How powerful is Blackbeard in One Piece? Discover his abilities, role as an Emperor, and whether he’ll be Luffy’s final rival.
One Piece is filled with intriguing characters on the sides of the good guys as well as the bad guys. However, very few can match the dominance and menace of Marshall D. Teach, better known as Blackbeard. While he became popular around the same time as Luffy, Blackbeard is infamous for his evil acts in the series.
At the same time, his recognition is not undeserved, as Blackbeard has the skills to back it up. So, how powerful is Blackbeard in One Piece?
Blackbeard is one of the strongest characters in One Piece and also possesses an extremely dangerous Devil Fruit in the series. Let us take a closer look at this.
Who Is Blackbeard in One Piece
As the captain of the Blackbeard Pirates, Blackbeard is a mysterious character who causes chaos throughout the series. His dangerous ambition and never-ending thirst for greatness have made him a formidable antagonist in One Piece.
Originally a member of Whitebeard’s crew, Blackbeard killed Thatch and betrayed his allies all for the sake of stealing the Dark-Dark Fruit. Believing in the abilities of his new Devil Fruit, he proceeds to form his own pirate crew and breaks into Impel Down for stronger members.
By capturing Ace and handing him over to the World Government, Blackbeard gets awarded the position of a Warlord of the Sea. His exploits don’t stop there, as he played a huge role in killing Whitebeard during the Marineford War.
Following this, he wiped out most of Whitebeard’s crew and started capturing his territories, not caring whether his opponents were Marines, pirates, or innocent people. Blackbeard has finally become one of the Four Emperors of the Sea.
The main reason why Blackbeard is so unique is his personality. He changes based on the situation and seems both cowardly and brave. He is extremely unpredictable and cunning, making him the most dangerous kind of villain.
Will Blackbeard Be the Final Antagonist in One Piece
There have been several theories on the final antagonist of One Piece. These have ranged from Imu to even Shanks. However, an equally likely outcome would be that Blackbeard is the last obstacle in One Piece.
This is not because he is the exact opposite of Luffy, but because he shares so much in common with the protagonist and takes different steps to achieve his goals. Both Luffy and Blackbeard live life carefreely and search for independence. They share distinctive laughs and hope to become the Pirate King.
The two of them also carry the Will of D and are destined to be impactful characters to the very end. However, for Luffy to achieve his goals, he attracts others with his noble acts and loyalty. Blackbeard, on the other hand, uses deceit, manipulation, and every trick in the book to come out victorious.
By sensing the mood of the situation, he can convince competent individuals to join him as well. Recognizing Aokiji’s use, Blackbeard appealed to the former Admiral’s personality and made him join his ranks. This helps them capture Garp later.
Additionally, Blackbeard and Luffy carry Devil Fruits that are inherently different from the other abilities in the series. All these factors seem to foreshadow a legendary final battle between these two characters.
Blackbeard’s Abilities and Powers
Blackbeard currently has a bounty of 3,996,000,000 Berries, the second highest among the Emperors. His strength in the series matches up to this value as he has a wide range of abilities.
1) Devil Fruits
Blackbeard is the only character in the series to have two Devil Fruits. His original one is the Dark-Dark Fruit, allowing him to use gravity and also nullify the powers of others. His darkness can replicate a black hole and endlessly pull targets in.
During the Marineford Arc, Blackbeard came to possess Whitebeard’s Quake-Quake Fruit. While the reason for this is not revealed, it is believed to be due to his unique body. This helps him create cracks in the air, make huge tremors, and even cause artificial earthquakes. He does not have complete control over it yet, but the Devil Fruit is assumed to have enough power to destroy the entire world.
2) Haki
The antagonist can use Observation Haki and Armament Haki. With the former, he can sense the strength of others and choose whether to fight or run away. The latter helps him defend against dangerous attacks, such as S-Hawk’s sword slash.
3) Physical Strength
Blackbeard is a very annoying opponent to face, mainly because there doesn’t seem to be a way to permanently knock him out. He is extremely durable and is able to take the attacks of both Luffy and Ace. Even when injured by attacks, he rarely shows signs of pain or it holding him back.
Is Blackbeard the Strongest From the Worst Generation
The Worst Generation has 12 members, including Blackbeard, Luffy, Kid, Law, Zoro, and others. Only a few of them have fought each other, but it is not an overapproximation to say that Blackbeard is currently the strongest member of the Worst Generation.
The character who would give him the strongest battle is his fellow Emperor, Luffy, who has the powers of Nika and can use Gear Five. However, at this point in the series, it is hard to see Blackbeard losing in a one-on-one battle with his two Devil Fruits and the many mysteries behind his power. Additionally, Luffy is a more honorable fighter who does not take advantage of weaknesses, while Blackbeard’s shamelessness in using anything to his benefit would come in handy.
However, it might be a different result if the Blackbeard Pirates were to face the Straw Hat Pirates. Zoro and Sanji are actively gaining more power and work better with their Captain than the crew of the Blackbeard Pirates, but we will have to wait for more content from One Piece to get a definitive answer.
Conclusion
To conclude, Blackbeard is a fascinating antagonist embodying the darker side of ambition and power. He is strategic and ruthless but also changes his stance based on the situation. Regardless of whether he is the final antagonist or not, Blackbeard’s presence always raises the stakes while preparing fans for some heavy excitement.
Looking For More?
Thank you for reading the article. We provide the latest news and create guides for Baldur’s Gate 3, Starfield, ARK Survival Ascended, and more. Also, watch Deltia play games on Twitch or visit his YouTube channel!