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Blackbeard’s Plan – Introduction
We learn for the first time that Blackbeard had a plan to become the Pirate King after acquiring the Yami Yami no Mi which he got by killing Thatch.
One of the steps he had to take to achieve his ambitions was to defeat a pirate with a bounty of 100 million berries, as learned in Mock Town. Blackbeard learns that Luffy has a bounty of 100 million and since then he starts chasing Luffy. He lets Ace know.
Fast-forwarding to the fatal encounter between Blackbeard and Ace, we know how things went before and after Marineford, and therefore we wonder:
What if Blackbeard hadn’t met Ace and offered Luffy’s head to the World Government?
How would things have gone?
Step 1: Yami Yami no Mi
Blackbeard first had to get hold of a fruit that could neutralize or negate the Devil Fruit’s power. He stayed on Whitebeard’s ship as he thought it was the best chance to acquire the Yami Yami no Mi.
Step 2: Become a Shichibukai
As Blackbeard intended to capture Luffy, Ace showed up and engaged him in a duel, intervening as Luffy’s substitute.
Step 3: Break into Impel Down and recruit Division Commanders
He then breaks into Impel Down and recruits 6 of the most powerful individuals that can be found on the spot.
Step 4: Kill Whitebeard and acquire the Gura Gura no Mi
With his 9 commanders, he succeeds in killing Whitebeard. Whitebeard is then covered in a black veil, leading Shiliew to ask if the crew disbands if they fail? The failure is most likely related to the possibility of dying by consuming two Devil Fruitsbecause it is unprecedented.
Was Marineford part of the plan?
Apparently that was not the case.
If Ace hadn’t fought with Blackbeard, Marineford might never have happened because Whitebeard would have had no reason to go to Impel Down or Marineford.
- He could have carried out this plan with anyone, Luffy wasn’t even important, all that mattered was the 100m bounty head he had to offer to the world government for the position of Shichibukai.
- If Marineford never happened, that means Blackbeard intended to break into Impel Down to recruit his subordinates as Shichibukai, and then kill Whitebeard in the New World.
Is there only one flaw in this plan, assuming Marineford never happened?
He underestimated Whitebeard’s strength. He thought that because he was old, his power had weakened. If Marineford hadn’t happened, Whitebeard would have been in good shape. Even without being in top form, if he hadn’t bled to death, Blackbeard would have died.
And if ?
What if Luffy had never defeated Crocodile, meaning he would still be one of the 7 Shichibukai. Would Blackbeard defeat a Shichibukai to get his job?
What if Luffy had been captured by Blackbeard and taken to Impel Down. Could it still have led to Marineford?