WARNING: The following contains spoilers for One Piece Episode 955, "A New Alliance?! Kaido’s Army Gathers!," now streaming on Crunchyroll and Funimation.
One Piece Episode 955 reveals key members of the impending Wano Rebellion strategizing and organizing. Kin'emon adds extra detail to the secret symbol in order to communicate a new meeting point, and several of Hyogoro's allies go about tasks like transporting weapons, gathering more fighters, and repairing the ships at Itachi port.
But as the day draws nearer and the Scabbards and the Straw Hats convene, trouble looms on the horizon in the form of an unexpected alliance. At Onigashima the two Emperors, Kaido and Big Mom, reveal that they have agreed to team up -- a move that could rock the entire One Piece world to its very core.
Kaido and Big Mom are both powerhouses on their own. Respected and feared throughout the seas, their names are held in the same regard as the Red-Haired Shanks and the late Whitebeard, and their crewmembers are notorious in their own rights. When two forces, such as the Animal Kingdom Pirates and the Big Mom Pirates, come together and their captains set their sights on the entire world, it's going to take a whole lot of strength, strategy and skill to stop them.
Kaido & Big Mom Are Aiming For World Domination
In the age of piracy, becoming as renowned as Kaido or Big Mom is no small feat. Both are respected captains of massive crews; powerful Devil Fruit users and are incredibly skilled combatants -- clearly demonstrated by the two during their destructive battle in previous episodes. What is also noteworthy, and sets them apart from other pirates, is how far their leadership extends. Big Mom and Kaido aren't just captains of ships or fleets; rather, both of them control entire countries. Totto Land is known territory of the Big Mom pirates, and in Wano, it's no secret that Kaido is behind Orochi's corrupt rule.
Viewers would think that on their own they'd have plenty, and allying with one another may do little more than create a power struggle between the two Emperors. While this is certainly hinted at, considering Kaido's mention that eventually the two will go back to killing each other, Big Mom mentions that world domination is their first goal, and between the two of them and the incredible amount of resources they have access to, that goal may very well be as easy as they make it sound to achieve.
Things Are Much More Dangerous For The Straw Hats & Their Allies
As the Straw Hats prepare to take part in the assault on Onigashima, Kaido's fortress, they have no idea that another one of their enemies has, in fact, allied with Kaido. It's worth remembering that while the Straw Hats were able to best several members of Big Mom's crew, they weren't able to actually defeat the Emperor herself -- instead, fleeing from her while she rampaged. More recently, fans will remember that Luffy was dealt a decisive defeat at the hands of Kaido. Considering that the Straw Hats don't exactly have the best record against these two Emperors means bad news when it's time to finally face them again.
What may be even more concerning is the safety of the Straw Hat allies. While it's probably safe to assume that the Red Scabbards are powerful, one can't help but wonder if they're powerful enough to take on one Emperor of the Sea, let alone two. The Red Scabbards certainly harbor a deep hatred for Kaido, but if Luffy was taken out with a single strike, it's troubling to think of what Kaido could do to literally anyone else.
If the Straw Hats and their allies aren't able to contain this alliance, the world will surely be at the mercy of Big Mom and Kaido. In order to be successful, they'll have to fight at levels that they've never fought at before, and while it may seem like an insurmountable task, viewers will at least know one thing: the Straw Hats never back down from a challenge.
