Warning: Contains spoilers for chapter #1122 of One Piece.
Summary
Amidst the ever-mounting mystery surrounding the Five Elders,One Piecehas just teased that a strange theory about its final villains may actually be true. The latest ofOne Piecesecretly provides what could be a huge clue to explaining theFive Elders' regenerationand other powers while also confirming a surprising connection to Imu.
In chapter #1122, the Five Elders are forced to go back to Mariejois afterEmet unleashes Joyboy’s powerful Conqueror’s Haki. As soon as the Five Elders return, Imu is seen in the chamber of flowers screaming and trembling while thinking of Joyboy, implying that Imu also saw or even felt Joyboy’s haki which confirms thatImu and the Five Elders are connectedin some way.
The Five Elders are known to possess the ability to communicate telepathically, and the latest chapter hints that Imu may also be telepathically connected to them, if not on an even deeper level. In fact, this revelation teases thetheory that the Five Elders are satellites created by Imu could be true,which is also supported by the Five Elders' regenerative powers.
One Piece Reveals Imu’s Weakness, And It’s Not Luffy’s Devil Fruit
One Piece has finally revealed the World Government and Imu’s one true fear and it isn’t the Nika Fruit but another power belonging only to Joyboy.
One Piece Teases The Five Elders May Be Imu’s Satellites
Imu and the Five Elders' Connection May Have Been Foreshadowed by Vegapunk and His Satellites
In addition to the subtle revelation in the latest chapter, chapter #1120 also provides another huge hint that theFive Elders are not entirely humanthrough Saint Nusjuro’s regeneration. In the chapter, Atlas sacrifices herself to save the Straw Hats from Saint Nusjuro as he attempts to board the Thousand Sunny, blowing up herself and Saint Nusjuro in the process. Unsurprisingly, Nusjuro emerges unscathed from the explosion and is seen regenerating from the attack.
Interestingly, the panel of Saint Nusjuro regenerating is accompanied by an unnatural crackling onomatopoeia coming from Nusjuro’s skull, the inside of which appears to consist of swirling shadows. This hints that theFive Elders may not be corporeal at all, but rather beings created by Imu,much like Vegapunk’s satellites.
An unnatural buzzing sound is seen even when Saint Saturn regenerates his arm in chapter #1104, which swirls almost as though it is liquid. Though Saturn and Nusjuro regenerate quite differently, it is quite clear that thetwo Elders are not fully corporeal when in their yokai forms. This would also explain their ability to teleport as well as their immortality through a means other than the Op-Op Fruit.
Seeing as the Five Elders were introduced in the same arc asVegapunk and his satellites, it would be rather fitting for the Five Elders to mirror them in a way. Much like Vegapunk’s satellites, theFive Elders have proven to possess some individuality, as seen when they questioned Imu’s decision to destroy Lulusia. However, as the Egghead Arc has gone on to prove, Vegapunk’s satellites are no different and are very much capable of questioning, defying, and even betraying their creator.
The Five Elders Could Be The Key to Defeating Imu
Professor Clover’s Name Suggests A Connection to Irish Folklore and Horcruxes
Another prevalent idea is that theFive Elders could be akin to Horcruxescreated by Imu anddefeating the Five Eldersmay be the only way to defeat Imu. Interesting as this idea may be, there is little proof to support it. However, it is possible that Imu and the Five Elders could be based on the Irish folklore surrounding the Claíomh Solais, a mystical weapon also known as the Sword of Light.
The Claíomh Solais entered discussions among fans ofOne PieceafterProfessor Clover’s full name was revealedin chapter #1120, which was translated by some as Claíomh, in contrast to the official translation. Many fans noticed that this weapon was oddly identical to the one carried by Sun God Nika’s silhouette inOne Piece.
In many folktales, the sword is guarded by a keeper who has only a single weak spot, which in some cases is its soul, which ishidden externally in animalswhich may or may not be the direct inspiration behind Imu and the Five Elders, who each transform into animalistic yokai.
Overall, there are still countless other theories surrounding theFive Elders and their powers. The final saga ofOne Piecewill likely revisit the truth behind their regeneration and their origins sooner or later, but as things stand, the Five Elders are surely shaping up to be the biggest, most intimidating adversaries of the series, worthy of being the endgame villains.
One Pieceis available from Manga Plus and Viz Media.
One Piece
Created by Eiichiro Oda, One Piece is a multimedia franchise that began as a manga series and follows the adventures of the Straw Hat Pirates as led by Monkey D. Luffy. Luffy, an enthusiastic pirate with a thirst for adventure, is afflicted by a mysterious curse that gives him various powers he uses to protect himself and his friends. The manga eventually gave way to the anime series, with the two being some of history’s longest-running anime and manga series. Along with over fifty video games made over the years, the series entered the live-action world with Netflix’s 2023 adaptation.
