Imu, not Joy Boy, will give One Piece fans the flashback they've been waiting for

Modified Oct 31, 2024 17:00 GMT

Imu, not Joy Boy, will give One Piece fans the flashback they've been waiting for (Image via Toei Animation)

Without a doubt, one of the most highly anticipated flashbacks in mangaka Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece series is the all-but-guaranteed Void Century flashback. This is especially true in the wake of the manga’s Egghead Arc, which gave fans their first glimpse of the original Joy Boy in the series so far, albeit a silhouetted one.

Likewise, One Piece fans are currently under the assumption that the Void Century flashback will come through Joy Boy’s perspective or via a focus on Joy Boy specifically. However, there’s an argument to be made for Imu being the main character of the Void Century flashback fans have been waiting for.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the opinions of the writer.

One Piece’s Void Century flashback is best told through Imu’s eyes

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To frame the following theory, it’s best to first establish the assumption that Imu was one of Joy Boy’s crew. A major piece of evidence for this stems from their reaction to Joy Boy’s Conqueror’s Haki being unleashed. In the moment, it became clear that they were intimately familiar with Joy Boy by nature of knowing his Haki. Later on, their reaction was one of rage as they punished Saint Jaygarcia Saturn for Joy Boy’s interference specifically.

This would also explain how Imu is seemingly so knowledgeable of Nefertari D. Lili’s actions regarding the spread of the Poneglyphs. It’s more likely than not that both Imu and Lili were a part of Joy Boy’s crew, both being members of the First Twenty families. While Imu disagreed with Joy Boy and betrayed him to stop his message from being spread, Lili betrayed Imu and her own heritage to ensure his message survived.

With all of this in mind, it’s likely that Imu will be the main focus of the Void Century flashback. This would further serve the purpose of driving home who Imu is as a character, as well as the dynamic they had with Joy Boy. It’ll also give Imu, who is the more present and significant character in the story as it stands, the opportunity to offer insight fans otherwise wouldn’t get.

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The choice also makes more sense for the focus it’ll give to the events that unfolded after Joy Boy’s death. While such a focus will likely come even if Joy Boy is the flashback’s main focus and is killed off, making Imu the main focus provides many benefits. For one, the narrative won’t feel as disjointed by the nature of the flashback’s main character suddenly being absent.

Making Imu the main focus of the flashback also provides an easy excuse to show every tiny detail of the World Government’s formation and other related events. If Joy Boy was the main focus, it could be argued that the details following his death aren’t necessary or justifiably included. Oda will likely want to ensure he has a reason for focusing on such a specific and small degree, further justifying Imu as the flashback’s main character.

It’s also likely that the main purpose of the Void Century flashback will not be Joy Boy the person primarily but his role in the events that led to the contemporary world. Likewise, understanding this role through Imu’s eyes gives more context to the contemporary world as it relates to the World Government, the Gorosei, and more.

Final thoughts

Imu makes the most sense as the anchor for One Piece's Void Century flashback (Image via Toei Animation)

While it is still speculative that Imu will be the main focus of/anchoring perspective for the Void Century flashback, it certainly makes the most sense. Doing so will offer fans more context on the choices that led to the series’ world as they know it. Such a choice also provides a fuller and more fluent focus on the Void Century as a whole and the events that follow it.