This could explain why Kaido believes that death completes a man & why he is so desperate to die in a grand way. He is aware that death itself is the trigger for this unique form of Awakening.
But what is this 'unique form of Awakening'? How is it different?
The fact that Luffy actually supposedly died in this moment, suggests that the heartbeat, the Liberation Drums, is not Luffy's but a secondary ego taking over his consciousness.
That brings us back to the quote from the Gorosei in 1037. I myself had said it couldn't be Luffy's fruit, but it seems that was wrong.
"Why would they give a specific fruit a unique name?!"
Gomu Gomu no Mi = Joyboy
With this in mind, it becomes apparent that the subject that the Gorosei were discussing here with the legend of Joyboy.
One is concerned that the fruit known as 'Joyboy' may awaken once more, given it's ties to Wano's history and the current situation
But how can the fruit be Joyboy? That implies it has consciousness.
I believe that is actually true. 'Devil' Fruits are sentient organisms.
As Shanks referred to it. 'Incarnations of the Sea Devil.'
Speaking of Shanks, it probably can't be considered as a coincidence anymore that he just so happened to slip this fruit into the possession of Luffy 'by accident'
@VsFeral Has just done a great thread on Shanks' role in the story, be sure to check that out
So if Devil Fruits really are sentient organisms, or, 'incarnations of the Sea Devil, how would that work? Why has it never popped up before?
Perhaps that can be explained through the relevance of Lineage Factors
We had learned quite a while ago, back in Punk Hazard, that the way Ceaser's artificial Devil Fruits worked, was through the chemical compound 'SAD'. This chemical compound forcibly altered the subjects Lineage Factors, literally changing their genetic code.
We know quite well by now that Ceaser's versions of these fruits are massively flawed. Instead of actually becoming a Chicken Zoan, you can end up with your head as a Chicken's anus
Vegapunk has created an artificial fruit that is more perfected, doing so by extracting and applying Kaido's Lineage Factors.
This demonstrates how Devil Fruit bind to and alter the Lineage Factors. The fruit can be copied by extracting DNA
This suggests then, that actual Devil Fruits also follow this principle. It binds to the Lineage Factors and forcibly alters them. Resulting in the eater being granted whatever power the fruit possesses.
If this is the case, then it would effectively mean that Devil Fruits function like Symbiotes. A secondary organism living in a primary organism's body.
For the most well known example in fiction, there's Venom. Irl, the Bobtail is symbiotic with bioluminescent bacteria
Perhaps this could be the true significance of the old mystery revolving around the symbolism of a closed left eye. It implies a secondary state of consciousness, or an alter ego.
The awakening of the Devil Fruit Symbiote.
This would also still leave room for it to be possible that being Joyboy is not limited to Luffy and his fruit, which is he one implied to be Joyboy.
It would mean that potentially anyone could achieve a state of Devil Fruit Symbiosis, & explain why Kaido still wanted to die
That's all I've got for this one, thanks for reading 🙏
This theory is a sort of sequel to another one of my theories - 'The Voice of all Things & The Music of the Universe'. - This theory will expand on some of the same ideas discussed in that theory.
If you're interested, you can read that one here -
Ever since we found out that Aokiji had left the Marines we have been wondering what his future role might be.
We later learned that he had decided to join Blackbeard. But why did he do this?
The answer may tell us what his future role will be.
When Aokiji appeared in Punk Hazard, he reassured Smoker that he was 'still himself' & that his reasonings for doing what he did was so that he could operate without the restrictions & oversight of the World Government.