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A large, wooden raft with dark sails approaches the Straw Hat Pirates’ ship with a large man yelling to the Going Merry’s passengers. He claims to have come to defeat Monkey D. Luffy and the Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro and take their bounties.
However, a blast of water sends the Going Merry upwards, cutting their conversation short. Soon, though, Luffy will meet this man in much grimmer circumstances. Cut to the present, and this man became one of the most powerful pirates on the seas. He became a part of the Four Emperors, and his influence reached far and wide.
He has acquired fierce pirates to be a part of his crew. He even acquired Whitebeard’s Devil Fruit! Throughout the story, he has turned the tides of history again and again. This frightful man is Marshall D. Teach, also known as Blackbeard.
Blackbeard is a curious character in One Piece; he carries the mysterious initial “D,” and he has the same jovial and adventurous spirit as Luffy, but he is one of the series’ looming villains that our protagonist will have to defeat to progress in becoming the Pirate King.
Despite being a villain, many fans love his character. If you are curious to find out more about him, this guide will help you in your journey.
Bottom Line Up Front
Marshall D. Teach, also known as Blackbeard, is one of the Four Emperors and the Blackbeard Pirates’ admiral. He is the only known pirate who managed to acquire two Devil Fruit powers at once.
Luffy sees him as a threat since he is responsible for his brother’s, Portgas D. Ace’s, capture by the Marines. He served as the antagonist on many occasions.
- Real Name: Marshall D. Teach
- Epithet: Blackbeard
- Bounty: 2,247,600,000 Belly
- First appearance: Chapter 223 (manga); episode 146 (anime)
- Age: 38 (during his first appearance); 40 (after the time skip)
- Birthday: August 3
- Height: 11’3½” (344 cm)
- Devil Fruit
- Yami Yami no Mi (Dark-Dark Fruit)
- Gura Gura no Mi (Tremor-Tremor Fruit)
Who Is Blackbeard from One Piece?
Blackbeard is currently one of the Four Emperors and the Blackbeard Pirates’ admiral. He used to be a pirate in the Whitebeard Pirates’ second division but ultimately defected by killing one of his fellow pirates, Thatch, to get the Yami Yami no Mi from him.
He set out to sea to gather his crew and form the Blackbeard Pirates. Later on, he defeated Portgas D. Ace and surrendered him to the Marines. This act gave him a seat on the Seven Warlords of the Sea. However, he resigned after going to Impel Down and wreaking havoc to gather strong prisoners for his crew.
During the Summit War at Marineford, he stole the Gura Gura no Mi from Whitebeard through unknown means. During the two-year time skip, he became one of the Four Emperors because of these events. During his reign as one of the Four Emperors during the time skip, he conquered many of the former Emperor Whitebeard’s territories. He used to be a part of their crew, so he knows the ins and outs of his lands.
He turned Hachinosu, also known as Pirate Island or Pirate Paradise, into his base of operations. His first encounter with Luffy started as a friendly debate about pies, but their goals were misaligned.
What does Blackbeard from One Piece Look Like?
Blackbeard is extremely tall with dark skin and a massive build. His body is round, yet his limbs are thin, and his big mouth has several broken or missing teeth. His nose is tall and crooked, and his chest and torso are large and hairy.
True to his name, he has a scruffy black beard which grows increasingly as the story progresses. Currently, his beard reaches his belly. Before the time skip, it was relatively small.
Blackbeard’s Look Before the Time Skip
His hair is black, long, and thick and falls down his neck’s back. He sports a bandana of varying styles on his head. In his first appearance, he wore a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up paired with green trousers.
He also wore a yellow sash on his waist, black boots, and bronze knuckles. When he and Ace clashed on Banaro Island, he added a large coat of black and gold along with white beads on his wrists. His fingers had rings complete with gemstones, and over time, his body got littered with all sorts of jewelry. He eventually added a pair of red necklaces, yellow and blue beads on his sash, and a black tricorn hat on his head.
He then changed to a redshirt while still retaining his coat. Along with his attire are three flintlocks and a flask which he tied to his sash.
Blackbeard’s Look after the Time Skip
His appearance after the time skip greatly changed, as his beard is now long and split into multiple sections with hair ties. He wears golden hoop earrings, and he changed his bandana to a yellow one with red polka dots. He also changed his shirt to a purple one underneath his coat. Red and white feathers and a purple flower adorn his hat, and an orange plume decorates his coat. He also wears sunglasses.
How Powerful is Blackbeard in One Piece?
Blackbeard is an extremely strong pirate. He became a part of the Whitebeard Pirates and turned down the position of commander, showing that his strength could be fit for the seat.
He became a captain of his own crew, and later on, he would become an admiral as he turned his crew into a fleet. He managed to defeat Portgas D. Ace, Gol D. Roger’s son, and Monkey D. Luffy’s and Sabo’s foster brother. He also successfully infiltrated Impel Down, the toughest prison that even the most hardened criminals would have difficulty escaping.
His strength increased after acquiring Whitebeard’s Devil Fruit, the Gura Gura no Mi. He knows how to fight and utilize both of his Devil Fruit powers properly, and the Marines even recognized his strength by giving him a seat at being one of the Four Emperors.
His physical abilities shine brightly during fights as he has shown tremendous and superhuman endurance and durability, as well as immense physical strength.
He took on Whitebeard’s attacks and Ace’s flames while being pierced in the chest by two fire spears. He also sent Luffy and Ace flying back. According to Marco, Blackbeard has a unique body structure. Rumors float that he does not sleep at all.
Can Blackbeard Use Haki in One Piece?
Being one of the Four Emperors, it is very likely that he has control of all three forms of Haki. However, throughout the series, he used only two forms, mainly his Kenbunshoku Haki, also known as Observation Haki or Color of the Observation Haki, and Busoshoku Haki, also known as Armament Haki or the Color of Arms Haki.
It has not been confirmed if he can use Conqueror’s Haki as of yet.
He used Observation Haki to observe that Luffy’s Haki improved a lot since their previous meeting in Jaya. While the series did not show him using Armament Haki, official information via the Vivre Card reveals that Blackbeard is capable of it.
What is Blackbeard’s Weapon in One Piece?
Blackbeard occasionally uses claws attached to his hand, and Shanks even hints that Blackbeard gave him the scars over his eye using his claw weapons. He also uses a flintlock pistol as he finishes off Whitebeard, accompanied by his other crew members. However, he has not shown himself using them during a serious fight yet, as he relies more on his Devil Fruit powers.
What is Blackbeard’s Devil Fruit in One Piece?
Blackbeard has two Devil Fruits: The Yami Yami no Mi (Dark-Dark Fruit in English) and Gura Gura no Mi (Tremor-Tremor Fruit in English). During his stay in Whitebeard’s crew, he did not have a Devil Fruit.
He murdered Thatch, a fellow pirate, to get the Yami Yami no Mi. During the Summit War at Marineford, he acquired the Gura Gura no Mi from Whitebeard’s dead body through unknown means.
Blackbeard’s Yami Yami no Mi in One Piece
The Yami Yami no Mi is a Logia-type Devil Fruit that grants Blackbeard the ability to create and control his body to darkness. The darkness is shown as clouds of black smoke, and unlike normal Logia users, he does not become intangible.
Instead, he takes more damage from attacks than normal because of his Devil Fruit. An infinite amount of space resides within him that is made of darkness. The power’s main strength is its gravity and absorption, as the darkness can pull things towards it like a black hole. Blackbeard can also release things from his body’s darkness if he chooses to.
Another side effect of the Yami Yami no Mi is that it can negate other people’s Devil Fruit if Blackbeard remains in physical contact with the user. Fans think that the darkness absorbs the user’s Devil Fruit powers.
Blackbeard’s Gura Gura no Mi in One Piece
The Gura Gura no Mi is a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit that grants Blackbeard the ability to make powerful earthquakes and shockwaves. According to the author, it is the strongest among the Paramecia Devil Fruits.
Blackbeard can create shockwaves that can crack the air. These tremors can also block incoming attacks and change the surroundings due to the aftermath of the earthquakes and shockwaves.
What is Blackbeard’s Personality in One Piece?
Blackbeard has shown feats of courage but at the same time cowardice, possibly from being cautious due to the nature of his Devil Fruit.
He is a deceptive and highly-strategic pirate, as he tricked the Marines into letting him join the Seven Warlords of the Sea, only for him to use the opportunity to infiltrate Impel Down. Another showcase of his deception is when he kills his fellow crewmate Thatch.
Like Luffy, he also wants to become the Pirate King, though, unlike Luffy, he hungers for power to get to his goal. Like Luffy, he prioritizes his crewmates’ well-being and is extremely adventurous.
He carries the Will of D., so he values fate and the dreams of men. He has a big appetite and is carefree and ambitious as he wants to find the One Piece. He is generally amoral as he does not hold grudges against anyone.
Blackbeard’s History in One Piece
When Blackbeard was 12, the orphan met Whitebeard’s crew and asked to join them, to which they agreed. However, Blackbeard’s true ambitions were to find the Yami Yami no Mi and become the Pirate King. He thought that joining their crew would increase his chances of finding it. He witnessed many important events, such as Shiki’s meeting with Whitebeard after his escape from Impel Down.
The crew offered him the commander position, but he declined it. When fourth division commander Thatch found the Yami Yami no Mi, he murdered him and stole the fruit.
He then fled from the ship and gathered a crew of his own. Ace, hungry for revenge, hunted him down despite Whitebeard’s hesitation. During this time, Blackbeard met Laffitte, Van Augur, Jesus Burgess, and Doc Q with his horse Stronger.
Laffitte became the crew’s navigator, Van Augur became the crew’s sniper, Jesus Burgess became the crew’s helmsman, and Doc Q became the crew’s doctor. Before meeting with Luffy in Jaya, Blackbeard came across the Drum Kingdom and attacked it. This attack forced its king, Wapol, to flee. After Wapol fled his kingdom, it became liberated, and they elected a new leader.
Blackbeard in the Jaya Arc in One Piece
Blackbeard’s first appearance in One Piece and first encounter with Luffy took place on Mock Town, Jaya. Both of them sat in a bar eating pie, eventually arguing about its quality. Later on, Luffy and Zoro got beat up by Bellamy. Blackbeard noticed the commotion and told Nami that Skypiea existed. He expressed that even though Luffy and Zoro got beat up, they won the fight.
He then yelled out that the upcoming “new age” does not exist because the age where pirates dream will never fade away. He then wished the Straw Hat Pirates good luck on their adventure. As the crew departed to Skypiea, Blackbeard planned on capturing Luffy and Zoro, as they had received a bounty from defeating Crocodile. However, their conversation was cut short as their ship went up to the sky.
Blackbeard in the Post-Enies Lobby Arc in One Piece
While pillaging a town on Banaro Island, Blackbeard met Ace, who came looking for him for revenge. He tried to invite Ace to his crew and kill Luffy, but Ace declined the offer. Blackbeard explained his intentions in joining Whitebeard’s crew and his aim for the Yami Yami no Mi. He also explains that the Devil Fruit is special, demonstrating his powers to Ace. Eventually, their battle commenced.
Blackbeard explained that his Devil Fruit absorbs everything, including hits from enemies. However, he also revealed that it could neutralize an enemy’s Devil Fruit if he remains in physical contact with his target. The clash continued on until, eventually, Blackbeard won the fight and surrendered Ace to the Marines. This would, later on, trigger the Summit War at Marineford.
Blackbeard in the Impel Down Arc in One Piece
After surrendering Ace, Blackbeard became part of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. He attended the Marines’ call, and later on, he and his crew would go to Impel Down. He attacked the jailers to head to Level Six. Eventually, they meet with Luffy and his newly-found allies at Level Four as they try to escape the prison. Luffy recognized Blackbeard as the person he met in Jaya and defeated Ace.
Luffy tried to fight him, but they ultimately broke out the fight since Luffy needed to save his strength to save Ace. They went on their separate ways, wherein Blackbeard faced Magellan, who was trying to pursue Luffy. Magellan easily defeated the Blackbeard Pirates using his poison, but thanks to Shiryu, the ex-Head Jailer turned criminal, they survived with an antidote. Shiryu would then join Blackbeard’s crew.
As Blackbeard arrived on Level Six, he invited everyone to join his crew by freeing them and letting them fight each other to the death.
The remaining prisoners would, later on, become part of Blackbeard’s crew, namely Sanjuan Wolf, Avalo Pizarro, Vasco Shot, and Catarina Devon. They then left the prison and headed to Marineford in the middle of the Summit War.
Blackbeard in the Marineford Arc in One Piece
Blackbeard arrived on Marineford with his expanded crew, and they fought Whitebeard, who was on the brink of dying. While Whitebeard put up a fight, he eventually died standing up.
He also told Blackbeard that he was not the person Roger was waiting for. After his death, his crew covered Whitebeard’s body with a cloth while Blackbeard went inside. After a while, he possessed the Gura Gura no Mi. He tried to use his new power but had difficulties controlling it. He flaunted it by trying to sink the island, much to his crew’s disapproval.
The crew had a brief clash with Sengoku and Garp, who plan on defending Marineford. When Shanks and his crew arrived to stop the war, he decided to leave Marineford, proclaiming that it was not the day to fight the Red Hair Pirates.
Blackbeard in the Post-War Arc in One Piece
Blackbeard moved to the New World. He fought with Jewelry Bonney, one of the Supernovas, alongside Luffy and Zoro and won the clash.
Their raft had collapsed thanks to Sanjuan Wolf, though they made a deal with the Marines; in exchange for Jewelry Bonney, they would give his crew a battleship. However, the deal would not happen as the Marines arrived with Akainu on board. They immediately left.
Blackbeard During the Time Skip in One Piece
A year after the Summit War at Marineford, Blackbeard and his crew participated in the war known as the Payback War. Its purpose was to take revenge on Blackbeard for his actions against Whitebeard, and fighting him were the remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates led by Marco.
However, Blackbeard emerged victoriously, and thanks to his victory, he was granted the new title of being one of the Four Emperors.
Blackbeard used his knowledge while being a part of Whitebeard’s crew to claim Whitebeard’s territories. Because of his knowledge, he found it easy to conquer them during the time skip. Over time, his crew grew, and so he changed it into a fleet. He was no longer the captain; instead, he became the admiral.
Blackbeard in the Dressrosa Arc in One Piece
Blackbeard had sent one of his captains, Jesus Burgess, to fight in Dressrosa’s tournament to claim the Mera Mera no Mi, Ace’s Devil Fruit. Luffy overheard him talking with Burgess about the possibility of having former-admiral Kuzan join his crew.
Burgess acknowledged Luffy’s presence and let Blackbeard talk to him. As Blackbeard taunted Luffy that Burgess would get the Devil Fruit, Luffy rejected the idea.
Blackbeard in the Four Emperors Saga
As Luffy and his gang went to rescue Sanji from Big Mom, they found out that Blackbeard had attacked Baltigo, the Revolutionary Army’s headquarters. The Revolutionary Army escaped, and after a brief clash with Cipher Pol, the Blackbeard Pirates also escaped.
Later on, Blackbeard read about Luffy’s adventure in Totto Land on the paper, laughing and stating that it would be too soon for Luffy to be an Emperor. While the war on the Wano Country occurred, Gecko Moria arrived at Pirate’s Paradise searching for Blackbeard. He suspected that he had something to do with Absalom’s disappearance.
Blackbeard offered Moria a seat in his crew while talking about the events in Wano and Levely. He then ordered his crew to set sail as he planned on getting something before the Marines could do it first.
Fun Facts about Blackbeard in One Piece
Blackbeard is a quirky character, and some information about him does not come from the show directly. Instead, we know his character through other means like the Vivre Card or answers from Oda to questions by the reader. Here are some fun facts about Blackbeard in One Piece.
- According to Oda, One Piece’s author, Blackbeard is his favorite pirate in real life.
- Blackbeard’s favorite food is cherry pie and kebab.
- Kuma exclaims that Blackbeard’s bounty was “zero” during his meeting with Gecko Moria to discuss Crocodile’s replacement. Official information later came out that Blackbeard was indeed a wanted man by the Marines, but they would not give a monetary reward for his capture or death. So, Blackbeard became the pirate with the lowest bounty in One Piece.
- Blackbeard is the only person known to be both a part of the Seven Warlords of the Sea and the Four Emperors.
- Oda initially named Blackbeard as Everything D. Teach, but he scrapped the idea.
- Going with official information, Blackbeard is the only Emperor that does not have Conqueror’s Haki.
- Blackbeard’s name comes from the real-life infamous pirate Blackbeard, also known as Edward Teach.
- Blackbeard’s birthday is a reference to his Devil Fruit. When written in Japanese, you can interpret “ya-mi” as eight and three.
- Oda stated that if One Piece was set in the real world, Blackbeard would come from Somalia.
- If Blackbeard did not pursue piracy, he would be an archeologist.
- Blackbeard loves gambling and researching history.
- If Blackbeard was a flower, he would be a Red Spider Lily.
- If Blackbeard was an animal, he would be a hippopotamus.
Blackbeard Quotes in One Piece
Despite being a villain, Blackbeard is an incredibly interesting character. He has similar traits to Luffy, but he is the real-life imitation of a pirate: cunning, deceptive, and strategic. Here are some quotes from Blackbeard that made fans love him even more.
- “This ‘new era’ they talk about is nonsense. The age where pirates’ dreams are over?! Eh?! Oi! Zehahahaha! People’s dreams… will never die!”
- “Let them laugh! When you aim high, you sometimes come across fights not worth fighting.”
- “Stop your blabbering about good and evil, because no matter where you look in this world, you won’t find an answer.”
- “The gravity of darkness that returns all to nothingness… and the power of earthquakes that destroys everything… I’ve obtained it at last! Now, nobody is a match for me!”
- “What power! It feels like I could control everything in the world at my whim!”
- “Emperor? It’s too soon for you to be called that…!”
- “It’s already begun. In order to sit on the throne, the tough ones are crushing each other!”
FAQs
Question: What Ethnicity is Blackbeard in One Piece?
Answer: Blackbeard’s ethnicity, if he lived on Earth, would be Somalian. However, in One Piece, his ethnicity is not stated.
Question: What Nationality is Blackbeard in One Piece?
Answer: Oda stated that if Blackbeard was to live on Earth, he would come from Somalia.
Question: Is Blackbeard Human in One Piece?
Answer: Blackbeard appears to be human despite his large build. However, there have been multiple times wherein Blackbeard’s real identity was questioned.
For example, Marco stated that Blackbeard’s body is built differently. During the Jaya Arc, Luffy and Zoro noticed that Blackbeard should not be referred to as a “he” but as “they.”
Question: Who did Blackbeard Kill in One Piece?
Answer: Blackbeard has possibly killed a lot of civilians directly and indirectly during his pillages. He was responsible for Ace’s death because he defeated him and sent him to the Marines. He was also directly responsible for Whitebeard’s death as he and his crew attacked him in his dying state.
Question: Can Blackbeard Sleep in One Piece?
Answer: It is not confirmed if Blackbeard can sleep or not, but according to rumors by Buggy, Blackbeard cannot sleep due to unknown reasons.
Question: Is Blackbeard Dead in One Piece?
Answer: no, Blackbeard is not dead. As of the latest chapter, he resides in Pirate’s Paradise, serving as his base of operations.
He went to Baltigo to ransack the Revolutionary Army’s headquarters yet escaped from the Marines’ clutches after a brief fight with Cipher Pol. Now, he plans on sailing away to get an unknown thing before the Marines can do it first.
Question: Is Blackbeard Evil in One Piece?
Answer: Blackbeard served as the antagonist on many occasions, especially since he defeated Ace, Luffy’s brother, and sent him to the Marines to be executed. To some fans, Blackbeard is not evil because he does not believe in morality.
However, to some, Blackbeard is an evil person for being hungry for power. It is incredibly subjective to assume that Blackbeard is an evil person.
Blackbeard One Piece Guide: Conclusion
Blackbeard is a strong pirate, and he could possibly be among the strongest pirates. After all, he is part of the Four Emperors on the same liege as Kaidou, the world’s “strongest creature,” Big Mom, and Shanks. He became part of the Four Emperors in a relatively short span of time. He can take hits from Ace, Luffy, and Whitebeard even though his Devil Fruit makes him more vulnerable to attacks.
To some fans, Blackbeard may be the strongest character in One Piece because of his two Devil Fruit powers. He is the only known person to have two powers without dying, and he can use them effectively in battle. Plus, these two Devil Fruits are immensely powerful. People consider the Yami Yami no Mi to be the most powerful Logia Devil Fruit and the Gura Gura no Mi to be the most powerful Paramecia Devil Fruit.
Meanwhile, fans do not believe that Blackbeard is the strongest in One Piece. He has to compete with Kaidou to compare their powers since Kaidou is said to be the winner every time in a one-on-one fight. Furthermore, Kaidou failed to die numerous times, and he has earned himself the title of the world’s “strongest creature.” Big Mom is also a beast in her own right, for she has been powerful ever since she was a child.
Ultimately, Luffy would eventually clash paths with Blackbeard if he was to pursue his dream of Pirate King. Both of them want to find the One Piece, so there is a huge possibility for them to fight. Until then, it is hard to determine who is the strongest.