Im-sama, the Final Arc, and Celestial Bodies
The names of the Five Elders correspond to planets in our solar system.
Oden, who knew everything about the world, is symbolized by the Moon.
Luffy’s awakened true power is the Sun God Nika.
Blackbeard, who shares the “D” initial with Luffy, is associated with a Black Hole.
With all these major final-arc characters linked to celestial bodies, it’s natural to assume that Im-sama — the top candidate for the final villain — would also be associated with one.
As the title spoils, I’ve concluded that Im-sama symbolizes the Polar Star. Here’s my reasoning.
First, there are three conditions that must be met for a celestial body to fit Im-sama perfectly:
- Worthy of being above the Five Elders (whose names are planets)
- A fitting counterpart to Luffy as the final boss
- Can explain the dragon-like beast form Im showed to Sabo
If all three are satisfied, the hypothesis has solid grounding.
Condition 1: Worthy of Being Above the Five Elders
Currently, the popular theory is that Im-sama symbolizes the Moon.
The reasons given include:
- The Moon is the opposite of the Sun (Luffy = Nika)
- Japanese fairy tale references — the oldest tale “Kaguya-hime” maps to Im
- Im’s first-person pronoun “Mu” sounds like “Moon”
- Enel (who called himself a god) went to the Moon, and the Celestial Dragons (also self-proclaimed gods) are connected to the Moon
These arguments do make some sense. But the Moon is already Zoro’s symbol.
Besides, a full moon is so bright it drowns out the surrounding stars — not exactly fitting for someone who should be supreme above all other “stars” (the Five Elders).
Why is the Polar Star a better fit?
- It is the unchanging center of the night sky for centuries
- It is the center around which all other planets and stars appear to revolve
- From Earth’s perspective, it is the center of the universe — the center of the world
- Some ancient religions literally worshipped the Polar Star as the ruler of the heavens
Condition 2: Is Im the Perfect Counterpart to Luffy?
The Moon as the opposite of the Sun is a somewhat weak argument.
The Moon is visible even in the daytime, and solar/lunar eclipses make them look more like partners than opposites.
The Polar Star, as the ruler of the night sky, is far more fitting for a final villain.
Moreover, the Polar Star can only shine in the night — it cannot exist if “Dawn” comes.
Pedro declared that the Straw Hats are those who bring dawn to the world.
The final arc must be a conflict of Night vs. Dawn — and the Polar Star is the perfect ruler of the night.
Condition 3: The Dragon-Like Beast Form Shown to Sabo
Several theories suggest Im’s form is a dragon:
- The leader of the Revolutionary Army who opposes the World Government is “Dragon” — so both sides are led by dragons
- The “Celestial Dragons” (Tenryubito) have dragon in their name — so their supreme leader should be a dragon too
These arguments are compelling. But I want to strengthen the connection between the Polar Star and the dragon even further.
The Ancient Polar Star
Today, the Polar Star is Polaris, the tail-end star of Ursa Minor. But the Earth’s axial tilt causes the Polar Star to shift over thousands of years.
Approximately 5,000 years ago — around 2000–3000 BCE — the Polar Star was Thuban (Tuban), the alpha star of the Draco constellation.
This connects Im-sama (Polar Star), dragons, and the ancient past of ONE PIECE all at once.
“But 5,000 years ago is too distant to be relevant,” you might say. Not so fast.
Events from the Era When Draco Was the Polar Star
The All-Knowing Tree of Ohara is 5,000 years old.
The final arc has already opened with a self-referential callback to Ohara — Saul is alive, and forces beyond a Buster Call have gathered at Egghead Island.
The Alubarna Palace of Alabasta has a 4,000-year history. And King Cobra — who lived there — was killed by Im-sama and the Five Elders.
The Nefertari family is one of the 20 kings who founded the World Government, and the only one who chose to stay on the ground rather than move to Mariejois. They are labeled traitors.
In the letter passed down only to the Alabasta royal family, the name Nefertari D. Lily appeared.
Far from being irrelevant, the 4,000–5,000-year-ago era is the very focus of the final arc.
With all three conditions satisfied:
“Im-sama symbolizes the Polar Star” — the evidence is solid.
Abilities Connected to the Draco Constellation
When it comes to dragon Devil Fruits, the Uo Uo no Mi (Fish-Fish Fruit) — used by Kaido and Momo — immediately comes to mind.
Why specifically “Azure Dragon” for Kaido and a color variant for Momo? Is it because Im-sama is also a dragon?
Yellow Dragon, Green Dragon, Red Dragon, Black Dragon, White Dragon…
Honestly, a third dragon wouldn’t be particularly exciting.
What about a dinosaur? Drake uses an Allosaurus — the king of dinosaurs, T-Rex, is still available… but it’s too similar.
So let’s flip the logic: assume Im IS a dragon. That means a Uo Uo no Mi Mythical Zoan type.
The Leviathan from the Old Testament is simultaneously described as a dragon, a fish, and a god — ambiguous on purpose.
Leviathan is a perfect fit: biblically rooted, part fish / part dragon / divine in nature, a staple RPG monster that feels pirate-appropriate.
And here’s the kicker: if Im’s form is Leviathan, the final chapter could be a self-referential callback to chapter 1 — Luffy vs. a sea monster.
Im-sama’s ability: Uo Uo no Mi, Mythical Zoan Model “Leviathan”
The Night Sky That Is Never Drawn
Here’s the icing on the cake.
In all of ONE PIECE, a starry night sky has never once been drawn.
At night, only a full moon or crescent moon appears — never stars.
For a manga modeled on medieval-era pirates, this is deeply strange.
Essential Knowledge for Sailors
Ancient sailors used celestial navigation — orienting themselves by the sun, stars, and especially the ever-fixed Polar Star. It was fundamental to seafaring.
Yet ONE PIECE completely ignores this. From the very first arcs, readers are told that only the Log Pose matters for navigation in this world.
In the world of ONE PIECE, the Polar Star has been suppressed. It is not spoken of, not drawn, not used.
Just as Im-sama operates from the deepest shadows, never seen by the world — the Polar Star itself has been erased from the sky.
Im-sama = the Polar Star = the symbol of the Draco constellation. The final ruler of the night who fears the coming of the Dawn.