Imu forcing the Straw Hats to run away like at Egghead just doesn’t make sense. Elbaph isn’t falling into his hands. But if you’ve somehow convinced yourself that this arc will end in another Straw Hat defeat like Sabaody, here are 10 reasons why that’s not happening.
And just to be clear, I’m not saying Imu is going to be defeated here like a typical arc villain. He’ll simply be driven back and left unable to return to Elbaph.
1. Gaban still has to tell or give something to the crew before they leave the island. At the start of the arc, I was convinced he would be revealed as the man marked by flames aboard the Oro Jackson (as Roger’s navigator, it made perfect sense for him to be the one sailing around on their ship). Based on Oda’s more recent statements, it seems to be a new character instead, but that doesn’t change the fact that Gaban will have a key moment at the end of the arc that kicks off the final saga. Just like what we saw at Zou before going up against the Emperors.
2. Lilith said the island would host a new laboratory and that she would help Kuma regain his mind.
3. Let’s not forget Lilith also said she wanted to study the 3000-year-old scientific discoveries together with Franky. That’s another plotline that was introduced and then abruptly put on hold after Killingham’s monsters attacked.
4. Elbaph’s library and schools need to be protected. Robin and Saul’s story is one of hope, the happy ending she found on Elbaph isn’t getting ruined. If even Punk Records was saved, there’s no way everything gets destroyed now.
5. Loki has to become a true ally of Luffy, just like Shirahoshi and Momonosuke. Elbaph itself must become an allied nation to the Straw Hat side. Gunko already said that the outcome of the coming war will depend on the role Elbaph plays on the world stage. The Government wants to bend it to its will, but that’s clearly not how this is going to go. Elbaph is the land that worships the Sun God, Luffy will drive away the threat and be recognized as such by the giants. Loki will realize he was born in the right era, not the wrong one as he believed until now due to Xebec’s premature death.
6. Gunko needs to be saved. Imu will do everything to take her back both because she’s likely important to him for reasons we don’t yet know, and because he can’t afford to leave one of his knights at the mercy of his enemies. We saw what happened with Harald: the death of one of his knights causes him serious damage. Gunko is trapped in a block of ice that only Ragnir can melt. Brook also has unfinished business here, we’ll see how that plays out.
7. Loki has to talk to Luffy about Shanks. We don’t know what they’ll say, but Luffy has clearly been fixated on meeting Shanks lately, as if he finally sees himself as his equal.
8. Loki needs to reconnect with Mosa (Shirahoshi). Something was happening on Fish-Man Island, at least that’s how it seemed from their last call. Blackbeard’s crew might be attacking it after learning the location of the Ancient Weapons from Caribou. If that’s the case, Luffy needs to find out, since both Fish-Man Island and Wano are under his protection. Loki being there is the perfect way to make that happen.
9. The Straw Hats know about the giants from Punk Hazard. When else are you going to address that if not now?
10.
So why have Imu show up now? Simple.
Like I’ve always said, Elbaph was the last chance to have him confront Luffy.
Once Elbaph ends with Luffy’s victory, Imu will no longer be perceived as a real threat, and everything will shift into Blackbeard’s hands.
And just to be clear, I’m not saying Imu is going to be defeated here like a typical arc villain. He’ll simply be driven back and left unable to return to Elbaph.
1. Gaban still has to tell or give something to the crew before they leave the island. At the start of the arc, I was convinced he would be revealed as the man marked by flames aboard the Oro Jackson (as Roger’s navigator, it made perfect sense for him to be the one sailing around on their ship). Based on Oda’s more recent statements, it seems to be a new character instead, but that doesn’t change the fact that Gaban will have a key moment at the end of the arc that kicks off the final saga. Just like what we saw at Zou before going up against the Emperors.
2. Lilith said the island would host a new laboratory and that she would help Kuma regain his mind.
3. Let’s not forget Lilith also said she wanted to study the 3000-year-old scientific discoveries together with Franky. That’s another plotline that was introduced and then abruptly put on hold after Killingham’s monsters attacked.
4. Elbaph’s library and schools need to be protected. Robin and Saul’s story is one of hope, the happy ending she found on Elbaph isn’t getting ruined. If even Punk Records was saved, there’s no way everything gets destroyed now.
5. Loki has to become a true ally of Luffy, just like Shirahoshi and Momonosuke. Elbaph itself must become an allied nation to the Straw Hat side. Gunko already said that the outcome of the coming war will depend on the role Elbaph plays on the world stage. The Government wants to bend it to its will, but that’s clearly not how this is going to go. Elbaph is the land that worships the Sun God, Luffy will drive away the threat and be recognized as such by the giants. Loki will realize he was born in the right era, not the wrong one as he believed until now due to Xebec’s premature death.
6. Gunko needs to be saved. Imu will do everything to take her back both because she’s likely important to him for reasons we don’t yet know, and because he can’t afford to leave one of his knights at the mercy of his enemies. We saw what happened with Harald: the death of one of his knights causes him serious damage. Gunko is trapped in a block of ice that only Ragnir can melt. Brook also has unfinished business here, we’ll see how that plays out.
7. Loki has to talk to Luffy about Shanks. We don’t know what they’ll say, but Luffy has clearly been fixated on meeting Shanks lately, as if he finally sees himself as his equal.
8. Loki needs to reconnect with Mosa (Shirahoshi). Something was happening on Fish-Man Island, at least that’s how it seemed from their last call. Blackbeard’s crew might be attacking it after learning the location of the Ancient Weapons from Caribou. If that’s the case, Luffy needs to find out, since both Fish-Man Island and Wano are under his protection. Loki being there is the perfect way to make that happen.
9. The Straw Hats know about the giants from Punk Hazard. When else are you going to address that if not now?
10.
So why have Imu show up now? Simple.
Like I’ve always said, Elbaph was the last chance to have him confront Luffy.
Once Elbaph ends with Luffy’s victory, Imu will no longer be perceived as a real threat, and everything will shift into Blackbeard’s hands.
