Actual, serious question: Does anyone actually think that the Gorosei are fundamentally losing this arc? 4 of 5 have yet to even be characterized and we are 50 chapters into Egghead, Saturn has also been barely characterized. Their backgrounds and motives with Imu are hidden behind the Void Century, a thing that wont be discovered until Laugh Tale. They are also neigh indestructible and Luffy couldnt even deal with one in this regard...
They can "lose" in terms of failing to prevent VPs message from leaking, but someone needs to get Imu's mother flame. Zoro noticing Nasujuro (presumably because of Shodai) can just be major setup for a future endgame fight.
Not seeing how any of them losing at this point makes narrative sense.
Of course they are not being defeated here.
They will "lose" in the sense that they probably won't be able to stop Vegapunk's declaration, at least most of it. And that's a hard pill they'll have to swallow.
On the other hand they'll come clean on the Mother Flame plotline, cause that thing will be used again in the future. We can be sure about that.
Only one risking a little bit a real defeat/death is Saturn because of all the history with Vegapunk, Bonney & Kuma. Also because of the Devon touch...
But even in that case the only 2 factors I can see responsable of his fall are:
- Kizaru, definitive change of heart at the last minute
- Egghead being nuked