Imu-sama’s existence is perhaps the most safeguarded secret in the world of One Piece, with the only other detail that could rival it being the secrets of the Void Century. Imu’s very first appearance was backed by one of the greatest reveals in One Piece, where fans witnessed them taking up the Empty Throne as the Gorosei bowed to them.
Fans have been wondering what could be the potential powers held by such a supreme overlord who stands above everything and everyone in the One Piece world. Let’s dive into that cascading spiral of theories.
Physical Abilities
In other politically rooted forms of media across movies, books, and anime, we often see the topmost political figure or the most important individual as far as politics and governance are concerned, be just a figure with no discernable skills.
But in the case of One Piece, all the top dogs, bureaucrats, and important people affiliated with the government have been showcased to possess crazy, monstrous levels of abilities.
Following that tradition, the bare minimum for Imu would be to have extraordinary physical prowess and probably proficiency with one or multiple types of melee weapons, as they are often shown around them.
Devil Fruit
If Imu were to possess a Devil Fruit, it must be one that is at the pinnacle of all Devil Fruits. This particular fruit might even belong to its own class, rather than falling into either Logia, Zoan, or Paramecia.
Given their status and importance, it is also possible that Imu possesses the very first Devil Fruit to ever exist, which could explain the mysterious Island destroying power showcased by them.
Haki
As the de facto ruler of the entire world, Imu probably has access to all forms of Haki, including their advanced forms.
- Imu is literally the King of the whole world, them having access to Color of the Supreme King and by extension, Advanced Conqueror’s Haki should be a no-brainer.
- Imu has also shown to be around weapons a lot, and again, given their status, they probably possess both the normal and the advanced version of the Color of Arms.
- If there is anyone who needs to know what is happening around them all the time, it has to be Imu-sama. By that logic, Imu having the Color of Observation, including future sight, is more or less mandatory.
It is also possible that they might possess an unknown, fourth type of Haki, which could probably be the strongest form of Haki. This Haki could potentially rule over Devil Fruits, possibly negating them or even absorbing them to be used at the Imu’s discretion.
Ancient Weapons
The Ancient Weapons are supposed to be the agents of ultimate destruction in the world of One Piece. As the strongest form of offensive prowess in the series, it wouldn’t be unlikely that Imu actually possesses one of these.
We know that Neptune is a living being, that is Shirahoshi. Pluton is an ancient battleship, as seen in Franky’s blueprints. The only unknown Weapon as of now is Uranus, and it is possible that Imu has it.
It is also possible that Imu is Uranus, similar to Shirahoshi’s scenario. This would also explain the mysterious Island destroying power they displayed through the annihilation of Lulusia.
Weakness
Even though they are the sovereign of the entire world, Imu prefers to rule from the shadows, not making their appearance known to anyone. This could be due to a potential weakness that they possess, which would mean that they aren’t entirely invincible.
Just like how the Sea Prism Stone affects Devil Fruit users, Imu might have some sort of weakness or vulnerability that has forced them into solitude.
Still, these are only speculations, for now, the true extent of their powers is yet to be witnessed.