🚨 THEORY THAT WAS “IMPOSSIBLE” 28 YEARS AGO IS NOW BECOMING A HORRIFYING REALITY: IMU’S COVENANT MARK IS THE “MAP” THAT WILL REVERSE THE PLANET – A POLE SHIFT IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN, THE RED LINE WILL BREAK APART, THE GRAND LINE WILL DISAPPEAR, AND THE ONE PIECE WORLD WILL BE TRULY “REVERSED” BEFORE THE FINAL WAR ENDS?! 😱🌎💥

After years of unkept promises, One Piece is finally, truly picking up the pace, diving headfirst into the final saga of its story and its biggest mysteries. The Elbaph Arc, in particular, has unpacked many of these mysteries, exploring enigmas like Rocks D. Xebec while also finally bringing its final villain and his powers into the spotlight.

Imu’s devil contracts, or covenants, have been a crucial part of the story currently unfolding on Elbaph. Of course, there’s still a lot that fans don’t understand, and a lot that has yet to be properly explained, such as the meaning behind the symbol representing the covenants. That said, this mysterious symbol may have just given away One Piece’s whole endgame.

Imu’s Devil Contracts May Be Connected to Joyboy and the Origin of Jolly Rogers

When the three covenants were first introduced in chapter #1167 of One Piece, it was also revealed that these contracts came with a tattoo or marking symbolizing each level. The mark of the shallows covenant is made up of a circle surmounted by a cross-like symbol extending beyond the edges of the circle.

Chapter #1168 has since also revealed the symbol of the depths covenant, which simply adds a horseshoe-like symbol over the mark of the shallows covenant. Interestingly enough, this symbol of Imu’s covenant greatly resembles a jolly roger when skewed by about 45 degrees.

This has led to the speculation that it might be inspired by the first jolly roger, which would have belonged to Joyboy, the first pirate. Of course, the opposite may also be true, with Joyboy possibly being inspired to reclaim this symbol of absolute control and turn it into one of camaraderie and freedom.

All that said, the key here is that titling the symbol completely changes its interpretation, and this could, in turn, be hinting at the return of one very popular One Piece theory.

Imu’s Covenant Marks Could Revive One Piece’s Most Popular Theory

When it comes to One Piece fan theories, there are quite simply too many to count, and yet a few stand out amidst this sea of speculation. One such theory that has garnered a lot of attention in the last few years is the pole shift theory, which speculates that One Piece‘s world was, at some point in the past, tilted off its axis, causing its poles to shift.

The mark of Imu’s covenants with the Devoted Blades of God, the Holy Knights, and the Five Elders harkens back to this popular theory. For one, the circle with the cross bisecting it is an age-old symbol representing the Earth. Coincidentally, this symbol also resembles the blue planet of One Piece, which is similarly divided into the four seas by the Red Line and the Grand Line.

If so, perhaps like the symbol of Imu’s contract, One Piece’s world also needs to be tilted back to the way it was. This would add all-new meaning to Roger’s words to Rayleigh about turning the world upside down.

Furthermore, if tilting Imu’s symbol gives us a jolly roger, then maybe tilting the world of One Piece could also be the answer to reverting the world to the way it was, as well as the key to Luffy obtaining the freedom he so desperately dreams of. As for how and why this would work, the pole shift theory has many of the answers already.

What Is the Pole Shift Theory in One Piece?

According to this theory, which was initially proposed by a Japanese YouTuber named Drop the Pizza, a pole shift is likely responsible for the existence of the Grand Line in One Piece. First off, the Grand Line, or rather the Calm Belts framing it, are directly inspired by a real-life phenomenon known as the doldrums, which are observed around the equator.

However, the pole shift theory speculates that the Red Line was once the equator of One Piece’s planet instead, which is supported by the fact that the equator is quite literally called the “red road” in Japanese. This means that the Grand Line may not have existed at all in the past, making travel across the globe much easier.

However, at some point in the past, the planet’s axis and poles supposedly shifted. Centrifugal force naturally caused more water to move towards the equator, which, together with the Red Line disrupting winds, likely formed the Calm Belts and the Grand Line.

As Vegapunk described during the Egghead Arc, the Void Century was a time when Ancient Weapons, such as the one used to destroy Lulusia, were used quite recklessly, submerging half the planet, and it’s very possible this warfare also caused the planet to tilt.

Interestingly enough, Oda has previously specified the axial tilt on One Piece’s planet in a rough world map sketch, revealing the planet’s axis sits at 23.5 degrees. That said, right next to this sketch is a crossed-out sketch of the planet tilted the other way.

If this crossed-out sketch is how One Piece’s blue planet originally spun, then the difference between the two coincidentally comes to about 45 degrees, which is about the same amount you’d need to skew Imu’s covenant mark to form a jolly roger.

This would also mean that Brook’s 45-degree gag was foreshadowing all along. Jokes aside, however, the pole shift theory does have a lot of merit, especially in light of everything Vegapunk revealed in his broadcast during the Egghead Arc.

The Elbaph Arc has now further solidified this theory, and with One Piece speeding through the final saga, perhaps it won’t be long till fans learn the truth.