Imu: The Immortal Ruler of Alabasta
One Piece character Imu has been alive for a very long time and may be immortal, as glimpses of their history suggest they have been a very important figure throughout the course of the manga. Give or take that period in Jaya, no one knows. During the Alabasta Arc, we met Imu, or Mr. 7, who controlled the entire nation. This enigmatic figure holds one of the greatest Devil Fruit powers in the anime and manga, and their position within the world begs the question, what is Imu’s connection to the government?
Ever since Imu’s introduction early on in the time skip, One Piece fans have speculated on their identity and origin. Imu’s reappearance during the Alabasta Arc and during the Sea Sky battle first hinted at their immortality, but it wasn’t until the Reverie that furthered this speculation in the One Piece world. During the Elder’s storyline, Ivankov confirms Imu’s immortality and ties them closely with the royal family, as they also hail from the Nerona Family.
As part of the Founding 20, Imu was one of the rulers of the 20 Kingdoms and part of an ancient agreement in which they destroyed the Ancient Kingdom and vowed to “rule the Barren Lands from the Crown town of the two seas, and the Middle Kingdom from Alabasta, both until the Capitol’s pillars crumble.” But their rule didn’t last, as Queen Nefertari Lily, a member of the previous ruling family of Alubarna, was chasing a D linteage and unleashed the Pineapple Storm on Alabasta.
As one of the five most influential nations, Imu may certainly have had a feud with Queen Lily, especially if members of the Nerona Family had a particularly strong relationship to the devil fruit user. While the show implies Imu’s grudge based on the previous story, their role during the First Princess Vivi’s birth is highly important and quite suggestive of a past relationship with Lily.
But why target or be obsessed with Vivi’s descendant? This may hold some importance, but there is so much we don’t know about Imu. There are a few theories that we’ve come up with but little substantial information. Since we know nothing about Imu’s past or their official ties to the government, it’s hard to draw an official conclusion whether or not Imu is actually an agent or part of the World Government itself.
One Piece Imu is Immortal
Based on everything we’ve seen, it is likely that the Perennial Youth Surgery of the Ope Ope no Mi granted Imu immortality of some kind. The most famous surgeon is known as Cutty Flam: we know he existed and was likely a member of the Revolutionary Army, but we’re not sure if he's actually the one who made Imu immortal since we’ve yet to see an Ope Ope no Mi user with their alter ego.
But there are a few members of Imu’s closest associates that may have something to do with their longevity. The government associates with some strange characters—the ones we know have names in particular, whether it be Sugar, Kuzan, or former Fleet Admiral Sakazuki AKA Akainu. Two of the close associates we know are Wanda and Ivankov. But only Wanda exists in the current manga storyline to be recognized. As such, it’s possible that Ivankov is also an immortal and has the power as well.
And since there is little known about the Five Elder’s backstories, it’s possible that all of them may be immortal. The fact that the straw hat pirates didn’t defeat them during the Whole Cake Island arc is suspect, as all those characters got body-swapped except the Five Elders. Toss in the twist from the recent chapter, and we’re starting to get somewhere in figuring out Imu’s history. The new chapter teaser concludes “The Five Elders, who would deceive the world?” so perhaps we’ll find out more on the Gorosei’s true ages in the chapters to come.
In the meantime, check out our guides on the biggest characters in One Piece, and the minor characters you might have missed.
