Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece has shown an array of villains and antagonists that have created a huge impact on the story, but none of them compare to Blackbeard. Blackbeard, also known as Marshall D. Teach is probably the last villain Luffy and The Straw Hat Pirates will encounter in their race to find the One Piece treasure.
The most important thing that speaks about the uniqueness of Blackbeard as a character and as a villain is his ability to use more than one Devil Fruits. He acquired his first Devil Fruit Yami Yami no Mi by killing one of his crewmates and got his second Devil Fruit Gura Gura no Mi during the Marineford arc.
Oda has not yet revealed how Blackbeard can have the powers of two Devil Fruits. But there have been multiple theories regarding the same. Out of those, the most prominent one is that Blackbeard has 3 split personalities which helps him retain the power of three Devil Fruits. The evidence to support this theory has already been provided in the manga.
The Importance of Number 3 for Blackbeard
The number three is closely associated with Blackbeard. The first association that is the most common is his flag which has three skulls on it. Also, whenever Blackbeard appears on screen or in the manga, he is missing three teeth. In addition, following the time skip, he has been observed carrying three distinct pistols.
When he fought Shanks in a battle, he used his claw weapon to leave three scars on his eye. And finally, during the current timeframe of One Piece, Blackbeard has gone through three different looks and appearances. The first one was seen before the time skip, the second was when he became a part of the Warlords of the Sea, and the third is his current look.
All these instances indicate that Blackbeard has a strong connection to the number three, and knowing Eiichiro Oda, he might have foreshadowed the importance of the number connecting it with the number of Devil Fruits that Blackbeard might have eaten.
Theory Suggests Blackbeard’s 3 Split Personalities Have Already Been Shown in One Piece
According to a theory posted by u/The_Real_Katakuri on Reddit, Blackbeard devised a scheme that began with him eating his first devil fruit. A legendary zoan devil fruit that grants him the ability to change into Cerberus, the watchdog of the underworld. The purpose of the three-headed dog Cerberus is to release the spirits of the deceased into the afterlife.
The three heads represent the past, the present, and the future. The underworld is a dark realm, and Blackbeard is a literal embodiment of darkness. Consequently, the Cerberus fruit would enable him to absorb three deceased souls into himself. As a result, Blackbeard can control the souls of those whom he possesses thus giving him access to that people’s devil Fruit skills.
This unusual split personality ability that Blackbeard has was first mentioned by Marco, who states that Blackbeard has a special body, thus allowing him the power to harness different Devil Fruits. The theory supports the major mysteries of Blackbeard who is going to be one of the biggest antagonists at the conclusion of One Piece.
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