Episode 485

"Settling the Score - Whitebeard vs. The Blackbeard Pirates" is the 485th episode of the One Piece anime.

Short Summary
Blackbeard and his pirates arrive in Marineford, as they are taken down from the execution platform by Whitebeard. In order to avenge his two sons (Ace and Thatch), Whitebeard fights Blackbeard. Even with Blackbeard's powers to cancel Devil Fruit abilities, Whitebeard deals a critical blow with his bisento, and then proceeds to pin Blackbeard down, grabs him by the throat, and uses his devil fruit to crush him and throw him back. Teach still survives, and with his crew cowardly attacks Whitebeard using pistols and blades. In his final moments, Whitebeard remembers his last meeting with Roger and his path as a pirate in order to have his family. Whitebeard dies standing, right after telling Blackbeard that he is not the one Roger is waiting for, saying that the will of people like Ace will not die and there will be one that will challenge the world in the future, and then telling the world that One Piece does exist, much to the chagrin of Sengoku.

Long Summary
Blackbeard emerges among the ruins of Marineford, accompanied by his crew and several Level 6 escapees from Impel Down. He begins to fight Whitebeard, who confronts him for his betrayal of the Whitebeard Pirates by murdering Thatch, and his hand in the death of Ace. Whitebeard and Blackbeard clash several times, until Whitebeard then lands a critical blow to Blackbeard and then continues to pin him down and tries to crush his throat. Blackbeard survives and then his crew attacks Whitebeard in a cowardly manner by using pistols and blades, dealing finishing blows to his already battered body, while his crew looks on in horror and heartbreak.

In Whitebeard's final moments, he thinks about his last meeting with Gol D. Roger and learns the history behind the middle initial "D". Gol D. Roger also told Whitebeard how to get to Laugh Tale, even though Whitebeard doesn't ever plan on going there. As Whitebeard is dying, he mentions how the Pirate King awaits someone with the initial "D", but tells Teach that he isn't the one that Gol D. Roger is waiting for. He also says that there will be others that will pick up Ace's will and that those flames will never extinguish. Whitebeard then addresses Sengoku and the World Government, acknowledging that they are afraid that one day, a battle will break out that immerses the whole world, and the world will become engulfed in war. Whitebeard admits he doesn't care about the fate of the world, but as long as someone finds Roger's treasure, the world will be turned upside-down, and affirms someone will find it, on a day that will come sooner or later. He grins at Sengoku, who looks on with fright.

Whitebeard tips backward, inhales, gathering his last breath, and bellows at the top of his lungs, "ONE PIECE... DOES EXIST!" His words echo throughout all of Marineford, and are heard over the Visual Den Den Mushi and transmitted straight to the viewing public at Sabaody Archipelago. Knowing what impact his final revelation is going to have, Sengoku curses Whitebeard.

As Whitebeard succumbs to his wounds, he thanks his sons and that he was happy that he could sail with all of them for so long. Whitebeard finally passes on, with all his crew members sobbing profusely at the loss of their captain, mourning him without cease. Several Marines on the battlefield stare at him in disbelief, for the great pirate Edward Newgate has died standing up. Even in death, his body refused to collapse. He had so many injuries but he continued to fight, having been inflicted with 267 wounds by swords, 152 wounds by guns, and also being shot with cannons 46 times. However, as his captain's jacket flutters loose from his lifeless body, it becomes clear that out of all these wounds, there is not a single wound on his proud back- in his entire life, Newgate never received a scar from running away.

Anime Notes
The following are seen in the anime version:
 * This episode does not feature an opening narration, possibly to allow for more time to focus on Whitebeard's final battle.
 * As a seagull flies over the battlefield and the paddle boat used to ram Marineford is seen from afar, its whale-shaped bow is incorrectly painted white like the Moby Dick, when all the smaller ships with whale bows were painted dark blue.
 * The fight between Whitebeard and Blackbeard is extended. Blackbeard manages to land punches on Whitebeard's torso and chin.
 * Even after the initial strike proved Whitebeard's quake punch has no effect on Blackbeard, Whitebeard continued to punch several more times before using his bisento.
 * When Blackbeard was cut by the bisento, the wound wasn't as graphic as it had been in the manga.
 * Whitebeard was unable to move after his last attack on Blackbeard.
 * Whitebeard was shown with his body turned red with smoke coming out of it similar to Luffy in Gear Second. This was likely done to signify his fury.
 * Whitebeard's speech was longer.
 * Jinbe turned around for a brief moment when Whitebeard died.
 * A recap of Whitebeard's injuries and successful damage to people such as Akainu was shown.
 * As of this episode, the opening adds the new Blackbeard Pirates while the opening in the previous episodes only had the original Blackbeard Pirates and Shiryu.
 * In this episode, the introduction and the short narration of events of the previous episode were not shown.
 * In a flashback of Whitebeard, Ace was shown with the shoes that the Marines gave to him before his execution instead of his boots.
 * In the manga, Whitebeard had several swords stuck in him from the front and upon his death, with some piercing through all the way out of his back. In the anime, Whitebeard has no swords stuck in his body, and his back is left uninjured.

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Episodi 485