One Piece has been running for over 25 years, and we are only now getting major reveals about its world history. This recent chapter delivered one of the most important panels in the series. Oda packed so much lore into this one image, answering old questions while raising new ones. The mural painting on the adam tree needs to be broke down and to understand what it means for the future of One Piece.
The Panel That Changed Everything
In the center of this moment, we witness Franky facing a gigantic image. This image is not common; it informs us about all the history revolving around the world of One Piece. Every smallest detail in that image holds depth, and surely Oda might have been contemplating this moment since years ago. The panel revolves around a huge battle of legendary figures as well as the ancient secrecy of the century of Void.
On the left side, we have Imu holding the Mother Flame. This mysterious power seems to be the ultimate weapon of destruction. In front of Imu, we see several kings and warriors who might be the first leaders of the World Government. They are fighting against Joy Boy and his allies, including the Lunarians, giants, samurai, minks, and even a ship carrying the Flag of Dawn. This is a clear indication that these groups at one time formed an alliance with each other against Imu.
One of the biggest surprises from this panel is that three Ancient Weapons are represented. We can see Poseidon as a mermaid, Uranus as rain falling from the sky, and Pluton as a huge whale. It might be possible that Pluton is not a battleship, but instead, a living creature. It would explain the significance of Laboon, a giant whale that resides near Reverse Mountain.
Why Did Imu Win?
From this picture, one can easily conclude that Joy Boy and his companions were very powerful. They had an advanced kingdom, the power of Ancient Weapons, and some of the most powerful tribes in history. So, why did they lose to Imu? The reason is the Mother Flame. This ultimate weapon, which could be even stronger than Ancient Weapons, granted Imu the capability to defeat Joy Boy and his allies. He is, therefore, the greatest underdog in history—he who won through utterly disproportionate odds.
This also provides an idea of how the ultimate showdown of One Piece will occur. History will once again repeat itself. Imu, with his minions; Fishmen, samurai, minks, giants, and Straw Hat Grand Fleet, possibly including Lunarians; will again confront the Holy Knights and Five Elders, all this against Imu as it appears in this panel: at the helm of the hierarchy in the world.
Hidden Meaning in the text
Beneath the piece of art are three lines written in old age. It does seem to reflect the truth in the One Piece world history. The first description is that the Mother Flame from Earth was born. The line says the slaves prayed to free them and thus the Sun God Nika comes to rescue the slaves. Later, Imu and the most powerful snake from the depths sank the earth creating the Red Line. The second text states that the Forest God created Devil Fruits to control mankind. Joy Boy allied with powerful tribes, including the D Clan, to fight back against the 20 Kings. After a long war, the 20 Kings won and became the Celestial Dragons.
The third text suggests that Imu erased the Void Century out of fear of the return of the D Clan. Imu has been trying to destroy anyone with the Will of D to stop them from uncovering the truth. However, the prophecy says that the Sun God will return, destroy the Red Line, and bring back the ancient world.
All of these texts point out that the biggest fear for Imu was the return of the Sun God—Luffy. This is why the World Government has been trying to wipe out anyone having the Will of D. For centuries, they have been concealing the truth, but because of this panel, we know what their true intentions are now.
Connections with Norse Mythology
Some of the ideas seem inspired by Norse mythology. Even the Red Line may not have a natural shape; it may once have been an enormous serpent like Jörmungandr, the World Serpent, of Norse lore. This might be interpreted in such a way that when the Red Line breaks apart, then the world becomes the original state again.
This concept further relates to the anger of the Sea God, as noted in the text. If the Red Line was man-made, it might have altered the ocean circulation of the world’s waters, which might have incensed the Sea God. Ultimately, the part of Luffy as the Sun God may not only be about liberating people but also rebalancing the world’s natural flow.
What This Means for the End of One Piece
It more than reveals to us the past, but this time it shows clues about the final battle. Now we already know that:
- Imu is the last main antagonist.
- Red Line will get destroyed.
- The D Clan is returning.
- The ancient world is coming back again.
- Luffy is the only key to the fulfillment of this prophecy.
Oda has been building this up for decades, and we are finally seeing the bigger picture. However, even with all this information, there are still many mysteries left. What exactly is the Mother Flame? How did Imu gain such incredible power? And what role will Blackbeard play in the endgame?
With each chapter, we move closer to the grand finale of One Piece. This panel may be the biggest lore dump so far in the series, yet it feels as though we are just getting started. More secrets will come forth, and moving towards the final war, even bigger surprises can be expected.
This chapter gave us one of the most important panels ever in the history of One Piece. It revealed to us the true facts about the Void Century, the battle between Joy Boy and Imu, and the real purpose of the Red Line. It also hinted at the final war and Luffy’s destiny as the Sun God. More will unfold with time, and we’ll get more answers to the greatest mysteries of One Piece. However, this panel stands out among the most brilliant revelations in the entire story, at least so far.
