So I was thinking about something lately about the World Government’s goal here, especially Imu’s goal relating to the “Great Cleansing.”
In chapter 908 we get a shot of Luffy, Blackbeard, Shirahoshi’s posters all ripped up with Vivi remaining. I think this is because Imu is going to target Vivi first between all four of them.
However I think there’s something here we’re missing. A couple of chapters ago, Luffy was announced by the world news to be the Fifth Emperor despite not really earning it like presumably Big Mom and Kaido have. This sets the stage of clear propaganda here.
We already know the World Government already has propaganda with the Sora comic, even though they don’t really need it because the Germa are already evil, lol. No matter how evil or good the person is, if they pose a threat to the World Government they’ll twist it into a direction they want. So what’s the goal here?
I believe the World Government is trying to frame Luffy.
I think this “Great Purge” that’s about to happen is going to involve a shadowy figure of sorts, wearing a strawhat, somehow destroying entire islands.
To the world, this silhouette will be Strawhat Luffy terrorizing the region of Alabasta. Luffy can’t prove otherwise, because while this was happening he CLAIMS he was in Wano without substantial evidence by the World Government.
On top of that, I also think something else will happen coincidentally that’s gonna screw Luffy over:
The Reformation of Locks
Notice another thing about this famous quote. Oda specifically points out the “lurking legend” is related to Whitebeard in some way. In the recent chapter we learned that 40 years ago both Miss Bakkin and Whitebeard sailed on the same ship. I think this directly implies a connection with the Locks crew, but interestingly enough in the same chapter it was noted by Marco that Whitebeard doesn’t have an inheritance for Bakkin to steal. What if Bakkin believes he has an inheritance, is because the “lurking legend” is in fact Whitebeard’s father?
In chapter 909 we see a shot of young Whitebeard, possibly leading to a backstory in the next few years. What if he as a bastard child to the Locks captain hence why he’s so freakishly strong and large? Bakkin knows this, and likely assumes Whitebeard inherited this grand treasure from his own father without realizing that isn’t the case.
So here’s what I’m speculating will happen
Luffy is going to amass a force to take down Kaido, in in an unprecedented appearance Big Mom and Miss Bakkin w/ Weevil shows up. Both of them will have their own agendas on Wano, but eventually the “Lurking Legend” will appear and in an unprecedented moment the old Locks crew reunites combining their forces to create a terrible pirate crew. Luffy doesn’t manage to defeat Kaido (but manages to help Wano in some way), and the Locks crew set their targets on either Elbaf or the World Government perhaps.
In Alabasta, someone in a Strawhat is attacking the nation and the world news is reporting it’s Straw Hat Luffy. The public begins to fear Luffy similar to how they fear the other Emperors.
Meanwhile, Luffy failed in his plans to defeat Kaido, and is currently being framed by the World Government as destroying the entirety of Alabasta with his next stop being Fishman Island.
*Theory by Big One
