One Piece has finally revealed the true extent of Imu’s terrifying powers and a subtle detail hints this may not be the first time the Five Elders have witnessed Imu’s wrath. Though it seemed like the Egghead Arc had reached its end, the latest chapter has surprised fans with one final twist that no one could have anticipated.

In chapter #1125 of One Piece, Saint Figarland Garling replaces Saint Saturn as the Godhead of Science and Defense. At the same time, on Egghead, Saint Saturn begins choking and coughing as black smoke emanates from his withering body. Imu punishes Saturn for letting Joyboy escape and, though Saturn begs for mercy, his life is quickly drained from his body until only his bones remain.

Saint Saturn’s death seemingly confirms that the Five Elders’ immortality, regeneration, and perhaps even their demonic transformations all stem from Imu and can be taken away at any moment should Imu wish to do so. This not only lends credibility to the theory about the Five Elders being Imu’s satellites but also raises the question of whether one of the Five Elders has been replaced before, which is implied by Saint Ju Peter and Saint Saturn’s peculiar reactions in the latest chapter.

One Piece Teases Imu May Have Replaced the Five Elders Before

Created by Eiichiro Oda, Chapter #1125, “What Death Means“

Given the World Government’s utter failure on Egghead, both in terms of capturing Nika and preventing the world from learning about the Void Century, it was more than expected that Imu would not be pleased, and Saint Saturn has ended up taking the blow. That said as unexpected as Saturn’s death was to fans, the former Elder himself immediately seemed to understand what was happening to him and was quick to beg for Imu’s forgiveness.

As soon as his body begins shriveling up, Saturn thinks to himself, “Have I been..?” and though he does not elaborate, it is implied that he knew his immortality and powers were being stripped away. This hints that perhaps Saturn has seen a former member of the Five Elders being similarly stripped of their powers in the past.

Saint Ju Peter May Have Replaced One of the Five Elders

There May Have Been A Different Five Elder Before Saint Sheperd Ju Peter

Another interesting detail that supports this theory that Imu has replaced the Five Elders before is Saint Ju Peter’s reaction to seeing Garling join the Five Elders. While the other Elders are seemingly unfazed, Ju Peter appears visibly alarmed, possibly even a little afraid, as evidenced by the shading and sweat on his forehead.

One possible explanation for Ju Peter’s odd reaction could be that he was the last Elder to replace someone like Garling, which could also explain Ju Peter’s significantly younger appearance compared to the rest of the Five Elders. Ju Peter’s fearful expression also suggests he knew exactly what happened to Saint Saturn as soon as Garling revealed he is the new Godhead of Science and Defense, implying he too may have witnessed the death of the former Elder he replaced.

Custom image by Rohit Jaiswar

On the other hand, fans have previously speculated that Saint Ju Peter could be a traitor, as One Piece does seem very fond of the trope. As such, it is possible that this is also part of the reason for Ju Peter’s fearful reaction in the latest chapter, though only time will tell whether either theory holds any weight. Overall, Saturn’s death has finally answered many questions about the Five Elders’ abilities and, while there are still many mysteries to be unraveled, the Final Saga is slowly but surely giving fans all the answers they desire.