To understand someone’s actions, it’s important to understand who they are and what their goal is to understand their actions because their actions will be tied to their goals or motivations.
One thing that is not well known is that all the Emperors want to be Pirate King except Shanks and Whitebeard. Emperors either fight to be Pirate King or deter others from being Pirate King (Whitebeard & Shanks).
It’s not well known that Kaido legitimately wants to be Pirate King because people think he’s just a strong headed warmongering idiot craving battle, but he actually is interested in One Piece and is far more intelligent than he’s given credit for. Yes, he does drink and behave the fool, but who doesn’t behave like a fool drunk?
The entire reason Kaido chased Raizo, Kinemon, Kanjuro and Momonosuke was because of One Piece. Oden learnt what the secret of the world (One Piece) was and he thinks Oden entrusted this information with Kinemon and co. as they said, so he pursues them without relent. This is a fact that is overlooked despite easily being the most important thing to know about Kaido. This is likely the linchpin to all of Kaido’s actions.
Another interesting fact, seems unrelated, but it’s related:
- Shusui was stolen along with Ryuma’s corpse 23 years ago.
- Kaido started secretly ruling Wano with Orochi 20 years ago after killing Oden.
- Roger died 24 years ago.
Shusui and Ryuma were stolen by Moriah who got defeated by Kaido in Wano. It means Kaido was in Wano 3 years before he decided to rule over it. What was he doing there? Why didn’t he take it over at that time? Why did he suddenly decide to rule with Orochi only after 3 years… something significant must have happened to have things go in this direction.
If I had to guess, he stayed in Wano to monitor Oden, maybe it was a secret stay in Wano at the time. After some digging and searching, he probably thought staying in Wano was best so he could get Oden. Along the lines, he allied with Orochi, Oden died while being tortured and Kaido probably thought best to stay in Wano for Kinemon and co. to return once again. It’s probably all he cares about.
One thing to also consider is the fact that:
- Kaido was actually chasing the Nine Red Scabbards 3 months ago in One Piece time, yet, Orochi wasn’t informed.
- Orochi thinks all the Nine Red Scabbards are dead, yet Kaido knows Shutenmaru is alive and has known for the past 20 years.
- Orochi thinks the Nine Red Scabbards are dead, yet Kawamatsu (1 of the 9) is imprisoned and alive… Kaido knows this, but Orochi doesn’t. Orochi thinks Kawamatsu and all the sheathes died 20 years ago, yet Kaido knows full well Kawamatsu has been imprisoned for the past 13 years meaning he’s known for at least a decade.
Kaido knows things that would clearly bother Orochi, but doesn’t bother to inform Orochi. It must mean that Kaido doesn’t really care about Wano per se, or Orochi, If he doesn’t care, then what exactly is his goal? One Piece, and how does that tie into his ruling Wano and cooperating with Orochi whom he probably doesn’t respect? The one fact we have is he’s interested in One Piece.
Another thing that is probably missed is we know Kaido rules Wano. We think that because we know, that the people of Wano know as well. What readers know are things that are many times not things the characters in the story know. People do not know Kaido is the ruler of Wano. The children of Wano think Orochi was the one who vanquished Oden when it was also Kaido. Orochi is taking all the credit.
With that said, in my opinion, given that the persons he is looking for are Kinemon, Raizo, Kanjuro and Momonosuke, it’s better that he doesn’t takeover Wano or make it look like he has, therefore, he needs Orochi to fill that seat as the presumed leader of Wano. If he completely takes over Wano, Kinemon and co. might runaway and leave Wano completely, therefore, it becomes more difficult for Kaido to get a hold of them. The best way to lure an enemy is to leave a bait. As long as Kinemon and co. see Wano as their home and a place they can possibly take back, they’ll return.
More so, if Kinemon and co. only thought that Orochi was in power, they’d come back and try to fight him to take Wano back. Kaido needs to stay in the shadows so that when they finally make their appearance, he can subdue them and pry the information regarding the One Piece from them. However, the reality is Kinemon and co. believe they can take back Wano regardless of Kaido being there because of Luffy and the alliance.
*Theory by HPsyche
