One Piece: Imu’s Most Trusted Partner Could Also Have Been the One to Give Him the Worst Betrayal

One Piece theory reveals the reason behind Imu's villainous nature.

one piece imu

SUMMARY

  • In One Piece, Saint Imu of the Nerona Family becomes obsessed with Nefertari Lily, which alters the course of his story.
  • However, no one knows why Imu has become infatuated with the female members of the Nefertari family.
  • According to one view, Imu's preoccupation with Lily derives from his romantic affections for her.
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Saint Imu of the Nerona Family in One Piece is currently the highest authority within the World Government, commanding the Five Elders, the CP0 Agents, and even the Navy Marines. He is the only one who has the power to sit on the Empty Throne and control the world as he sees fit. However, the powerful Imu has one obsession that changes his entire narrative.

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Imu One Piece
Imu – One Piece | Toei Animation

Since the start of the Egghead Island arc, Imu has been seen obsessing over Nefertari D. Lily and her descendant, Nefertari Vivi. He has portraits of Lily in his most personal space, the Chamber of Flowers, and he is hellbent on kidnapping Vivi. However, no one knows why Imu has been so obsessed with the females of the Nefertari family.

Multiple theories have been devised about Imu’s relationship with Lily, and while all of them have their own merits, there is one theory that gives the most accurate explanation of Imu’s connection with Lily and how she could have been the one to give him the worst betrayal in the history of One Piece.

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One Piece Theory Claims Imu Was in Love With Lily

Both Imu and Lily belonged to the first twenty families that formed the World Government. He also has a giant portrait of Lily in the Flower of Chambers, and he continuously looks at it, signaling his obsession with the character. All of these points prove that Imu was somehow romantically involved with Lily.

Another thing that points out Imu’s romantic feelings for Lily is his need to get hold of Vivi anyhow. He even asked the CP0 agents to kidnap her during the Levely. Also, when the Five Elders were talking to King Cobra, Imu decided to show his face and talk about Lily’s “accident” that led to the Poneglyphs being scattered all over the world.

Lily's Portrait in Imu's Room | Viz Media
Lily’s Portrait in Imu’s Room | Viz Media

Political marriages are one of the topics in One Piece, and there is a theory that claims that Imu and Lily might have been in some sort of similar arrangement, where Imu started falling for Lily but she had something else planned for herself and her people.

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Imu Might Have Received the Worst Betrayal in One Piece

According to the theory, while Imu might be in love, Lily might have somehow been influenced by Joy Boy, who wanted to save the world and make it a better place for the people of One Piece. This could very well explain the reason why Lily decided not to take the title of the Celestial Dragons and why she scattered the Poneglyphs all over the world.

Imu in One Piece
Imu in One Piece | Toei Animation

Also, Imu’s romantic obsession with Lily will explain why he is searching for Vivi, who strikingly resembles her ancestor. If the theory about Imu being in love and then being betrayed by Vivi holds any ground, it would add a new perspective to Imu’s character as the main antagonist of One Piece.

The first arc of the final saga of One Piece has almost reached its conclusion, and since then, Imu has made more appearances than he has made in the entire story. Therefore, it is possible that soon his entire narrative will be revealed to the fans, and they will finally get to know what the driving force behind Imu’s villainous character is.

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You can watch One Piece on Crunchyroll.

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Written by Tarun Kohli

Articles Published: 1299

Konichiwa! With a Master's Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication and a 2-year experience in Digital media writing, I am on my way to becoming one of the biggest anime content writers in my country. My passion for writing and Anime has helped me connect with Fandomwire, and share my love and experience with the world.