Summary
Imu is being built up asa major antagonistin theOne Pieceseries, with a significant history beyond that of any other villain in the storyline thus far. They are a long-lived being from theVoid Century, who now appears to rule the World Government from the shadows.
Aspects of Imu have been deliberately obfuscated, but one thing that keeps slipping through is the extent of their achievements. Imu has been shown to have succeeded in goals that other villains have thus far failed to accomplish. Here are examples of villains throughout the series failing where Imu succeeded.
1Arlong
Failed To Create An Oppressive Government
Arlong is a Fish-Man supremacist whose reactionary views were informed by mistreatment at the hands of humans. He succeeded in occupying the Conomi Islands for many years, extorting the citizens for their protection. However, he had greater designs, involving a takeover of the entire blue sea, which never came to fruition. In line with his MO as the ruler of Arlong Park, it seems as though Arlong wanted to effectively subjugate humanity, a reflection of the oppression fish-man suffered as slaves to humanity. However, after his defeat at Luffy’s hand and the subsequent arrest of his crew by the marines, any further ambitions Arlong had appear to be firmly in the rearview.
“Imu” is speculated to have been part of the First Twenty, an alliance of royal families who took on Joy Boy and the Great Kingdom. One member of this group was Nerona Imu, with the present implication being that this person and the current Imu in charge are the same. The First Twenty replaced theGreat Kingdomwith the World Government as the controlling body of the Blue Planet. Nineteen of the First Twenty, alongside their families, became the first incarnation of the Celestial Dragons, with their descendants maintaining that power today. While the particulars of the Great Kingdom are unknown, it is shown in the present day that the World Government is an oppressive government, with fish-men being one of many races enslaved for the benefit of the Celestial Dragons.
2Crocodile
Failed To Maintain Anonymity
Crocodile is a pirate who replaced his broken dreams with ambitions of gaining power. He sought to conquer Alabasta in a largely secretive manner. As a Shichibukai, he was publicly renowned as a hero, ostensibly protecting the citizens of the country. Privately, he formed a crime syndicate to undermine the current governing body, the beloved Nefetari Cobra. Through various means, Crocodile and Baroque Works actively destroyed Cobra’s reputation and narrowly succeeded in replacing him as the ruler of the country, if not for the dogged persistence of the Straw Hat Pirates. Ultimately, Cobra maintained his leadership role until he died, ironically at Imu’s hands. As a member of Cross Guild, Crocodile has an overt leadership role, but is currently downplaying the extent of his authority by allowing Buggy to masquerade as the group’s leader.
Imu, however, has largely maintained secrecy, with theFive Eldersacting as the public faces of the World Government. Although cracks in this facade are slowly showing, it is thought that Imu has successfully remained in hiding for many years since their efforts to control the world succeeded, as there has been little mention of them besides their recent emergence. Furthermore, the World Government has criminalized the study of Poneglyphs, at least some of which purportedly reveal the truth of the Void Century, likely including the circumstances surrounding the formation of the World Government. It is unknown why exactly Imu chooses to remain largely in hiding, but it seems to help maintain the false image of the government as a non-autocracy. Like Crocodile, perhaps it also allows Imu to have a convenient scapegoat any time things go wrong.
3Enel
Failed To Maintain Godhood
Enel was one of the survivors of Birka, a country he destroyed, upon eating the Goro Goro no Mi. He also took over Skypiea for eight years, gaining the rank of “God.” Enel enfeebled the populace, punishing any form of dissent and leaving the citizens feeling guilty and afraid. Ultimately, Enel and his subordinates were wiped out by Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates. After this failure, Imu traveled to the moon and settled there as its current ruler, flanked by a number of automatons. Gan Fall became the “God” of Skypiea, a position he held before Enel’s power, and allowed the populace to feel at peace once more.
Aside from Enel, the other figures who identify themselves as “Gods” are the Celestial Dragons, who similarly possess authority over others based on divine right to rule. Imu is naturally included, as a member of the First Twenty. Imu’s subordinatesinclude “God’s Knights” and the Five Elders, each of which are identified as a “Warrior God,” similarly named to Enel’s own “God’s Army.” Though Imu is unknown at large, they are worshiped by the Five Elders and effectively considered a “God” in terms of their leadership and power, both of which are supported with religious zeal. Marcus Mars, the Warrior God of the Environment, referred to Imu as “Creator,” further signifying a godlike reverence.
4Spandam
Control An Ancient Weapon
Spandam was the former leader of CP9. Despite his authority, he was never truly powerful enough to enact his vision. Nonetheless, he had ambitions to rival Imu’s own when it came to world domination. He succeeded in convincing the Five Elders to change their policy on Ancient Weapon recovery, with the implicit goal of gaining one to overthrow the World Government. However, he repeatedly failed at retrieving the blueprints for the ancient battleship, Pluton, which Franky ultimately destroyed. Even with the failure of his authoritarian power plays, Spandam has fallen upward, being promoted to CP0, alongside his former CP9 comrades.
York, a satellite of Dr. Vegapunk, representing his greed, betrayed the doctor and her fellow satellites. Part of this included stealing a portion of their alternative energy source, theMother Flame, to give to the Five Elders. They used this to power an unknown Ancient Weapon, which Imu experimented with by wiping Lulusia Kingdom off the map. It is possible this weapon is Uranus, the presently unseen third Ancient Weapon.
5Donquixote Doflamingo
Failed To Gain Eternal Youth
Donquixote Doflamingo was a deposed Celestial Dragon, with his father, Homing, ceding the family’s claim. Ultimately, they suffered in squalor, with an illness taking Doflamingo’s mother, and Doflamingo killing his father. However, Doflamingo quickly gained followers, who encouraged his desire for power, and steadily built up a notable following. As part of his goal, Doflamingo desired theOpe Ope no Mi, a Devil Fruit which the user could utilize to perform the Perennial Youth Operation, a procedure which would grant eternal youth to another at the cost of the user’s own life. Doflamingo wished for the medically knowledgeable Trafalgar D. Water Law to perform this surgery on him. However, Law broke with Doflamingo early on, and, to the present day, he remains alive, having not yet performed the surgery on anyone.
Emporio Ivankov has theorized that Imu had received the procedure, which falls in line with the presumption of them as Nerona Imu. This theory explains both the leadership and longevity they appear to possess. Doflamingo, as an ex-Celestial Dragon, knew of a secret kept among them that would allow indefinite leadership alongside the Perennial Youth Operation, and it is very possible that Imu has both awareness and possession of this.
6Kaido
Failed To Defeat “Joy Boy”
Kaido has defeated Monkey D. Luffy twice. However, once Luffy awakened the Gomu Gomu no Mi, effectively channeling the Sun God, Nika, Kaido was no longer able to defeat him. With this awakening, Luffy himself has been identified as the second coming of Joy Boy, who himself once possessed the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika. The Joy Boy of legend is purportedly the first pirate in the history ofOne Piece.
Joy Boy was a powerful figure who has been compared to Luffy by figures who knew both, such as Emet and Zunesha. Joy Boy was forward-thinking enough to leave behind messages in Poneglyphs, their treasure (which would later be termed the titular One Piece), and even part of their haki, for the sake of protecting Emet. Ultimately, Joy Boy lost out to the First Twenty, effectively ushering in the World Government, and ceasing the rule of the Great Kingdom.
7Rocks D. Xebec
Failed To Become King Of The World
Rocks D. Xebec was a pirate who previously proved a significant threat to the World Government. He managed to discover a number of future heavyweights in the world of piracy, adding them to his crew. He ultimately set his sights on becoming King of the World and researched forbidden history, such as the Void Century, to this end. Ultimately, despite his knowledge and powerful subordinates, Xebec was defeated at God Valley, after an alliance between Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp was formed to take on his crew, which also solidified the latter’s reputation as a hero, praise he feels is unearned.
Imu is presently the ruler of the World Government, effectively encompassing the vast majority of the world. Though there are still territories unaffiliated with it, such as the island of Sphinx and the whole of Wano Country, they thus far appear to have the most control over the known world, something solidified by their many arms of power and their recently reactivated ancient weapon.
