User blog comment:AYET/The worth of the Shichibukai to the Marines/@comment-94.68.140.217-20130529175454

Gorosei have somewhat confirmed that Yonkos are the strongest power in the world of One Piece. When Blackbeard entered New World after Marineford War, they stated that only Yonkos and Marco can stop him. You should not forget that.

We should also not forget that Yonko HAVE to be the strongest to survive. Marines base their power in numbers, organization and bonds with the public (oh yes, don't underestimate this factor). Shichibukais base their power on individual strength and connections with the two other great powers. Yonko seems to have large armies and great individual strength and they need that extra strength to overcome Marine's organization.

So we can safely assume that,first of all, Shichibukai are in need of the rest and cannot go at their own. Their survival instinct make them puppets of Yonko, Marines or both. On the other hand, they can provide quite a helpful hand to their master, since they are significant pirates one way or another. Who doesn't want to control underworld by commanding Doflamingo for example?

Marines is what we call strength in unity. Smoker, Vergo and the rest Vice Admirals have been proved too weak to confront the big names. Even Sakazuki, the man who is supposed to be the strongest Marine, was not a big burden for the angry, but wounded and old, Whitebeard. Marines cannot confront Yonkos in their territories. Both sides know it. So the role of Marines in the story is somewhat defensive. They may do some offensive movements, but they can go as far as their organization allow them.

Yonko is the big names. From my point of view the major antagonists of the series. Luffy should beat the four Yonkos and the World Goverment to approach his goal. World Goverment has a lot of faces, so it is somewhat an indefinite antagonist. Yonkos are totally specific. These 4 amazingly strong people who can do whatever they want. They are the offensive power of One Piece and they are threatened mainly by the rest Yonkos. Marines for them, is just a Red Line they should watch out to not cross, not because they cannot dominate over them, but because they are going become a more vulnerable target there.

In your question about Sakazuki's plans with Shichibukai. He is not trusting them, but with their alliance he can hold them back. The direct advantage is that they are not going to harm Marines. There is also an indirect advantage tho. No matter what Shichibukai gonna do, a pirate who's up to attack Marines should factor this alliance. He should calculatethat Marines are not alone, even if they end up alone in the end. So, this alliance is a strategic movement that can hold threats back, before they come to the table. In the end, when Marines gonna really need Shichibukai (like Marineford) they will come up with a tactic that won't give them so much possibilities ;)

As for Blackbeard and Sakazuki. Blackbeard owe to be stronger. He has more powerful fruits and a work that demands greater individual strength. He could have problems against Sakazuki, but he would come up with a good plan and defeat him without grave injuries I feel.

K