Imu Akuma no Mi Theory: The Stolen Throne of Davey D. Jones

In Chapter 1198, Shanks refers to Nerona Imu as the “King of the World” — and buried within that title is a feud stretching back centuries, involving a mysterious figure named Davey D. Jones. If this theory is correct, Blackbeard’s entire journey has been leading toward one goal: reclaiming a power that Imu stole from his ancestor long before the Void Century ended. That changes everything we thought we knew about the Yami Yami no Mi, the National Treasure of Mariejois, and why the World Government is desperately trying to exterminate the Davey bloodline.

The Theory

The stakes here are enormous. If Imu’s power is not a conventional Devil Fruit but rather the National Treasure itself — a supernatural force tied to a “demonic contract” — then the entire power structure of the World Government rests on a stolen throne. Davey D. Jones allegedly made a “promise” that his descendants would reclaim this power, and Blackbeard, as Rocks D. Xebec’s son, may be the one destined to fulfill it. This reframes Teach not merely as a villain, but as a man executing a centuries-old inheritance.

Evidence from the Manga

1. Chapter 1164: Rocks D. Xebec declares to Imu, “Davey D. Jones — that is the name of the one who was once King of the World!” Imu erupts in fury, screaming “He was never king, not for a single moment!” This explosive reaction is the most direct evidence that a historical dispute over the title of “King of the World” exists between Imu and the Davey bloodline — and that Imu’s legitimacy is something she is deeply insecure about.
2. Chapter 761: Donquixote Doflamingo reveals the existence of a “National Treasure” inside the Holy Land of Mariejois — one that, if used, grants control over the entire world. Crucially, accessing it requires an immortality operation from an Ope Ope no Mi user. This implies the power is not a standard Devil Fruit, since a Devil Fruit user like Doflamingo believed he could still wield it.
3. Chapter 1181: Loki confronts Imu directly and says: “Your ability…? That’s a devil’s contract, isn’t it?” The specific phrase “devil’s contract” (悪魔の契約) distinguishes Imu’s power from the Devil Fruits that the rest of the One Piece world knows. Combined with the name “Akuma no Mi” (literally Demon/Devil Fruit), this strongly suggests Imu’s power operates on a different, older system of supernatural ability.
4. Chapter 306: The legend of Davey Jones is introduced — “a pirate from long ago, said to have been cursed by the devil and still living at the bottom of the deep sea.” The word “devil” appears explicitly in connection to Davey D. Jones. This is almost certainly foreshadowing: the “devil’s curse” Davey suffered was either losing the Akuma no Mi ability to Imu, or being subjected to Imu’s Akuma no Mi power directly.

📌 Key Evidence: Chapter 441 establishes that the Yami Yami no Mi “drags in the power of the devil” — canceling all Devil Fruit abilities in its vicinity. If Imu’s Akuma no Mi is a supernatural “devil’s power” distinct from ordinary Devil Fruits, Blackbeard’s darkness may be uniquely capable of absorbing it — making the Yami Yami no Mi the one and only key to stripping Imu of her throne.

5. Chapter 1163: The World Government’s obsessive campaign to exterminate the Davey bloodline is shown as categorically different from its pursuit of other “D” clans. Monkey D. Dragon and Monkey D. Luffy are hunted as criminals — but their family line is not being systematically eradicated. The Davey family, however, is being targeted for complete annihilation, implying their bloodline carries a specific “promise” that could threaten Imu’s rule in a way no other D can.
6. Chapter 1054 (and surrounding context): Shanks is revealed to have knowingly stolen the Gomu Gomu no Mi from CP9, aware of its true identity as the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika. This confirms that figures in Rocks’ orbit have long tracked which Devil Fruits carry world-altering potential — setting up the theory that Rocks himself specifically wanted the Yami Yami no Mi as the instrument to fulfill Davey’s promise.

📌 Key Evidence: Rocks D. Xebec told Imu “I’ll be back” before his defeat at God Valley — and he had two Devil Fruits he wanted. One has been identified: the Ryu Ryu no Mi, Model: Níðhöggr, eaten by Loki. Since Rocks didn’t know about Nika (Chapter 1166), the second fruit he sought was almost certainly the Yami Yami no Mi. His son Blackbeard later obtained it. The generational handoff is not a coincidence.

Our Analysis

What makes this theory so compelling is the structural elegance it imposes on Blackbeard’s otherwise murky motivations. Teach has always seemed to operate on a deeper level of planning than any pirate in the series — he waited years aboard Whitebeard’s ship for the Yami Yami no Mi specifically, and his subsequent moves (joining the Shichibukai, infiltrating Impel Down, establishing a kingdom, seeking World Government membership) all suggest a long-game agenda that goes beyond mere ambition. If he is executing a centuries-old inheritance — reclaiming the Akuma no Mi for the Davey bloodline — his methodical patience suddenly makes perfect sense. He is not just becoming the Pirate King; he is restoring a stolen throne.

The distinction between the “Akuma no Mi” and ordinary Devil Fruits is also narratively important. Oda has always hinted that the Devil Fruit system has unexplained origins — the Sea God theory, the Will of the Fruit, the Rocks-era mythology all point toward something older and stranger underpinning it. If Imu’s power is that older layer — a pre-Devil Fruit “demonic contract” bound to the National Treasure — it would explain why Doflamingo (already a Devil Fruit user) believed he could still use it. It would also explain why Imu requires immortality to wield it: the Akuma no Mi’s power is sustainable only by someone who cannot die, unless you can steal it outright via the Yami Yami no Mi’s absorption ability.

The counter-argument worth noting is that Oda may intend the Akuma no Mi as a literal Devil Fruit with an unusual name, rather than a separate system entirely. Loki’s “devil’s contract” line could be flavor dialogue rather than a mechanical distinction. However, Doflamingo’s plan — to seize the National Treasure as a Devil Fruit user — remains the strongest structural argument that the National Treasure operates outside normal Devil Fruit rules. If two abilities cannot coexist in one body, Doflamingo’s scheme collapses on its own logic unless the National Treasure is something different. The theory accounts for this cleanly. Oda rarely leaves that kind of logical gap by accident.

Theory Credibility Rating

The theory earns four stars because the core connections — Imu’s “demonic contract,” Doflamingo’s plan as a Devil Fruit user, Davey’s “devil curse,” and the Yami Yami no Mi’s unique absorption of devil power — all interlock with remarkable consistency across widely separated chapters; the missing star reflects that Oda has yet to explicitly confirm the National Treasure’s nature or Blackbeard’s true lineage, leaving the most critical pieces just beyond full verification.

Source: https://onepiece-latestlab.com/king-of-the-world/