As the Egghead Island Arc continues full force in the One Piece manga, fans already expect an Imu vs Luffy showdown in the final saga. However, Eiichiro Oda, the master of plot twists, could have some other plans in store.
Imu is currently the biggest One Piece antagonist, as he controls the Gorosei. He is considered an immortal who has been alive since God knows when. He is the driving force behind the World Government, and fans consider him the biggest threat to the Straw Hat pirates.
But what if the real threat is just around the corner, waiting to strike at the right time?
Why is Blackbeard the perfect person to defeat Imu?
A fan theory suggests that the Imu vs. Luffy battle might never happen, as Imu might get defeated by Blackbeard first. Imu is an immortal who was presumably alive even during the Void Century. However, so far, One Piece has only featured a single Devil Fruit that can grant immortality: the Op-Op Fruit.
Also known as the Ultimate Devil Fruit, it is currently under the possession of Law. By its powers, the user can grant one individual immortality by sacrificing their own life. No matter how strong Luffy is, he cannot surpass immortality.
Thus, Imu cannot be defeated by anyone as long as he is immortal and under the effect of the Op-Op Fruit. The only person who can nullify the powers of any Devil Fruit is Blackbeard. It is a logical deduction that it will be easier for Blackbeard to defeat Imu, given that he can face the villain without his immortality.
How will Blackbeard achieve Rocks’ incomplete goal in One Piece?
Rocks D. Xebec is an infamous pirate who led his crew to take over the world before Gol D. Rogers. He was defeated in battle when Monkey D. Garp and Gol D. Rogers allied to take him down. After this death, his subordinates like Kaidou and Linlin tried to follow the path of world domination.
His dream and goal of ruling the world is unfinished and no one has fulfilled the task yet. However, some theories connect Blackbeard with Rocks and claim that the former is Rocks’ son. The fact that Blackbeard’s ship is called the Saber of Xebec stands as proof of the theory.
Thus, Blackbeard is expected to fulfill the goal of Rocks and become the ‘King of the World’ by defeating Imu, who is currently the head of the World Government and, consequently, the world.
One Piece: Blackbeard Vs Luffy
A Blackbeard vs Luffy showdown could be the ultimate battle for the finale of One Piece. If Blackbeard finishes Imu, he will become the ‘King of the World.’ After Luffy has finished all his conquests and found the ‘One Piece,’ he will be the ‘King of the Pirates.’
Thus, the final battle will be between the King of the World and the King of Pirates. This will definitely serve as an epic conclusion to the grand saga of One Piece and one that fans could get behind.
You can read the One Piece manga on Viz Media and watch the anime on Crunchyroll.
