THE KING WHO NEVER DIED.

The King Who Never Died

Everyone sees Imu as the ruler of the world. I don't. I think he's the man who stole the throne. And the person he stole it from? I don't think he's dead.

Chapter 1164 gave us a huge clue. At God Valley, Rocks D. Xebec looked Imu straight in the eye and said, “A promise ought to be kept,” before naming the true king: Davy D. Jones. Not a myth. Not a sailor's tale. Not some random pirate. The real king.

If you still think Davy Jones is just the squid faced character from Pirates of the Caribbean, you might want to take another look at the lore.

Back at Thriller Bark, Robin mentioned that Davy D. Jones rests on the seafloor, cursed by the devil. Now we've learned who the “devil” may actually be: Imu.

Then there's Blackbeard's mysterious pitch black ship tied to Devil Fruits. Most people have no idea who it's connected to, but I think it's the same man Rocks named, the same man Imu tried to burn. And those flames? Chapter 1180 showed Imu's ominous fire consuming Elbaf. The marks match.

Stay with me, because this is where it flips.

Most fans expect the final battle to be Luffy versus Imu, a hero challenging the ruler on the Empty Throne. I think it's much bigger than that. This story has always been about three kings:

Davy D. Jones, the original king.

Joy Boy, the people's king.

Imu, the usurper who has occupied the throne through an 800 year lie.

So what if Imu hasn't been fighting a single war all this time? What if he's been fighting on two fronts for eight centuries?

That could explain why he's coughing up blood in Elbaf and why the Empty Throne seems to be taking its toll on him. The true king may finally be awakening while the false king is running out of time.

And when Loki finally breaks his chains and the great serpent shatters the Red Line, it won't just free Elbaf. It could also be the moment Davy D. Jones returns to the world.

And if that's true, then maybe Blackbeard has been waiting for that day all along.