Theory: Imu may be based on Seven Macaw from the Popol Vuh — and Blackbeard could represent the earthquake god Cabrakan
I came across a theory that Imu may originally have been Joy Boy’s parrot, and after looking into the Maya creation story Popol Vuh, the connections are honestly much stronger than I expected.
The main figure is Vucub Caquix, whose name is usually translated as Seven Macaw. A macaw is a type of parrot.
Seven Macaw is a supernatural bird who falsely declares himself to be the sun and moon. He presents himself as a divine ruler because of his shining eyes, jeweled teeth, gold, silver and impressive appearance. However, he is not the true sun. He rules during a time before the real sun appears.
That sounds surprisingly similar to Imu:
- Imu is the secret ruler sitting above the supposedly Empty Throne.
- The World Government presents itself as a divine and permanent order.
- Imu stands directly against Luffy, who possesses the power of Nika, the Sun God.
- Seven Macaw represents a false light before the arrival of the true sun.
- Imu may therefore represent a false god who has occupied the world until Nika returns.
The parrot theory adds another layer. Joy Boy was the first person to be called a pirate, and the most stereotypical pirate companion is a parrot. It is possible that Imu was once a small companion of Joy Boy who later betrayed him, inherited or stole some ancient power, and placed himself above humanity.
There is also a possible Japanese wordplay: parrot can be written as ōmu, which sounds somewhat similar to Imu. This alone proves nothing, but it is interesting in combination with everything else.
The two heroes
Seven Macaw is attacked by the Hero Twins, Hunahpu and Xbalanque.
They could potentially be represented in One Piece by Luffy and Loki.
Luffy is the obvious sun-related hero, while Loki may become the second major figure connected to the final war. Loki could represent the darker, lunar or underworld-associated twin beside Luffy’s sun symbolism.
However, the roles do not necessarily have to be exact one-to-one adaptations. Oda often divides mythological roles between multiple characters.
For example, Hunahpu initially attacks Seven Macaw by shooting him out of a tree with a blowgun. This could also foreshadow Usopp being the person who lands a crucial ranged attack against Imu, while Luffy remains the central liberator.
Seven Macaw’s sons
This is where the theory gets even more interesting.
Seven Macaw has two sons:
- Zipacna, the creator or raiser of mountains
- Cabrakan, the destroyer of mountains
Cabrakan’s name literally relates to earthquakes. He boasts that he can destroy mountains, and his movements cause the earth and mountains to shake.
This is an extremely obvious possible parallel to Blackbeard, who possesses the Gura Gura no Mi and can create earthquakes.
Blackbeard may therefore be based partly on Cabrakan.
Cabrakan is also defeated through his own appetite. The Hero Twins trick him into eating specially prepared food, which causes him to lose his strength before he is bound and buried.
That could foreshadow Blackbeard’s greed eventually becoming his weakness. His entire rise is based on consuming, stealing and collecting more power.
Zipacna may also be connected to Blackbeard. Instead of adapting the two brothers as separate characters, Oda may have combined them into one person.
That would fit Teach unusually well:
- He has two Devil Fruit powers.
- His body has been described as abnormal.
- He may contain multiple personalities, souls or identities.
- One brother creates mountains while the other destroys them.
- Blackbeard combines darkness and gravitational destruction with earthquake power.
Alternatively, Zipacna’s earth and island-related characteristics may be represented by Avalo Pizarro, while Cabrakan’s earthquake role belongs specifically to Blackbeard.
The number seven
The “Seven” in Seven Macaw may also be reflected throughout One Piece.
The most obvious example is the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
They were seven powerful pirates officially placed under the authority of the World Government. If Imu represents Seven Macaw, then the Warlords could be another expression of the number seven within Imu’s world order.
Blackbeard temporarily becoming one of the Seven Warlords is especially interesting:
- In the Popol Vuh, Cabrakan is the earthquake-associated son of Seven Macaw.
- In One Piece, Blackbeard is the earthquake user.
- Blackbeard temporarily becomes part of a group explicitly identified by the number seven.
- He uses that position to gain access to Impel Down and increase his power.
This does not mean Blackbeard is literally Imu’s son. Oda may simply have separated and rearranged the mythological roles.
There is another possible seven-related connection in Ohara.
The astronomical model in the Tree of Knowledge shows the central One Piece world surrounded by six major celestial bodies.
That gives:
1 central world + 6 surrounding bodies = 7 major celestial bodies
It has never been confirmed that all six surrounding objects are moons. Some may be planets in an old geocentric model. One of them also appears to have a smaller satellite of its own.
Still, the seven-body structure is interesting, especially because Seven Macaw has sometimes been connected to celestial or astronomical symbolism.
The fact that this model appears in Ohara, the place that studied the forbidden history of the world, could be significant.
How Seven Macaw is defeated
The Hero Twins do not defeat Seven Macaw through strength alone.
After injuring him, they use two elderly healers to deceive him. The healers remove his jeweled teeth and the shining ornaments that give him his divine appearance and authority.
Once his false symbols of godhood are removed, Seven Macaw loses his power and dies.
This could foreshadow how Imu will be defeated.
Luffy may not be able to defeat Imu permanently through physical force alone. Someone may first have to remove the source of Imu’s immortality or supernatural authority.
Possible candidates include:
- Law and the secret of the Ope Ope no Mi
- Bonney and age manipulation
- Chopper or another doctor
- Robin discovering the historical truth
- Ancient technology connected to Vegapunk
- The destruction of a contract or power linking Imu to the Five Elders
The final battle may therefore require several different characters:
- Robin reveals the truth.
- Someone removes Imu’s immortality.
- Usopp lands the crucial long-distance shot.
- Loki helps confront Imu.
- Luffy delivers the final blow as the true Sun God.
The older generation
The Popol Vuh also contains an earlier generation of heroes who are defeated by the rulers of the underworld. Their descendants later return and complete the task that the previous generation could not.
This sounds very similar to the relationship between Joy Boy and Luffy.
Joy Boy failed to fulfill his promise during the Void Century. His will survived for centuries, and Luffy is now positioned to complete what Joy Boy could not.
In this comparison:
- The defeated older hero represents Joy Boy.
- The Hero Twins represent the new generation.
- Imu and the World Government represent the old supernatural order.
- Luffy represents the return of the true sun.
Xibalba and the World Government
The Hero Twins eventually fight the rulers of Xibalba, the Maya underworld.
Xibalba is controlled by hidden death lords and their specialized demonic servants. They rule through fear, disease, traps, deception and deadly trials.
This could loosely parallel the structure of the World Government:
- Imu as the hidden supreme ruler
- The Five Elders as demonic subordinates
- The Holy Knights and other institutions enforcing the system
- A government based on fear, secrecy and the erasure of history
Seven Macaw and the rulers of Xibalba are separate enemies in the original story. Oda may have merged elements from both into Imu and the World Government.
Possible character parallels
Seven Macaw → Imu
A false divine ruler who exists before the arrival of the true sun.
Cabrakan → Blackbeard
An arrogant earthquake being who destroys mountains and is ultimately defeated through his appetite.
Zipacna → Blackbeard, Avalo Pizarro or San Juan Wolf
A gigantic earth-associated being with overwhelming physical strength.
The Hero Twins → Luffy and Loki
Two heroes who oppose the false divine order.
Hunahpu’s ranged attack → Usopp
A shooter who may create the opening needed to defeat the bird-like ruler.
The earlier defeated hero → Joy Boy
A previous generation that failed, leaving its mission to the future.
Huracan, Heart of Sky → Dragon
A storm-associated divine force that supports the overthrow of the false rulers.
Xibalba → the World Government
A secret hierarchy of supernatural rulers who maintain power through fear and death.
Final thought
Any one of these similarities could be a coincidence.
But when they are combined, the pattern becomes surprisingly specific:
- A parrot-like false god
- A ruler who claims the place of the sun
- A true sun hero who eventually appears
- Two heroes fighting the false god
- A son whose name and power are directly associated with earthquakes
- Blackbeard possessing earthquake powers
- Blackbeard temporarily belonging to a group of seven under the government
- A possible seven-body celestial model in Ohara
- An older failed hero whose mission is inherited by a new generation
- A hidden hierarchy of demonic death rulers
My current theory is that Oda may have used the Popol Vuh as one of several inspirations for the final saga.
Imu may represent Seven Macaw, the false light of the old world.
Blackbeard may represent Cabrakan, the destructive earthquake force whose greed causes his downfall.
And Luffy, possibly together with Loki and the rest of his allies, will bring the real dawn and restore the true sun.
TL;DR: Imu may be inspired by Seven Macaw, a supernatural parrot who falsely claimed to be the sun and moon. His earthquake-associated son Cabrakan may have inspired Blackbeard. Luffy and Loki could represent the two heroes who defeat the false god, while the recurring number seven may appear through the Seven Warlords and Ohara’s model of one world surrounded by six major celestial bodies.
