In the most recent installment of Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece manga series, Dr. Vegapunk’s highly anticipated message was finally revealed at the end of the issue. His initial remarks also support a longstanding fan theory that has been circulating for several years, suggesting that the world depicted in the series will eventually be submerged underwater.
Despite the fact that Vegapunk’s statement was made in the final panels of One Piece chapter 1113, there was no opportunity for him to provide any further explanation. Nevertheless, fans have wasted no time in incorporating this confirmation into various aspects of the series. One particularly intriguing theory involves the connection between the Straw Hats’ dreams, which they had described not long ago.
One Piece’s Latest Revelation Suggests Imu’s Defeat Follows Luffy’s Origins
As previously mentioned, the most recent major discovery in One Piece is Vegapunk’s assertion that the world in the series will eventually become submerged in water. Despite this, the existence of Zunesha and the creatures encountered at the end of the Thriller Bark arc prove that there is solid ground at the bottom of the sea in the series’ world. In simpler terms, the planet’s landmass is connected and whole, forming “one piece”beneath the ocean’s surface.
One possible understanding of this underlying truth is that the land featured in the series, located on the ocean floor, is the treasure mentioned by former Pirate King Gol D. Roger. This would also clarify his statement about it being in the same place where he left it, as he was unable to bring it with him, and why he mentioned that it would require a search of the entire world to locate it.
One potential concern with this interpretation is the concept of a piece of land being considered a treasure. Some have speculated that Oda drew inspiration for One Piece from The Mysterious Cities of Gold, also known as Esteban, Child of the Sun, which follows the journey of Esteban and his companions as they search for the legendary sunken city of Mu.
It is probable that the submerged land referred to as the show’s main treasure by Roger is actually a sunken continent, drawing inspiration from The Mysterious Cities of Gold. Similarly, Shandora may be one of the cities of gold that managed to escape the destiny that befell the rest, all thanks to the Knock Up Stream.
Therefore, it is probable that the land of Mu mentioned in Oda’s series was the same as the Ancient Kingdom that was submerged by Mu or Imu, who likely altered his name afterwards to distance himself from the event. This mythical land of Mu is also a part of real-life mythology, with its ruler being referred to as “Ra Mu,”which translates to “Son of the Sun”or “Son of the Sun God Ra.”It can be assumed that in triumph, Imu chose to rename the Ancient Kingdom as the Land of Mu and adopted the name Imu instead of Mu.
Despite the mystery surrounding it, the means by which Imu achieved this significant triumph that shaped the One Piece series remains a topic of discussion among fans. Some believe that the key lies in the enigmatic Red Line, which has been speculated to symbolize the shed skin of a serpent. One of the most prevalent theories is that it is linked to Jormungandr, the infamous World Serpent from Norse mythology, as hinted at by the Giants of Elbaf through the words of Dorry and Brogy, as well as their cultural beliefs.
Still, the theory linking Imu to the Umibozu, the Sea Devil, seems to be the most plausible. This possibility also raises the question of whether Devil Fruits, known as the “Sea Devil’s incarnations,” may be connected to Imu. It’s been said that consuming a Devil Fruit leads to punishment from the sea, adding to the intrigue surrounding Imu’s true identity.
In this way, if Imu is the cause of the world’s downfall, he could possibly be the Sea Devil responsible for the creation of the Red Line and all Devil Fruits by shedding his serpent skin. This idea could draw inspiration from Damballa, a spirit in Haitian Voodoo who also created all waters on Earth by shedding its serpent skin. Additionally, as the father of all spirits, Damballa’s connection to Imu is strengthened.
The presence of the Noah in One Piece, a giant ark similar to Noah’s from the Bible, could also be explained by this theory. It is possible that the original Joy Boy, who was Imu’s enemy, attempted to use the Noah to save the species of the world from the Great Flood. This could explain his apology to the Poseidon of his time.
In a similar manner, the actions of the Buccaneers may have been connected to their intention of constructing the Noah for Joy Boy, which would have enabled humans to embark on sea voyages for the very first time. As a result, individuals could have chosen to become pirates or free sailors, commonly known as buccaneers. This could potentially clarify the reason behind their eradication, as their goal was to rescue as many people as possible. This is reflected in the conversation between Kuma and Saturn at God Valley, as depicted in One Piece chapter 1096.
This suggests that the Sun Kingdom, also known as the Ancient Kingdom, was submerged by the Sea Devil Imu in a massive flood. Those who desired for the Sun Kingdom to resurface could have identified themselves as the “Dawn clan,”aligning with the imagery previously portrayed in the series. This group eventually became known as the D. clan, who would usher in a new era for the Sun Kingdom.
Simply put, Luffy and his crew must find a way to “unsink”the world in order to successfully reach the One Piece and claim their treasure. Interestingly, according to Japanese folklore, the only way to outsmart and evade the Sea Devil is by offering it a bottomless barrel. This aligns with the fact that the Straw Hats have come into possession of a bottomless barrel twice in the post-time-skip storyline, thanks to Caribou who managed to sneak aboard their ship inside a barrel on two separate occasions.
The “bottomless barrel”that Imu can use to create chaos, along with the destruction of the Red Line, may enable Luffy to fulfill his mysterious ambition, as well as help the other Straw Hats achieve their dreams. No matter what Luffy’s ultimate goal may be, the world will be united and liberated, giving Luffy the opportunity to celebrate in what could be his most liberated moment yet.
In summary, it is worth noting that One Piece has been drawing parallels to its earlier story arcs. Dressrosa shares similarities with Alabasta, Zou with Skypiea, Wano with Thriller Bark, and Egghead with Sabaody. If the end of the story follows the same pattern as the beginning, it is possible that Luffy will have to use the same tactic of hiding in a barrel and surviving a sea whirlpool to defeat Imu and save the sea.
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