There is something about Kaido that has always bugged me in relation to SMILEs: he’s not the scheming type, he’s more of a bruiser (though that’s not to say he isn’t intelligent). Shiki, however, is the scheming type. Scheming is one of the things Oda hammers home about Shiki in Chapter 0 (which is basically the only canon stuff we have for the guy), he has “a plan”, he spent Chapter 0 talking about it constantly.
Doflamingo is a schemer as well, but something worth noting is that while Doflamingo was the Manufacturer of SMILEs, that doesn’t necessarily mean he was the one who had the SAD formula made or even was the one who came up with the plan for their use in the first place.
Something interesting to note is that, similarly to my earlier statement: Strong World isn’t canon, but Chapter 0 is; and if Chapter 0 is canon, then this creates a problem.
Chapter 0 sets up a plot thread that goes nowhere – Shiki’s Plan to “Show the World Hell.”
In Chapter 0, Dr. Indigo tells Shiki that the life on Merveille has a unique dynamic between Plants and Animals that they can use, and that the plan will take about 20 years to bring into fruition (though he first estimates 10, then 15, years before settling on 20).
So, to cut to the chase: I believe the real inventor of the SAD formula is very likely Dr. Indigo, possibly involving IQ and SIQ, though Caesar (also working for Shiki) is still the only guy who can make the stuff because of his abilities. Anything Law said originally about the creation of SMILEs can be treated with a certain amount of suspicion, not because he’s untrustworthy, but because he’s not in a position of authority on the matter.
What would Law know about the SMILE plot, really? He was only part of the conspiracy for a short time, wasn’t that friendly with Caesar, and it’s highly likely Caesar is willing to take credit for stuff he didn’t do even if Law asked about the SAD formula (especially if the real creator has a vested interest in keeping their identity secret).
There are some things to note:
- Kurozumi Higurashi had Shiki in her Mane-Mane no Mi repertoire. She also knew what Devil Fruits were, well enough to be able to refer to them as their actual name.
- A man who is clearly Shiki visited Crocus shortly after the Timeskip started; while the hair is shorter, it’s otherwise the same and the clothing is near identical (a striped kimono).
- When we saw the silhouettes of the Rocks Pirates, the people included were Xebec, Newgate, Linlin, Kaido and Shiki, though Shiki is hard to notice since he’s behind Kaido.
- Several of the sub-groups in the Beast Pirates are named for things in the sky.
- The All-Stars
- The Flying Six
- The On-Air Pirates
- The Drake Pirates (“Drake” is another word for Dragon)
- Kaido is a Dragon, and Doflamingo is the “Heavenly Demon”, both are able to “fly” in an unorthodox way by using clouds as platforms. Doflamingo is even themed after a bird.
- One could say that Kaido and Doflamingo’s strange “flight” could represent them being lesser than their boss, Shiki, who can fly properly.
- Big Mom can also “fly” by riding on Zeus, another “flight by riding on Clouds”. By entering into an alliance with Kaido she’s allied herself with Shiki by proxy.
- Like Kaido, Doflamingo had multiple fliers on his crew:
- Caesar (by becoming helium)
- Monet (her harpy wings)
- Vergo (he knew Moon Walk)
- Buffalo (his rotation ability)
- Baby 5 (she can turn into a missile)
- Diamante (by becoming a “cape”)
- The last time we saw Apoo before the Timeskip, he was on an island with strange giant pigs, running off a cliff caused him to float in the air, maybe this was Merveille? Oda never actually said Merveille was an island in Paradise in Chapter 0, just that it was “A Island somewhere in the Grand Line”. Bege might also have been taken in by Shiki.
- Finally, Luffy himself learned how to fly (or at least demonstrated the ability) when he unveiled Gear Fourth: Boundman in his fight against Doflamingo. This would be very helpful fighting against a man who can fly, especially if Shiki has an awakened Devil Fruit and can make things float without touching them, or create localized fields of Zero Gravity.
