Of the dynamic collection of twelve that makes up the Worst Generation in One Piece, three stood out in particular as the faces of a new age of piracy. Monkey D. Luffy, the dreamer and protagonist, Trafalgar D. Water Law, the reserved schemer, and finally Eustass Kid, known to the world as a violent and ambitious pirate captain. Kid was portrayed to fans as the most ruthless and callous of the three, further increasing his bounty due to his brutality with the innocent before the time-skip.
Unfortunately for Kid, his time on the stage was limited in comparison with Luffy and Law. Luffy naturally steals the show as One Piece’s main character, but Law made an alliance with Luffy in Punk Hazard and remained prevalent alongside the Straw Hats, all the way up to the end of the “Wano” arc. Law’s characterization and history were explored, offering a further insight into his motivations, but Kid was not given even half of the same attention. That being said, his relationship with his first mate, Killer, offered more than met the eye.
Kid and Killer’s Bond Since the Beginning of One Piece
Many of One Piece’s more violent and vicious pirate captains seem to have less concern for the welfare or opinions of their suboardinates. When a particular group is defeated, the leader tends to see it as disrespect to themselves or a result of weak underlings, rather than concern about the distress and pain caused to their crew. Kid was shown to be fearful of his crew’s wellbeing in Wano, even if he hid it behind his anger and brash nature; learning and avenging Killer’s fate was high on his priority list. Kid’s reaction was one of tears, a call of vengeance and a vow to kill any who mocked his best friend. Their relationship was the bond of a lifetime, clearly meaning the world to Kid.
Killer may be under Kid in the crew’s official hierarchy — with loyalty that matches that of Zoro to Luffy — but Killer is never treated as a simple subordinate. Kid refers to Killer as his partner, even risking his own life to rescue his friend without a second thought. The importance of this shows that Kid is not only driven by violence and power; his emotional bond with his friend is more important to him than his own dream. As Luffy once said to Sanji that he could not become Pirate King without him, it is evident through Kid’s relationship that he would consider the same truth had he lost Killer in Wano.
Why It Is Important for One Piece to Expand on Kid
Unlike the rest of the Worst Generation — barring Luffy, Law and Blackbeard — Kid has shown to have a dream and the drive to achieve it. Like Luffy, he wants to become the Pirate King, setting him up as a direct rival to the protagonist. While Law wishes to learn the history of the world through locating Laugh Tale and the One Piece, his motivations do not directly oppose Luffy. For Kid to be a direct challenger to the hero’s final goal, being a simple bloodthirsty pirate lacks the presence that a character with such a role requires.
One Piece’s “Wano” arc offered an opportunity for viewers to really delve into Kid’s mind. At first glance, it is not as obvious as some others due to Kid’s explosive personality revolving around anger and destruction. Many of his internal thoughts are hidden by his temperament.
When his moments of reflection are present, however, they mainly came through tearful expressions concerning the condition of Killer after he consumes the Smile Fruit, the desperation of his crew’s safety, and through Killer’s loyalty and teamwork with his captain. Kid is shown to be more than a one-dimensional rival to Luffy and is hinted to have the same love for his crew, the drive to achieve his dream, and a wider personality that expands beyond carnage.
