The manga One Piece experienced a significant twist after the time skip, especially following the Marineford arc, which led to a major shift in the balance of power. Admiral Sengoku had resigned after the devastating war, and his position was taken over by Sakazuki. Subsequently, Sakazuki secured victory in a long-drawn-out battle against Kuzan, demonstrating his formidable strength. Sakazuki became the Fleet Admiral, while Kuzan left the Marines and joined the Blackbeard Pirates.
One Piece Chapter 1081 Features a Brief Encounter Between Kuzan and Blackbeard
Kuzan also mentioned the horrific events he faced during the Ohara incident and the reason he decided to help Robin, an eight-year-old girl at that time. Kuzan has always been a character with a mysterious side. He does not openly defy authority like Fujitora, but he doesn’t blindly follow orders from the ruthless Akainu either.
However, Kuzan’s decision to assist Robin clearly indicates that he has more secrets than he lets on. After joining the Blackbeard Pirates, there are several theories suggesting that Kuzan is acting as a double agent, possibly focusing on Imu and the One Piece, which might have been hinted at a long time ago.
Kuzan Might Be Targeting Imu in One Piece
In Chapter 699, Doflamingo managed to capture Smoker, but Kuzan intervened. The way Kuzan’s demeanor is presented strongly hints at Imu’s influence, the hidden ruler of the world.
This detail was pointed out by @NaelTheAdmiral on X, stating: “I just noticed Imu is being reflected on Kuzan’s glasses here, just before Doflamingo taunted Kuzan that he’s in a bad spot and is looking at something. It’s possible Imu is Kuzan’s target, which explains why he joined Blackbeard’s crew.”
While the manga clearly indicates this, the anime has not shown any similar hints, which might explain why the audience has missed this detail. Imu was first introduced in Chapter 906, altering our perspective on the world.
The throne room is a golden seat hidden in Mary Geoise, located within the Pangaea Castle, representing the idea of equal strength among the 20 nations. However, Imu sits on this throne and is portrayed as the final hidden character. If the reflected image in Kuzan’s glasses is indeed Imu, we might anticipate a showdown between the two in the future.
Luffy is still unaware of Imu’s existence, but as a D, he will not be surprised when Kuzan potentially uncovers the world’s greatest secret. He also knows more about the destructive actions taken by the World Government than almost anyone else. Kuzan’s joining the Blackbeard Pirates and his confrontation with Garp is entirely unlike his character. Therefore, it is plausible that Kuzan has a larger objective in mind.
Furthermore, this theory gains traction when we remember that Blackbeard is one of Imu’s targets, similar to Luffy, Vivi, and Shirahoshi. Additionally, Blackbeard could also exploit the abilities of the two devil fruit users. Kuzan might be working undercover with Blackbeard to uncover the secrets of Robin and has connections to Imu.
Finally, it’s crucial to consider this theory with a hint of skepticism as it may just be a coincidence that the reflected image appears this way.
