One Piece May Have Foreshadowed a Significant Revelation Involving Imu and Lili Through the Nefertari Family

The release date for chapter 1116 of One Piece is June 3, 2024. According to spoilers, the upcoming chapter will unveil the true identity of Nefertari D. Vivi, whose picture was seen in Imu’s room while they listened to a message from Vegapunk.

In addition, the chapter featured Vegapunk York disclosing her knowledge of the hidden Transmission Transponder Snail. She also disclosed that the Roger Pirates were aware of all forthcoming events in the world, much to Rayeigh’s discontent.

Additionally, the intense level of obsession that Imu has shown for Nefertari Lili has caused fans to speculate that they may share a familial connection. This theory is supported by the fact that many siblings in the series have a strained relationship.

This article includes the author’s opinion and may contain spoilers from the One Piece manga series.

Possible Explanation for the Potential Blood Relation between Imu and Nefertari D. Lili in One Piece

Gol D Roger as seen in the anime (Image via Toei Animation)

During chapter 1116, Vegapunk continued to uncover the secrets of the Void Century. The attention shifted to Imu, who was standing in a room. As the chapter unfolded, Imu came across a painting that bore a striking resemblance to Nefertari Vivi, but it turned out to be a depiction of the first ruler of the Arabasta Kingdom, Nefertari D. Lili.

Despite the long-awaited reveal of Nefertari D. Lili, fans were still left with an unclear image of her. However, it was evident that she bore a striking resemblance to Vivi. This chapter also shed light on Imu’s mention of Lili during the Reverie, revealing their deep-seated anger towards her.

Imu cursing Nefertari Lili (Image via Shueisha)

During chapter 1085, Imu conversed with King Cobra in the presence of the Five Elders and directed a curse towards Nefertari Lili, accusing her of spreading the Poneglyphs throughout the Grand Line and ultimately enabling the Pirate Era. This obsession with Lili suggests a past relationship between Imu and her during the Void Century.

It is possible that these two individuals, Nefertari D. Lili and Imu, are siblings who share a blood relation. Nefertari may be the older sister, while Imu is the younger brother. While this may seem unlikely to some, it is not unheard of in this series for siblings to have a strained relationship, to the extent of being willing to harm one another.

Doflamingo (left) and Rosinante (right) as seen in the anime (Image via Toei Animation)

Despite once being nobles, Doflamingo and Rosinante faced discrimination after rejecting their royal status. This led to Doflamingo ultimately killing his father and using his devil fruit powers to corruptly seize control of the Dressrosa Kingdom. Their story remains one of the most well-known examples of such circumstances.

Rosinante detested this aspect of his brother and often described Doflamingo as a monster. Upon discovering Rosinante’s betrayal, Doflamingo wasted no time in disowning him and eventually tracked him down to personally execute him.

Nefertari Lili's silhouette as seen in the manga (Image via Shueisha) — Nefertari Lili’s silhouette as seen in the manga (Image via Shueisha)

Interestingly, this could be a parallel narrative for Imu and Nefertari D. Lili, with a reversal of roles. Imu, the younger sibling, may have harbored hatred towards their family, the D clan, while Nefertari D. Vivi always embraced their true identity.

Similarly to how Rosinante fed Law the Op-Op Devil Fruit, the fruit that Doflamingo desired, before being killed by his younger brother, Nefertari Lili fulfilled her duty of distributing the Poneglyphs before she was also murdered by her younger brother. This act ultimately became a catalyst for the Great Pirate Era, just as Imu could have killed his elder sister.

Imu’s real name

Imu as seen in the One Piece anime (Image via Toei Animation)

Despite the unknown status of Imu within the World Government, there remain other enigmas surrounding the Supreme Leader’s true identity, including their actual name. As some keen followers may have observed, Imu is not a proper name but rather an abbreviation that Oda has yet to disclose much about.

Given the possibility of Imu being Nefertari Lili’s little brother, it is likely that her true identity also includes the names “Nefertari”and “D.”This would place Imu among the D’s, a group that includes some of the most powerful and influential pirates of the Grand Line, such as Monkey D. Luffy, Gol D. Roger, and Marshall D. Teech (Blackbeard).