
If Imu stood victorious, then the world we know in One Piece—the corrupt World Government, the inequality, the Celestial Dragons—is built atop the ashes of that rebellion.
This paints Imu not just as a ruler, but as a tyrant who silenced the truth and has manipulated generations ever since.
Imu’s Fear of the “D” and the New Joy Boy
The “Will of D” remains a persistent thorn in the side of the World Government. Those with the D initial tend to defy the gods (i.e., the Celestial Dragons), often causing major upheavals.
Why would this matter unless Imu knows exactly who Joy Boy was… and what the “D” symbolises?
Fast-forward to Luffy, our modern Joy Boy candidate, who has now awakened the Hito Hito no Mi: Model Nika, the very fruit that represents the Sun God—freedom incarnate.
In chapter 1060, Imu casually erased an entire island (Lulusia) from existence with godlike power. Why? Because someone there knew something or posed a threat.
If Imu truly did defeat Joy Boy, then it’s not just Luffy’s dream of being the Pirate King that’s on the line—it’s the revival of a legacy that Imu spent 800 years burying.
What This Means for the Final War
If this theory holds weight, then One Piece’s final saga is more than a treasure hunt—it’s the culmination of an ancient war.
Luffy, representing the return of Joy Boy’s will, stands against Imu, the eternal tyrant who has warped the world for centuries.
This isn’t just pirate vs. government. It’s freedom vs. control. Truth vs. deception. Hope vs. despair.
Oda has always promised that One Piece is more than gold and riches. Perhaps, the true “One Piece” is the world’s unity once the chains of Imu’s shadow rule are shattered.