One Piece Reveals Major Blackbeard Plot Twist, 25 Years Later

For decades, One Piece‘s narrative has framed Monkey D. Luffy as the fastest-rising pirate in the Grand Line; however, if there is one character who has consistently served as Luffy’s foil, it’s none other than Marshall D. Teach — better known as Blackbeard. Ever since being first mentioned in the Drum Island Arc, the dastardly pirate has proven himself to embody the worst aspects of piracy, with many One Piece fans labeling Blackbeard as the primary antagonist of the entire story.

However, as recent events in the One Piece manga have shown, Blackbeard’s story might not be so black-and-white. The Emperor of the Sea has been steeped in mystery for years, but thanks to Rocks D. Xebec’s prominent role in the God Valley Incident, it seems as though Blackbeard’s actions are much more justifiable than previously believed.

Blackbeard’s Radical Ideology Is a Product of the World Government’s Worst Crime

Image by Shonen Jump.

Long before Blackbeard became the infamous pirate he is in One Piece‘s core story, he was the same thing as any other human being: an innocent child. Though little is known about his upbringing, the Elbaph Arc’s God Valley flashback has made it clear that Marshall D. Teach once enjoyed the love of two legitimately caring parents. Rocks D. Xebec and his lover, Eris, both care deeply for their child, and as it’s presented in the God Valley flashback, this family’s bond is strong enough for the Rocks Pirates’ to notice its effect on their notoriously wild captain.

Sadly, the World Government has repeatedly proven that they have no problem disrupting family structures — especially when it comes to bloodlines deemed enemies of the Celestial Dragons. In the case of Rocks D. Xebec, he hailed from the enigmatic Davy Clan, which has been persecuted by the World Government since the days of the Void Century. Accordingly, Eris and a young Blackbeard were both captured and taken as hostages for the God Valley Hunt, prompting Rocks to attack the island in full force in an attempt to save his family.

Looking back, this circumstance explains a lot about Blackbeard’s radical perspective in the core events of One Piece. Though he has often been described as Luffy’s polar opposite, this isn’t really true; in actuality, the two characters are more like opposite sides of the same coin than different ends of the spectrum.

Blackbeard values freedom and agency just like Luffy, except in Blackbeard’s case, he likely values these concepts because they were robbed from him and his bloodline — a justifiable perspective given the circumstances. That said, Marshall D. Teach isn’t off the hook for his villainous actions, many of which are significantly more heinous than anything his father or mother would have ever dreamed of.

Blackbeard’s Cause Doesn’t Justify His Actions, But It Does Explain Them

Image by Yéred García

To be clear, there’s no justifying many of Blackbeard’s actions. His decisions to kill Thatch and Edward Newgate for their Devil Fruits, assault various pirate crews, and recruit the most heinous criminals in the Grand Line are all horrific acts that deserve criticism, and no amount of context will ever excuse him for his role in them. Additionally, Teach’s attacks on the Revolutionary Army, Whitebeard Pirates, Red Hair Pirates, and Heart Pirates virtually guarantee that Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates will never treat him as an ally.

Still, it’s significantly easier to treat Blackbeard like a real human being now that some of his mysterious past has been revealed. The World Government’s despicable actions ruined his life and did their best to eradicate his entire bloodline, so it’s no surprise that he would use his natural gifts to undermine their authority as much as possible — even if it forced him to occupy a similarly villainous role to his true enemy.

This tragic tale of cyclical violence is far from over, as One Piece has yet to make it explicitly clear what Blackbeard’s goal for the future truly is. That said, for now, the Emperor of the Sea and his crew of cutthroat subordinates finally have the nuanced motivations that they’ve needed for years, making One Piece‘s final saga more interesting than ever before.