As unlikely as it may be, there is a chance that One Piece’s Kaido might come back into the story to aid Luffy in the war that is set to come.
Earlier this year, the One Piece manga concluded its multi-year-long “Wano” arc. After spending so long on that storyline, the series has already managed to transition into its next major one, which seems to be setting up the series’ long-awaited finale.
Interestingly enough, Wano established many different concepts, some of which are still rather open-ended. Perhaps the most glaring of these is Wano’s main antagonist, Kaido. With very little time given to fully explore the Yonko in a way that past foes such as Doflamingo received, it is hard to pin down what it was that really motivated Kaido’s ambitions. However, there are many clues spread throughout Wano that imply that Kaido might have had some nobler goal at some point.
The Failed Joy Boy
While most of Kaido’s backstory is still unknown, the Raid on Onigashima did end up revealing a few key details. One in particular was his connection to King, the right-hand man of his crew and his most trusted subordinate. Through the reveals of their shared history, Kaido’s motivations became a little clearer.
Kaido and King met at a World Government lab that was using both as test subjects. As Kaido was breaking out of the facility, he came across a Lunarian named Arber who was strapped to a chair. Recognizing the strength he had, Kaido offered to free King, and when the latter asked if Kaido could change the world, he responded by saying that he was the only one who could. As they escaped the facility together, Kaido names him “King” and says that he will become second-in-command, promising to never sell out his new companion.
In another flashback, it is revealed that King even told Kaido that he believed him to be Joy Boy, which even Kaido found surprising. The world that Kaido was trying to make seemed counter to the one Joy Boy was hoping to create, though King believed that as the man who freed him from captivity, Kaido was the closest to being the fabled figure.
Looking back on what is known about Joy Boy, it makes sense why King had so much faith in his captain beyond just his life debt. Joy Boy is supposed to be someone that smiles even in the toughest and hardest of situations, who frees the masses and brings smiles to everyone, and who was set to arrive at Wano at some point. As strange as it might seem, Kaido did do this in his own twisted way.
Throughout most of the battles Kaido took part in, he was seen smiling just like Joy Boy is meant to. He smiled a lot during his fight with Luffy and even established a pirate crew that had a penchant for partying. He also freed King from the World Government and essentially led his subordinates in such a manner that they could get away with whatever they wanted, “free” from repercussions. This was especially true when he made the land of Wano his main territory.
Even his goal to start the greatest war the world has ever seen matches his specific ideas of what freedom and equality are. Kaido is a strong believer in “survival of the fittest,” and as such, he feels that only on a battlefield are all people fundamentally equal, as in that situation, no manner of social concept or hierarchy has merit, only personal strength. In his mind, war is the ultimate equalizer.
Kaido also brought a lot of smiles to people, albeit not in a wholesome or heroic way. The Raid on Onigashima proved that Kaido loves to make his people happy and pretty much made sure they had whatever they wanted on Wano, despite how the native inhabitants suffered as a result. Then there are the SMILE Fruits — artificial Devil Fruits that had a 10% chance of granting whoever ate one some manner of animal power, but a 90% chance of permanently forcing whoever ate one to smile and laugh uncontrollably for the rest of their lives. He and Orochi even gave them to the starving people of Wano as a cruel joke.
In these ways, Kaido did fit the description of Joy Boy, though it seems that even he realized at one point that he wasn’t really him. Kaido even remarks to Luffy after one of his victories over him, “You couldn’t be Joy Boy… either it seems…,” possibly implying that he was hoping Luffy could be the person he wasn’t. This could also explain why Kaido wanted to end his own life so much, as his failure to meet the expectations of both himself and King weighed on him deeply.
The Potential Ally to the New Joy Boy
As of right now, Kaido is presumed dead along with Big Mom. They were both depicted falling into a pool of lava and getting caught in a volcanic explosion. Normally, this would mean that both characters were dead, though this is likely not the case. The fact that both of their bodies could be clearly seen floating in the lava, and that both are known to have practically impenetrable skin and bodies, means there is a chance that both have survived. While Big Mom’s goals will probably be the same as they were before if that is the case, Kaido and his Beast Pirates are another story.
Kaido seemed to have an obsession with Joy Boy. This could even be why Kaido ended up walking such an evil path. After coming to the realization that he wasn’t Joy Boy, he decided to go and conquer the only place he knew Joy Boy was set to go: the land of Wano. He then became a villain — an “anti-Joy Boy,” so great that only the real Joy Boy could ever have a chance of beating him.
This could even be why, in the final moments of his battle with Luffy, he faced his final attack head-on. Instead of maneuvering around to land a decisive blow, he charged right at it with his own ultimate attack. If his ideology is that “might makes right,” then it was almost as if he was trying to be proven wrong. He even asked Luffy’s reasons for fighting, and when Luffy answered that he wanted to make everyone happy and well-fed, it was seemingly at that moment that Kaido was overpowered and ultimately lost their duel.
That being said, it would be a rather interesting turn of events if Kaido now follows the true Joy Boy when he returns. While he is unlikely to be the next member of the Straw Hat Pirates, it wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to imagine him and the Beast Pirates as members of the Straw Hat Grand Fleet. After all, some of the captains that make up the Grand Fleet were at one point enemies or rivals of Luffy.
Kaido himself also seems like the kind of character who would make this offer himself. He has a tendency to offer strong opponents a place in his crew after he beats them, so in this case, he could do the opposite and request to join Luffy’s in some capacity. If Luffy managed to gain anything from their fight other than a victory, it was Kaido’s respect.
At least some of the Beast Pirates are still alive, such as King and Queen, with their current status as prisoners on Wano being highlighted earlier this year. It wouldn’t be surprising then if series creator Eiichiro Oda were to bring them back in some capacity, though it would be unlikely that the group would be led by anyone other than Kaido.
Oda has stated that a big war is on the horizon, which is coincidentally what Kaido was aiming to create himself. While there is nothing to say that this theory is true, it is quite possible that Kaido and his crew will return in some capacity. While some might expect Kaido to want revenge, given what has been shown so far, it’s just as likely that Kaido will return to help Luffy, or as he sees him, Joy Boy. Only time will tell though, and with One Piece reportedly ending soon, the answers might be revealed sooner rather than later.
