the D will unleash the storm of the final war.

Okay, so I’ve been looking into the whole Rain God Zaza thing, and honestly, I think there’s way more to it than it seems at first. There are a lot of details that connect Zaza to some of the biggest mysteries in the One Piece world, and once you start putting everything together, the connections get really interesting.The recent chapters have introduced the Rain God Zaza, a figure which the Celestial Dragons genuinely fear, and it makes sense for them to fear this being because Mary Geoise exists on top of the Red Line, a long way above the rain clouds, and she is described as a “red desert,” so natural rain is not something that they experience on a day-to-day basis, which means that water literally falling from above can become a source of primal fear for the Celestial Dragons. This also gives another meaning to the bubble helmets worn by the Celestial Dragons; although it’s clear that the primary reason they are worn is to protect them from the air of the “lower world,” it is possible that the items symbolize protection from the Rain God and the water they fear coming from above as well. Their current power, Omen, is represented by a black flame, and naturally, rain would be an effective method for either weakening or extinguishing something that revolves around flames, and that becomes especially interesting when it comes to the potential of a worldwide storm during the final war. Then we have the Alabasta connection, because the name “Zaza” very likely comes from the Japanese onomatopoeia zaazaa, which is associated with heavy rain, and the pattern fits strangely well with the names of the Alabasta royal women (Lily, Titi, and Vivi). Alabasta has always had a big connection to water scarcity, so the idea that a woman with beautiful light-blue hair could become associated with a Rain God makes perfect sense, especially considering that this hair color can be tied to the Japanese mizuiro, which means water-colored or light blue. From there, I think it is very possible that Queen Lily, the founder of Alabasta during the Void Century, was a woman who won the hearts of her people for the reason that her appearance made her resemble the literal embodiment of Zaza, making her a symbol of rain, water, life, and prosperity for a kingdom that desperately needed these things. But this is where Imu’s psychology becomes extremely interesting, because there is a strong chance that the Celestial Dragons’ fear of Zaza was not something that naturally developed but was manipulated or created for them by Imu. We already know that Imu has an incredible obsession with Queen Lily, so imagine that Imu spread the idea that the Rain God would eventually pour water down upon the Celestial Dragons from above, giving them a reason to fear the Alabasta royal bloodline and, potentially, discouraging the other nineteen kings from becoming romantically interested in the women of Lily’s lineage, thus keeping them away from the person Imu was obsessed with. Even in the present day, Imu keeping Gungko, a light-blue-haired woman wearing a mask that resembles the imagery associated with Zaza, close by could be another connection, because while she may be more of a battle symbol, her appearance can also serve as a constant reminder of the very god that the Celestial Dragons fear. Then we have the global storm idea, and this is where one of the famous sayings that the “D” will bring a storm is potentially much more literal than we originally assumed. We already have hints tying Dragon to wind and weather, while Vegapunk’s satellites are heading towards Weatheria, the artificial sky island known for its advanced weather technology and its ability to manipulate weather with the help of things such as weather balls, so imagine the potential during the final war: Dragon provides the wind, while Vegapunk and Weatheria provide the technology, and Nami and Jinbe bring their own expertise with weather and water into the equation, creating something bigger than anything we’ve ever seen before: a massive storm that would bring rain to the world. And if the black flames associated with the Gorosei are actually vulnerable to water or rain, then this could become one of the most important weapons in the final conflict as it would not only physically defeat enemies, but symbolically and literally wash away the darkness that has ruled the world for centuries. That would be the same concept as occurred in Alabasta, where rain became the symbol which ended the conflict and brought back hope, so the same concept could be potentially scaled up from one kingdom to the world. Then we have the mythological connection involving the three siblings, which becomes even more tantalizing when compared to characters to Japanese mythology. Luffy, as the Sun God Nika, can be tied to Amaterasu, the Japanese sun goddess, while Blackbeard has repeatedly been linked with darkness and the moon, and can, therefore, be connected theoretically to Tsukuyomi, the moon god. Then we have Caribou, whose Japanese-associated “wet-haired” imagery makes another strange connection, because kami can mean both hair and god, so the phrase could be read as a “wet god,” which can be tied theoretically to Susanoo, the storm and sea associated deity who is the chaotic and troublesome sibling of Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi. If this parallel is intentional, then the three characters can represent three opposing forces — sun, moon, and storm — and that Luffy represents the liberating sun, Blackbeard represents darkness and the moon, and Caribou potentially represents the chaotic water or storm element. Again, this is a fan theory, and I’m not saying that Oda has actually proved that these characters are direct equivalents of Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, and Susanoo, I’m merely saying the parallels are interesting enough that they deserve a look, especially considering how heavily One Piece employs mythology, symbolism, inherited names, and historical parallels. Finally, we have what could be one of the biggest clues about Imu’s physical weakness: his body may not be capable of existing outside of the environment of the Flower Chamber. The idea is that his Devil Fruit power (or whatever supernatural ability is responsible for Imu’s current existence) is so unnatural that nature itself rejects him, and that this rejection extends beyond the sea to the earth and forests as well. This could be why Imu is able to exist in the Flower Chamber, potentially, because it is connected to the Sunlight Tree Eve, which provides a unique source of natural energy or environment which can sustain him. The fact that Imu apparently coughed blood after setting foot on the natural land of Elbaf could therefore be much more significant, because it might be showing us one of his weaknesses instead of just being a random reaction. When you put everything together — the Rain God Zaza, the Celestial Dragons’ fear of water from above, Alabasta’s connection to rain, Queen Lily, Imu’s obsession with Lily, Gungko’s appearance, Dragon’s connection to wind, Weatheria’s weather technology, Nami and Jinbe’s abilities, the potential of a worldwide storm, the Gorosei’s black flames, the “D” bringing a storm, the Japanese mythology parallels, and finally Imu’s apparent incompatibility with natural environments — you start to see a much bigger possibility for the final conflict of One Piece, because it doesn’t just deal with a case of one character defeating another, but could be much bigger and involve nature pushing back against an unnatural power that has ruled the world for centuries, with rain being a symbol of liberation. The important thing is separating what is actually confirmed from what we are theorizing, because the Rain God Zaza material and Imu-related events are one thing, but the Amaterasu–Tsukuyomi–Susanoo parallels and a good portion of the connections between Lily, Zaza, Gungko, and the final war are theories until Oda confirms them. However, if these connections are intentional, then the meaning of rain in One Piece could be much bigger than we originally assumed, potentially representing things such as the return of nature, the destroy of the world of the Celestial Dragons and the weakening of Imu’s forces, and, ultimately, the moment when the world is finally freed.

thanks for reaDing.