The origin of Devil Fruits remains one of the biggest mysteries in One Piece. However, the Egghead Arc offers an important clue through Dr. Vegapunk. He explains that “Devil Fruits are a possibility for human evolution that someone desired… but that nature is unnatural.”
That line changes everything. If these powers come from human desire but are also “unnatural,” then someone may have shaped or controlled that process. This is where Imu, the hidden ruler of the World Government, enters the discussion.
If Imu had a role in creating or managing Devil Fruits, then they may not be random at all. They could be part of a larger system, one designed to control power, reshape evolution, or suppress certain threats. This idea becomes especially important when we look at one specific fruit: the Gomu Gomu no Mi, later revealed as the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika.
That raises a key question. Was this fruit a mistake or something intentional?
The “Accident” Theory: A Power That Escaped Control
One theory suggests that the Nika fruit was never meant to function freely. Instead, it may have been created as a kind of prison.
In this view, Imu didn’t invent Nika’s power but tried to contain it. The fruit becomes a way to seal away an enemy rather than destroy it completely.
A Reddit theory explains it like this: “If Nika is a Sun God and now exists as a fruit, it implies that Imu might not have been able to fully defeat his rivals, but instead managed to capture these divine beings and transform them into Devil Fruits… stripping them of their freedom.”
If that’s true, then the Gomu Gomu no Mi wasn’t the problem. Losing control over it was, and the story supports this idea in subtle ways. The Five Elders themselves admit that “Zoan fruits have a mind of their own,” and that this fruit had been “evading the World Government for 800 years.”
That detail matters. It suggests the fruit isn’t just an object. It has will, or at least a direction it follows. In this version of events, the accident is not its creation, but its escape. A sealed power that refuses to stay contained.
The “Trap” Theory: A Hidden Test of Worth
The second theory takes a different approach. Instead of an accident, the fruit may have been part of a long-term strategy. A trap.
By renaming the Nika fruit as the “Gomu Gomu no Mi,” the World Government effectively hid its true nature. Most users would only see rubber abilities, never realizing the deeper concept tied to freedom and imagination.
This creates two layers of control. First is what we can call the obscurity factor. If users believe the fruit is limited, they won’t push beyond its basic abilities. Second is the risk factor. Anyone who does unlock its true nature becomes immediately dangerous and visible to the World Government.
The Bigger Picture: Why Luffy’s Fruit Changes Everything
Whether the fruit was an accident or a trap, both theories lead to the same conclusion. It represents a failure of control.
If it were a prison, the prisoner would have escaped. If it was a trap, it has backfired.
Vegapunk’s idea that Devil Fruits represent unnatural evolution also adds another layer. He notes that users are essentially undergoing something the natural world rejects. That makes Luffy’s case even more important. He didn’t just gain powers. He inherited something much older, a will tied to freedom itself.
In trying to control or suppress that kind of desire, Imu may have created the exact opposite of what was intended. Not just a powerful ability, but a symbol and possibly the one force capable of breaking the system entirely.