User blog comment:Juraquille Mihawk/Rayleigh, your era is over./@comment-3060121-20110318020946

I think that rayleigh understood the significance of the battle and what it stood for. As a piece of the old era he knew it wasn't his place to join in the battle. Also think about it, Rayleigh and Red Hair coming to aide Whitebeard. It kinda makes you think that he isn't strong enough to defend himself. Plus I think that rayleigh is a believer in fate and wanted to watch how things turned out.