Nerona Imu Descends to Elbaph! Can Luffy Win?

One Piece Chapter 1179 Review/Recap

You know, I normally like it when I’m right about something. But every now and then, there are moments where I hate being right; mainly when it means that something really, really bad is going to happen. And I was right about what’s happening in One Piece. The Elbalph Arc isn’t coming to an end; its only just getting started. Because in one of the most jaw-dropping moments in the series almost thirty year run, we get to see Imu for the first time. And everything the story has been hinting at and what the fans have theorized is true! Imu is THE DEVIL.

Recap

The Five Elders are absolutely shocked at what Imu said, even asking if they heard them right. They beg them not to leave, saying they can send in the Admirals, or head out themselves! But Imu remembers everyhtunf that has happened in the last half-century: Rocks’ vow to return. Roger’s message to the world. The birth of Shirahoshi. Shanks stealing Luffy’s Devil Fruit. Loki’s strength. The rise of Luffy and Blackbeard, or Joyboy and Davy Jones. They see all of this as destiny at work long before they came to be. Imu has made up their mind, and the Elders can’t stop them. They leave for Elbaph.

With the fighting over for the moment in Elbaph, everyone is trying to clean up the mess, heal their injuries, and figure out what to do with the captured God’s Knights. Then, the air changes. Out of nowhere, pillars of black flame erupt from the ground as a magic circle appears in the sky above Elbaph. Then we hear this crazy music. And then the houses and trees start to come to life with these dark and wicked faces on them! And then, a final pillar appears in Aurust Castle, followed by an overwhelming burst of Conqueror’s Haki as Imu appears from the circle in the ruins, coughing and exhausted. An explosion rips through the Castle, and as everyone watches, a black figure stands atop one of the towers: Nerona Imu, one of the First Twenty, the creator of the World Government, King of the world…and the wielder of the Devil’s Fruit.

Review

…holy shit.

When I first heard what the leaks and spoilers were saying about this chapter, I half-expected them to be a prank for April Fool’s Day. But they weren’t lying, and everything that the Revolutionaries speculated and what is, the fans, theorized is true. Imu really is 800 years old, they were one of the Twenty Kings who founded the World Government, and they’ve been ruling it from the shadows this entire time. And to top it all off, they might be the closest thing we’ve got to the actual Devil in the series! There is a lot to unpack, and I need to get it all off my chest, so let’s get down to business as we try and breakdown everything we learned about Imu from this chapter.

Nerona Imu is 8-900 Years Old

Firstly, there is the confirmation that Imu is one of the Twenty Kings who founded the World Government. That means that they have been alive for eight hundred years, far longer than most characters in the series. That is either the result of their Devil Fruit, or maybe Ivankov was right on the money about someone using the Op-Op Fruit to make Imu immortal. The fact that Doflamingo mentioned it back in Dressrosa means that it had to have happened in the past. Maybe that was Oda’s way of dropping a hint about the existence of Imu? Knowing Oda, I wouldn’t be surprised if he planned that far ahead. Then again, he’s not infallible.

As for Imu’s appearance, I have to admit that I’m a little disappointed to know that this might the last we see of their shadow form. However, I cannot deny that our first look at what is either their true form, or more likely, the awakened form of their Devil Fruit, radiates aura. At this point, it might be easier to just say that Conqueror’s Haki is a euphemism for aura farming, because that’s what Imu is doing in that final page!

It Makes Sense the Devil is a Fallen Angel

It should be noted, and I’ve seen other fans point this out, is how Imu looks an awful lot like a Lunarian. I’m not sure if that is because of their Devil Fruit or they actually look like that, but if it’s the latter, that explains a lot. In Judeo-Christian myth, the Devil was originally an angel and God’s most trusted comrade. But he gave into the darkness in his heart and became a fallen angel and the King of Hell. So if the Lunarians are analogous to angels, then having Imu be a Lunarian makes so much sense. It would also explain why the Lunarians were hunted to near extinction; Imu wanted to destroy their own people so they would not oppose them. Which is all kinds of messed up.

What’s most surprising, though, yet at the same time not, is the reveal of the source of Imu’s power.

The Actual Devil’s Fruit

The first thing to note about Imu’s Devil Fruit is its name: the Akuma no Mi, or Devil’s Fruit. Every other Devil Fruit has had a name like Gum Gum, Chop Chop, or something else. The fact that the Devil Fruit doesn’t have that naming convention caught a lot of readers notice. Some are even theorizing that this is because it might be the ORIGINAL Devil Fruit. We can’t prove or disprove that, either, because we still don’t know where Devil Fruits come from beyond Vegapunk’s own theories. The one thing that we do know, though, is that the Devil Fruit is dangerous.

By now, we’ve gotten plenty of chances to see what Imu’s powers can do. They can turn other people into demons, grant them immortality and unfathomable strength, and fall under the complete control of Imu. However, I wasn’t expecting Imu’s presence to start turning the homes and trees into cartoonish demons! It’s like a mirror image of the way that Luffy’s Fifth Gear affects the world, right down to the music. Instead of being fun and joyful, though, this is dark and scary. Imu has had 800 to master these powers, but for some reason, this is the first time we know of where they have chosen to personally see to matters. Is it because everyone is that beneath them…or are they not as strong as they make themselves out to be? I think it might be the latter.

Imu Might have a Weakness

Before Imu left Mariejois, the Five Elders were begging them not to go. You could interpret that as them saying that things haven’t gotten that bad that their god has to intervene. However, I think it’s because they’re afraid of Imu putting themselves in danger. Because despite the aura of invincibility they cultivate, Imu’s powers have a limit.

Firstly, remember how they reacted to feeling Joyboy’s Haki? That’s enough to tell me that as powerful as they are, Joyboy was stronger still.

Secondly, there’s everything that we have seen throughout this arc. Their Domi Reversi technique can be undone. More importantly, remember how Imu reacted to Loki killing Harald. They were left reeling in shock and in pain. So much so that they chose to leave Elbaph alone until things got as desperate as they are right now.

The biggest clue, though, comes from this chapter: its the blood coming out of their mouth.

My best guess is that Imu’s power comes with a cost. When they use their powers as much as they have been, the backlash harms their body. If that’s the case, then they became immortal to avoid the downsides and rule the world for eternity. But even that might have its limits. If they get hurt badly enough, it could overwhelm them. Or, as Luffy and Loki would put it, they have to beat Imu to a pulp. Though at the moment, its easier said than done.

I Want Imu to Lose

I know that people think the arrival of Imu will end in the conquest of Elbaph, and I get why they would think that. The Giants are still recovering, the God’s Knights could still rally, and the Straw Hats are scattered all over the place. But again, Elbaph cannot be allowed to fall. If Imu enslaves the Giants, any chance of saving the world goes down the drain. Like it or not, this fight isn’t over. And I, for one, am looking forward to seeing what happens.

I Give “Nerona Imu Descends” a 5/5

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