Okay, I never thought I would post a theory here but I’m bored and slightly drunk. So let’s go…here’s my few cents: Imu wants to kill Vivi with their own hands. Why would they want that?
I think that the reason is that Vivi represents their only symbolical connection to humanity. How so? Well, this is due to their resemblance to Lily…
Okay, I admit, this theory would seem entirely baseless on a first glance, but if we look closely, Imu’s obsession was with Lily seems kind of too…personal. Why would “Lily” be literally the first word they utter on-screen? Yes I know, Cobra was in front of them… but on a textual level the first thing a character says, especially in One Piece, usually holds a lot narrative importance. For example, Cherry pie aside, the first thing that Blackbeard ever talks about is people’s dreams, this is the fists instance in which we get a glance at Blackbeard’s character. Therefore, I don’t think that is a random coincidence that the word coming out of Imu’s mouth is Lily.
We also see that they even keep a gigantic painting (photograph?) of Lily, why would they even do such a thing? Yeah, Imu seems to have a thing for keeping memento from their defeated enemies (JoyBoy’s hat, Xebec’s alleged sword) but a painting seems kind of a weird choice if this was the case.
Moreover, the scene in Egghead where Imu stares at her painting seems almost malinconic. Maybe I’m entirely wrong, but this person to me doesn’t seem to look at an enemy, or someone they really hate.
Now, I don’t think it was in love with her in a romantic sense…Oda is not the kind of person who would ever write a full-fledged romance. On another note, it’s evident that there was some kind of relationship that went beyond their being enemies. My idea is plain and simple, whether is friendship or something else, Lily is the only person with whom Imu ever had a sort of human connection and this is the reason they’re so obsessed about her.
I was thinking about a trait that many villains, in One piece and not only, have in common: other than being physically defeated, what ultimately brings them down is always a sort of moral failing, a flaw in their worldview, which leads to the collapse of their entire belief system.
I think, especially in Imu’s case, for their defeat to be satisfying their very ideals must be undone, the entirety of their ideological construct has to crumble… but what are those?
One is self-evident, and is Imu’s conviction of being a God, a superior being who’s not bound by the logic to which mere humans must submit.
The second one, although more vaguely defined, is connected to the theme of Demonhood: now, a demon is commonly associated with absolute maliciousness, complete disdain for life and the inability to care about others.
In this instance Imu’s (a)moral failure would consist of not living up to their idea both of God and Demonhood. This would consist in the fact that, despite all, they didn’t entirely manage to strip humanity out of themselves: deep down, at least once, they felt something for someone. It goes without saying that, consciously, a being who believes to be above all others and everything else would never accept such a truth. So, how would they prove to themselves that they severed every bond with humanity? By killing the person who reminds them of the said bond!
Now I am entering in the most speculative part of my theory: what if Imu manage to capture Vivi, for the purpose of killing her and demonstrate to themselves that they are beyong humanity, but upon trying to strike her they would find themselves unable to do it? Failing thus to severe the aforementioned bond, with the humanity above which they claimed to be elevated? I think that harder than their defeat by the hands of Luffy, this would be not only the point in which their wordview would prove fallacious, but also their biggest personal failing, because they would ultimately end up not being able to be anyone at all: not a God, not a human, not a demon. Just something void, rotten and broken, which can only destroy everything they touch…
Now, take it just as what it is: a theory. Of course, the likelihood of it happening is quite scarce and I will not defend it tooth and nail from those who accuse it of being implausible.
Maybe it’s just my wishful thinking, that makes me try to make more interesting a character who so far is just cartoonishly evil. Because let’s be honest, CD’s in general would really benefit a lot from getting at least a little depth.
What do you think? Is there any chance for something similar to happen? Could it be an interesting development?
PS I think that Imu's is a male but in doubt i didn't gender them.
I think that the reason is that Vivi represents their only symbolical connection to humanity. How so? Well, this is due to their resemblance to Lily…
Okay, I admit, this theory would seem entirely baseless on a first glance, but if we look closely, Imu’s obsession was with Lily seems kind of too…personal. Why would “Lily” be literally the first word they utter on-screen? Yes I know, Cobra was in front of them… but on a textual level the first thing a character says, especially in One Piece, usually holds a lot narrative importance. For example, Cherry pie aside, the first thing that Blackbeard ever talks about is people’s dreams, this is the fists instance in which we get a glance at Blackbeard’s character. Therefore, I don’t think that is a random coincidence that the word coming out of Imu’s mouth is Lily.
We also see that they even keep a gigantic painting (photograph?) of Lily, why would they even do such a thing? Yeah, Imu seems to have a thing for keeping memento from their defeated enemies (JoyBoy’s hat, Xebec’s alleged sword) but a painting seems kind of a weird choice if this was the case.
Moreover, the scene in Egghead where Imu stares at her painting seems almost malinconic. Maybe I’m entirely wrong, but this person to me doesn’t seem to look at an enemy, or someone they really hate.
Now, I don’t think it was in love with her in a romantic sense…Oda is not the kind of person who would ever write a full-fledged romance. On another note, it’s evident that there was some kind of relationship that went beyond their being enemies. My idea is plain and simple, whether is friendship or something else, Lily is the only person with whom Imu ever had a sort of human connection and this is the reason they’re so obsessed about her.
I was thinking about a trait that many villains, in One piece and not only, have in common: other than being physically defeated, what ultimately brings them down is always a sort of moral failing, a flaw in their worldview, which leads to the collapse of their entire belief system.
I think, especially in Imu’s case, for their defeat to be satisfying their very ideals must be undone, the entirety of their ideological construct has to crumble… but what are those?
One is self-evident, and is Imu’s conviction of being a God, a superior being who’s not bound by the logic to which mere humans must submit.
The second one, although more vaguely defined, is connected to the theme of Demonhood: now, a demon is commonly associated with absolute maliciousness, complete disdain for life and the inability to care about others.
In this instance Imu’s (a)moral failure would consist of not living up to their idea both of God and Demonhood. This would consist in the fact that, despite all, they didn’t entirely manage to strip humanity out of themselves: deep down, at least once, they felt something for someone. It goes without saying that, consciously, a being who believes to be above all others and everything else would never accept such a truth. So, how would they prove to themselves that they severed every bond with humanity? By killing the person who reminds them of the said bond!
Now I am entering in the most speculative part of my theory: what if Imu manage to capture Vivi, for the purpose of killing her and demonstrate to themselves that they are beyong humanity, but upon trying to strike her they would find themselves unable to do it? Failing thus to severe the aforementioned bond, with the humanity above which they claimed to be elevated? I think that harder than their defeat by the hands of Luffy, this would be not only the point in which their wordview would prove fallacious, but also their biggest personal failing, because they would ultimately end up not being able to be anyone at all: not a God, not a human, not a demon. Just something void, rotten and broken, which can only destroy everything they touch…
Now, take it just as what it is: a theory. Of course, the likelihood of it happening is quite scarce and I will not defend it tooth and nail from those who accuse it of being implausible.
Maybe it’s just my wishful thinking, that makes me try to make more interesting a character who so far is just cartoonishly evil. Because let’s be honest, CD’s in general would really benefit a lot from getting at least a little depth.
What do you think? Is there any chance for something similar to happen? Could it be an interesting development?
PS I think that Imu's is a male but in doubt i didn't gender them.
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