The Blackbeard Pirates stand as the most unpredictable and dangerous crew in the One Piece universe. Led by the cunning Blackbeard (Marshall D. Teach), they rose from obscurity to become an Emperor’s crew through betrayal, stolen powers, and ruthless ambition. In short, they’re the closest thing to real pirates we know from history. Without the Blackbeard Pirates, One Piece wouldn’t be nearly as much fun. Let’s break down their crew, devil fruits, powers, and infamous legacy.

Meet the Blackbeard Pirates Crew: The Titanic Captains

Blackbeard’s inner circle, each commanding terrifying power and bounties over 100,000,000 Berries. Recently, in the One Piece anime, Blackbeard was promoted to one of the four emperors of the sea. My personal belief is that they’re currently the most powerful crew in One Piece. Yes, we’ve yet to fully discover the Red-Haired crew—but for now, we still don’t know much about them. So, the crew is a force to recon with!

Marshall D. Teach (Blackbeard)

He started out in Whitebeard’s crew as a kid, alongside others like Marco, Ace, and Jozu. He was always up to no good and never truly valued loyalty. One day, he saw a Devil Fruit (Yami Yami no Mi) in the hands of a crewmate. He killed him and ate the fruit.

My theory is that he somehow acquired a “wiki” of Devil Fruits—a record that explained each fruit and its powers. Naturally, that means he also learned how to steal Devil Fruit abilities from others. I further believe that his first fruit, the Yami Yami no Mi, might be directly connected to his ability to steal other Devil Fruit powers.

Later, he was hunted down by Ace, but Ace was ultimately defeated and captured by the Navy, which later led to the Marineford War. At first, Ace had the upper hand, but Teach caught him by surprise using the Yami Yami no Mi’s power-negating abilities.

In short, Teach is the most oppotunitic character who resembles the actual pirates in the history – cunning, ruthless, and dangerous. I hope to see him in action soon. The last time we saw him fighting, and defeating the Heart Pirates.

• Bounty: 3,996,000,000 Berries

• Devil Fruits:

  • Yami Yami no Mi (Darkness): Nullifies DF powers, absorbs matter.

  • Gura Gura no Mi (Tremors): Creates earthquakes (stolen from Whitebeard).

• Abilities: Master tactician, uses claw weapons, endures extreme pain.

• Legacy: The only person with two devil fruits – a feat once called impossible.

Shiryu of the Rain

This dude’s cruelty is on another level. He used to be a jailer at Impel Down, but because he killed prisoners for sport, he was sentenced to the lowest level of the prison himself. After being rescued by Teach, he wholeheartedly joined the Blackbeard Pirates.

I’d really love to see a Zoro vs. Shiryu battle someday. I’m sure it’ll happen sooner or later. How will Zoro cope with Shiryu’s invisibility Devil Fruit powers? Perhaps with Observation Haki? What do you think — who would win in a Zoro vs. Shiryu showdown?

• Bounty: 1,800,000,000+ Berries (estimated)

• Devil Fruit: Suke Suke no Mi (Clear): Turns invisible; perfect for assassinations.

• Abilities: Former Head Jailer of Impel Down, master swordsman rivaling Mihawk.

• Titanic captain of Blackbeard pirates second ship.

Jesus Burgess

A real stregth fanatic capatain of one of the Blackbeard pirates ship is Jesus Burgess. He is alway laughing, and looking for a fight. Although he was not on par with the likes of Sabo, or Luffy, but he could dominate most of the pirates in the One Piece world. But that was true during Dressrosa, when he had not eaten Strong Strong fruit. Now, his physical power is on mountain lifting level.

• Bounty: 1,000,000,000+ Berries

• Devil Fruit: Riki Riki no Mi (Super Strength) (confirmed in manga).

• Abilities: Wrestler-style fighter, uses brute force and grappling.

• Titanic capatin of the Blackbeard pirates first ship.

Kuzan (Aokiji)

The ex-navy admiral, one of the highest powers of navy Aokiji is now a member of Blackbeard pirates. He may be working undercover but so far it doesn’t seem that way. His devil fruit powers can insantly bring the Ice age. Get this, the guy rides a bike between the ocean using his ice powers.

• Bounty: Unknown (Ex-Marine Admiral)

• Devil Fruit: Hie Hie no Mi (Ice): Freezes targets instantly.

• Abilities: Advanced Haki user, joined under mysterious terms.

Vasco Shot

Not much is known about Vasco Shot but apparantly he has some sort of alcoholic based devil fruit powers. He uses alcohol to spread fire. He is a realy heavy drinker, and never leaves the bottle.

• Bounty: 800,000,000+ Berries

• Devil Fruit: Unknown (suspected alcohol-based powers).

• Role: Heavy drinker, specializes in chaos and destruction.

Van Augur

Now this one is very interesting. Not only he is one of the deadliest snipers but also have the teleportation powers. Recently, during Law Vs, blackbeared, we saw him saving Teach when Law threw him high towards the ocean. Van Augur reached teach in an instant leading to Heart Pirates’ loss.

• Bounty: 800,000,000+ Berries

• Abilities: Sniper with god-like accuracy; can teleport using his Warp-Warp Fruit (unnamed).

• Titanic capatin of the Blackbeard third ship.

Doc Q & Stronger

He rides a unicorn type horse, and seems like an interesting character. Due to his devil fruits powers he is always sick. If the user himself is sick, then his powers must be really threatening. His horse is a flying horse who ate the Uma Uma no Mi, Model Pegasus. SO, he can spread disease with speed while reaching heights. A truly dangerous combo!

• Bounty: Unknown

• Devil Fruit:

  • Doc Q: Shiku Shiku no Mi (Sick): Infects targets with diseases.

  • Stronger (Horse): Uma Uma no Mi, Model: Pegasus (flying horse).

  • Titanic capatin of the Blackbeard pirates’ ninth ship.

Laffitte – the Demon Sheriff

He is a past corrupt officer who later beacme a pirate. His title ‘the demon shefiff’ is beacuse of his extremly demonic reputation, and mysterious powers. He can take control of any human being’s consciousness with some conditions.

• Bounty: Unknown

• Abilities: Hypnotist, winged fighter (possibly a Harpy DF), ex-corrupt officer.

• A cruel natured law enforcement officer from the West Blue.
• Titanic Captain of the fifth ship.

Sanjuan Wolf

He is probably the largest land character in the whole One Piece. Originally, a huge giant, later ate a devil fruit making him more ‘huger.’ Not the smartest, but certainly the largest crew member of any pirate crew in the world.

• Bounty: Unknown

• Abilities: Giant-sized combatant (larger than battleships), sunk entire fleets single-handedly.

• Can grow larger than the largest giants due to his devil fruit’s (Deka Deka No Mi powers.

Avalo Pizarro

He becomes one with any island, and can use groudn, buildings, as a weapon, ear, or eyes. Basically, he becomes the island itself with additional perks. Recently, we saw him fighting Garp during the Coby rescue mission in the Pirates Island.

• Bounty: Unknown

• Devil Fruit: Isle-Isle Fruit (controls rock/earth; Hachinosu fortress manipulation).

Catarina Devon

She is the most cunning member of the Blackbeard pirates. As if that was not enough she ate Inu Inu no Mi, a nine-tailed fox fruit. She can take the form of anyone, with their voice along with other physical traits in an instant.

• Bounty: Unknown

• Devil Fruit: Inu Inu no Mi, Model: Kyubi no Kitsune (Nine-Tailed Fox).

• Role: Master of disguise; impersonates targets to assassinate them.

READ ABOUT THE MOST WANTED PIRATES IN ONE PIECE AND THEIR BOUNTIES.

Flagge Blackbeard & Crew Symbols

• Jolly Roger: Three skulls – symbolizing Teach’s belief in “triple-faced destiny.”

• Ship: Saber of Xebec – a massive warship armed for conquest.

• Creed: “Dreams never end!” – embracing chaos to reshape the world.

Major Crimes & Battles

• Infiltration: Blackbeard posed as a Blackbeard marine recruit for decades.

• Betrayals:

  • Killed Thatch (for Yami Yami no Mi).

  • Captured Ace, triggering the Marineford War.

• Power Grabs:

  • Stole Whitebeard’s Gura Gura no Mi during Marineford.

  • Defeated Boa Hancock, Law, and Bonney to steal their powers/territory.

Blackbeard Pirates FAQ (15+ Burning Questions)

Q1: Who is Blackbeard’s first mate?
A: Shiryu – the crew’s deadliest swordsman. He was previously imprisoned in Impel Down, and when Teach rescued him, he readily agreed to join his crew.

Q2: How old is Blackbeard in One Piece?
A: 43 years old (as of Egghead arc).

Q3: What does Blackbeard’s flag mean?
A: Three skulls = his rule over life, death, and destiny.

Q4: Who has the highest bounty after Blackbeard?
A: Shiryu (~1.8 billion).

Q5: How tall is Blackbeard?
A: 11’2” (344 cm) – towering over most Emperors.

Q6: Is Kuzan truly loyal to Blackbeard?
A: Unknown – he’s likely undercover or pursuing his own agenda.

Q7: What was Blackbeard’s first devil fruit?
A: Yami Yami no Mi (Darkness), stolen from Thatch.

Q8: When did Blackbeard first appear?
A: Chapter 223; mocking Luffy’s dream in Jaya.

Q9: Why does Blackbeard want multiple devil fruits?
A: He believes combining powers makes him “invincible.”

Q10: Who killed Blackbeard?
A: He’s alive – but Whitebeard nearly killed him at Marineford.

Q11: Where is Blackbeard’s ship, Saber of Xebec?
A: Last seen near Winner Island, battling Law.

Q12: Why is Blackbeard called “Teach”?
A: It’s his real name – Marshall D. Teach.

Q13: Is there a Blackbeard writing meme?
A: Yes! Fans meme his “Zehahaha!” laugh and “dreams never end” speech.

Q14: Can I cosplay as Blackbeard?
A: Absolutely! His missing teeth, tri-corner hat, and beard are iconic.

Q15: Why recruit ex-Marines (Kuzan) and criminals?
A: Teach values power over loyalty – anyone useful is welcome.

Where are Blackbeard Pirates now?

This part of the blog is updated every month. Keep checking it to know the current whereabouts of the Blackbeard crew. If you’re an anime-only fan, beware — there might be spoilers ahead.

🏴‍☠️ 31 October 2025 Update

The Blackbeard Pirates are schemers — cunning and unpredictable. They’ve got their fingers in a lot of important pots. Marshall D. Teach (Blackbeard), Van Augur, Doc Q, Jesus Burgess, and others were recently seen fighting and defeating the Heart Pirates led by Trafalgar Law. Law barely made it out alive. We also witnessed some new Devil Fruit powers from Blackbeard’s crew during the battle.

Meanwhile, four of the Titanic Captains — Shiryu, Avalo Pizarro, Vasco Shot, and Sanjuan Wolf — were last confirmed at the pirate base island Hachinosu, where a SWORD (Navy special forces) raid is currently underway. We’ve yet to see how that turns out, but it’s clear there’s something important hidden there.

Lastly, two Titanic Captains have also appeared in the Egghead Island Arc. The Blackbeard Pirates seem to be everywhere that matters. And with Elbaf on the horizon in the anime, we can’t wait to see what kind of chaos they’ll bring next.

My Thoughts on Blackbeard Pirates

I find the Blackbeard Pirates to be the true embodiments of the word pirates. If you look at actual history, you won’t find jolly, good-hearted pirates like Captain Jack Sparrow—but real, ruthless villains like the infamous Edward Teach, a.k.a. Blackbeard.

In One Piece, although we see pirates looting, robbing, and destroying public property, the overall vibe often feels lighthearted. The Straw Hat crew, for example, are portrayed as the “good guys.”

The Blackbeard Pirates, on the other hand, led by Teach, are true villains. Their crimes resemble those of real-life pirates from the past. In the anime, from Blackbeard’s flag to his stolen Devil Fruits, Teach’s crew embodies pure chaos. They’ve toppled empires, murdered legends, and now hunt the Ancient Weapons.

As the final saga looms, the Blackbeard Pirates remain the ultimate wild card—one that could either end Luffy’s dream or make it legendary.

Thoughts?

Inspired? Try Blackbeard pirate costume guide or dive into Blackbeard crew analysis for more!

Here is a video about Blackbeared pirates crew ranking by HYPEKAGE.