Future Events Why Blackbeard, Not Imu, Is Luffy’s True Final Opponent in One Piece

[Blackbeard]

Best thing they have is Kuzan but then look at the five Elders

Oda took all the Aura of an Elder and made Usopp's opponent spit on it. It's not about individual strength.

I love how Worstgen sees how 1/2 of Strawhats get collectively owned by Gunko then subconsciously believes matching Usopp and Chopper with Elders is more fitting than their pre-established role counterparts, who are as strong as narrative demands to give them the win of their lives.

 

[kekaro]

Oda took all the Aura of an Elder and made Usopp's opponent spit on it. It's not about individual strength.

I love how Worstgen sees how 1/2 of Strawhats get collectively owned by Gunko then subconsciously believes matching Usopp and Chopper with Elders is more fitting than their pre-established role counterparts, who are as strong as narrative demands to give them the win of their lives.

I dont think its the usopp chopper and nami matchup that make people double think bro

 

[Chiji_]

Oda took all the Aura of an Elder and made Usopp's opponent spit on it. It's not about individual strength.

I love how Worstgen sees how 1/2 of Strawhats get collectively owned by Gunko then subconsciously believes matching Usopp and Chopper with Elders is more fitting than their pre-established role counterparts, who are as strong as narrative demands to give them the win of their lives.

Listen bro I don’t understand the hostility, I don’t remember saying anything that would warrant a response like this, I didn’t say Chopper and Usopp would be fighting Elders, you can refute my point without trying to drag me for it

 

[Peppercat]

Say it as many times as needed. In a story where characters are direct references to planets, space and solar system, you don't just throw BB in there and think he won't be FV.

We have the highest authority of the WG being planets, we have a Sun God rep and a man who is a Black Hole, arguably the most destructive force in the universe known to man.

Oda couldn't possibly make clearer how much of a threat this man is or will become.

And I dont care about battle feats tbh or how weak or strong he appears to people. The entire point of BB is he uses any means to achieve his goals. It doesn't matter how dirty. BB has never been about battles of fighting. The man camped at Marineford for hours just to pounce on a dying, weak, sick and old WB.
BB will absolutely manipulate, scheme and use any pathetic or dishonorable means imaginable to gain power. And I know you people also know this and why it works.

 

[Blackbeard]

Listen bro I don’t understand the hostility, I don’t remember saying anything that would warrant a response like this, I didn’t say Chopper and Usopp would be fighting Elders, you can refute my point without trying to drag me for it

Absolutely no hostility intended.

I'm just trying to comprehend the logic behind this argument.

BB being the final villain is that his subordinates are like ants compared to the ones that Imu has

Outside Zoro and to lesser extent, Sanji, Luffy's subordinates are also pretty much ants compared to Warcury alone.

So how would that devalue the fact Luffy would nevertheless end up as arguably top 1 end of series, why is Teach's potential capped by his crew when his whole character is centered on relentlessly pursuing power even if it means stepping on his comrades?

 

[nik87]

Yes, Imu never stood a chance to be Luffy's true final opponent.
Blackbeard should be Luffy's last big fight but not the last one.
Buggy is Luffy's first fight once they crew was formed and it will likely also be Luffy's last fight.

 

[Kair0s1]

Its not really so much as wanting but more like what Oda seems to be writing the whole build up surrounding the world govt, the void century and joyboy stuff makes me think that’s the direction he’s interested in. I am fascinated with the moves Blackbeard is making but at this moment I see him as more of a penultimate villain than the actual final one.

Based on how Oda has been building Blackbeard since the beginning, I just don’t see how this character could get a satisfying conclusion without confronting Imu, and coming out on top.

The assault on Mary Geoise is already happening. The World Government is showing its hand. If after all this you still think Blackbeard is just a stepping stone before Imu, it's fine. To me, a One Piece without Teach is like one without Shanks or Luffy.

 

[L57]

Only way he would be the final villain si if he pulls a zetsu

 

[Kumathegoat]

Yes, Imu never stood a chance to be Luffy's true final opponent.
Blackbeard should be Luffy's last big fight but not the last one.
Buggy is Luffy's first fight once they crew was formed and it will likely also be Luffy's last fight.

this is the only true answer

 

[Monkey D Theories]

As if that whole thing was not cap

It’s going to happen

Luffy needs to beat both Teach and Imu. Imu posessing Teach lets Luffy fight them both at once.

Otherwise this manga could go on forever.

 

[The Legend]

But honestly a guy who looks like that I wouldn't want him to be the final villain...
He should look more serious and more menacing , quite the opposite of Luffy.

 

[Monkey D. Luffy]

But honestly a guy who looks like that I wouldn't want him to be the final villain...
He should look more serious and more menacing , quite the opposite of Luffy.

Imu looks like a twig.

 

[The Legend]

Imu looks like a twig.

But that's the silhouette before the revelation

 

[Blackbeard]

Yes, Imu never stood a chance to be Luffy's true final opponent.
Blackbeard should be Luffy's last big fight but not the last one.
Buggy is Luffy's first fight once they crew was formed and it will likely also be Luffy's last fight.

Imu and the Gorosei have cool Satanic/otherworldy vibes and so did Enel. So did Kaido. So did Big Mom.

But Teach does what none of them could: He wins while being human. Dirty. Flawed. Hungry. Weak. That's precisely why he's an anomaly amongst Oda's creation.

Luffy = Sun God – Freedom, Joy
Imu = KotW – Control, Fear
Blackbeard = The Abyss – Gravity, Oblivion

Now It's said, they're like Elbaph's three worlds.

Luffy wants to free the world.
Imu wants to rule the world.
Teach wants to end it.

"But Xebec wanted to rule the world not end it" People see Teach and just assume he’s just Xebec 2.0 which is farthest from truth.

Xebec wanted to become King of the World. Wanted to replace the Celestial Dragons and reign through domination over the system. He had a vision of global monarchy. Very likely also plans for post-conquest power.

Teach's ultimate goal is just power. He will consume the world like a blackhole, not rule it. It's quite literally what he subconsciously said in Marineford.

Teach used every faction from his very family, Warlords, Marines, Yonko and soon Nobles as a stepping stones, then broke it behind him. Xebec would've never agreed to serve the government or other factions. That’s less of aconquest and nore of an extraction and collapse.

Harley texts also implied that the "troubled shadow” that “remembers the promised day” and listens to the “sound of the fragmented Moon.” which could be Teach, would play a role in a 3rd world-ending event, that could be prevented for all we know.

 

[nik87]

Harley texts also implied that the "troubled shadow” that “remembers the promised day” and listens to the “sound of the fragmented Moon.” which could be Teach, would play a role in a 3rd world-ending event, that could be prevented for all we know.

Certainly, Imu had his 5 minutes in the 2nd world, 3rd World belongs to Teach.

 

[SakazOuki]

Depends on how lazy he is
The lazy route is Imu
The longer more complicated route is Blackbeard
Oda is growing senile, might take the lazy option

 

[a_fan]

The only dramatic thing here is their incompetence, lasting 800 years.

Post automatically merged: May 28, 2025

Yeah, I look at both sides very closely. And the more I do, the more the gap between them looks massive, in Blackbeard’s crew’s favor.
To me, it’s wild to think anyone would want these guys as the final antagonists of this story.

I would agree BB being the villain only in the race for the One Piece.

There’s a good possibility some of them will redeem themselves when they learn about the truth after discovering the One Piece then unite against Imu in the final war.

 

[Blazing Lion]

BB is the final villain unless its a battle royale for the end. WG is the villain for this saga to the point Imu has shown himself

 

[Monkey D. Luffy]

There’s a good possibility some of them will redeem themselves when they learn about the truth after discovering the One Piece then unite against Imu in the final war.

The search for the One Piece is the final war.

 

[Robin swan]

Bb is Luffy's fight for pk. Imu is Luffy's legacy as pk for beating him/her. Defeating imu meaning changing the landscape of the world and toppling the wg. Bb has huge narrative to the story but imu has the final boss feel. It really doesn't make sense to have bb be the last fight the the leader of the entire world government. The world government is the overall villain of op so it makes sense for thier boss to be the final big bad. Imo bb is going to be used as the measuring stick for luffy to reach Roger and wb level then imu will be used as a measuring stick for luffy reaching joyboy and Nika level aka the peak of op.