This is seen in this chapter in how she addressed him not as Father, but as Kaido:
Kaido himself comments on this:
Because Kaido was willing to kill her, she decided that she no longer cares for his life. Without remorse, she declares “Let my Father die”:
And now, she’s come to finally severe all connections with him:
Interlude
Yamato’s battle with Kaido is a battle for freedom. She has been imprisoned for at least 20 years (and potentially much longer. Kaido may have chained her life from the very moment she was born). This is her time to finally break free of Kaido. Not only of the physical shackles that Luffy removed but also of the shackles that bind her heart and the control Kaido has placed over the course of her life.
This is a battle for self-determination. Yamato rejects Kaido’s control and dominance over her life and seeks to take charge of her own fate. This is seen in Yamato’s response to Kaido declaring that he will make her Shogun:
This is the most important decision of Yamato’s life and is one that she is taking as herself. Not as Kozuki Oden, but as Yamato. She shall cease charge of her own life. She’ll reach for her freedom.
That’s why she declares to the man she used to call Father:
Closing Remarks
This is a battle with a meaningful narrative. This is the climax of Yamato’s character arc. This is the conclusion of Yamato’s tale in Onigashima. If this isn’t her main fight, then what is? What can it be?
What fight could compare in narrative weight? What fight could be as meaningful for Yamato’s character (and the broader One Piece story) as this? What fight could be as impactful?
How do you exceed a battle for self-determination? A battle to cease charge of your own fate and forge your own destiny? A battle for the right to decide the course of your life?
Against Kaido, Yamato is fighting for her very soul.
Whether Yamato prevails against Kaido or not, this is the single most important battle of her life; she shall never again have a fight with such deeply personal stakes.
*by Cinera
