Why Did Imu Destroy Lulusia? One Piece's Darkest Moment Explained
One moment the Lulusia Kingdom existed. The next — it simply didn't. No warning, no war, no declaration. Just a shadow in the sky, sixteen beams of light, and an entire civilization wiped from the map.
Why did Imu destroy Lulusia? It's one of the most chilling questions in modern One Piece, and the answer reveals just how terrifying the World Government truly is. If you've been searching for a complete, spoiler-aware breakdown — this is it.
Why Did Imu Destroy Lulusia? The Real Reasons
Most fans assumed Lulusia was targeted because of the kingdom's rebellion. The truth is both simpler and far more disturbing.
When asked where to use the Mother Flame weapon, Imu named Lulusia Kingdom as its target simply due to the kingdom's proximity — regardless of the people living there. Even the Five Elders were taken aback by this request, but Imu calmly asserted that the many lives in Lulusia were of no importance.
In other words, Lulusia wasn't destroyed because it was a threat. It was destroyed because it was convenient.
The Three Reasons Lulusia Was Chosen
Lulusia was chosen as the target for three reasons: Sabo's call to Dragon was intercepted from a location close to Lulusia; the seeds of rebellion were already sown in this country; and, thirdly, this country was close enough for the Mother Flame to deliver immediate results.
Breaking this down:
- Sabo's intercepted call — Sabo was about to reveal Imu's existence to the Revolutionary Army. The World Government pinpointed his location near Lulusia.
- Active rebellion — The kingdom's citizens had already revolted against King Seki and imprisoned him. It was already "problematic" by the World Government's standards.
- Proximity — The Mother Flame had range limitations. Lulusia was the closest viable target for a live weapons test.
It only worked in the World Government's favour that the chosen kingdom happened to be one with rebels — they were able to kill two birds with one stone by simultaneously testing the weapon and making an example out of Lulusia.
What Is the Mother Flame? The Weapon Behind Lulusia's Destruction
Understanding the Lulusia Kingdom One Piece tragedy requires understanding the weapon that caused it.
The annihilation of Lulusia Kingdom was caused by the Mother Flame, a weapon created by Dr. Vegapunk. Prior to this reveal, most fans believed that the World Government used one of the Ancient Weapons, namely Uranus, to destroy the island.
The Mother Flame itself isn't the weapon — it's the power source for one. According to the One Piece Wiki, it powers what Vegapunk himself theorized to be an Ancient Weapon operating from the sky above a target location.
The anime shows exactly how the weapon functions: releasing a barrage of massive, destructive energy beams that annihilate everything below it.
Sixteen beams. One island. Zero survivors among those who didn't escape beforehand.
Did Vegapunk Create It Willingly?
Vegapunk certainly did not intend for this energy source to be used as a means to destroy countries. Instead, he wanted to use it in a way that ended wars and solved issues such as poverty. It was not Stella himself who sent Mother Flame to Imu — it was York, one of his satellites, who made the deal with the World Government.
York's betrayal is what handed the World Government their most terrifying weapon — and Lulusia paid the ultimate price for it.
The Role of Sabo and the Revolutionary Army
The Sabo Lulusia destruction connection is one of the most emotionally loaded threads in this entire arc.
Sabo had survived the chaos at Marijoa and snuck aboard a ship bound for Lulusia. He was wounded, healed by the locals, and treated as a hero. When he finally called Dragon to reveal what he had witnessed at the Reverie — including the shocking truth about who sits on the Empty Throne — his transmission was intercepted.
The obliteration seems intended not just to eliminate a rebellious kingdom, but also to specifically target the formidable Sabo and his allies.
The good news? Sabo wasn't on the island when it was destroyed. He had already helped civilians escape to Kamabakka Kingdom before the attack hit. He survived — but millions didn't.
The Aftermath: A Hole in the Ocean and Rising Seas
The Imu Mother Flame aftermath didn't stop at Lulusia. Its consequences rippled across the entire world.
Lulusia's destruction resulted in a massive sea hole appearing where the country was once located. Six days after the island was destroyed, as a consequence of the Mother Flame's use, a global earthquake occurred across the world and the sea level rose by one meter, causing a majority of islands to have their shores swallowed by the rising tide and some being fully submerged.
The mysterious weapon Imu used to wipe out the Lulusia Kingdom created a massive hole in the ocean, resulting in the sea level across the world rising by one meter. The entire world experienced tremors, which seemed like a natural disaster.
This is not just a local tragedy — it's a global catastrophe. And according to Screen Rant's One Piece coverage, this act firmly establishes Imu as the primary antagonist of the One Piece Final Saga, with the Straw Hats now facing an enemy capable of erasing entire nations on a whim.
What This Reveals About Imu's Character
The Imu World Government power dynamic becomes crystal clear through Lulusia's destruction.
Imu's casual fascination with witnessing the Mother Flame's sheer destructive force suggests a sadistic curiosity driving the attack on Lulusia, reducing it to little more than an expendable testing site. This distills the motive of the World Government's malevolent desire to vividly showcase the horrific extent of their power.
Imu isn't just a ruler — they're a force of nature operating behind a veil of secrecy. The Five Elders One Piece serve as their enforcers, and even they were momentarily unsettled by the casualness of the order to erase Lulusia.
What Happens Next: The Egghead Arc and Beyond
If the World Government gains full control over the Mother Flame, they can easily eliminate any threats, including the Revolutionary Army. The Straw Hats may have to destroy the factory on Egghead Island to prevent the World Government from obtaining further access to the Mother Flame.
The One Piece chapter 1060 reveal of Lulusia's destruction set the stage for everything that follows in the Final Saga. Vegapunk's postmortem broadcast, the Egghead Incident, and the Revolutionary Army's movements are all directly tied back to what happened to this one kingdom.
According to Game Rant's analysis, Lulusia's destruction is not a side event — it is the opening move of the endgame.
Conclusion
So, why did Imu destroy Lulusia? The answer is a chilling combination of cold geopolitical calculation, a weapons test, and the terrifying indifference of absolute power. Lulusia was close. It was rebellious. And Imu simply didn't care about the lives within it.
The Imu Lulusia reason isn't a complex conspiracy — it's something far scarier: convenience. This moment reframes the entire One Piece world and signals that the final battle between freedom and tyranny is no longer approaching. It has already begun.
