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Throughout the One-Punch Man manga series, one fact has remained untarnished; Saitama's unquestionable strength. The hero's awesomeness has been the highlight of many interesting fights and hero-related developments. However, apart from the epic B-Class hero, on several occasions, One-Punch Man has teased the existence of a powerful being that may rival Saitama in strength.
The character referred to as “God” in One-Punch man is an otherworldly being that appears to grant people power but at great cost. The well-drawn character has made its appearance in different chapters in the manga, puzzling fans on the true nature & goal of this being. Certain occurrences in One-Punch Man also hint that "God" may be the series' final villain. So, is God the real deal?
Who/What Is God in One-Punch Man?
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The question, “Who/What is God in One-Punch Man," doesn't have a straightforward answer. However, certain developments in the series make it possible to infer practical theories that hint at the being's true identity. Yusuke Murata may have teased fans about the villain earlier than expected. In the early chapters of One-Punch Man, Dr. Genus talked about “God” in the context of limiters, so it’s possible that “God” in One-Punch Man is more formidable than readers think.
A living being has a set growth limit. Grow too strong and the burden on the wielder could make them lose control like a monster that has lost their mind. That is why GOD has made each and every living being so that it cannot grow further than a certain degree for their own survival and sanity.
The manga first revealed God's identity in Chapter 109, where Homeless Emperor, a powerful leader in the notorious Monster Association, talked about his powers' origin. Apparently, Homeless Emperors' abilities were not innate or self-grown; it was gifted to him by God. The power transfer from the mysterious being transformed “Homeless Emperor” from a no-name, obscure individual to a powerful entity wielded by the Monster Association. The partially-glimpsed being was revealed again when Pykos, one of the foremost villains of the One-Punch Man series, fused with "Orochi," the head of the Monster Association, to defeat Miyuki, the #2 S-Class esper hero from the Hero Association. The fleshy-looking being bestowed immense power on Psykos, increasing her offensive capabilities exponentially, allowing her to match or even surpass Tatsumaki in esper-related abilities.
From these encounters alone, one could have assumed that God in One-Punch Man is a villainous entity with the objective of bringing down the Hero Association. However, God debunked any possible antagonism against the Hero Association after making its appearance to Saitama, the S-Class Hero Flashy Flash, and the Monster Association's Oculette. The entity “God” was linked to a mysterious cubic object. After the trio touched the cube, they could hear the being speak to them telepathically, asking them to make a wish he would grant if they were worthy. Of course, the classic character, Saitama rejected the offer; nevertheless, the proffered deal revealed how God Works.
Through cube-shaped objects, God contacts people, offering them powers or answers to their "wishes." However, it appears that these offers are not without setbacks or downsides. Readers saw this happen in Chapter 163 of One-Punch Man, where God's true form was revealed. During the conversation between S-Class hero, Zombieman and Homeless Emperor on the origin of his powers and God, the power-granting entity, God made its full appearance before Homeless Emperor could reveal intricate details.
First, God appeared on the moon, and immediately, Homeless Emperor and the God being were transported to a different garden-filled space, where God was depicted as a ginormous entity with hair-like threads protruding from their body. Instantly, God collected Homeless Man’s grand power and his life, revealing that the Monster Executive probably breached the agreement he made with God.
Is God Really The Series’ Final Villain?
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God's true objectives are still unclear, but it's possible that the being is One-Punch Man's final boss villain. They might be the long-awaited Saitama's nemesis, who gives the powerful hero the fight he's been looking for. During the Monster Association Arc, God appeared to the S-Class hero, Tatsumaki, as Blast, the number one hero of the Hero Association, trying to coax her into collecting powers from him. However, Tatsumaki saw the being for what it truly was and rejected God in Blast's appearance. Based on this, we can infer that God has an objective. If Tatsumaki had accepted their offer, who knows the horrors the characters in One-Punch Man would have faced.
Apart from the Tatsumaki encounter, Blast, the number one hero, is shown to be on a mission to collect the cubes that connect to God. When he arrived in the Monster Association Arc, he asked Saitama whether he agreed to God’s deal and was relieved Saitama said he rejected the offer. This means that among the heroes, Blast probably knows about this being and what it can do, and he's trying to prevent it from occurring by gathering God's cubes. Another key development that hints at the character, God, was the reveal of the mural in an old shrine in the form of Orochi, alongside writings that God needs a sacrifice to be resurrected.
Shockingly, after Saitama defeats Orochi, the ancient shrine gives way to the unveiling of a picture of the actual God curled up in Mural form. Writings in that same shrine hinted that God's reawakening is linked to a worthy sacrifice. In the light of this development, fans can recall that at different points in the series, God bestowed and offered to give powers to people. So, theoretically, it could be that the otherworldly being is searching for the perfect "sacrifice," and when they get it, it would appear in Saitama's world. Sadly, for now, readers can only sit back and watch the God saga unfold to find out whether Saitama and God are equal on the same power scaling or if one surpasses the other.