Luffy vs Imu may end up being a battle of gods in One Piece's final saga
Imu's status as one of the series' antagonists in One Piece might still be enigmatic given how so many other characters fill the same role equally. However, the thing that might differentiate them from other antagonists could be their mysterious devil fruits. This would make them a direct rival to the series' protagonist, setting a battle of the gods.
As indicated during the Egghead Incident, Imu might have the ability to share her powers with others (the Gorosei). Moreover, the people who receive their powers could transform into various creatures and are titled planetary bodies. This would make Imu's devil fruit parallel to the Shinto God Maki, the heavenly god around whom stars rotate.
Disclaimer: This article contains potential spoilers from the One Piece manga series and has the author's opinion.
One Piece: Exploring the devil fruit and its powers of Imu
During the Egghead arc of One Piece, Saint Saturn accompanied some Marine officers to Egghead Island. The purpose of this visit was to eliminate Dr Vegapunk before he took his experience to a level where the World Government's reputation might be affected.
After reaching the island, the Gorosei summoned himself to the middle of the battlefield. After summoning, Saint Saturn immediately transformed into a hybrid form that showcased a glimpse of his devil fruit powers (modeled after the mythical beast Gyuki). As the fight continued, Satin Saturn's immortality was also showcased.
After killing Dr Vegapunk, the stream was activated and the secrets of the past were revealed. So, Saint Saturn summoned the rest of the Gorosei using a magical circle. The Egghead Incident of One Piece ended with the Straw Hat Pirates escaping and the plans of the Gorosei were all for naught. Moreover, Saint Saturn also killed Imu for not completing his mission.
All of these incidents indicated that the Gorosei might have powers that were granted to them by a higher body and that person might only be Imu, the World Government leader. Imu's true devil fruit powers might lie in them granting others superhuman powers (just like the Gorosei). Moreover, as the giver, they also might have the power to destroy their underlings (just like the demise of Saint Saturn).
All of these points indicate that Imu's devil fruit might be related to the Amatsu-Mikaboshi, a Shinto God also referred to as the 'Dread Star of Heaven.' The god is characterized by its ability to manipulate the heavenly bodies (Mars, Jupiter, and other planets).
This would fit well given how Imu gave them their superhuman powers. Moreover, the Amatsu-Mikaboshi god was also rebellious, Imu's status as an imposter parallels that of the god. With Luffy's Nika fruit (Sun), the protagonist might clash with Imu (the controller of other planets) in a final battle.
Analysis and final thoughts
The theory seems to have some loopholes when it comes to the representation of One Piece. However, the inspiration from the Amatsu-Mikaboshi might give some other clues that might expand its lore.
In Chinese mythology, the Amatsu-Mikaboshi god was first identified as Venus (which is represented by Saint Nusjuro) until it became the Dread Star of Heaven. So, this might also explain why Saint Nusjuro could be the strongest Gorosei.
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