One Piece Chapter 1192 is almost here, and after the jaw-dropping cliffhanger of Chapter 1191, fans are scrambling to figure out what happens next. Luffy, Loki, and Hajrudin just launched Gokoku Sovereignty at Imu — a coordinated attack that sent the immortal ruler of the World Government flying. But the bigger question isn’t whether Imu can survive the blast. It’s whether Loki, the betrayed Prince of Elbaf, is playing a completely different game than Luffy thinks.
The more you look at the evidence, the more one terrifying theory starts to make sense: Loki isn’t just helping Luffy defeat Imu. He’s positioning himself to become the next Imu.
The Alliance That Doesn’t Add Up
Let’s step back for a second. Loki is a giant prince who was betrayed by his own family, imprisoned, and left to rot while his father King Harald was killed and Elbaf descended into chaos. When he finally gets free, his first move isn’t to reclaim the throne or mourn his father — it’s to fight alongside a pirate he’s never met before against an enemy that has nothing to do with his personal vendetta.
That doesn’t add up.
Yes, Imu destroyed Elbaf’s defenses. Yes, Loki hates what the World Government did to his kingdom. But since when does a giant prince with centuries of grudges fight purely out of altruism? Loki’s entire character arc screams self-interest and ambition. He didn’t break free from his chains to become someone else’s sidekick. He broke free because he has his own plan.
The Gokoku Sovereignty Was a Test
Here’s where it gets really interesting. In Chapter 1191, Loki doesn’t just join Luffy’s attack — he initiates the coordination. He tells Luffy and Hajrudin exactly how to combine their attacks, how to channel the lightning, and when to strike. That’s not the body language of a follower. That’s the body language of someone who’s been studying Imu’s weaknesses for a very long time.
Think about it. Loki was imprisoned deep within Elbaf, but the giants have been guarding knowledge of the Void Century for centuries. What if Loki had access to forbidden information during his imprisonment? What if he knows things about Imu’s true nature that even the Five Elders don’t?
The Gokoku Sovereignty attack itself — combining the power of a Sun God fruit user, a giant prince, and lightning — feels too specific to be improvised. Loki seems to know exactly what combination of powers could hurt Imu. Almost like he’s been planning this scenario for years.
What Imu’s “Shield of Emptiness” Really Tells Us
The preview spoilers for Chapter 1192 reveal something crucial: when Luffy and Loki chase after Imu, the villain deploys a new defensive technique called the Shield of Emptiness. This shield completely absorbs Luffy’s attacks, to the point where Luffy’s own hand starts bleeding just from trying to punch through it.
This is more than just a cool power. “Emptiness” is a loaded word in One Piece’s mythology. The Void Century was literally a period of emptiness — erased from history. For a deeper dive into Imu’s bizarre abilities, check out our theory on Imu’s rubber body. Imu’s power seems to be tied to erasure itself: removing things from existence, whether that’s people, memories, or even reality.
Now consider this: what if the Shield of Emptiness can’t be broken by force alone? What if it requires something that fills the emptiness — something with enough will, enough history, enough sheer stubborn refusal to be erased?
That’s where Loki comes in. As a direct descendant of Elbaf’s ancient royal line, Loki carries within him a connection to the Void Century itself. His bloodline is one of the oldest in the One Piece world. If Imu’s power is emptiness and erasure, then Loki’s presence — as someone who remembers what Imu tried to destroy — could be the key to breaking through that shield.
The Theory: Loki Wants the Empty Throne
Here’s the theory that’s starting to spread across One Piece forums: Loki isn’t trying to help Luffy become King of the Pirates. He’s trying to claim Imu’s throne for himself.
Consider the parallels. Imu sits on the Empty Throne — a throne that was supposedly built to symbolize that no one person should rule the world. But Imu took it anyway, hidden in the shadows while the Celestial Dragons served as puppets. If Imu falls, someone has to fill that vacuum. The world can’t just reset to its previous state without a new power structure.
Loki knows this. He’s a prince without a kingdom. His father is dead. Elbaf is in ruins. But if he helps Luffy defeat Imu and then steps into the power vacuum himself? He doesn’t just become King of Elbaf — he becomes the most powerful person in the world.
And there’s a chilling detail in Chapter 1192’s spoilers that supports this: when Imu’s new form is unveiled, Loki doesn’t look afraid. He looks interested. That’s not the reaction of someone who’s witnessing a nightmare. That’s the reaction of someone who’s been studying a prize.
The Dawn Thor Bullet Changes Everything
Of course, the other massive development in Chapter 1192 is Luffy’s new attack: Gomu Gomu no Dawn Thor Bullet. By sticking himself to Loki’s massive hammer and combining it with lightning, Luffy creates a projectile that actually manages to hurt Imu for the first time.
This attack is significant not just for its power, but for what it reveals about Luffy’s growth. He’s not just throwing bigger punches anymore — he’s collaborating, combining his rubber properties with his allies’ abilities to create something entirely new. That’s a massive evolution for a fighter who used to rely on sheer willpower and stubbornness.
But here’s the uncomfortable question: if Luffy can hurt Imu with Loki’s hammer, what happens when Loki decides he doesn’t need Luffy anymore? The hammer is Loki’s weapon. The lightning coordination is Loki’s strategy. Luffy is contributing his rubber body and his Nika powers, but the framework of the attack belongs to Loki.
What if Loki has been using this entire fight as a way to test his own combat effectiveness against Imu? What if the real plan isn’t to defeat Imu together, but for Loki to learn exactly what it takes to beat the world’s strongest being — so he can become the next one?
What Chapter 1193 and Beyond Could Reveal
If this theory holds, the next few chapters of One Piece could be absolutely wild. We might see:
- Loki’s true motivation revealed — either through dialogue with Luffy or a betrayal moment that catches everyone off guard
- Imu’s connection to the giants — the Void Century history between the World Government and Elbaf could finally be explained
- Luffy’s realization — the moment when Luffy understands that his ally might be just as dangerous as his enemy
- The Empty Throne’s true purpose — why was it built, and what does it actually do when someone sits on it?
Oda has been building toward this confrontation for over 25 years. The final saga of One Piece isn’t just about Luffy finding the One Piece — it’s about the collision of every major power in the world, and the question of who gets to reshape reality in their image. Imu has held that power for 800 years. But if Loki has his way, the emptiness of that throne might be filled by someone even more dangerous.
The Real Question
So here’s what we need to ask ourselves as Chapter 1192 drops on September 6: Is Loki fighting alongside Luffy because they share a common enemy, or because Loki needs Luffy’s Nika powers to weaken Imu — so he can finish the job himself and claim the Empty Throne?
The Dawn Thor Bullet hurt Imu. But it might have also given Loki exactly the data he needed. One Piece has always been about trust, betrayal, and the cost of power. And right now, Luffy is trusting a prince who has every reason to stab him in the back. For more takes on Chapter 1192, don’t miss our breakdown of how Blackbeard could steal the entire world while Luffy is distracted, and our look at whether Gokoku Sovereignty triggers Luffy’s true Sun God form.
What do you think — is Loki genuinely allied with Luffy, or is this the biggest setup in One Piece history? Drop your theories in the comments below!
