During the final moments of this chapter, the heroes are confronted by the ruler of the World Government, who uses their abilities to take over Gunko’s body. This scene is brief, but its repercussions on the series are massive, as it seems to give fans a major hint at this sinister villain's abilities.

Imu’s Immortality Might Have Been Solved

Their Powers Allow Them To Control Those Under Their Command

During the last few chapters of One Piece’s Elbaph arc, the Straw Hat crew and their Giant allies have been forced to fight for the survival of the island’s children. The Holy Knights, looking to impose their ideology and control over the land, kidnapped the kids to force the inhabitants to destroy their knowledge about the Void Century. Due to the interference of the protagonists and Gol D. Roger's strongest ally, Scooper Gaban, the villains have not yet been able to achieve their goal. This lack of results infuriated the secret King of the World, Imu.

After berating his lackeys for not returning to Mary Geoise to protect the city, right as the series' biggest battle had seemingly begun, Imu took control over Gunko’s body. Chapter #1449 ends with the Holy Knight losing control of her body as Imu prepares to use it to destroy his enemies and expedite the return of his soldiers. This moment is far more significant to One Piece’s story than most fans might imagine, as it is the first real hint of Imu’s powers seen in the series.

One Piece - Luffy looking scared with other characters in the background

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Thanks to the events of chapter #1149, it has become clear that those who have accepted the ruler’s power as their own, like the Holy Knights and the Five Elders, have granted Imu control over their bodies. It is possible that the ruler could use this ability to transfer their consciousness permanently to a new host. This would explain why Imu have been alive for more than a century, as they might have been changing bodies as soon as their current one became too frail to their power.

Can Imu Absorb the Vital Force of Their Subjects?

The Villain Seems To Have Control Over More Than Just Bodies

Imu stealing Saturn's life after his failure to defeat Luffy.

While chapter #1149 of the One Piece manga seems to imply that Imu has some sort of autonomy over the physical form of his subjects, earlier entries also hint at their powers influencing their life spans. This ability was first seen in chapter #1125 after the shadow king confronted Saturn for his failures at defeating Luffy and preventing the return of Joy Boy, the mysterious first-ever pirate. Despite the pleas of the former Five Elders , Imu did not hesitate before taking away the life essence of his lackey, causing his body to age rapidly.

When this horrifying event occurred, many fans imagined that this was a hint of Imu’s power being the only reason why the Elders were still alive. If they were to ever lose their abilities, they would lose immortality, resulting in their instant death. Yet, after the events of chapter #1149, Saturn’s death may hint at another possibility: Imu can share and absorb the vital energy of those linked to their power. Seeing as the ruler has unrestricted access to the body and abilities of his lackeys, the idea of them also controlling their life force is not as far-fetched.

Nusjuro and Warcury looking at the horizon while standing. Behind them, the Holy Land of Mary Geoise is seen.

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It might be possible that Imu’s power can only be granted to those willing to share their body and essence with the ruler. This gives the people linked to the ruler the ability to survive any attack and come back to life in case they are gravely injured, as readers have seen on several occasions. Nonetheless, the price they pay for these abilities is high, as they willingly grant Imu control over their entire being. The villain’s Devil Fruit might be among the strongest and most dangerous in the series, as it can harm both Imu’s enemies and allies alike.

One Piece Might Also Be Hinting at Imu’s Secret Identity

Gunko’s Features Changed Significantly Once She Was Possessed

Gunko standing before a fight as seen in the One Piece manga.

Even though the biggest revelations from One Piece chapter #1149 revolve around the powers of its strongest villain, certain hints could give fans a few ideas about who is behind the shadow. When Gunko is possessed at the end of the entry, her physical attributes begin to change to reflect those of the person in control of her body. Her face gets obscured, and her eyes reflect the same unnerving spiral that fans have gotten familiar with over the years.

However, there is another fascinating detail that could hint at Imu being a woman, as Gunko’s body changed in several odd ways. For example, when looking closely at her head during the final moments of the chapter, her hair has become several times longer than it was at the beginning of the Elbaph arc. The length of her hair might not be a trait unique to her, but rather Imu themselves. This could hint at the possibility of One Piece’s final villain having been a woman during their original lifetime.