One Piece (Theory): Kaido and the Calamaties have a shared backstory?

Twitter user @TypicalJAnt has presented an interesting One Piece theory regarding current antagonist Kaido and his three highest officers, the Calamities. These are Jack the Drought, Queen the Plague, and King the Conflagration.

Note: This article contains spoilers.

@TypicalJAnt asserts that the three met on Punk Hazard and formed the Beast Pirates there initially. A great portion of this theory's credibility comes with the release of One Piece Chapter 1035 leaks, which state King met Kaido in an unnamed government research facility.

It’s certainly an interesting theory with many parts, which is why this article will explain the theory in detail.

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One Piece theory account on Twitter @TypicalJAnt poses that Kaido and his top three officers have a shared backstory

The theory

@TypicalJAnt (TJA) starts off by asserting that Queen was a member of the science group MADS alongside Vegapunk and Vinsmoke Judge. Vegapunk is hailed as the world’s best scientist, and currently heads the World Government’s Special Science Group. Vinsmoke Judge is the ruler of the Germa Kingdom and commander of Germa 66 forces.

As mentioned above, One Piece Chapter 1035 revealed Kaido and King met at an unnamed research facility. TJA theorizes this is where Vegapunk experimented on Kaido to synthesize an artificial Devil Fruit with the same lineage factor as Kaido’s. TJA continues saying that from what we know about him, it’s likely King was also present and having lineage factor experiments done on him.

TJA points out that Yonji confirms that the lineage factor was discovered before the World Government absorbed the group and put Vegapunk under their command. Given all these connections, it seems likely the home base for MADS and where Kaido and the Calamities met was Punk Hazard.

TJA continues saying MADS had to be disbanded because of the implications that the discovery of lineage factors could have on the World Government’s control. TJA continues saying fans do know that Caesar stayed close to Vegapunk, so it’s possible Queen did the same. TJA points out that Vegapunk originally headed the Punk Hazard facility, and the facility was only destroyed after Caesar was removed from the team.

It’s in this very lab that Momonosuke discovers his SMILE fruit, which was made using the lineage factor from Kaido’s Devil Fruit. Therefore, TJA asserts that the Punk Hazard research facility was built specifically for Vegapunk’s research into Lineage Factors. Specifically, the World Government wanted Vegapunk to use lineage factors to finally make their human enlargement experiments a success.

TJA mentions how Shanks stealing the Gum-Gum Fruit from a CP9 convoy suggests that the lineage factor experiments have gone on for at least 20 years. TJA then connects the fruit experiments to Kaido and the giant experiments to the Numbers. Citing Big Mom’s exposition on the subject, TJA posits that Kaido didn’t purchase the Numbers from Punk Hazard, but rather escaped with them.

TJA builds off of this by connecting it to the theory that Onigashima was once Punk Hazard’s center and the original facility that researched reproducing giants. Given Kaido is currently flying Onigashima in contemporary One Piece, it’s entirely possible he did the same to remove it from Punk Hazard. TJA then asserts Jack may have also been at this facility, as we’ve seen other Fishman scientists before and Jack may have been a test subject for Fishman lineage factors.

TJA then reminds readers of Mother Carmel’s occupation as an underground broker, who worked with the World Government. This was the primary means of acquisition for test subjects or high-level Navy recruits, and it’s likely brokers other than Mother Carmel existed and worked with the World Government.

TJA summates with this: it’s possible that Kaido formed the Beast Pirates at Punk Hazard initially by recruiting test subjects King and Jack, and having Queen betray Vegapunk. Furthermore, the Numbers were picked up by Kaido and brought to the part of Punk Hazard which would be flown away by Kaido in escape and eventually be known as Onigashima.

TJA then ends the theory by saying through this backstory, it’s entirely possible Vegapunk is fully revealed in the Wano arc for the first time ever in One Piece.

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In summation

Twitter user @TypicalJAnt’s One Piece theory regarding the Beast Pirates communal backstory is quite literally breathtaking. The connections being made here are done through an incredibly critical lens, and TJA should be proud of making such an airtight One Piece theory.

One of the most anticipated backstories in recent One Piece memory has been Kaido’s. Since the Wano arc started, One Piece fans have loved theorizing on and making memes about how tragic and interesting Kaido’s backstory must be. After all, he is one of the most legendary figures in the series to date.

Be sure to follow @TypicalJAnt on Twitter for more great One Piece theories like this, and support One Piece’s official release every Sunday at 11AM EST on various Shonen Jump platforms.