Whitebeard Pirates

The Whitebeard Pirates were once one of the strongest pirate crews in the world, as their late captain, Edward Newgate, better known as "Whitebeard", was one of the Four Emperors and the only man to have ever been a match for the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, in a fight. Whitebeard's crew was segmented into divisions, instead of all under their captain's direct command. The crew had multiple subordinate crews operating in the New World, allowing the pirate crew to function as a massive pirate fleet.

Following the deaths of Whitebeard and Ace, the remaining members of the crew engaged the Blackbeard Pirates' full forces in the Payback War, which ended with the Blackbeard Pirates brutally defeating them, followed by conquering their former territories, with the leader Marshall D. Teach usurping Whitebeard's position in the Four Emperors. As a result, the crew had lost most of its power and influence, and they disbanded.

After the timeskip, the remaining crew members and subordinate crews were being hunted down by Edward Weevil and his mother Miss Buckin, who proclaim themselves as their captain's biological son and lover, to gain his fortune; this lasted until Weevil was captured by Admiral Ryokugyu. Around the same time, Marco and Izou supported the Ninja-Pirate-Mink-Samurai Alliance in their raid against a then-Emperor crew, which succeeded, resulted in one of the alliance leaders becoming one of the Four Emperors.

Jolly Roger
Whitebeard's flag features a largely standard skull bearing his signature mustache, and vertically arranged crossbones. Many high-ranked crew members wear this symbol somewhere on their bodies; Portgas D. Ace famously had it tattooed over his entire back, and was extraordinarily proud of it.

(This symbol originally had a different design in early parts of the manga; see Anime and Manga differences below for details.)



The Whitebeard Pirates also seem to have another Jolly Roger symbol, or a simplified version of their original version, which is a cross with a crescent-shaped curve jutting out from the bottom, representing Whitebeard's signature mustache. This symbol is not used on the flags, but many members have it either tattooed on their bodies (such as Marco on his chest, Curiel on his chin, and Atmos on his shoulders) or clothing (Blamenco has it on his tricorn, Jiru on his fez, and Rakuyo on his headband); the significance this symbol makes is as of yet unknown.

Nurses
While aboard the Moby Dick, Whitebeard would be cared for by a team of nurses. Despite their warnings to take care of his health, such as asking him not to drink too much alcohol, he seems not to follow their advice.

Division Commanders


Though the division commanders all made their appearance in the series, only half of them were directly named in the main storyline. The rest were named in the SBS of Volume 58. It has been stated by Oda that all the Whitebeard commanders, no matter which division they are leading, are all equal in rank and the division number does not indicate their authority. But outside Ace, who was Luffy's brother and thus naturally received a lot of exposure, three of the commanders, Marco, Jozu, and Vista, have been given far more reverence and focus than the others. Each division has specific duties for its members.

Teach was offered the position of second division commander, but he refused, due to not wanting to make himself known to the world yet. After Thatch's murder, his position was left unreplaced at the time of the Marineford War.


 * Division Commander #01: Marco the Phoenix
 * Division Commander #02: Kozuki Oden (former/deceased) / Fire Fist Portgas D. Ace (deceased)
 * Division Commander #03: Diamond Jozu Combat division.
 * Division Commander #04: Thatch (deceased)
 * Division Commander #05: Flower Sword Vista Swordsman division.
 * Division Commander #06: Blamenco
 * Division Commander #07: Rakuyo
 * Division Commander #08: Namur
 * Division Commander #09: Blenheim
 * Division Commander #10: Curiel
 * Division Commander #11: Kingdew
 * Division Commander #12: Haruta
 * Division Commander #13: Water Buffalo Atmos
 * Division Commander #14: Speed Jiru
 * Division Commander #15: Fossa
 * Division Commander #16: Izou (deceased)

Subordinate Captains
Similar to the Whitebeard Commanders, these New World pirate captains' names were revealed through the anime credits in the episode they were formally featured in, or by Oda through the manga and the fourth databook.

Territories
This is a list of the territories and islands that were under crew's protection before Edward Newgate's death. With his demise, all of them fell vulnerable to outside forces before some other regained protection via others. Most of these territories were later conquered by the Blackbeard Pirates.

Canon

 * Sphinx - The island where Whitebeard was born. It is of great importance to the crew and most of Whitebeard's fortune was used to support the island, as the island was too poor to pay the Heavenly Tribute and be a protected member of the World Government. Even after Whitebeard's death, the island continues to be protected by Marco.
 * Foodvalten - attacked by the Brownbeard Pirates, liberated by Basil Hawkins shortly after
 * Fish-Man Island - first passed to the protection of the Big Mom Pirates and later on to the Straw Hat Pirates
 * Port Chibaralta Island
 * An unnamed supply island where Ace and Jinbe fought before Ace was invited into the crew.

Non-Canon

 * Samba Island - passed under the tyranny of Chameleone
 * Hand Island - passed under the control of the Marine Commodore Bilić
 * Tomoshibi Island - currently protected by Hakuto
 * Peak Ode Island - unknown status

Crew Strength


Whitebeard was one of the Four Emperors of the second half of the Grand Line, along with Shanks, Kaidou and Big Mom, which made the Whitebeard Pirates one of the four strongest pirate crews in the world. There were 16 division commanders and Whitebeard himself in his crew, each division commander commanding 100 men. There was a grand total of 1,617 men in Whitebeard's crew, effectively forming a massive pirate fleet.

Since their captain had managed to fight with Gol D. Roger one-on-one, the Whitebeard Pirates were considered amongst the strongest pirates known in the world of One Piece. Even the normally overconfident Buggy refused to attack Ace when he was asleep, fearing Whitebeard's wrath, as he witnessed Whitebeard's might firsthand while apprenticing under the Roger Pirates.

Due to their fearsome reputation, the World Government was prepared to use practically the entire Marine force and the Seven Warlords of the Sea to fight the crew, after they announced Ace's execution. Even the 23 Marine ships that were supposed to be watching over the Moby Dick (Whitebeard's ship) were instantly wiped out as it started to move. Also, the fact that the capture of Portgas D. Ace, a member of Whitebeard's crew, was considered such an amazing feat that it earned a place as a Warlord of the Sea for Marshall D. Teach (though Ace's capture meant a lot more than just being Whitebeard's subordinate, as he was also the late Pirate King Gol D. Roger's son).

According to Blackbeard, a general rule on-board Whitebeard's ship is that any crewmate who happens to find a Devil Fruit is free to consume it (which is why he killed Thatch in order to obtain the Yami Yami no Mi). A few of the Whitebeard Pirates already possess Devil Fruit powers, such as Marco, Ace, Jozu, and Blamenco. Just the same, some of the commanders who did not seem to have any Devil Fruit powers were still capable of fighting on par with individual Warlords of the Sea (Vista, Curiel).

Many of them seem to possess one or more forms of Haki, a technique their captain had mastered in all three forms. The fact that their names are well known by the Warlords of the Sea and admirals also gives an indication of their strength. As a matter of fact, even a Supernova-class pirate such as Luffy was considered to be "all talk" by Whitebeard (although this was prior to him releasing his Haoshoku Haki). Sengoku stated that, with his Devil Fruit, Whitebeard would have been able to destroy the world. Another example of their strength is the majority of the commanders were unharmed by the war.



However, even taking their impressive displays of power into account, the Whitebeard Pirates are not, by any means, invulnerable, and have suffered enormous losses: Prior to the Whitebeard War, 4th division commander Thatch was murdered by Marshall D. Teach, who desired the Devil Fruit that Thatch found, known as the Yami Yami no Mi. During the Summit War of Marineford, several of their flagships (including the Moby Dick) were destroyed either by cannon fire or in separate attacks from Akainu, numerous unnamed crew members lost their lives amidst the fierce fighting against the Marines, and several of the commanders were severely crippled in their attempt to save Ace. In the final stages of the battle, Admiral Akainu successfully executed 2nd division commander Portgas D. Ace. Soon afterwards, a grievously injured Whitebeard was ambushed by the collective Blackbeard Pirates and perished as a result before the remaining members of the crew were helped in escaping by the arrival of the Red Hair Pirates.

Even with their losses, the Whitebeard Pirates were still considered to be one of the strongest crews, with the Five Elders believing that they, along with the remaining Emperor crews, were among the few that may be able to stop the Blackbeard Pirates. Despite this belief, however, when the Whitebeard Pirates engaged Blackbeard and his crew in a battle to avenge the murder of their captain and fellow commanders, they were completely overwhelmed and brutally defeated.

Two years after the Summit War of Marineford, the Whitebeard Pirates have lost most of their former territory to the Blackbeard Pirates after Teach claimed Whitebeard's position and other Emperors like Charlotte Linlin who claimed Fish-Man Island as her territory. The crew's current strength and whereabouts are unknown. The crew is also currently being hunted by Warlord of the Sea Edward Weevil and his mother Buckin, who are seeking to claim Whitebeard's fortune.

Subordinate Crews


Aside from their own 1617-member crew, the Whitebeard Pirates have many subordinate crews from the New World. Each one of the pirate captains was an infamous pirate who had made a name for him or herself in the New World. There seemed to be at least 43 crews under Whitebeard's protection. Whitebeard treated all of his longtime subordinate crews just like his own crew: as though they were his own children. They all seemed to know Ace, at least and were willing to help Whitebeard's cause when Ace was about to be executed at Marineford. However, they were not aware that Ace was Roger's son until around the time Ace died.



Akainu managed to deceive Squard, an otherwise loyal subordinate captain, into stabbing Whitebeard with a lie that Whitebeard made a deal with the Marines in which his subordinate crews would be the only ones targeted by the Pacifista; this lie also spread amongst the other subordinate crews, leading to some doubt in their trust of Whitebeard. The plan, despite having successfully weakened Whitebeard, also backfired somewhat, as it gave Whitebeard the opportunity to prove to his subsidiaries who the real enemy was and spur the pirates onwards in their quest to rescue Ace.

An unknown number of these subsidiary crews were hit in the aftermath of Akainu's attack during the war. Others had also been taken down since the fighting began, including one of their most powerful subordinate captains: the giant, Oars Jr. After the war, the surviving subordinate captains and their crews accompanied the remaining Whitebeard Pirates in their burial of Ace and Whitebeard at an unknown New World Island. Their current whereabouts and goals are unknown, though Edward Weevil is said to have taken out 16 of the subordinate crews including A O. leaving, at most, 27 subordinate crews still active.

An apparent trait of Whitebeard's subordinate crews is the usage of costumes that follow a theme. Also, the majority of them, similar to the Warlords of the Sea and CP9 agents, are animal-themed. Some of the subordinate captains are revealed to have been members of the main crew in the past.

Allies
Jinbe of the Seven Warlords of the Sea greatly respected Whitebeard for protecting Fish-Man Island, and maintained a friendship with Ace, to the point that he was willing to lay his life down for either of them, even if it meant compromising his role with the World Government.

After Luffy saved Ace from his execution, Whitebeard came to value Luffy as an important ally after seeing his true potential and was willing to go as far as to put his faith in Luffy. After Ace's and Whitebeard's deaths, the remaining Whitebeard Pirates put their lives on the line to prevent Akainu from killing Luffy; they even said that Ace's family was also their family as well.

Alongside Luffy were many Impel Down convicts who escaped from prison, including Emporio Ivankov, a Revolutionary Army commander, and Buggy, a former member of the Roger Pirates. All of these convicts were powerful people, and a majority of them fought against Whitebeard's opposition, which made them valuable assets to Whitebeard's cause. Whitebeard also proposed an alliance with Buggy, as he recognized the threat his new crew imposes, though seeing Buggy himself as nothing threatening.

Past


38 years ago, Whitebeard left the Rocks Pirates after the death of his captain and then at least 33 years ago started recruiting. Three years later, the Whitebeard Pirates were shipwrecked at the Kuri region of Wano Country after climbing the waterfall and losing their supplies. Before they could figure out their next course of action, Kozuki Oden rushed to the scene and briefly clashed with Newgate, introducing himself and demanding to set sail with them.

Afterwards, Whitebeard and his crew had a feast with Oden and his retainers. Oden kept asking to join only to be turned down. Two weeks later, the Whitebeard Pirates tried to leave Oden behind, but he caught up to them and held onto a chain he attached to the ship. Izou also held onto Oden and got dragged away with him. After pulling Izou up onto the ship, Whitebeard gave Oden a test. If he could hold onto the chain for three days, he would be allowed into the crew. Just when Oden only had ten minutes left, he heard a woman in trouble and let go, drifting to an island. On the next day, Whitebeard found Oden and a woman named Toki confronted by Karma and his crew. Whitebeard defeated Karma and finally allowed Oden to join his crew. Inuarashi and Nekomamushi, who had stowed away on Whitebeard's ship, joined the crew as well.

Two years after Oden joined, Whitebeard decided to divide his crew at that time into five divisions and appointed Oden as commander of the second division. Sometime later, he met Marshall D. Teach and granted his request to join the Whitebeard Pirates.

Around 26 years ago, the Whitebeard Pirates clashed with the Roger Pirates for three days and three nights before the skirmish ultimately became a gift exchange. Afterwards, the Whitebeard Pirates parted ways with Oden and his family as well as Inuarashi and Nekomamushi. Several years after he was killed, the Whitebeard Pirates heard about Oden's death at Kaidou's hand. Despite this, the Whitebeard Pirates did not invade Wano Country to take revenge, knowing that there would be many civilian casualties if they did so.

At some point in the past, the Whitebeard Pirates conquered part of the New World, taking many islands under their protection. Considering that and their captain's immense strength and infamy, the World Government labelled Whitebeard an Emperor. During that period, the crew also gained many powerful allies.

Arabasta Arc
Portgas D. Ace decided to see how his brother Monkey D. Luffy was doing. After easily destroying a fleet of Baroque Works ships, Ace handed Luffy a Vivre Card—which was later sewn to the inside of Luffy's hat's ribbon—so Luffy could later keep track of Ace's location and well-being.

Jaya Arc
Whitebeard rejected a letter from "Red-Haired" Shanks, stating that if Shanks wished to speak with him he should do it in person. The World Government feared what would happen if their two crews were to meet due to the possibility of them joining forces, but chose to just observe their actions.

Marineford Arc
After Ace chased down the traitor Marshall D. Teach and was defeated, he was sentenced to death at Marineford. As Ace's execution closed in, the entire Whitebeard Pirates, along with their 43 subordinate crews, came to Marineford and waged war against the 100,000 Marines and the five Warlords of the Sea that were present. Partway in, the prisoners of Impel Down arrived to give additional assistance, including people such as Ace's brother, Monkey D. Luffy.



As the war waged on, the encircling walls were raised and in the following moments, the Moby Dick was sunk by Admiral Akainu's Meteor Volcano, and another of Whitebeard's ships were sunk by Akainu's Great Eruption. Many crew members were killed or injured, and several of the commanders were severely incapacitated, including Marco being pierced repeatedly by Admiral Kizaru's lasers, Jozu being frozen solid by Admiral Aokiji, and Curiel being burned and defeated by Admiral Akainu. Whitebeard himself had been severely injured by a deceived Squard before he even jumped into battle, where he was then further wounded by Akainu and several Vice Admirals and Marine officers. He eventually entrusted the rescue mission to Luffy, ordering his subordinates to lend their strength to him, which led to Ace's freedom from the scaffold. However, the victory was short-lived, as their first notable casualty in the war was confirmed with the death of Portgas D. Ace by Akainu's hand. A near dead and isolated Whitebeard was then killed by the collective Blackbeard Pirates. The rest of the Whitebeard Pirates then prepared to fight against Akainu, who was pursuing a heartbroken Luffy. Upon the Red Hair Pirates' arrival, Shanks ceased the war, stating that the Marines had completed their objective, and any more fighting would have resulted in needless bloodshed. Ace and Whitebeard's bodies were taken by their friends for a proper burial, while their own hearts were grieving at their losses.

Post-War Arc


With the help of Shanks's crew, the Whitebeard Pirates buried their two deceased superior and comrade on Whitebeard's homeland in the New World; Whitebeard and Ace's graves towered over the place, and there were swords and flowers all around the tombs as a tribute. Ace's grave has his signature hat, knife, and beads (the first two retrieved somehow despite him losing them in his battle with Blackbeard), while Whitebeard's is marked with his bisento with his coat hanging from it, and his flag tied to the top. The rest of the crew stood on either side of the island en mass, paying their last respects as Shanks left.

Right after the war, many of Whitebeard's territories have also been annexed by other pirates. Foodvalten was conquered by the Brownbeard Pirates until Basil Hawkins defeated the latter.

As Blackbeard made his move through the New World with his thorough knowledge of Whitebeard's territories, the Five Elders remarked that the remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates, notably Marco the Phoenix, are one of the forces capable of stopping him.

During the Timeskip


When one year was passed after Whitebeard and Ace's deaths, a war had broken out between the Blackbeard and Whitebeard Pirates. It was called the "Payback War", in which both sides brought their full forces and it ended with the Whitebeard Pirates losing considerably. After the war is when Blackbeard started being acknowledged as one of the Four Emperors.

Legacy
Two years after the Summit War of Marineford have passed, Sabo left a newspaper of the Straw Hat Pirates' return at Ace's and Newgate's graves. After usurping Whitebeard's status as an Emperor, Blackbeard conquered most of Whitebeard's territories. However, Fish-Man Island is now under the protection of the Big Mom Pirates.

During the raid on Onigashima, two of the former commanders, Marco and Izou, went to Wano Country in order to assist the Straw Hat Pirates against Kaidou. Although they were successful with helping the battle and avenging Oden, Izou was killed.

Anime and Manga Differences
In the manga, the crew's Jolly Roger was originally a mustached skull mounted on a manji, as seen in the Arabasta Arc, the Jaya Arc, and Ace's Great Blackbeard Search. This symbol, an ancient religious mark that continues to be popular across Asia as a sign of divinity and peace, was infamously appropriated into Nazi Germany's Hakenkreuz emblem, inextricably linking it to white supremacy and hate speech and causing many nations to legally limit or forbid its depiction (though it should be noted that the conventional Japanese manji is bent in a counterclockwise 卍, as opposed to the Hakenkreuz's clockwise 卐).

To avoid controversy, the anime redesigned the Jolly Roger into the currently known crossbones version from its very first appearance. While this was universally followed by all known merchandise, the manga continued to use the manji design up until the Post-Enies Lobby Arc in 2006, when Shueisha directly ordered Eiichiro Oda to replace it with the crossbones design. Afterwards, Shueisha retroactively edited the crossbones design into all releases—physical and digital—of the Whitebeard Pirates' earlier appearances as well.

(Ironically, VIZ Media's releases of the early manga have never used these redraws, instead leaving the original design intact and adding editorial notes in the margins disavowing any Nazi association.)

Trivia

 * The Whitebeard Pirates and Blackbeard Pirates are the only known pirate crews known to feature all three categories of Devil Fruit in their ranks.
 * With three, the crew currently hold the most Haoshoku Haki users among all Emperor crews, both in the current and original lineups.
 * According to Volume 76's SBS, Whitebeard personally refused to allow any women into the crew as combatants. However, this was contradicted by flashbacks in the Wano Country Arc, which depicted Whitey Bay (prior to her career as an allied captain) among the combatants confronting Kozuki Oden.

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