(This theory is an expanded take on a theory made my Joy_Boy Theories on YouTube:
. This theory is pretty much what I expected to happen going forward in a lot of Egghead, but, Kizaru protecting Bonney was what interested/surprised me.)
Like many at the beginning of Kizaru vs Luffy, I wanted a full, conclusive fight. The cat and mouse game with Luffy chasing Kizaru and Kizaru chasing Vegapunk disappointed me, and I've been trying to figure out why. Finally, I realized something: I was analyzing the narrative wrong, by putting the desire to see Luffy fight an Admiral over the actual purpose of Kizaru on Egghead.
Kizaru IS NOT the Straw Hat's enemy.
Kizaru is a slave.
This entire arc IS Sabaody 2.0, because it is centered on how everyone is slaves to the WG, and how the WG are the real evil.
Kizaru is a slave forced to attack his friends and kill his friend Vegapunk.
Kuma is a slave who had his own humanity robbed from him.
Vegapunk is a slave who was forced to work for the World Government after MADS was disbanded.
Bonney most likely was a slave at some point, considering her comments about wanting to be free.
The Seraphim? Slaves who can be mind controlled through a control chip in their minds.
Cipher Pol 0? Orphans raised as slaves to serve as spies for the World Government.
Kizaru cannot stand against the Gorosei and Imu; he cannot protect Vegapunk by himself, even if he wanted to. Kizaru WANTS what Luffy is trying to do, and that's why the fight was unsatisfying; Luffy wasn't fighting the villain of this arc.
Saturn states Kizaru's work was slow.
But, more than slow, it was messy. Kizaru had clear chance to kill Vegapunk, and chose to speak with him instead.
In the past, we've seen Kizaru be able to hit moving targets with insane accuracy, even bouncing light off of buildings. In Egghead, Kizaru has always been just a bit too slow to actually kill Vegapunk. "And I don't want to drag it out," the man says WHILE DRAGGING OUT THE ASSASSINATION.
I think Kizaru DOES have Future Sight, and is trying to maintain his status as Admiral, while allowing Vegapunk to be rescued. We know that Kizaru was aware of the Vegaforce 01, the giant robot he blew apart, based on his flashback panel of Vegapunk describing it. Kizaru would know where the cockpit is, that a Vegapunk is piloting it, and also is aware that the Sunny is being carried by it.
Did Kizaru kick Luffy into the cockpit, to try to kill a Vegapunk? Nope.
Did Kizaru kick Luffy into the Sunny, to try to destroy the Straw Hat's ship they need to escape in? Nope.
Kizaru finally gets a clear shot on the Stella, and what happens? He admits he misses.
Kizaru is PHONING IT IN. Maybe he's using CoO/Future Sight to help him know what to do to make it look like he's trying, but, nope, he's not really. Don't believe me? Let's look at the term "Corporate Slave". Corporate Slaves are known as individuals who put loyalty to their organization/company over their own personal life, hurting themselves in the process. They're known to follow orders, but often do so badly, as they don't have the energy or attitude to produce good work.
So, a Corporate Slave is loyal to the company and refuses to leave even if it would make them happier, but produces bad results due to their environment.
What is the only way Kizaru can save Vegapunk, while not disobeying his Master, Saturn, and the WG?
By jobbing. And job he did. Kizaru refuses to betray his orders, so, his only solution is to intentionally fail his mission.
Next, Zoro or Sanji will save Bonney, but, I believe Vegapunk will also protect her.
While I connect Egghead to Sabaody, the same is true of Ohara. Egghead houses Ohara's research, Vegapunk knows Saul, and, like Ohara, Egghead is about to be destroyed by the WG for researching the Void Century. How did Ohara end? The same way Egghead is ending for Robin. Joy Boy Theories is totally right, Bonney is the Robin of this arc.
Ohara was an island being destroyed via Buster Call for researching the Void Century. On the World Government's side, you had a reluctant WG Official at high rank (Aokiji = Kizaru), a WG Official who has no problem committing mass murder (Akainu = Saturn) and a WG Official who has betrayed the Government in order to defend Ohara's research (Saul = Vegapunk).
The protagonist was a child who desperately missed their parent, who was taken away from them because of the WG (Robin = Bonney). The child's parent dies, but, later, it turns out their other role model (Saul = Kuma) actually lived. The WG Official who betrayed the WG sacrifices themselves to save the child in question, and the reluctant WG Official honors their friend's demise by saving the child, going against their orders.
Since Bonney is a pirate, she should be wanted by the WG. However, Saturn had no problem letting her go. This is because Kuma exchanged his own life for Bonney's freedom, and became a slave/Shichibukai in order to keep her from being enslaved. Kizaru and Sentomaru parallels this, with Kizaru choosing the Government over Sentomaru as a corporate slave, despite being a father figure to him.
However, that's no longer going to slide. Bonney attacked not just a Celestial Dragon, but Saturn. This is why Saturn chose not to dodge: by letting Bonney attack him and break international law in attacking a Celestial Dragon, he can now kill her without breaking the agreement with Kuma. Bonney has to be rescued.
Vegapunk will play the role of Saul, and the Stella will die protecting Bonney. BUT, Kizaru will play the role of Aokiji, and protect her again. After seeing his friend, the Stella Vegapunk die at Saturn's hands, Kizaru will rescue Bonney, possibly taking a hit for her. Since Vegapunk will be dead, Kizaru's orders will be complete, and he will tell Saturn: "I promised Vegapunk and Kuma that Bonney would not die at her hands. Vegapunk is dead, and I will honor my friend by protecting the girl he gave his life to save."
Ohara ended with two important people dying for Robin, and one of them surviving when thought dead. Stella will die, but Kuma's memories in either Bonney or the Ancient Robot will be placed into S-Bear by the now-dying Kuma, allowing him to live on, like Saul.
I also agree with Joy Boy in that Bonney saving Zoro from attacking Charlos the Celestial Dragon in Sabaody will lead to either Zoro, or Sanji, saving Bonney from Saturn.
Since Sanji doesn't possess CoC (yet), Zoro's needed here, because I think you need CoC to be able to stand up to the Gorosei.
So, Zoro saves Bonney from Saturn/Marines shooting her (probably cuts an arm off that then regenerates), then Zoro and Sanji vs Saturn. Stella gets killed defending Bonney, Kizaru betrays Saturn by saving Bonney, then Kuma and the Giant Robot show up to help. Also, S-Bear might end up helping Bonney if freed, since the Lineage Factor would make S-Bear desire to protect Bonney, the same way S-Snake already loves Luffy.
It's possible Kizaru does die here, but, he's at least getting in serious trouble for saving Bonney after she attacked a Celestial Dragon. But, Kizaru is loyal: he will honor the promise to Kuma to not allow the WG to kill Bonney. Nika freed Kizaru from the burden of having to kill Vegapunk; Kizaru has already been liberated.
What happens after is totally unclear to me, but, we're about to see a lot of people get fucked up trying to save Bonney just like Robin had so many people get fucked up trying to save her.
Kizaru's Narrative Purpose on Egghead
Like many at the beginning of Kizaru vs Luffy, I wanted a full, conclusive fight. The cat and mouse game with Luffy chasing Kizaru and Kizaru chasing Vegapunk disappointed me, and I've been trying to figure out why. Finally, I realized something: I was analyzing the narrative wrong, by putting the desire to see Luffy fight an Admiral over the actual purpose of Kizaru on Egghead.
Kizaru IS NOT the Straw Hat's enemy.
Kizaru is a slave.
This entire arc IS Sabaody 2.0, because it is centered on how everyone is slaves to the WG, and how the WG are the real evil.
Kizaru is a slave forced to attack his friends and kill his friend Vegapunk.
Kuma is a slave who had his own humanity robbed from him.
Vegapunk is a slave who was forced to work for the World Government after MADS was disbanded.
Bonney most likely was a slave at some point, considering her comments about wanting to be free.
The Seraphim? Slaves who can be mind controlled through a control chip in their minds.
Cipher Pol 0? Orphans raised as slaves to serve as spies for the World Government.
Kizaru cannot stand against the Gorosei and Imu; he cannot protect Vegapunk by himself, even if he wanted to. Kizaru WANTS what Luffy is trying to do, and that's why the fight was unsatisfying; Luffy wasn't fighting the villain of this arc.
Saturn states Kizaru's work was slow.
But, more than slow, it was messy. Kizaru had clear chance to kill Vegapunk, and chose to speak with him instead.
In the past, we've seen Kizaru be able to hit moving targets with insane accuracy, even bouncing light off of buildings. In Egghead, Kizaru has always been just a bit too slow to actually kill Vegapunk. "And I don't want to drag it out," the man says WHILE DRAGGING OUT THE ASSASSINATION.
I think Kizaru DOES have Future Sight, and is trying to maintain his status as Admiral, while allowing Vegapunk to be rescued. We know that Kizaru was aware of the Vegaforce 01, the giant robot he blew apart, based on his flashback panel of Vegapunk describing it. Kizaru would know where the cockpit is, that a Vegapunk is piloting it, and also is aware that the Sunny is being carried by it.
Did Kizaru kick Luffy into the cockpit, to try to kill a Vegapunk? Nope.
Did Kizaru kick Luffy into the Sunny, to try to destroy the Straw Hat's ship they need to escape in? Nope.
Kizaru finally gets a clear shot on the Stella, and what happens? He admits he misses.
Kizaru is PHONING IT IN. Maybe he's using CoO/Future Sight to help him know what to do to make it look like he's trying, but, nope, he's not really. Don't believe me? Let's look at the term "Corporate Slave". Corporate Slaves are known as individuals who put loyalty to their organization/company over their own personal life, hurting themselves in the process. They're known to follow orders, but often do so badly, as they don't have the energy or attitude to produce good work.
So, a Corporate Slave is loyal to the company and refuses to leave even if it would make them happier, but produces bad results due to their environment.
What is the only way Kizaru can save Vegapunk, while not disobeying his Master, Saturn, and the WG?
By jobbing. And job he did. Kizaru refuses to betray his orders, so, his only solution is to intentionally fail his mission.
The Tragedy of Ohara Recreated
Next, Zoro or Sanji will save Bonney, but, I believe Vegapunk will also protect her.
While I connect Egghead to Sabaody, the same is true of Ohara. Egghead houses Ohara's research, Vegapunk knows Saul, and, like Ohara, Egghead is about to be destroyed by the WG for researching the Void Century. How did Ohara end? The same way Egghead is ending for Robin. Joy Boy Theories is totally right, Bonney is the Robin of this arc.
Ohara was an island being destroyed via Buster Call for researching the Void Century. On the World Government's side, you had a reluctant WG Official at high rank (Aokiji = Kizaru), a WG Official who has no problem committing mass murder (Akainu = Saturn) and a WG Official who has betrayed the Government in order to defend Ohara's research (Saul = Vegapunk).
The protagonist was a child who desperately missed their parent, who was taken away from them because of the WG (Robin = Bonney). The child's parent dies, but, later, it turns out their other role model (Saul = Kuma) actually lived. The WG Official who betrayed the WG sacrifices themselves to save the child in question, and the reluctant WG Official honors their friend's demise by saving the child, going against their orders.
Since Bonney is a pirate, she should be wanted by the WG. However, Saturn had no problem letting her go. This is because Kuma exchanged his own life for Bonney's freedom, and became a slave/Shichibukai in order to keep her from being enslaved. Kizaru and Sentomaru parallels this, with Kizaru choosing the Government over Sentomaru as a corporate slave, despite being a father figure to him.
However, that's no longer going to slide. Bonney attacked not just a Celestial Dragon, but Saturn. This is why Saturn chose not to dodge: by letting Bonney attack him and break international law in attacking a Celestial Dragon, he can now kill her without breaking the agreement with Kuma. Bonney has to be rescued.
Vegapunk will play the role of Saul, and the Stella will die protecting Bonney. BUT, Kizaru will play the role of Aokiji, and protect her again. After seeing his friend, the Stella Vegapunk die at Saturn's hands, Kizaru will rescue Bonney, possibly taking a hit for her. Since Vegapunk will be dead, Kizaru's orders will be complete, and he will tell Saturn: "I promised Vegapunk and Kuma that Bonney would not die at her hands. Vegapunk is dead, and I will honor my friend by protecting the girl he gave his life to save."
Ohara ended with two important people dying for Robin, and one of them surviving when thought dead. Stella will die, but Kuma's memories in either Bonney or the Ancient Robot will be placed into S-Bear by the now-dying Kuma, allowing him to live on, like Saul.
I also agree with Joy Boy in that Bonney saving Zoro from attacking Charlos the Celestial Dragon in Sabaody will lead to either Zoro, or Sanji, saving Bonney from Saturn.
Since Sanji doesn't possess CoC (yet), Zoro's needed here, because I think you need CoC to be able to stand up to the Gorosei.
So, Zoro saves Bonney from Saturn/Marines shooting her (probably cuts an arm off that then regenerates), then Zoro and Sanji vs Saturn. Stella gets killed defending Bonney, Kizaru betrays Saturn by saving Bonney, then Kuma and the Giant Robot show up to help. Also, S-Bear might end up helping Bonney if freed, since the Lineage Factor would make S-Bear desire to protect Bonney, the same way S-Snake already loves Luffy.
It's possible Kizaru does die here, but, he's at least getting in serious trouble for saving Bonney after she attacked a Celestial Dragon. But, Kizaru is loyal: he will honor the promise to Kuma to not allow the WG to kill Bonney. Nika freed Kizaru from the burden of having to kill Vegapunk; Kizaru has already been liberated.
What happens after is totally unclear to me, but, we're about to see a lot of people get fucked up trying to save Bonney just like Robin had so many people get fucked up trying to save her.
