Read my post again. It's not about reducing him to being a WG Rat. The "theme", if it exists, that these people were set up to "betray" those who were close to them, that's it. They are looking away in the covers and the scenes where it is shown.
Apoo's is in volume 70. You don't find out he betrayed Kid/Hawkins until Wano. Same with Kanjuro. Volume 76, but no betrayal until Wano. Now look at Shanks...
Again, this is one small example/theory of over 20 different things I can give you about him that are weird.