The Egghead arc of One Piece is proving to be one of the most enlightening arcs we’ve witnessed to date. Post Wano, Oda has dropped more lore and info on mysterious concepts and characters than ever before.
Out of these, one of the most exciting, is news about Im. One Piece has several hyped-up characters that have seldom appeared in the series, and Im tops that list by a longshot.
Recently glimpsed in chapter 1060, Im is sure to hit the limelight soon. To prepare for Im-sama’s proper arrival, I’m going to give you all the details that we know about this enigmatic entity in today’s article.
1. Im is the King of the World
Im bears the highest sovereignty in the world and occupies the Empty Throne.
The Empty Throne, first mentioned in chapter 907, is an actual throne in the Pangean Castle, bang in the middle of Mary Geoise – and the world.
It was believed that this Empty Throne had no occupant – for the sole purpose of maintaining a peaceful and equitable climate between the nations.
But Im’s first appearance made it clear that that’s just a tale for the rest of the delusional world.
2. Im CONTROLS the World of One Piece
The 5 Elders or the Gorosei are the heads of the World Government, the most powerful organization across the seas, created 800 years ago. The Gorosei have the highest public authority in the world, but even they, are ruled by the all-powerful Im.
This makes Im not just in charge of the strongest international body in the world, but in charge of the World Nobles, the Celestial Dragons, 170 countries, their governance, and their armies.
The Marines indirectly answer to Im, and so does CP0, the strongest Cipher Pol unit. The Gorosei are terrified of Im because they know of his true power and are seen bowing down to him.
3. Im Rules With an Iron Fist
Im can obliterate an entire country with a single blast of power. He wiped off Lulusia Kingdom from the map to censor emerging rebels.
4. Im was Behind the Ohara Genocide
In chapter 1066, Vegapunk says that the World Government want to kill him because he knows too much, just how they killed all the scholars of Ohara.
Im is the World Government and the World Government is Im; all the orders come from them. Im gave the Gorosei and they the Marines the order to kill everyone on Ohara.
Im was also behind the God Valley Island termination.
Im can erase entire islands from existence, and that’s precisely what happened to God Valley, too.
5. Im Likely Controls Uranus
There is an exceedingly high possibility that Im is in control of the Ancient Weapon Uranus.
In chapter 1060, the Gorosei reveal that Im destroyed Lulusia Kingdom in such a manner that it’s like Lulusia never existed.
The Ancient Weapons are known to be weapon of vast destruction, capable of disintegrating islands. This is precisely what Im does.
Plus, Uranus is most probably a weapon that is in the sky, given the mythological parallels of the 3 Ancient Weapons. Poseidon is named after the Greek God Poseidon, and the Ancient Weapon Poseidon is currently the Mermaid Princess Shirahoshi.
Pluton, as we saw in Wano, is hidden beneath Mt. Fuji. Ploton is named after the Roman God, Hades, the king of the underworld.
Before the mass destruction at Lulusia, the citizens witnessed a shadow in the heavens and a shower of light after which the island was no more.
Uranus is the Greek God of the heavens.
One of the most powerful people having control of the one of the most powerful objects in the world makes complete and utter sense.
6. No One Knows About Im
Im’s identity has been purposefully kept from the world for unknown reasons. Officially only the Gorosei know about him. It is his obscurity that lends him half his power.
Sabo knows that someone occupies the Empty Throne, but he doesn’t know of Im per se.
We saw Shanks approach the Gorosei to talk “about a certain pirate.” But we can’t be sure that he knows of Im, either.
On a related note, Shanks might share a deeper connection with Im, seeing how he was part of Roger’s crew and Roger was involved in the God Valley Incident. Shanks might even have been born during the God Valley Incident after which Roger took him in.
Dragon, on the other hand, most probably knows about Im. Dragon is the leader of the Revolutionary Army, the organization that directly opposes the ideas and actions of the World Government.
But apart from these, Im’s existence is as much a mystery to the characters as to us, if not more.
7. Im is Near-Immortal
Im has been around since before the Void Century, which was 900 years ago. This hasn’t been explicitly mentioned, but given what we know about Im’s power, we can deduce that he was present since before the events of the Void Century.
The Void Century is a period of 100 years that was erased from existence because the World Government did not want anyone to become aware of the “true history” of the world.
We have enough evidence to suggest that Im’s forte is wiping things from existence. The Great Kingdom – an ancient kingdom from the Void Century – was also wiped off from the map. It was an enemy of the 20 Kingdoms and possibly the source of numerous rebellions against them.
Just like Lulusia, it was erased from existence.
This proves that Im has been alive a while, at least 1000 years.
8. Im Might be a God
There are several fan theories that state that Im could be a god. Due to the shape of his silhouette, people think he is based on the ancient Egyptian god Medjed, who is known to shoot light from his eyes, but who himself roams unseen. This description fits Im.
Im’s name, in katakana, comprises of the character that means Buddha. With his timelessness and omnipotence, Oda is definitely hinting at Im being beyond human. Some people even think Im might be a Devil. Either way, there’s surely something supernatural going on with Im-sama.
9. Im Might Have a Connection to Rocks D. Xebec
Rocks’s goal was not to be the Pirate King. Rocks wanted to be the Ruler of the World. Which is Im’s title.
We can’t say for sure that Rocks even knew of Im, but the fact that God Valley was also Rocks’s death place, also makes their connection stronger.
Rocks might have directly questioned Im’s authority, rising to usurp his place on the Empty Throne.
10. Im is the Final Antagonist of One Piece
Given his power, position, and intrigue, Im is bound to be the final enemy of not just Luffy, but all the Pirates, the Revolutionary Army, World Government rebels (Garp, Koby), and royals like King Neptune, Shirahoshi, and Vivi.
In the Levely arc, Im mentioned that he wanted to erase a particular “light” from the world. In his hands, he held posters of Luffy, Blackbeard, Shirahoshi, and Vivi, symbolizing the fact that even though people like Luffy and Blackbeard are enemies the might be unite in the future against a larger enemy, i.e., Im.
Im also just wiped off Lulusia, where Sabo was seeking refuge. This, along with several other reasons, warrants Dragon’s wrath towards Im.
The Yonkos and the Revolutionary Army will fight against Im in the Great War. Not to mention, Joy Boy might have been Im’s first enemy, and will prove to be his last.
This fight, as Oda has promised, will dwarf the one in Marineford, and will be the ultimate showdown of power.
11. About One Piece
One Piece is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda. It has been serialized in Shueisha’s Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine since July 22, 1997.
The man who had acquired everything in this world, the Pirate King, is Gol D. Roger. The final words he said at the execution tower were “My treasures? If you want it, I’ll let you have it. Look for it; I left all of it at that place.” These words sent many to the seas, chasing their dreams, headed toward the Grand Line, in search of One Piece. Thus began a new age!
Seeking to be the greatest pirate in the world, young Monkey D. Luffy also heads toward the Grand Line in search of One Piece. His diverse crew is joining him along the way, consisting of a swordsman, marksman, navigator, cook, doctor, archaeologist, and cyborg-shipwright, this will be one memorable adventure.
No Comments on Everything We Know About Im-Sama so Far in One Piece